Life — November 23, 1905 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

with an artistic motive. This; we believe, Herr Conried would supply. At the same time we would like to see Herr Conried aban- don the false pretence that he is embodying the National Theatre idea, cut loose from the snobbishness of the society" idea, and make his appeal for support on the frankly business basis where it belongs. . * . OME questions cannot be settled until they come be- fore the public in concrete form, and the two perform- ances of “Mrs, Warren's Profession,” silly as were their consequences, were not without value if they lead to a little more exact thinking on the part of police, public and managers be- fore action is taken in these delicate matters, This letter from one of LiFt’s readers draws at least one correct conclusion from the facts under consideration : zw Yorn, Nav. 9, 1905. To tne Eoitor oF Live.—I want to thank you for the sane and courageous word you have said about “Mrs. Warren's Profession," and to add that 1 think that when New York critics recover from their viol attack of moral hysteria, they will recognize CHICKEN sour. LIFE the wisdom of your istic point of Warren's Profession’ sure it cannot secure of an audience. position. From an I do not think is a good play. the artistic sympathy tizing But to call the is, in my poor nal one in which the an audience is secured for the some form of bad It is much an operation for appendiciti immoral or indecent 1 and irrat like dram play is sympathy of triumph of whieh made play social vice; in passion is idealized attractive, “Raffles” is an immoral But man or woman who can be attracted to a life of sexual vice by the sordid vul shame and suff a some and arity of Mfrs, Warren, of the speechless ring of her daughter, must be ally constituted. Nothing in the range of dramatic literature can be agonizingly pathetic than the scene between that daughter and the titled scoundrel who is trying to make Stung by her bitter reproaches, the ‘scoundrel, rubbing off the varnish of social respectability, cries out, “Damn yout!” and the tortured girl answers, with quivering shame, “You need not; I feel among the damned already!” It sounds like the tion Dante read over the mouth of Hell, “Who enters here leaves hope behind”! I know this play has raised the question as more inser: to the desirability of a dramatic censorship in America. I trust that we shall never fol: low the example of England drama is no more reasonable or de- fensible than a censorship of the press. A censor is simply a man who punishes an alleged criminal without giving him the r of fair trial by judge or jury. Just before was murdered by the bloodhounds of the Lovejoy uttered these A censorship slave power, words: “I claim the right to publish anything I please, subject. only to the laws of my country.” That should be the maxim of every free state. There is ni poison of license except 1 indecent antidote for the rty. If © courts are open ack and those who defend 4. F And if we are to have a censor, it seems immoral, hose who al to be fairly well agreed by every one concerned that Mr. Anthony Comstock is not equipped by education or discretion for that particular job ALICE NEIL ambition to become a grand opera artist is credit- able to her from the point of view of self- improvement, but it is perhaps better, to use a paraphrase of an old proverb, to be the head of a mouse than the tail of a lion, To any one who heard her recent performance ina bobtailed version of * Don Pasquale,” it is evi dent that she can never attain anything like the position in grand opera that she held in light opera, It was also evident that, if she cares to go back to her old love, she possesses an ample equipment for it in looks, voice and comedy-acting. Irrespective of her own wishes, the comic opera stage has greater need of ber charms and abilities than the other, Metcalfe. Fe Academy of Music.—Last week of * The Wizard of Oz," the funny and musical fairy spectacle. /asco.—Blanche Bates in “The Girl of the idea West." Notice later. Bijor—Daxid Warfield in the second y “The Music Master." A delightful play of “The Farl and the Girl. al play with Edd we of the musi Imported About Garrick. Grace € us on Mars”? and Princess." Whole- The best of its kind, some circus a Lyric.—* Happyland,”” with DeWolf Hopper as the star. DeKoven's music and well-staged light ope Madison Sguare.— The Man on the Box,"? with Henry E. Dixey and Carlotta Nillson, Amu ing light comedy, well acted. Manhkattan.—Madame Ralich in Macterlinck's *Monna Vanna." Powerful and _ interesting poetical drama fairly well acted. Not for the youn Mendelssohn Hail.—Ben_Greet's players in Elizabethan presentations of Shakespeare. A teresting experiment not well done. "rincess.—Margaret. Anglin in Zira."” loter- esting and including an admirable piece of emo- tional acting by the star Proctor's Fifth Avenue.—Good stock company in Comyns Carr's version of * Oliver Twist.” We ina v's Theatre. — Excellent company ing-crying little play, “The Priace Chap. Not pretentious, but well done. As no representative of LIFE is permitted to enter the theatres in the following list, they are not included in the Guide, Asa result of this exclusion twenty-four managers have been arrested ona charge of criminal con- spiracy and are now at large on bail, pending action by the criminal courts. DALY'S, HUDSON. LYCEUM, EMPIRI LIBERTY MAJESTIC, GARDEN. WATLAC SAVOY. KNICKERBOCKER, W AMSTERDAM, comicbooks.com