Life — April 26, 1906 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

N ONE of his interesting prefaces Mr. George Bernard Shaw gives the financial history of “Arms and the Man” in London. ‘The piece ran from April 21 to July 7, and included in the run were nine matinees, The total receipts were a little less than eighteen hundred pounds sterling and the net loss on the production was in the neighborhood of five thousand pounds, which to reach the sage conclusion that, if a persons who went to see the play had cot pressed their patronag stead of spreading it over twelve, the result would have been a pecuniary success for the ZZ management and more flattering to the y vanity of the author. In both these particulars America has risen superior to the island of Mr.Shaw’'s adop- tion, His plays: have certai notoricty to gratify the author's every instan en of anagrecable kind. Before there had aj haw in this country, “Arms and the Man” had made a moderate success over here, simply on its merits as a play. It remains to be seen what popular estimation will attend its revival, after the fashionable vogue of “Candida,” “ You Never Can Tell,” and * Man and Superman,” and the advertising, Mr. Shaw received through the suppression of “Mrs. Warren's Profession.” Judging by the author’s familiarity with the finance side of the question, shown above, the interest in the success of the revival will not be confined entirely to this side of the water. Inasmuch as “Arms and the Man” is simply a satirical comedy, propounding no social theories and exploiting no social paradoxes, it should naturall recently successful plays, particularly as the comedy element is quite a much to the front as the satire. The objects of his fun: the trade of the soldier and the femi tendency to romanticism and hero-worship. It docs not require deep thought or great intellectuality to grasp his meanings, he propounds no puzzling questions, and as th Arms and the Man” in its entirety is well calculated to provide an agreeable evening's entertainment, not only for Shaw-worshippers, but as well for the theatre-goer who is tired of farce and musical plays. some of them—have made ved sufficient although not in appeal to a wider audience than author's wit is at its pleasantest, * 8 6 HERE is one grave temptation which it is to be hoped Mr. Shaw will resist should this revival of “Arms and the Man” prove successful. The author may smarting over the non-reception of Warren” in Ameri approval of the present piece excuse for a diatribe on our national lack of di cernment. He has been rather quiet of late and an outburst from Mr. Shaw, like one ius, is sure to come, no matter how quiescent and extinct he may appear to be for some time. Besi having trouble with his copyright arrangements in Americ will give him things to say about our commercial hone: Gorky incident will give him a fine text for a discourse on our national hypocrisy. It is to be hoped that no matter how successful may be this production of his comedy, Mr. Shaw will refrain for the present. We have troubles of our own. The insurance folks, the coal-miners, the United States Senate, the lynchers, the muck- rakers and the grafters are occupying a good deal of our indigna- tion, and just now a shrick of disapproval from Mr. Shaw might be the last straw which would break the back of our national patience. Besides, he and his wares have been pretty thoroughly advertised already. * 2 8 R. SHAW could hardly fail to approve of the present production given to his by Mr. Daly The minute stage the author delights have been followed with almost absolute fidelity. If he had gone a little bit furtherand said that artillery and cavalry facings were not indiscriminately mixed up in military uni- forms, even in Bulgaria, Mr. Daly would probably not have gone wrong in that minor detail, but even the all-seeing mind of Mr. Shaw could not foresee such a possibility. Captain Bluntschli was onc of Mr. Mansfield’s best impersona- tions and it is difficult not to revert to it in mentioning this play. a WILHELMANA'S BRIDEGROOM FAILED TO SHOW UP AT THE CHURCH $0 SIE VANKED THE DRIVER OFF THE WEDDING MACK, ASD MARRIED NIM IN LIEU OF JONN, WHO'D LEYT HER IN THE LERCH ror suk wovtp NOT SEND THE WEDDING PRESENTS BACK! comicbooks.com