Life, 1909-10-21 · page 15 of 32
Life — October 21, 1909 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page critiques several Broadway plays of the early 1900s. The top cartoon depicts a performer frantically fleeing from a grand piano—likely satirizing overambitious or poorly-executed theatrical productions. The text mocks specific plays for their failures. "A Citizen's Home" (about Tammany Hall political corruption) is criticized for dull execution despite serious subject matter. "On the Eve," a Russian revolutionary tragedy, is dismissed as pretentious—appealing to "uptown" sophisticated audiences but poorly acted and irrelevant to working-class neighborhoods like the Tenderloin. The author laments that theatre managers reject worthy scripts while staging tired, outdated productions with "stilted talk" and "maudlin sentiment." The reviews suggest Life's readers were sophisticated enough to appreciate both socially conscious drama and well-crafted entertainment—but expected competent execution regardless of a play's ambitions. The accompanying illustration shows "Visitors From the Country," contrasting rural visitors with urban theatre culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A DASH FOR THE ason for mentioning them at all is as nples of what not todo. One of thi is (or was) “ A Citizen's Home," telling not incredible and not of itself of how Tammany polities machine may be en- dat the same he obj this case was the invasion of a humble re for a Tammany The its desire humble home n a story, uninteresting, and the listed for the n uny ost petty a tim ct in lyrannical purposes home to sec heeler possession of a young girl trouble with the play was tha to portray faithfully the its virtues it devoted too little space 10 drama and therefore tired the real its audiences for uptown New “4 York the nihilistic, anarchistic or rey olutionary Russian tragedy. If uptown York gloom of -which New wants kind loesn't 1 any - it it must be serve with very up-to-date local Russian gloom revolutionary touch a in the lower hut it doesn’t strike a note in the nei; borhood of the Tenderloin, But “On the * wasn’t even well done as an English version of surroundings fervor and very and may Side chord Zast its German ori and it was badly acted. It introduced a attractive actress who has le Germap lish striking and young rned_ Bn but who incredibly short time, n this ine stance has not found a role which enables her to show qualities that greatly please @ o oOo 0 @ Nun the Key per three among the unfortunates, plays that fell, The Master at the Bijou. cipal trouble was Its p old theme—labor them that had troubles—and treated which supposed that the audiences of to: day like stilted talk, old situations and Some was it an in a way good people ability in bad maudlin. sentiment. wasted their time and parts It's very, very bad to sce these awf g on the stage when in the examples goi managers’ offices, unread, may be plays which really deserve a chance before the ma ee | Louis Mann Amusing cha public. calfe 2 Catania he Neotraan Mr Stood Still.” studies of Fast Side life 1stor—"" The Man from 1 Ar ly waving the American flag in th of effete Europe Relasco—" Ve Matrimony a Failure?" n society dlivertingly put under the se The Debtors” with Bell” Based on Little Dorrit.” Broadway—" The Midnight ferce with many laughs. and the Wizard." Typi swith Mr. Sam Ber Above the average e Mehing I The Zang which istreduces the Mon. Theo: dore Roosevelt 2 atic critic. Drama dealing Wwestion Criterion Spaniard”? edy of the with Bio lig Mr. Digby Musicat Ne Victorian era, Com: » Visitors From the Country THIS MUST BE 551 Daly’s—" The White, Sister.” Miys Viola nin a congenial role in a fairly interest ing. play Empire —* Iw farcical comedy ohn Drew JO ekbe The Harvest Moon Augustus Thor Notice later Hockett—" Such a Little Quee Re tic comedy ably played by excellent ec pany headed by Elsie Fer Herald Scuare—" The Rose of Algeria.” music by Mr, Victor Herbert and laugh libretto by Mr. Glen MacDono Amusir with Mr estant George.” trom the French, as the star by Mr an G Spectacle, ballet a degree of bigness and Hudson—" On the Eve.” See Lyceum séne Lapis” Interesti well acted detective drama from the, French. Lyrie—“ The Chocolate Soldier.) Oscar Strauss’s delightful with book based on Mr George Arms and the Man Majesti Wout Boyd. rd Shaw's * *\ Citizen's Home.” b Preliminary edu- he Passing of the Me. Forbes: Robert= son. Inter most delightfully 9 of | Helena Miss Mare at her very et Anglin V drama, The Easiest Way." Life as the Tenderloin faithfully picted Wallack's Weber’ pathetic features The Fourth Estate.” Ple with Climax.” The Vivandiere HE was In purple petticoat a gay vivandiere A laugh forever on her lip, A ballad ir And over many By In sun and rai A road and wold a dust windy wood M she followed s soldier's plume of gold On some Her youthful bones are dust ; The Its sabers turned to rust Bur still And meadows sere forgotten battlefield army sleeps, a silent host, mn hills behold! 1s of yore. across the aw! Her spirit follows, The soldier's plume of gold. Minna Irving THE GREAT WITITE WAY WE HEAR SO MUCH ABOUT. comicbooks.com