Life, 1912-02-22 · page 41 of 44
Life — February 22, 1912 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a **theater criticism essay** ("More Revolution") alongside **advertisements** for Club Cocktails, Elco motorboats, and patent services. The essay critiques **Gordon Craig's theatrical treatise "On the Art of the Theatre."** The writer mocks Craig's ego and dogmatic assertions about stage reform, sarcastically calling him mentally unsound for his self-importance. However, the critic acknowledges Craig represents a legitimate reaction against the theater's over-emphasis on material spectacle—arguing he advocates replacing scenery and realistic acting with suggestion and minimalism. The piece is characteristic of *Life's* satirical theater commentary: it deflates Craig's arrogance while grudgingly admitting his ideas have merit. The tone is arch and superior, typical of early 20th-century intellectual magazines dismissing pretentious theorists. The ads (particularly the Elco boats) are unrelated filler common in period magazines, with no connection to the editorial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
More Revolution It might be cruel to suggest that Mr jordon Craig’s book “On the Art of the Theatre” (Browne's Bookstore, Chi- cago) gave evidence of mental unsound- ness on the part of the author, but the preponderance of the Ego in the work shows that the intimation would not hurt. Mr. Craig is so thoroughly con- \inced of his own superiority as an au- thority of the theatre that the most an expert alienist’s opinion, to the effect that the book gave intrinsic evidence of aberration, could do would be to pro- voke as a retort Shakespeare's opinion on the kinship of madness and genius. To refute the author's dogmatic and autocratie assertions, or to point out the flaws in his reasoning, would need more space than is justified by the importance of his contentions. The trying out of some of his theorics in the recent pro- duction of “Hamlet” at St. Petersburg has resulted in a divided judgment so far as can be learned from the cabled reports. The truth is that Mr. Craig happens to come along with his theories of stage art at a time when there seems to be beginning a natural reaction against the over-emphasis of the material side of the theatre. In his breast he carries the secret which is to save us from our pres- ent barbaric enjoyment of stage effects. He is not yet ready to divulge it en- “There’s just the difference be- tween a raw, poorly made Cock- tail and a Club Cocktail that there is between a raw, new Whiskey and a soft old one. The best of ingredients—the most accurate blending cannot give the softness and mel lowness that age imparts. Club Cocktails are aged in wood before bottling—and no freshly made Cocktail can be as good. d other tt ly te serve throwth cracked ke Refuse Substitutes AT ALL DEALERS or F. HEUBLFIN & BRO. Sele Sele Prope, New York SECURED OR ATENT Seod sketed for free search of Patent Office Recon. Odiain a Patent and What to laveat with list of I ‘ot prlas otcred for Inventions sent free. te ree. STOR J. EVANS & CO., Washlagton, D.C. FEE RETURNED “Youll always be proud of your Elcom Elco-Plane “Bug” Speed 85 miles per hour, guaranteed, tirely, but as a beginning it involves the outcasting of scenery, costumes and ac- tors as we know them. Suggestion is to take the place of imitation, etc. The speculative managers should encourage Mr. Craig. If the reader can overcome resent- ment against Mr. Craig’s bumptious way of setting forth his views, “On the Art of the Theatre” will be found to con- tain some grains of wheat concealed in 35-ft. Elo Express Speed 2 miles per hour, guaranteed ROUD ofits g grace, of its elegance and comfort—of its guaranteed reliability. Few builders have had our twenty years’ experience ; fewer still earned a reputation so sound, and none built boats which year after year win such victories as do Elco Express Launches and Elco-Planes, One of the notable victories of last season was the 16ft, Elco-Plane “Bug” in defeating Mr. Gould's 185-ft. S.Y, “Helenita” for a prize of $5000. Whether you desire a motor boat for racing or for pleasure, especially if purchasing your first boat, your only safety is to depend upon the integrity of the builder. Nowhere else can you purchase as much dependability asin an ELCO and at prices no higher than need be for the best of workmanship and material. ELCO speeds GUARANTEED, or sale can be cancelled, ELCO boats and engines GUARANTEED for one year. Elco Express Launches 28-ft. 4cylinder Engine, Guaranteed Speed 20 miles. 3st, Geylinder Engine, Guaranteed Speed 24 miles. Elco-Planes of the “Bug” Type Patent applied for. 1O-ft. acylinder Engine, Guaranteed Speed 50 miles, zo-ft. Ocylinder Engine, Guaranteed Speed 35 miles, Can be seen at any time, and tried out oy appointment, Write for Hiustrated Catalog 175 Avenue A ‘Adarees &lco Bayonne, N. J. Twenty-seven minates {rot Byrd Suect Fee RN, ee to West 8th Street its mass of chaff. The book will also provide those persons who like to talk learnedly about so practical an institu- tion as the theatre with a splendid am- munition of vague ‘terms. If they get to it quickly, they will be ready to be- come early members of the Craig cult which seems imminent. And incidentally it might be diverting to search Mr. Craig’s sleeve for a laugh. Metcalfe