CRISIS ON THE ENGLISH STAGE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 73, 19 December 1919, Page 10

CRISIS ON THE ENGLISH STAGE

ACTORS V. SYNDICATES THE MULTIPLE MANAGER (By The Christian Science Monitor Spocinl Theaho Correspondent.) The present condition of ilio English ettiKO with its many purposeless yot successful productions, its blatant commercialism and ils rank opportunism is causing anxiety, not only among those who follow its course, from the outside, but among those.who spend their lives in its service. Curiously enough, the public; docs not realise what is going on under ils nose. It is not aware- that nothing like the great plays that could bo seen with splendid casts at one West End theatre alter another a few years ago can be seen anywhere now: and that it is being allowed to witness only such pieces as a half-dozen or so speculators think good to release. \ Everywhere tlio multiple manager is ousting tho single or actor manager; and the combination of certain multiple managements in certain ventures points to the establishment in Dhe near future of a real theatrical trust. Such a condition would kill dramatic art and enterprise in . England for perhaps a generation, particularly that special freedom and variety that has been such a mark of the national stage. For tho way of tho trusts, like that of the multiple management, is to stage only "euro things," preferably productions that havo made n hit somewhere else, and hence have the least possible financial risk attached to tln-ir adaption. In view of. the sway theatrical trusts Biad held in sonic capitals, Insomuch that in one city Uernard Shaw refused to allow one of his plavsjo be performed, a- representative of the "Christian Scicnee Monitor" called on n. prominent West End actor to discover how nearly outside impression squared with inside facie. They more than squared; they overlapped. "What do you think, then, is at tho bottom of it all?" asked tho visitor for an openimj plunge, after a few casual remarks on both sides. ~ Why Actors Organised, "There's no encouragement for the artist," came tho answer firmly and promptly. "The scramble for Drury Lano was an example, and tho shareholders' meeting a glaring proof. One sido was out to make another theatre commercial, and the other to sell to the highest, bidder. Money was tho only thought; our great dramatic art was never mentioned. To wlhat use oar beautiful national theatre was to be put was not asked, so no one told. And now, if you want mo to speak freely on a subject so near my own' heart, I must ask you to withhold my name. The reasons are obvious." Tho promise was given, for all art is after all a matter of fundamentals rather than personality.

"Well, before I dip deeply into the subject in hand, I would Ijke it to bo understood that the situation is not without hope. We have the ,-ictors'union and ono or two independent managements tint >would fight an attempt at a monopoly 'or a trust with all the means at, their disposal. In fact, it was the utter disregard* of tlio : actors' right by some of the managers that changed the Actors' Association into a union; and the exposure of the whole, soulless business at tho Drury Lane meeting that lias sent new members into the union in numbers one could hardly think possible in so short a time. ' An acknowledgment of the power of the itnion is seen in the request of the Associated End Manasers to meet the union as soon as nosl sible—after some 12 years' blunt refusal to recognise any 6uch association. What Actor Manajjers Did. "I have no personal objection to mnnrigers looking after their own interests if they show as well artistic zeal. When I CJimo on tlio stacro they had to possess the proper- instinct or go under. And look at the triumphant result! There was JJtmcroft, who ran his theatre from a different point of view from that of anyone before him, who cleansed the English stage of tlio bad plays, tho 'asides' and other tilings of hollow convention; Irving at the Lyceum, who from start to finish ran this theatre chiefly from the artistic side of things, and the stage has never reached such a height since; then the Kendals, Hare, Terry, Maude, Tree, and Alexander, who did more for the English dramatist than any man who ever lived.""With what love and freedom these men worked; what plays they gave; what acting they inspired! I believe there is just the same talent on the statre to-day but it is cribbed, cabined and confined by the commercial men nt its elbow." "But, surely, there are some people on their own!" ventured the interviewer. "Very few, I assure you. Take our best. and. a brilliant list it is asa whole, with their attendant financial satellites: Gerald du Jfnurier, with Prank Curzon; Hiss Gladys Cooper, ditto; Dennis Eadie, Vedrenne; Owen Nnrcs, Alfred Butt; and last, Henry Ainley, Gilbert ifillnr. -Ainley, *o mv mind, is the chief hons of the Brit'sh stage; Hiss Ifarie Lohr even more so. for'she is entirely on her own. and the she has made in management, her high ideals and aims promise much for the future of our art. Actors Now Pawns. "As for the others, it is the actor making money for the manager all the time. He is the bait for the public, and however loose may bo the rein of control on his talents, he is bound to keep the theatre bill as full as possible, ami has therefore; not tho lime cr the absolute, liberty to select and study plays and parts, and choose his own cast, as hn would if he wore his own master. Hence you will get a fussy change of b'll, cf various types of plays, parts incompletely studied, aud plays insufficiently, rehearsed—personality'instead of characterisation.» Such th'iniy must be when money nmi*not art is th,e object. But never blame the actor. He ;'« tho last man to be reproached for the slata of things. The stago has pasted out of his hands." "How do you reckon it began?" "The fatal blow was dealt the theatre when the Coliseum opened. Till then the respectable playgoer did not go to the music hall. But the superiority of performances and the house, ihe' comfort of tho seats and tho lower prices began from that mem nit to attract them to that class of then Ik-. Tho Hippodrome followed, then other houses, ami finally came the revue! Need one say more? But I repeat, never blaino tho actors. Actors are just as good .an when I first came on the stn'jc. People slup'dly say, or as often write, 'Why don't wo have men like Irving about?' They don't understand you can't lwvo an Irving even once a century. You might as well ask why haven't, we got a Shakespeare writing for the stage to-day." "And have we " timidly ventured the interviewer. "\o, burSvo have some jolly fine dramatists coni'.ng along who only await their chances. They may find some consolation in the fact'that even the classics of drama have rlndined for wn'jl of opportunity. Shnkespearo was killed by the way in which lie was performed in recent years—all spectacle and no speech." "It all soumbi very hopeless, Mr. X," said his visitor, manoeuvring for a climax. Tho Unstable Public. "It is not hopeless," was Iho reply, '.'but the stago is indeed in a serious condition. Aim 1 lay the blame in the following order: the public is the chief offender because it does not want the good things. At present 1 know it is n particular, unstable, wartime public—a point I will deal with before you go, The managers are the second offenders because tliev sacrifice art to opportunity, and for reasons alrrddy expounded. The third offenders are the linunalisls for writimr to fit I lie actor instead of encouraging the actor to fit tho part. "Von .will see the kind of thing I mean rarrii'd 'right through the cast—every ono playing -roles they havo been seen in almost'since their stago life began. Where is the opportunity for the players to show the fruits of their long experience and observation, to express their intelligence and tho art that is stored within them? Nothing annoys me more than to hoiy someone say, 'That; is a So-and-Sn part.' Then .what are half the stage, figures they present? Merely a variation of tho enino idea in,

thn same cast: Mr. Blank, suave and eontloitianly; Mr. Double- Ulank, ]x>litc, calm, and well bred; Air. Treble Ulank fall well-ktown linnics these), just tho eaino as tho others, in his own personality, Anv of them might be doing rood character acting in repertory or classic, drama." What about the Press? "Tho Press does not help because the critics nro concerned with a particular nlav. ana' not with the fundamental idea of the stago involved therein. Besides, . tbev unconsciously do harm. For instance, (hero is a play in London just now. 'drawing tho town,' because instead of leaving it at the general opinion (hat it was a feeble, futilo effort, tho critics spoilt it by condemning a specified incident in it at the same timo. ".Irvine's theatre ■ was practically re- * nertory. lie kept his company together like a father—that lie was to tho wholo •stage family. Ho would (jive runs of a number of plays, and then finish up wiili a brilliant eoasnn of oil the plays one after another. One had tho joy of seeine him and tho other players in several different parts. Tho loving enro with which Irving would give his pooplo . Darts to test ana' Advance their powers was iust another proof of that zeal ho had for the brotherhood of the stage Tt. is these ideals that we must all got back to beforo our stago can shine.again in all its old glory. Tho Multiple Manager. "Now, listen| t° t' l ' 3 ''J' wa V °f contrast. A. young friend of mine found himself recently, with many other more or less known players back from the front, waiting for a job in a multiple manager's office. After some hours. tho niaii.i.jcr appeared at his door with a kindred • 6pirit, and the applicants had tbeir physical possibilities discussed by tho two as if they had been cattle. Names and experience wero not even inquired about. '-You'll do!' was the finger verdict. The one chosen was further asked to show his back when in tho manager's sojietuni: he did, by walking out! And to what have these splendid fellows vho havo dono their bit come home? Their old haunts occupied by strange managers, and loading theatres engaging wholo otiupanics of Americans.'' "You promised to 6ay more about the new public again." "Yes Wo hftvo got a new public in tho theatres now. It is tho so-called nonconformist element which never went to theatre* before, but mixing with tho world in the, war and war work has grown broader-minded. These people have no judgment as yet one way or tho other. They do not know the actors, an] consequently leading players seldom get the pergonal recognition they did on making their entrance. "But London will soon bo having itst real stall audiemies back again—paonlo who pay havo been war-working ~ since* 1914—who show a respect for the drama by "dressing" for it, who know the actors and their theatre, and demand good plays and good acting simply from the fact that they have been able to see so much of it. There is no'snobbery in eaying that this audience, which, say what you will, is not the revue stall audience, stimulates tiio actors and draws the pit. Its judg- ' ment is often cruel, but it is discriminating, and that is what the stage wants today—interest, interest, and ajain interest.'-'