OCR Text |
Show Plays That Plense Americans. Whllo tho American nudlenco prefers plays of se-ntlmental Interest, the English nilfllnnnn Ic mnrn rindi' r nnan nlnvv conversational Interest. Tho Frenchman wants Intrigue, and Is willing to accept dramatic literature. Tho Gorman Is fond of stories of strong ethical- Import, without with-out reference to what wo want ln this country action, movement and life. It Is a fact that In offering a play to an American audience, which has a moro cosmopolitan cos-mopolitan taste than any audience In tho world, tho manager who wants to succeed, not only artistically, but financially, must first consider his galleries, for If ho can pleaso tho galleries and uppor circles which, after ail. Is the heart of tho public ho Is very likely to satisfy thc oxpenslvo patron downstairs. If his plays appeal to tho select few the "problom" plays from Norway, Franco, Denmark, Germany, whero you will he Is appealing to but a portion, of tho public and not to tho approval ap-proval of tho mutable many. You have got to reach the largo middle class of theater-goers. From this olass tho Interest radiates to all classes. Thc sams general argument Is true of tho purely literary plays, llko thoso of Bernard Shaw or tho poetic writers. Thoy are, as a matter of fact, too limited In number to meet more than literary Interest. They do not reach tho outlying population. Nevertheless, plays of this class. If thoy have dramatic quality, would succeed despite the fact that thoy aro beautifully written not bo-causo bo-causo thoy arc Daniel Frohman, ln Harper's Weekly, |