Show Secrets of D. D Drama ram a Are Ar A. r I i Given G. iven ST. ST JOHN ERVINE IRVINE When a dramatist presents us Witha With a group of ot people ople he he- makes drama by bringing them into contact with circumstances circumstances circumstances cir cir- which produce colUS collision on and reaction and growth All that the audience need do is apply its common commonsense commonsense commonsense sense to such a a. situation Do the people peo peo- plo behave in the way yay in which such people as known to them or imagined imag imag- im imagined g- g ined by them would behave if it the circumstances circumstances circumstances cir cir- cir cir- were real rather than imaginary imaginary imaginary im im- Would Hamlet were he an actual figure In history and not lot a creature crea- crea a- a ture of Shakespeare's imagination be behave behave be- be have haYe as his author makes him behave behave- Would Shylock an actual usurer In Venice conduct his business relations with Antonio as the imagined Shylock conducts them in T The e Merchant of ot Venice The playgoer In short should ask himself of a play Is It true That is the realistic test which I apply to drama of ot whatsoever kind Its application is not restricted to what are called problem plays nor to pl plays ys of fact It can be used for measuring measuring measuring mea mea- suring the worth of the masque of ot Comus Comus' as well as for that of of Mr 11 Galsworthy's Silver Box of ot Ro Romeo eo and Juliet and Mr Shaws Shaw's Man and Superman Yale Yale Review to |