WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 626, 1 October 1909, Page 5

WOMEN PLAYWRIGHTS.

■ 'It. seem 3. possible; that in :.a. : comparatively short , time, says ran' English paper—say two gen'eratiohs-ywomen. wili lje frepd from .the re- • proach that they have never. attained front rank in; any art; by. their work in the drama. .It- is jniiite- extraordinary.- to note how they have:advanced in* this section-pf .'work during th^ilast'-'few'.years.';,;: This'.bears. out the. theory that women are more - interested in persons ■ than in things. They are more.at home'./in characterisation than in narrative or' presentmont, and, as they become more virile year by year, their-work in this direction is bound to r be'como more and more 'excellent. Statistics aro dull things, 'and not very enlightening after'all, so. it would; not be .worth the, trouble to estimate! the exact proportion of'produced plays by women, during the last; few seasons) but. that 'this'proportion, compared'with that., of men's work,", is greatlyjinoteasing cannot rbe doubted. '•'■ . . .' ■■■'■:, v., ' The work a solid character, too.iand men qualified to judge of plays often express 'a strong admiration for women's, work.: Mr. Frederick Whelen, for-.instance;- has a high opinion' of-it, and thinks that Havelock Ellis's new drama, to bo produced, by- the Play 'Actors, a ; .most remarkable.- piece of work. .George* Paston'a one-act . plays, "Feed :.tho. Brute," and '"Tilda's New Hat," are certainly' ;4iiite 'free' from .those qualities which aro .nsually defined by the male mind as "fern-, inine wish-wash." I' do ; not remember if : a woman has yet.como to the fore -with a.good farce: I believe not. A big dramatic production not yet announced will be a play by a woman—probably--the biggest a , woman has yet achieved.; So .the story is one of progress, with • possibilities: of bettor -. attainment than the'sex has y«t renohed in any: art, : .