A BREEZY SPEECH.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1037, 28 January 1911, Page 11

A BREEZY SPEECH.

WOMEN DRAMATISTS, Miss Gladys linger, dramatic ' au r thoress, replied to tlio toast of "The Drama" at the annual dinner of the London district of the Institute .of Journalists on November 27. She is reported in the "Daily Telegraph" as follows:—It was very good of them to connect her—a beginner—with a subject so near' to her heart. The thiug that gave her courage was that she was among her own kind. They were all brethren of the pen, and • ink was thicker than wat-er. Among them blood —even blue blood—did not count. Their circulation depended upon an uucongestcd flow of ink. (Hear, hear.) Dramatists and journalists had much in common. Playwrights tackled long jobs; journalists purveyed sliced drama for daily consumption. They wcro continually hearing that tlio drama was going to the dogs. It was truo that bedroom scenes were popular, aild that sock and buskin had been superseded by bare feet and pyjamas. In view ■of this, while she denied that the drama was going to the dogs, sho admitted it showed a tendency to go to bed. (Laughter.) But if to sleep she believed there were plenty of English dramatists who could wake it up. (Hear, hear.)' At present it seemed to her that an unnatural number of successes were expected in the theatre. They were not allowed to enjoy their failures comfortably ; every bad play was bewailed as a nail in the coffin of the British drama. Were such demands made of any other art?'.' An author was frco to write as bad a novel as he liked. Had any of them ever scon "a Royal Academy that consisted entirely of masterpieces ? She herself —dared sho say it!'—had read mora than ono "leader" which would not go down to history.- (Laughter.) Yet enthusiasts groaned because England did not produce great plays as bakers produced hot cross buns. (Laughter.) lr people worried about the theatre a little less and loved it a little more they would not expect about fivo masterpieces a year; they would be grateful for ono every five years. Did they realise that "The Vovsey Inheritance," "What- Every Woman Knows," "Justice," "Nan," "Mid-Channel," "Strife," and other remarkable plays which sho could namo had all been produced'-'within-the last seven years?' t was true that some of theso had run a very short time, but nono of them was. dead yet; and she hoped Mr. Galsworthy would not exchange 1700 performances of his play "Justice" for the seventeen he had— combined with the reform in the prison system and the glory of having moved a Cabinet ; Minister to action. At any rate, the French drama could no longer bo hold ovor our heads as all that was lifelike:' and ' artistic. ' (Hear, hear.) While Freiicii dramatists had been turning. Into business men, this nation. of shopkeepers had raised up for the theatre a school of-altruists. It might bo that among theso truth-scckera Mr. Bernard Shaw, liko ' a'naughty boy, made faces in tho mirror as ho held it up to nature. (Laughter.). But beheld it up—Jet them not forget that. (Hear, hear.) But why talk of men only ? Books and plays or speeches that wero.l all about moa..,wero, invariably dull. Room for petticoats!—not that those which ladies were wearing this season took up much room. (Laughter.) Sho intended to prophesy that in fivo years' time women, dramatists-.would bo holding their'.'own with' tho best! But she found that Mr. Bernard Shaw had already said that in an interview. . She did not suppose'', the'ro was" anything .anyone ever wanted to say that Mr. Bernard Shaw had not already said in an ' interview. (Laughter.) 'But she could; tell them a secret known..only to iher sex. If women playwrights forged ahead, as the oracle had prophesied, it would he because the men had brought it on; themselves., JJ'laywrighting meant' minute attention' to detail, coupled with a Job-like patience. It meant plotting. "And:.oh I men of tho world," she added, "flow can.wo thank;you enough for having • kept us downtrodden so thoroughly and longj . Being oppressed has sharpened our wits;'thanks to you, wo are used to working long hours for little monoy. Your neglect has taught us how to wait. You have heoir kind enough to exasperate ns until we learned how to talk back —(laughter)—and what should we ever havo known about plots if you hadn't all had hearts liko weathercocks ?'Bless you!- (Laughter.) Lot mo thank you sincerely for- your patience and say—please forgive mo if I. have been too optimistic this evening. I couldn't help'it. You've given uio such a good time." (Cheers.)