A PLAY WITH A PURPOSE

Evening Star, Issue 16225, 21 September 1916, Page 1

A PLAY WITH A PURPOSE

Giving evidence the other day btforo tho iS'idai Disorder* Commission at Sydney, Kir Herbert Maitland, the eminent. Burgeon, declared that it would be a very (rood tiling if tho Slate assisted private enterprise to put on tho stags a. French, play known as ‘ Damaged Goods ’; \and .Mr' Harold Add-on, testifying befoio ' the same C.muuission, said that his firm were prepared to act on Sir Herbert’s advice if tln-y were guaranteed .against monetary lu-.s, because it was impossible to antici]v«to what, the public verdict on. the profaction might be. Tho firm hold tho‘Australasian lights of the play, and would put it into rehear :,1 at once' if encouraged to do so, but his opinion was that it should not b* produced at any of tho regular theatres. Tim drama in question is by Bricur, and • •iv;:led quite a seiuation in Paris when lii.-t piodixol in that city, earning for its author lire unu-b-eov.-ted till* of memberriiill of tho i'Tviicir Academy—‘‘The Irn-m--u :!.- of IT.; ,c T’ It was almost imni'.iiis:cly lr,';;Tr.'"<l into English, and in lent io'in was idiliral by important social in England and tho United states in ii:-. ir p:cpa;.. mda, against tho red rd;; Tim pley next found its way upon tho Engiir.ii ami American stages, bang juf.oi'tri under ti-o auspices of medical -vr laics, 'I ho Williamson inan::ganad, vri;ila i gni.dng that they have a, public duty to disc’iargo in connection wit;! Uic- drama, haw many matters to l.ef.n-o mid-.i taking its production. It would involve than, in. the first place, in a llia.aek'l risk of over £5,000, But that in not the deciding factor with iHem ■ r.-i v. h.-r.imr tho public will vj. v.- cl!-.■. pn.-in-lh.ii in the light it should b-. Jr ir. r imiu.dly ,i, serious and comj.l ore snbje-’t, v.hu-h ncoeswuily calls for ambem'vs who ".ill take it seriously. Tlv.i phy i- an iiniKivmnt <..>ntributicn to tho literatim. on llm Social Evil, and as e-uch mu-it • -■> :• Hyivid. When stared in Paris the manager wait boforo the curtain tho first night, as dhe'-ti-d by the authorities, and thus addressed a. highly- critical audion o'. ; — *• I.a. lies and gentlemen,—l bog leave to inform you. on behalf of tho author and the in!iiiaj..ui<.nt, that the objfecb of tins play is a study of forms of social diseases and them hearing on marriage. It contains no .seen.- to provoke scandal or io avour-.i oisgusl, nor is fcheio any obsoano work ; and it may be witnessed "by everyone, nnless wo imu-t believe that folly and ignorance ar-> necOfsaiy conditions of femme v.rtn H is generally understood that the Williamson management arc reuly to p u i. the, drama into rehearsal and to jirodma ;t at Kydikv as soon as tho military authorities prefer a request that Wey .should do so, and comply with certain that Hr Ashtdn has inti-inatf?-»l Co 1 ]io ]*tj:!cr<v] Crovomment.