TIMELY TOPICS

Northern Advocate, 11 August 1934, Page 8

TIMELY TOPICS

THE PLAYWRIGHT’S PLIGHT.". “An English play, if it is not to drop dead in a week, must appeal to the population iuhabitating a few square miles of the London area,” writes Mr James Bridie in row.” “The characteristics of this highly specialised population may bo best suggested by saying tha:- :t is responsible for the creation of women’s fashions and the- current methods of idling. The development of the theatre, then, from day to day is not dependent upon taste, but upon caprice. Today, people seem loss inclined to risk starvation for -i good cause. If it is a good thing to bring tin; singe into the category of things about which one can prophesy, probably the most promising way is to decentralise. It might be worth while to induce authors and actors to leave London and submit themselves to the soberer judgment of big provincial circuits. Till that is done I. sec no reason for supposing that all our dramatic tomorrow ’s will not bo as our todays.’ ’ <S> <S> $ ❖ “VENEER OF EDUCATION.’ Says the Rev. O. F. Russell, B.L - ., headmaster of Merchant Taylors’ School: “At the present time, when everybody is able to read, and yet scarcely one person in, twenty is able to perceive what is worth reading, when the veneer of education is often quite unaccompanied by any sense of values, when men and women arc thirsting for excitement and stimulus and sensationalism, the conditions provide a. field in which debased standards of taste have a greater opportunity of doing harm than ever before; and we may be quite certain that the harm done will react to the impoverishment and degradation of many elements in life which seem remote from art or literature. There is not one of us who cannot, if lie will, help to uphold in the world that sense of values which is being attacked and undermined.” <♦> ‘ <s> <?> <S> <s> WORDS OF WISDOM. Envy not greatness; for thou makest thereby Thyself, the worse, and so the distance greater, ■ —George Herbert. . <S> <S> <S> <?> <s> TALE OF THE DAY. “Yes,-it is really remarkable,” observed mother at the head of the table. “Clifford seems to eat twice as much chicken Avhen wn have visitors.” “Indeed!” exclaimed the lady visitor. “And, pray, why is that, Clifford?” “ ’Cause that’s the oiily time ..we have itreplied the truthful .lad.