OBITUARY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR. ALFRED SUTRO FAMOUS BRITISH DRAMATIST (Received September 13. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 13 The death has occurred of Mr. Alfred Sutro, British dramatist. , The late Mr. Alfred Sutro, translator of Maeterlinck's plays, was born in 1863 and educated at the City of London' School, and in Brussels. He started on a journalistic career in London at a time when, as he said later in life,' newspapers and theatres 'were run by their own proprietors—a time of persons and not of companies—and "big business" was in its infancy. He wrote on many subjects, but had a strong leaning toward the stage. Among the prominent" journalistic figures of the day whom he met was Mr. Massingbam, then the brilliant editor of the Daily Chronicle. At Mr. Massiugh&rri's dinner table Sutro made the acquaintance of two men who became famous. One was Mr. Lloyd George, then a young solicitor fresh from triumphant encounters with the late Mr. Joseph Chamberlain in the House of Commons. The other was Mr. Bernard Shaw, who, not.yet having produced a play, known chiefly as a clever dramatic critic and a witty speaker at meetings of the Fabian Society. " .. Mr. Sutro's introduction to writing for the stage was unfortunate. In 1891 he was engaged by Mr. George Meredith to aid him in adapting his famous story "The Egoist" for the theatre. He worked hard on the task, but always had to give way to Mr. Meredith, and the result showed that the latter was no dramatist. The play was never produced. Mr. Sutro then tried his own hand at play-writing and with great success. "The Cave of Illusion" J*'* 18 produced in. 1900 and was followed by "Women in Love," "Eight Studies in Sentiment," "The Foolish Virgins," "The Walls of Jericho" and others. After his highly-successful renderings of Maeterlinck's' plays ho returned to original work and wrote, among others, "John Glayde's Honour," The Builder of Bridges," "The Two Virtues" and "The Fire-Screen. During the war Mr. Sutro held a responsible post in the Intelligence Department and in 1918 was awarded the 0.8. E. In the same year his "TJncle Anyhow" was produced, and in later vears he had pood runs with Th® Laughing Lady," "Far Above Rubies,' "A Man with a Heart," "Living Together" and other plays. The outstanding feature of his work is individuality of view, expressed in keeping with the best ideas of modern dramatic art.