THE “SALOME” CRAZE.

Southland Times, Issue 14095, 29 April 1909, Page 2

THE “SALOME” CRAZE.

STRONG PROTESTS ST AMERICA. MORALS AND THE STAGE. (Sydney Telegraph Correspondent) NEW YORK, February 21.—“ The stage is worse to-day than it was in the days of Paganism,” Is the assertion of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York. Monsigno Farley’s attack upon the purveyors of amusements to the metropolis—in which many clergyman of other denominations and thousands of laymen sympathise—seems justified by the conditions which prevail In New York and other large cities of the country. For nearly twenty years tlie theatres of the United States have been controlled by several groups of managers —-the. most powerful group being known as the "’Theatrical Trust" —who have made little or no pretence of having ideals above money-making: but H was left for the directors of the two grand opera enterprises of New York to usher in a new era of indecency. The low moral tone-even as compared with that of the questionable forms of stage entertainment which have flourished in tilts city for years—which pervades ’ the theatres is due, more than to any other one cause, to the action of Heinrich Conned, then managing director of the Metropolitan Opera House, in producing the Strauss-Wilde opera, " Salome ” two years ago, and to that of Oscar Hammerstein, this season, in making it the principal feature of his repertory at the rival establishment, the Manhattan Opera House. As the result of tlie condemnation of the piece by the clergy, the Metropolitan directors compelled the withdrawal of ’" Salome ” after one performance. The weakening of oublic sentiment against such performances which lias taken place in two years may be inferred from the comparative indifference with which Mr I lamracrstoin’s announcement of his intention to produce the opera was receiv’d. and the favour with which this sca■vn’s performances, in some respect more offensive than that of two years ago, have met. In Philadelphia, where Mr Hammer--lein has built a fine now opera house, die protests of the clergy and a large eiemont of tlie opera-going public were o strong that it is now announced that •niy one more performance of ” Salome" the second will lie given in that city. Thus does Philadelphia civic morals, to bo sure, are not such as would commend themselves to the Qua- ■ or founders of the city preserve omething of its traditional reverence tor domestic decency. One sequel of the notoriety achieved ’•V the opera lias been tlie springing up <{ numberless performers, in music halls ad ti'.e lower class of theatres, of su•allod ’’ Salome ” dances. Uut the worst ffcct of the "" Salome ” crane has been die encouragement of playwrights and ".'.anagers in the writing and production ■ f plays dealing with “ sex-problems ” to use one of the catch-words employed, ■y those whose chief problem is to stim".late the prurient curiosity of the play--o:ng public-—and those frankly pan-ic-ring to a taste for nastiness. Tlie i-resident of the New York Theatrical Managers" Association who at his own .heatre is presenting an unobjectionable "Jay by Jerome K. Jerome— said the ■t-'.er day that if he were a stage censo: 0 would stop the performance of live pieces now running in prominent New fork theatres. One of these, though : e did not mention it by name, is uni.iubtedly ’" The Blue Mouse,” a clever adaptation, by F’yde Fitch probably .he most prolific and certainly the most successful of American playwrights -t a salacious German farce. .So strong a protest has been made against the presentation of this farce, by a •• road, company,” in tlie theatre at Ithaca, tin' ■eat of Cornell University, that the managers of the piece find it necessary }>> .nsc-rt advertisements in New York r.-pers to the eiTect that tlie .Mayor of Ithaca lid not consider it his duty to prohibit the |>erformanco. One of the most successful plays of this season is " The Easiest Vfay.” le-Eugc-ne Walter, a dramatist who hawithin the last two or three years ristti ■ o prominence as a writer of plays with 1 serious interest. Yet this play, elaborately mounted and presented with a fine cast by David Delasco ,;who, by tit, wa v, s the principal manager in opposition to the Tlie (trica.l Trust!, is entirely occupied with the history of a young ae:ress who wins advancement in her calling by sacrificing her honour, and who. ■Moved of an .honest man. whose affection site returns, goes back to her life of ease and shame. Instead of offering .-t-ch plays as frank portrayals of who’ is universal!;.- acknowledged to be tin most interesting type of vice, as French playwrights do when dealing with similar subjects. American dramatists anti managers descant upon the " lesson ' veil fell is taught by such presentation.". There is at least this to tie said in favour of French usage ; that in Haris theyoung person " is not expected to frequent the theatre. Here, however, thousands of immature and impressionable individuals of both sexes have forced upon them in the theatres acquaintance with phases of immorality which they might otherwise never encounter, and which, in any case, owe their exislency largely to the inlluence of the stage. Managers and playwrights, in general, troeiy admit the need of a reform in present conditions : but they fall back upon the old pica that the public demands indecency. and mat so long as it is popular it is suicidal for managers to refuse si meet tlie demand. As for tlie public, though there are many protests from the clergy and laymen, no organised movement against Lb -abuse lias vet been launched. Women are vastly in the majority in all American theatre audiences, and it is perhaps not unreasonable to look to them to lead in the reform of the stage. Meanwhile, it is only just to say that probably half tiic theatres in New York are presenting I days entiroiy free from indecency, and arc enjoying a prosperous season for tlie most part.