The Perfection of Theatrical Art
One of the severest charges against the theater, and plays in general, is unconsciously made by a prominent member of the profession in a criticism of a new play. He said of it that it was “unnecessarily realistic, and consequently vulgar.” Now nobody in the world would claim that every real thing is vulgar, and that there is no such thing as real respectability or morality. It follows, therefore, that the stage never deals with anything but the vicious side of life, and that the perfection of theatrical art is to present wickedness in a veiled form, suggesting the evil, and leaving the minds of the spectators to form the conclusions. The education of theater goers is therefore in the line of constructing, or rather filling out, combinations of evil. Let every one decide whether that can produce as healthy characters as this rule: “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” — Present Truth.