The new spirit in drama & art . se,fraud, self-assertion, superhuman wisdom, and malignity dis-guised as drama, and then took its departure, followed bygreat expectations. From the Little Theatre it passed tothe Kingsway Theatre, where it now cuts a dramatic figure. There is no need to go further into the question of thebreakdown of the Repertory Theatre in London. Some ofthe causes have been indicated already. The cause affectingthe Court Theatre branch may be found in the totally wrongconception of organising the theatre to exploit economicsocialism. Scientifically considered, economic socia
The new spirit in drama & art . se,fraud, self-assertion, superhuman wisdom, and malignity dis-guised as drama, and then took its departure, followed bygreat expectations. From the Little Theatre it passed tothe Kingsway Theatre, where it now cuts a dramatic figure. There is no need to go further into the question of thebreakdown of the Repertory Theatre in London. Some ofthe causes have been indicated already. The cause affectingthe Court Theatre branch may be found in the totally wrongconception of organising the theatre to exploit economicsocialism. Scientifically considered, economic socialism em-braces but a small district of the very wide area of socialscience ; and even though we admit that such a subject isentirely suited to dramatic treatment, it is impossible to denythat it is still far too narrow to be used effectively as an instru-ment for the establishment of drama in this country upon agreat and permanent basis. The only effective instrument forthis purpose is the cosmic theme—the theme that embraces. ismw^^^ v»a. ^:^««».>—»i- Sy coti ,^rati/: DESIGN FOR COSTUMES BV M. DRKSA. (Theatre des Arts, Paris.) THE NEW SPIRIT IN LONDON 41 humanity as a whole and not in bits. The cosmic thememust be encouraged to enter the theatre ; and when it ispermitted to do so, the cosmic dramatist will enter also. Sucha dramatist will write with imagination and veracity underthe guidance and control of a finely balanced, trained visualfaculty. The truth of the failure of the London Repertory Theatreis that its initiators and promoters have not organised thetheatre to foster a drama of the theatre. Unless they re-organise themselves to do this, there is but little doubt thattheir movement will be totally wrecked. The drama that thetheatre needs is a symbolic, social, and cosmic drama, not adrama of the debating-hall and dissecting-room. Such adrama will come as soon as we have reinterpreted Ibsen andhave killed the fatal heresy that art is imitation. With thedis
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecttheater, bookyear1912
