exposition of the most important points in
the theory of the theatre. The introductory chapter, entitled _What is a
Play?_, has not, in any form, appeared in print before; and all the other
papers have been diligently revised, and in many passages entirely
rewritten.

C.H.

NEW YORK CITY: 1910.

CONTENTS

THE THEORY OF THE THEATRE

CHAPTER PAGE

I. WHAT IS A PLAY? 3
II. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THEATRE AUDIENCES 30
III. THE ACTOR AND THE DRAMATIST 59
IV. STAGE CONVENTIONS IN MODERN TIMES 73
V. ECONOMY OF ATTENTION IN THEATRICAL
PERFORMANCES 95
VI. EMPHASIS IN THE DRAMA 112
VII. THE FOUR LEADING TYPES OF DRAMA 127
VIII. THE MODERN SOCIAL DRAMA 133

OTHER PRINCIPLES OF DRAMATIC
CRITICISM

I. THE PUBLIC AND THE DRAMATIST 153
II. DRAMATIC ART AND THE THEATRE BUSINESS 161
III. THE HAPPY ENDING IN THE THEATRE 169
IV. THE BOUNDARIES OF APPROBATION 175
V. IMITATION AND SUGGESTION IN THE DRAMA 179
VI. HOLDING THE MIRROR UP TO NATURE 184
VII. BLANK VERSE ON THE CONTEMPORARY STAGE 193
VIII. DRAMATIC LITERATURE AND THEATRIC JOURNALISM 199
IX. THE INTENTION OF PERMANENCE 207
X. THE QUALITY OF NEW ENDEAVOR 212
XI. THE EFFECT OF PLAYS UPON THE PUBLIC 217
XII. PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT PLAYS 222
XIII. THEMES IN THE THEATRE 228
XIV. THE FUNCTION OF IMAGINATION 233

INDEX 241

THE THEORY OF THE THEATRE

I

WHAT IS A PLAY?

A play is a story devised to be presented by actors on a stage before an
audience.

This plain statement of fact affords an exceedingly simple definition of
the drama,--a definition so simple indeed as to seem at the first glance
easily obvious and therefore scarcely worthy of expression. But if we
examine the statement thoroughly, phrase by phrase, we shall see that it
sums up within itself the entire theory of the theatre, and that from this
primary axiom we may deduce the whole practical philosophy of dramatic
criticism.

It is unnecessary to linger long over an explanation of the word "story." A
story is a representation of a series of e