So much has been said and written about the stage in England and such a rigid silence is maintained about 16 in India that the entirely different attitudes taken by the people of respective countries towards a common profession strikes even an ordinary observe. Free discussion and honest criticisms are at the root of all reform. Action is invariably preceded by thought; and this is, I hope, a sufficient plea for opening the present subject.
The Maharashtra Stage as it is appresent constitut ed can be conveniently divided into z great classes. (1)Purely prose dramas. (2) Prose and singing mixed.
We will not take into consideration other
performances on the stage which are but too low and
vulgar to demand our notice. They can be best put
a stop to by legislation.
The great majority of the performances are adapta tions from original (nglish works. Some are literal translations of standard Sanskrit authors; whilst only a minority are original works. With regard to the Marathi original works one is pained to remark that all of them with some honourable exceptions are merely third rate works. Not only that there seems to be a lack of * ideals ' but the plots show grave faults as regards the gradual development of the depicted characters. An attempt at a some how or other pulling through > is only too evident; and unfortunately for the Indian stage these plays are liberally supported by the common folk. This product of third class literature is the scourge of all true literary advancement and a serious attempt should be made to put down such bogus literary amateurs.
The English actor is a real scholar. He has
mastered the stage intricacies. Ho has minutely
followed the gradual development of the plots. He
thoroughly grasp the sense and the spirit of the
