It may be said that, as a matter of fact,
this does not occur: that on the stage we hear no more of the
disquisitions of Mr. Shaw and his imitators than we do of the curt, and
often non-existent, stage-directions of Shakespeare and his
contemporaries. To this the reply is twofold. First, the very fact that
these disquisitions are written proves that the play is designed to be
printed and read, and that we are, therefore, justified in applying to
it the standard of what may be called literary illusion. Second, when a
playwright gets into the habit of talking around his characters, he
inevitably, even if unconsciously, slackens his endeavour to make them
express themselves as completely as may be in their own proper medium of
dramatic action and dialogue. You cannot with impunity mix up two
distinct forms of art--the drama and the sociological essay or lecture.
To Mr. Shaw, of course, much may, and must, be forgiven. His
stage-directions are so brilliant that some one, some day, will
assuredly have them spoken by a lecturer in the orchestra while the
action stands still on the stage.
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