The Age Of Drama Life On The Stage Drama did not flourish early in the 19th century. Romantic poetry had its dramatic phases, and Shelley and Byron both wrote verse dramas. These were closet dramas, intended for reading rather than for staging. Several of Tennyson's plays were produced. The stage, however, was primarily interested in low melodrama and sentimental farce-comedy. Musical comedy achieved respectability when librettist William Gilbert (1836-1911) teamed up with composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) in `Trial by Jury' (1875). Many successful collaborations by these two followed.   As was the case among readers of fiction, some theatergoers matured. They were ready for satire, for serious treatment of social problems, and for drama that was well constructed. From the Continent came realistic, intellectual, and socially significant works.   The first English dramatists to attempt the "new drama" were Henry Arthur Jones (1851-1929) and Sir Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934). Neither, however, could compare in wit and brilliance with two young contemporaries--Wilde and Shaw. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), also a poet and novelist, wrote several fine plays. His `Importance of Being Earnest' (1895) is brittle in its humor and clever in its dialogue and is probably the best of his dramas.   The plays of George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) read even better than they act. They are important for their prefaces, sizzling attacks on Victorian prejudices and attitudes. Shaw began to write drama as a protest against existing conditions--slums, sex hypocrisy, censorship, war.   Because his plays were not well received (often they were not even allowed to be presented), Shaw wrote their now-famous prefaces. Not until after 1900 did the Shavian wit achieve acceptance on the stage. Controversial ideas and Shaw productions came to be synonymous. Shaw had the longest career of any writer who ever lived. He began in the Victorian Age and wrote until 1950.