The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-04-18
Fair Criticism.
New York Graphic.

Miss Anna Dickinson's rafting attack
upon the New York morning newspaper
critics will naturally attract a good deal of
attention. Actors are usually very sensitive
to newspaper assaults, but have neither the
ability nor the disposition to resent their ill
treatment publicly The public will remem-
Der the cruel and brutal attacks upon Miss
Clara Morris in the Tribune, Times and other
papers, and will also recall the lack of sound
Judgment shown by these critics upon near
ly every new play produced in this city. We
believe that there is scarcely an instance of
successful play having been approved
by the young fellows who represent
the critical department of our morning
papers, while tie veriest rubbish has been
warmly commended. A case in point is
that of Anna Dickinson's play. Those who
have seen it know it to be an excellent
drama, well digested, coherent, full of
points and, in the estimation of all actors
who have seen it, likely to hold the stage
whenever Miss Dickinson chooses to relin-
quish it. Yet almost without exception,
the young men who misrepresent the morn
ing papers have pronounced it failure as
an acting drama Yet these same papers
that are so blind to the merits of an excel
lent production by American writer,
pulled by the column the dreadful
rubbish, recently produced at Booths
theater, written by George Faw-
BILE actor, and has written a drama and a
comedy of unusual merit, but he sometimes
takes a notion to write down to what he
deems the level of an ordinary audience. as
in the case of Leather Stocking and his
piece recently produced at Booths theater.
The result is a tissue of trash that should not
be tolerated on the boards of theater for a
single night. But Mr.. Rowe has been taken
into the favor of the critics, and whatever he
writes is lauded as matter of course. We
recently quoted Mr.. Dion Boucicaults opin-
ion of the New York'critics, which is quite
as uncomplimentary as is that of Miss
Dickinson. He suggests that if the editors
lack the wit to employ competent persons,
they should send reporters to the theaters
piece or of the actor upon the audience, but
to reserve all judgment. II some paper
would give list of the plays produced in
New York, with the critical opinions OF the
different journals the morning after
their first production, the record would
be as astonishing as deplorable, and
would utterly discredit the press of
the city. The elder Bennett understood
n state OF affairs in lis time. and instructed
his critics never to become acquainted with
those of other journals He alleged that
these last being in the habit of meeting on
first nights at the theatres, became ac-
quainted, and that they made a practice of
adJournlng TO nelghboring oyster saloons,
where they agreed to damn or applaud plays
or actors as caprice or money influenced
them. His war on the o. III. (oyster
house, critics afforded mirth to the
New York public for many years.
The "oyster house critic" however,
still lives, and is let loose on each new actor
or y.ew play on the first appearance of either
in New York. Miss Dickinson has been I'M
fairly judged. She has good play, and has
20 he ind iona M ~ hor froo ,or,f
the New York press. As matter of justice
the public should at least attend the Eagle
theater for the rest of this week, so as to be
able to say whether the critics are right in
their judgment of Anna Dickinson, or she is
right in her condemnation of them