The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-11-29
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC.
Theatrical Criticism and the
City Papers.
TEN DAYS OF SOLID MUSIC.
A Natal Day Adieu to JOslin =
Observation-Disclosures Garlic
tOn-The Mikado Plethora.


With this number of THE SUNDAY
HERALD the Dramatic and Lyric de-
partment celebrates the second year Of
its existence. 1t is curious to reflect
that at the time it began its career such
a thing as dramatic or musical criti-
cism was either lost or an undiscovered
art among the papers of this city, and
that the newspapers were the last place
20 which the public were wont to
look for an impartial notice of the
merits or dement's of a theatrical per-
Torrance. Two years hard banging at
undeserving shows, with timely prais-
ing of worthy attractions, has wrought
something of a change IN all this, and
the reading public is now aware that
after every performance it will find in
the columns of THE HERALD an unbi-
ased estimate of the attraction. regard
less of who the players may be or IN
what partof the city they appear If the
attraction is one worth paying money
to see, THE HERALD will not fail to ac-
wise the public to support it; if it is
any such wearisome hodge-podge as
The Skating Rink, or any such patent
medicine advertised claptrap as Alvin
Joslin, we shall be equally prompt in
denouncing it. In no other way can a
newspaper become what it should be-a
correct guide to the tastes and a retiec-
tiOn of the views of the community
it represents.
The example of Dramatic and Lyric
has not been without It's effect upon
the other newspapers OF the city. Even
the Tribune, which formerly paid no
more attention to theatricals than to
morals, and which made regular prac-
tice of allowing agents and managers to
act as their own critlcS-a habit, by the
way, it has not altogether recovered
| from-has been spurred up TO something
like independence in is theatrical VI
terances, though its known bitter hate
for everything which appears IN one OF
the local places of amusement, and Its
I tendency to beIittle every attraction
choosing that house, has tendency to
cause the public to view It's criticisms
with distrust. Thus the Tribune de-
nounced the amateurs performance OF
| the MlkaQO WIN Ill Tie 1Abu pei dtiOI II
was capable of and the only effect on
the public waste cause it to flock to the
theatre in greater numbers than ever
The most serious mistake OF the Tribune
however, has been in its choice OF
critic; the gentleman who does the
arduous work of writing up dog tight;
and calling the attention of the mar
shall to a putrid stencil at the corner o.
Fourth East and Sixth South or some
where else; has usually been allotted the
task of doing a critique of Ristori'
Elizabeth, Barrett's Hamlet, or TIT
amateurs Mikado. As a consequence
he invariably makes a lamentable lido
of himself, and before he has writer
half a paragraph, displays to the public
that he doesn't know the difference be
tween orchestration and R. U. f., ant
that he has about as clear an idea 0
harmony or tune as he has OF SanskrI
or HindoStanee.
That impartial criticism may lonl
flourish, however, will be the sincer'
wish of the public. She is our grea
common audience, and the great critl
ofus all. and to her will belong the tasl
of deciding to which of our craft mus
be awarded the palm for consclentlou
work in her behalf.