The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-18

things or things that the people VIII
! talk about and start with that and
let his article grow around it. Some
first. some particularly dispise that
method and SO it runs through all the
differing tastes and individualities
But one thing all are agreed upon;
that the criticism of today is purely
and simply individual opinion. The old
editorial we has gone out of the
theatrical notice, and the notice itself
has ceased to be the opinion Of the
paDer: it is now simply the opinion of
the critic. In many instances the
criticisms are signed. and the first per-
son singular creeps into the article
This is now generally accepted as the
approved method, and in its favor may
be said. that it allows a better express
sion Of personal taste and impressions.
The notice becomes tinged and colored
with the writer's own individuality.
The public values this individual
opinion according to its estimate of
the writer's ability and judgment.
To criticise a playa new one-with-
out seeing it all is generally con
demned. One critic says: ct is an
excellent rule never to describe what
YOU have never seen. When Mr.. Rich
ard Mansfield was playing at the
I-vceum I remember having TO leave
the theatre one night before the play
was over. The hero had sailed for
America parting from his sweetheart
with vows of eternal constancy. / said
that of course he returns in the fifth
act. laden with dollars, to the arms Of
his faithful sweetheart. and the pair
lived happily ever afterwards-or
words to that effect. What actually
happened was. that the hero was
drowned at sea. and the heroine, after
clipping with wicked italian baritone,
who beat her, took poison. You see it
is never safe to assume that a play
wright knows his own business"
Few people appreciate the wide diff
ference between the functions, the re-
sponsibility, and the requirements of
the critic who reviews first perform
ances of plays in large cities. and the
country critic. The latter's influence
rarely extends beyond his own city,
cult. The opinions of the San Fran
cisco critics influence the whole coast,
those of New Orleans a wide circle. but
these are isolated cases. The hardest
thing the critic of the provincial city
has to contend with is the opinion that
has gone before. The play and COM
pany may have been reviewed. time
and time again, and while he may rise
superior to these ind assert his own
judgment, he cannot be so free as if
ne did not have continually in his
mind the opinions of others, already
expressed on the play. The require
ments are not nearly so great with the
country critic and his criticism often
degenerates into purely notice. The
slovenly sritic saves brain work by
good,'' or, was bad" without saying
how or why The i1ippant critic con-
tents himself with a supposedly clever
comparison of the play with a feast
and the actors are different kinds of
food. Sometimes he varies this and
compares the play to a crown filled
with vari-colored jewels: and again
the actors are wines of different quail
ity and strength. With these three at
his command he is always ready to
write a notice on short demand. Oc-
casionally may be found a country
critic of real ability, one who possesses
first of all that very necessary re-
quirement, honesty; and whose judg
ment is good; and who has the knack
of putting his opinions into attractive
readable matter.
''The Crimson Scarf which was so
successfully produced in a small as
sembly room recently, is soon to re-
the Salt Lake Theatre, preceded by
a short play given by our old favorites
the Home Dramatic company.