Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-15

meetings for the discussion OF various
topics. and last Sunday night the subject
was Dramatic Critics Mr.. Alfred Rob-
bins, well-known London journalist, read
a paper on Are Dramatic Critics Of Any
Use?' He maintains that a critic is help
ful to all concerned with the piece in pro-
portion as he is sympathetic and open to
/ fresh Impressions. If he judge g. pay by
how 1t affects himself alone he is Of use
to the playgoing public which, happily. IS
composed of many elements capable of en-
JoyinS very varied work. He should not be
a being apart from the audience.
Mr.. Robbins ideal critic is the man who
loves playgoing for its own sake, and who.
from his practice with the pen and his ia
miliarity with the literature and technique
of the stage, is able to tell those who have
not been resent whether piece is worth
seeing. He holds that the critic who at
tempts to judge every play from the same
which it is produced and the audience for
which it has been written. is as Illogical as
If he were to object to a landscape because
it is not a figure picture or TO see nothing
in Gafnsborough because he is filed with
admin alton for Turner. The dramatic critic.
in fact, should be the brother and not the
schoolmaster of the playgoer. He is useful
as guide, but dangerous as pontif.
The paper provoked a very animated dis
Cussion, in which actors, critics and private
playgoers took part. But not the least in
teresting part of the nights proceedings
was the presentation of large mum
actors had given their views Of the subject
under discussion. A very chara cteristic
contribution came from Mr.. G.. Bernard
Shaw, who holds that IF managers were
wise and capable of effective combina ton.
they would not only refuse free seats to the
press, but insist on gratuitous advertise
ments. A list of the Iheaters is far more
Indispensable item OF daily news than
weather chart. and TO newspaper expects
the clerk of the weather TO pay it for in
serting the weather chart At present.
he declares, managers not only visit crit
les but prevent them from paying IL they
wish to do SO. He declares that he has
never yet succeeded in buying a first night
ticket as a critic, though he has often
tried.
Mr.. Clement Shorter. the well-kroyn 1T
erary critic and editor Of the Sphere"
said: I'm exactly the same way as the hand
of the literary critic is held for fear that
he will hurt the feelings of friends he is
constantly meeting, so the hand of the
dramatic critic is stayed because the dram
aust and the important actor have a wide
influence with the proprietors OF newspa-
pers. Precisely as 1 have heard Of a lit
erary critic being sent about his business
because Of the remonstrances Of g. publish
er, so have heard of dramatic critic re-
celving censure because DISTINGUISHED
actor has complained to the proprietor Of
his paper"
Mr.. Shorter has had large experience Of
London newspaper proprietors, ard think
he knows his ground. l have heard OF
more than one case where a dramatic critic
here has been instructed to take a certain
line. One critic told me some time ago that
whenever an actor became popular. his pa
per always praised his work irrespective of
Its merit, or that, at any rate, If the critic
could not say anything good about such an
actors productions, he might condemn the
play, but never the man. It goes without
saying that there is plenty OF honest crit
icism. but l have one or two papers In
mind where the advertising columns are re-
garded more than honest criticism