The Washington herald., 1911-12-17


ard the theaters must bow to the inev-
table. Shopping holds full sway and
there will be no standard attractions at
either the Columbia or the Belasco to
lure the seasoned playgoer. The Belasco
will show some interesting views OF the
raising of the Maine in Havana Harbor;
the Columbia will be dark. Chase's,
however, will have a characteristlcally
excellent vaudeville programme on view,
and the other purlieus Of amusement
will also attempt to take the shopper
away from the feverish ante-Chrlstmas
rush in the stores.
The movement to close the hFst-class
theaters the week before Christmas is
now generally followed throughout the
country In the Middle West managers
are showing no hesitancy in darkening
their stages for this brief period. be-
cause they have found II is a sheer waste
of money to keep them lighted. Henrietta
Crosman, who was seen at the Belasco
last week in '-Ihe Real Thing" will
suspend operations this week in order
to size up the current attractions on
Broadway. There are scores OF road
companies which close up shop this
week TO enjoy-like Miss Crosman-a lit
tie Yuletide cheer on the Great White
Way, and Thespians are taking kindly
TO the new scheme Of establishing va
cation week.
OF the plays, successful and other
wise, now running in New York, nearly
one-third have already been seen in
Washington, showing that there is some
solace in being a dog town" These plays
are Betsy" Peggy The Million" the
Irish Players, The Witness for the De-
fense'' The Enchantress,' The First
Lady in the Land" THE Three Romeos,
The Woman" and The Marionettes."
They constitute wide range Cf attrac-
tions, surely. Not a single one of these
pieces has fallen fiat; a few are estab-
lished successes for the season. Wash
ingtonians have been more or less mys-
tified by the kindly reception accorded
Betsy" on Broadway, since no operetta
revealed here this year seemed to have
smaller chances of success. Peggy,
the lavishly- -bedecked Ryley show, seems
to be doing fairly well at the Casino.
There can be no gathering of views on
any subject related TO the theater that
does not possess something of interest
and suggestion.
The International for December pre-
sents a symposium on The Function of
the Dramatic Critic under the conduct
of Alfred B. Kuttner, and 1t includes
ideas o. George c. Tyler, Charles Ram
Kennedy. william A. Brady. John Cort,
a T. lLOuldSr w -. lie 4hlllSs E1uBdI
Selwyn Henry Miller, and Rupert
Hughes
The questions put were: Has the dra-
matte critic an important influence on
the theatergoing public, and how much
does he help to make or mar play ?!
lis he of any value a guide TO pro-
ducers and authors in changing or modi
flying productions; or is the public the
only judge?' Should he be a man of
no special training, or is some training,
such as knowledge of the drama of the
past, to be preferred" What, in fact,
is your idea of the function of a dramatic
critic?''
Mr.. Tyler thinks the capable, intelll-
gent, and reasonably fair-minded critic
has an important influence on the public,
and that he may do much for or against
q play; but to have that influence he
must impress his readers with his own
ability to Judge. And a critic, according
TO Mr.. Tyler, may be able TO point out
the defects in a play without being able
to indicate a re n edy for them. although
he may make valuable suggestions. 'If
it were otherwise says Mr.. Tyler, all
good dramatic critics would become play
wrights," and this would leave the crIti-
cal profession barren indeed. The public,
Mr.. Tyler thinks, after all, knows
whether it likes a play or not. Training
he believes valuable for critic, although
ing that had fine Judgment
John Cort thinks critics as a rule are,
in measure, unqualified for their work.
In a majority Of cases they are ordinary
reporters. Mr.. Cort believes more good
can result from competent criticism in
the press than in any other way. There
are many good critics, he says, on the
magazines and leading newspapers, and
their influence is potent. He thinks it
would be desirable to have dramatic
critics qualify, if possible, through a
board of examiners whose duty would
be to formulate rules for the most ad-
vantageous criticism, both for the bene-
fit OF theater patrons and producers"
but he does not suggest the complexion
OF such a board.
Mr.. Brady believes critics in concert
can help a good play by praising it, or
inJure a fair or poor one by damning It;
, but as criticism is largely personal ex-
preston, critics are seldom united for
or against a play. He says the critics
can't kill a good play If the manager
will stick to II, and they can't save a
had one, no matter how fervidly they
may praise II. He does not think that
G man is equipped to find fault in a
play, unless he is also equipped to mend
fl. Mr.. Brady notes that there is no
form, of literature that falls behind the
procession" as rapidly as that of the
GIdB0Y IHuS ny COHCiuOeS
that knowledge of the theater of the
past is not essential in the critic. Thus
a man OF no special training may be sue
cessful in writing Of the drama 'if he
will confine himsel fto pure description
and not set himself up as a private tribu-
nal with no appeal from his decision, as
some beginners in criticism have done"
The critic, he believes, should be able
to analyze an audience and determine
intelligently whether the applause is
genuine or faxed, and to treat a play
from the view OF the public, rather than
from his own. "a really first-class re-
porter" he says, Ought to be a first
class dramatic critic"
Charles Ram Kennedy's expressed view
of the critic is gracefully set forth in
a column, in which he praises them. He
says he is going TO have new play pro-
duced shortly. Incidentally, he thinks
the coming American drama Is to be
something remarkable. "It is going to be
TO the new world" he says, what
Athenian drama and Elizabethan drama
were In their days"
Louis N. Parker is also satisfied with
American criticism. 'I believe in a shoe
maker sticking to his last, he says. MY
last is 10 offer the best can do; the
critics last Is to tell the public whether
II is any good. And my last OF all-if
may twist the worlds TO refrain from
bowling II am honestly hit"
Rupert Hughes thinks the dramatic
critic simply q human being who pub
Iishaa his opinions Of DlayS Everybodv