New-York tribune., 1912-03-03
THE PLAYCOER
Some Productions of the Week
and Other Matters.

AS the stage. nowadays, breaches for
6r against almost everything under the
bun, or illustrates" almost every kind
bf life under the sun, why should it not
kxhort on the subject of newspaper life
and exhibit that life as it presents itself
10 the theatrical mind and popular no
Jfion? The chances are that the stage
Do attempting to depict newspaper life,
4Eill be quite as true to that peculiar
Rhase of human activity as it is to "busi-
Ness in its business plays" to politics
In its political plays" to criminal life
= hnd crime hunters in its detective
plays" and to Society" always with a
Aarge S. in the majority of its society
dramas" That is to say, either as near
ahe truth or as far from it, as the ex-
gaperience of dramatists, actors and man
egers or the credulity of the public will
Sermit.
Newspaperdom affords as good sub
sdect as any for the fancy and zeal OF
Mlaywrights There is nothing sacred,
Anysterious or remote in newspaperdom
&hat can hold any playwright in awe;
Nhere may be much that is profane TO in
hNite his serious, humorous or satirical
attention. The life is as easily por-
ifrayed as any other BY any playwright
Swho knows how. Hayden Talbot, the
enewest of playwrights, comes as close to
knowing how as any Of the multitude OF
dramatic authors who have attempted
the familiar task, and a good deal closer
than most of the expermenters.
at
ire, is a better newspaper play than
recent one which was more talked about
Some persons may imagine fondly that
this is the reason for its having received
less attention from the newspapers thah
hid the other and more celebrated case.
yBut there is another and more plausible
As well as more likely, reason for THIS
sacK of attention-"The Truth Wagon
eame to New York on an unfortunate
might in an unfortunate week-unfortu-
nate. that is to say, in the competition II
had to face.
Dramatic critics may be the ablest OF
the most incompetent of men. ASK the
ntrical folk who have received their
aatest praise or dispraise From the
critics themselves "a disinterested opin-
fon on the subject scarcely is to he eX-
pected. But all OF them will acknowl-
hdge a limitation which cOnfronts them
in common with other humans:-they
cannot be in three or four places at
bnce, nor even in two. Frequently they
may desire TO be in any other place than
the one in which. alas! they find them
selves, a circumstance which testi1es
not only to their humanity but TO their
discrimination. But when they are IN
Eited to three theatres in one evening
and TO three more on the three following
nights, natural law rather than personal
Inclination is bound to rule the issue
Tor the three-play night the assistants
must be called in. For the following
three nights the new plays Of those dates
command attention, so that two OF the
three play night pieces will be seen by
the principal critics. il seen at all, after
having been reviewed or noticed" by
The assistants, when the calendar and
the devouring presses permit. II man
ayers do not like this condition of things,
they may at least change their dates.
Last Monday evening three new plays
syere produced in Broadway theatres"
Mrs. Fiske appeared at the Empire In
sLady Patricia" a star cast appeared at
the New Amsterdam in new version OF
eOliver Twist" and at Days THE
trruth Wagon" was produced. With
kome critics Mrs Fiske had the first
choice; with others. for equally good rea-
sons oliver Twist" THE Truth
Wagon" by an unknown playwright,
could not be expected 10 take precedence
bver either Besier's comedy presented by
the leading actress of the American
stage or over the Comyns Csrr-Sir Her
bert Tree version of oliver Twist" acted
by a star cast. All these plays were
covered" for the next mornings papers
rs well as the conflict OF competition
gould permit
On Tuesday night came Pinero's COM
edy preserving Mr.. Panmure." at the
Lyceum. On Wednesday night Rostand's
sLady OF Dreams" La Princesse Loin-
saine'). with Nine. Smone, at the Hud-
son. On Thursday night, The Grey
hound" at the Astor. Thus II happened
that the critics themselves could not see
~The Truth Wagon" until Friday night,
and then only those who had seen
soliver Twist" and the star cast. or
Mrs. Fiske in Lady Patricia" either on
Monday night or at Wednesdays matt
nee.
Some critics have no good relish for
naatinees and avoid them when II IL pos
sible to do so. This may be due partly
TO the fact that there is quite enough
professional theatre-going to be done at
5anight without adding the afternoons;
and Il may be due partly to the fact that
matinee audiences are usually passive.
SAn audience is half the play and per-
Aprmance. 1t is not unnatural that
Fertile may prefer, as actors do. an audi