New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-02
By Haywood Broun

body comes along and raises the
entrance requirements for dramatic
critics. Clayton Hamilton is the latest
10 suggest new standard. His test
for reviewers consists of three point
blank questions, as follows:
One-Have you ever stood barehead-
ed in the nave of Amiens?
Two-Have you ever climbed to the
Acropolis by moonlight?
Ihree-Have you ever walked with
whispers into the hushed presence of
the Frari Madonna of Bellini?
Our grade on the test is 33 Is per
cent, which is not generally regarded
as pass mark
We have stood bareheaded in the
nave of Amiens. We felt more bare
headed than usual because a German
aeroplane was dropping bombs some
where about the town. And yet even
in this part of the examination we can
hardly claim perfect average. Come
to think of it, we didn't exactly stand
there in the nave at Amiens. We had
heard OF the increased difficulty of hit
ting moving target, and whenever a
bomb went off we found ourselves
shifting rapidly from one foot to an
other. We were not minded that any
German in the sky should look thrc ugh
the roof and mistake lis for an ammu
milton dump.
rs for the rest, our failure is COM
plete. We know that the Acropolis is
a building in Athens or whereabouts,
We have never seen it in moonlight or
sunlight. We are not even sure that
we would climb up. Our resolve would
be largely influenced by the number of
steps: Clayton Hamilton does not men,
.tion that His is essentially the crit
ical rather than the reportorial mind.
We, for instance, are less interested in
the fact that Clayton Hamilton climbed
up by moonlight than in the time as
caught by an accurate stop watch and
the resulting respiration. We think
that the Frari Madonna of Bellini is a
picture, and Venice is our guess as to
its home. Venice or Florence is al
way VIC bVoL SQScS Lux 4nNQOIIdS.
The only solution we can think Of is
to ask the managers to shift our seats
for the present from the fourth row
of the orchestra to the second bal
cony. OF course, our fighting blood is
up. We are determined to qualify as
soon as possible. Some day we will
climb that Acropoiis roped together with
Louis De Foe, Charles Daruton and
Burns Mantle. There will be a little
trepidation in the ascent, to be sure.
One false step, one blunder, would be
fatal, and we have known the other
members of the party to make these
blunders. But we will reach the top
at last and stand wonderingly in the
moonlight, slowly recovering our
breath. Mr.. Darnton will undoubtedly
be the first to speak. He will look at
the ghostly architecture silvered in
the moonlight, and then he will muir
muir big HIT"
Later we will see the Frari Madonna,
but it seems & little dangerous to pre-
diet that all the members of the party
" III walk Win WulSDClSs L Sl maps tlcS
is not vital. At any rate, when the
journey is completed we purpose to go
straight from the dock to the Office of
A. II. Woods. If he consents to see
us we are going to address him in this
fashion:
"Ar. Woods, we wish to make an
apology to you. Some months ago we
reviewed several of your shows, in
spite Of the fact that we had never
climbed to the Acropolis in moonlight
or walked with hushed whispers into
the presence OF the Frari Madonna of
Bellini. Now that has been remedied.
We have come back with a new vision.
We are prepared to review the per-
formances OF your productions all over
again. Do you think you could fix US
up for tomorrow night with a couple
Of good aisle seats for up in Mabel's
Room"
"Tillie," the engaging little comedy
in which Miss Patricia Collinge is APP
pearing, has been temporarily banished
from Broadway. The play began to
light business at the Henry Miller The
atre, but it perverscly took a decided
turn for the better as soon as new
PRODUCTION was booked in its place. 1t
will be at the Standard this week,
but George Tyler still has hopes Of
bringing il back. II he carries out his
Plan it will be most unusual pro-
ccdure, for it is seldom that play
receives a second chance on Broadway.
The present scheme is to play four
rnatinees a week at some theatre hous-
ing regular attraction until an open
ing can be secured. Our hopes go with
"Tillie," not only because it seems to
us a pleasing play, in spite Of it's fra
gility, but because we are firmly con-
vnced that Miss Patricia Collngc is
giving one Of the most skilful per-
formances which New York has seen
this season.
81 have just read your article on
Fairbanks, and | can't get down to my
own dull job Until send you my whoop
Of joy" writes Harvey O'Hggins to
Miss Virginia Tracy, whose articles