New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-04

~ the door OF the theater all
49, season, but It was only last
week that they took up their
residence in the playhouses. It was
me crooks who jimmied an entrance
for them. The crook, Of course, Is al
ways with Us. One eason for the en-
during quality Of the drama Of the
underworld is that It's opponents have
been exceedingly quick to see the value
q new and profitable alliances. A few
seasons ago we had the crook and the
white SLAYER on the boards In such
prodigious quantities that one Of the
lesser wits Of our day remarked, "Too
many crooks spoil the brothel."
But there was no keeping the under
world down. Winchell Smith was the
first 20 gee the advantage Of q country
vacation for the criminal. and a whole
series OF plays OF the crooks-in-clover
school followed. In these plays the
wicked pickpocket and the bad yegg
were eventually made over into Cod
fearing citizens By eating the home
made peach jam OF sanity old ladies'.
IN time doubt crept into the theater-
goer's mind as to the FEASIBILITY OF
this salvation through apple sauce, but
BY that time the war was on, and so
the playwrights took a new tack and
sent the crooks to war, where the
glory Of the trenches quickly made
them into new men.
And now thsy come before us again
hand In hand With the departed spirits.
Sa less than two plays about spooks
ana crooks have been scheduled within
ms last tan days and the rivalry be-
tween he producers grew so great
hA + resulted IN . race for town.
md J.ekson's aThe Hole In the WALL
vs tho arst 20 reach New York. but
sais ~advantAge could not conceal the
'ac. that Tho Ouija Board" by Crane
x'lour, was tho better play. In fact,
NJ. "tburs play Is one Of the best
aEs!ers n = couple of easons It Is
BANNED With tricks Of tho theater,
%. some Of them are new tricks and
decidedly divert.nz. The drematic pos
no'l!sy CT the situation In which a
easriasan Is suddenly confronted by
's fact that something true and
airaeulous has crcpe into his trckery
familiar enough to all who know our
Nyeaic melodrama- In "The Ouija
0'ard," however, this 10 developed
nsss sdroitly than ever before. The
-Aiss sD.rtualis. who has been deceiv-
ING his clientA By automatic writing
ssiea !s entirely sham Is suddenly
*'zsd upon BY . spirit control who
-'sess him 70 wT4te information which
~Esays bis plans, exposes his secret
"a delivers him 70 sudden death
"sa played by Howard Lang and Will
an ingszsoil, the scene Will give a
~Hi 70 al who are possessed Of any
S'H'on Of tina credultty which the
'Assssr demands II It's faithful disci-
} Ilss.
S'nswhss less exciting and NOR.
a~i7s is Tho HoIs In the Wall" but
~ al that IL is an engaging melo-
"sma bstlt around tn. same general
meet ~ m. alliance Of the upper
Aaa shs neither world. "Ths Hole ir
90 Val" ossrs special entertainment
as~soapsr msn because Of Tho fac
s he hsro M tho piece. a reporter
represented "a bnssinz the POLES
.'ssrnsns sbont At Will IN his A.
7@ss ~ sclv~ = murder myrtery.
shh connection II IL only fair u
~@as = correction from Herbert Bay.
va c~oDs, whom w took 20 bs th.
~Sasi Of Tho reporter hero. IN spite 81
=. 2set that some Of ths other char
~Sns Ia tho play &rs allowed lines u
sseak-
W." writes Mr.. swope, 20 whose IT.
~aHsn tbs srrfng ysv1sw has svtdentl,
sal'sA, "in the spirit Of ~sccurac,
sss'Ss 70 correct the animadvsrsfor
~ Ia y~uY rsvtsw Of This Hols IL
Haiv Ia Ths Tr1buns Of Saturday