The Washington herald., 1920-08-08
NNE Of the inherent faults of a

great deal of the dramatic crit
icism one reads nowadays is to be
found in the tendency of critics.
both in and out of Manhattan 10
base criticism solely upon their
personal reactions, and not upon
the definite. scientific and fairly
fixed principles Of the drama as
form of artistic expression.
A portion of the responsibility
for improper criticism of this sort
rests with the public. Once the pub
lie laughs at something, 1t is quite
ready and willing to turn and reno
a critic who dares suggest that IT,
the public, Is laughing at piece
OF rot The critic straightway De-
comes a dour fellow, a dyspeptic'
taker OF the JOY out Of life. On the
other hand. let him become des-
perate and agree that the same
play is a triumph Of humor ana
stratghtway the more inteillgenI
tribe of theater-goers Will ran
ucon him with anathema and ridl-
cnls and call him everything from
an incompetent to a journalistic
uanderer. Faced with such choice
the critic usually prefers to have
his digestion rather than his com
petence or honor assailed.
ONLY last week I was upbraided
" by a thoroughly conscientious
but not thoroughly erudite patron
~ the theater for saying that Mr..
ana Mrs. Hatton's The Checker
hoard was sadly lacking in its eI-
position Of drama This particular
Datron Of the theater had been ut
tsrIy charmed by a Russian ballet
number in the last act OF Inc
CheckerbOard." To him, RUSSIAN
ballet dancing is Joy and DE-
light Any play that incorporates
within its length a Russian oaliet
n1r,har becomes at once a wholly
desirable addition to dramatic III
81. ratu-e and whose takes different
stand incurs the liability of being
called to stand and deliver a reason
for the contrary faith within him
Now. the wholly important fact is
that Mr.. and Mrs. Hatton's play alb
-sOlutsly declined to proceed Iurther
.1ban the second act under its own
.rower. and it had been simply pad
.dad into three-aCt length with bal
let number that had little to do with
me case. To this mans mind, bal
Isr ruulber was a lovely thing. and
sDy nIay that carried a ballet num-
-ba- ought TO be still running when
Uncle Toms Cabin Is memory
All this. Of course, is very bad Tor
criticism. It may explain one Of the
reasons why someone has salo
America has no critics No critic
-rr-ardIess of his conscience, car
lonE be fair and conscientious to
nUbIic that spurns an effort to bt
exact iudiscri iminating and imper-
sonal Give a critic enough OF suCf
criticism Of his work and soon h
will be watching the audience in
stead Of the play.
It is, Of course, within the prov
.ince Of the critic to append a state
r-ant Of whether or not a play ap
reals to his personal tastes. That
or course, is not criticism. 1t 4
u1erely'praise or derOgatiOn. Never
tHeIess. il frequently passes as crit
icism. Only last winter 1 heard
Washington critic defend his stan
in regard to a play he had praise
p. asserting that they laughed a
g." One might as well praise tn
Blue Flame" because they shud
Ge-cd at il, or "BuCking the Tiger
because Forrest Winant makes hi
With the girls, or a certain musica
rlsv because the producer spen
5000 900 on IL.
THE whole purpose and PROVING
Of dramatic criticism, as ap
rTied to journalism, is to act as
guide or a mentor for those dis
eliminating but frequent patrons o
tho theater who have learned, b.
az0erience. to trust the analysis o
a particular dramatic analyst. Thes
are the true supporters and de
f.-ders Of criticism-persOns seek
ir@ guidance and not mere jour
uaIistic appreciation of their ofte
immature opinions.
situation of growing en-
Iarassment faces the critic froI
war to year. The coming of pre-
Rfbftion and the release Of vast sum
OF revenue for amusement. couple
with the new generation Of legit
mate theatsr patrons have brougt
into the theater a class Of patror
age that is not as discriminating
was the 50 patron of 1910 and b.
fore This class, to use the cynic1
phrase Of the theatrical produce
'wfU swallow anything and con
back for more"
The result Of this lack of dis
elimination and this lack of drt
matte ideaIism is a stage foode
with the cheapest of makes shi
contrivances. some of them doomt
TO failure at the start but destint
to reap enough Of a stage shown
TO warrant cinema exhibition
towns under 10000 as the gre
Broadway dramatic success" -
success garnered in the fourte'
or fifteen days necessary to mo
49, a rank failure and bring in