New-York tribune., 1921-04-03
By Haywood Broun

~ VERY now and then somebody
comes bubbling up to drama
" tist with the announcement
"Ive got great idea for a
play" With or without encourage
ment, he then proceeds to detail the
idea in some 1000 or 5000 words and
.aan ceases with an air of triumph as
i the thing was already practically
done or even rounding out its first hun
dred nights on Broadway.
To be sure it is done but for the
writing. This is rather more impor-
tant than is generally believed. Sup
pose, for instance, you were employed
by manager to listen to the ideas of
playwrights. At 8 o'clock when you
reach your Office two young men are
waiting. The first says, "I've got
great idea for play It's about girl
and fellow in Reading, III. At
least, there are two fellows and they're
both in love with the same girl. One
Is little romantic and adventurous
and he wants the girl to run away
With him, but she doesn't want to. She
decides that she'll marry the other
lellow, the quiet one, but she makes
alm agree to move to Joplin, Mo. In
the next act
Hold on" you exclaim in your ca
pacity as idea auditor, "is that all
here is in the first act?"
YES" the playwright answers, chats
about all, but of course the girls father
and mother are there and there's a
scene where the girl and the fellow
make love together But as I started
TO tell you, in the second act they've
Oeen married and gone to Joplin and he
mas big real estate deal to put over
ana ne asks the customer to the fat
LOT dinner. The cook doesn't show up
ahd The dinner is bust and the deal
laiis through. After the dinner the
husband and the wife have a fight and
she leaves him and goes back home to
"sf mother. And then in the last act he
comes after her and she's sorry and
aes sorry and. the deal has gone
'Hfough and they make it up"
A1'er hearing this story it seems un-
akely that the auditor of ideas would
Aastliy summon any or all of his su-
peflors to buy the young mans play
VI tne spot. He would be much more
"Seiy to note down the applicants
name and address and lose it. And yet
'As plot rs outlined is pretty faithful
summary Of the idea of "The First
ear the best play now running in
New York.
ING second applicant might tell you
4s story Of doctor who marries the
's'0w OF patient after she has spent
WV desperate years in trying to sup
s''' aerself. She does not love the doc
~ ana ne is made to realize it. In
su' s'' the marriage is frankly nothing
Wv a device by which the doctor may
ave the privilege of supporting the
sS1ng woman. For two years, the union
.sH'ains mere form. By that time the
ss1"s woman has begun to forget the
:. .s'"ory OF her dead husband and to love
~. .' a0ctor, but he is so scrupulous in
.ep'ns his side of the bargain that she
No opportunity to forget the mem
~: "nlcn stands between them. Into
' sltuation enters a friend of the
''H'ly who has no scruples and who
lss' aAes ardent love to har. She does not
r. ~ n'n' but she is moved by his ardor.
~ 0ners her way of escape from the
n. .l"ance OF mourning which she has
s' r'aseo upon herself She is almost per-
10 elope with him when the doc
An earns the state Of affairs. He is
,s.so. saseo. The only thing which had
,sss'or'zed ~ him hitherto was the fact that
''ai was . memory, q thing both