Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-10

rcspondcnce School Dramatic Critic lin
ten lessons), went up to the Lyric this
week TO see Mndge
Percy Goggles Kennedy in Cor
Sees "Cornered' nered. He came into
the Office next dag
shifting his disapproval.
"Trite," he said. I thought he said
"try IT,"
"All right" said, "I will" So
] did.
He hunted me up atterward.
well" he demanded, you didn't like
it, did you?"
Great" exclaimed. Enjoyed
every minute of it."
He shook his head hopelessly.
IF you hnd studied the Fundamental
principles of the drama" he began.
But I haven't apologizcd. II
never studied anything. That's why l
enjoy everything. I don't know enough
to see the defects.
But. my dear fellow" he said, ac.
ccntng the Glow" there isn't a sit.
uation or an idea in 'Corncred' that
hasn't been simply done to death. The
crook play isn't wanted any moro.
And the striking resemblance imper.
s"nntion thing should have been shclved
long ago. And the shallow and
meretricious clcverness of the crafts.
manship-bah!" !"
"All right" said bah couple
of times If you want to. I liked IT,"
But, he protested, couldn't you
soc all the way through how the author
deliberately involved his characters in
seemingly inextrcable situations and
then used tho clement Of surprise or
laughter to disguisc tho implausibility
Of tho methods by which he cxtricatcd
them
"It certainly was full Of surprises,
wasn't it, | asked. And the bang
up kind that hit you right between the
eyes You didn't care how he got en-
out Of their troubles; you we're with
'em hear and soul and each time they
escaped you just felt like jumping up
and cheering"
The true dramatic critic said
Percy, frowning. never permits his
cmotionalism to overcome his keen per.
Ceptions to that extent. Nor does he
allow the charm or the personality OF
an actress to blind him to the struc-
tural defects OF her vehicle. 'Cornered,
my dear fellow, is not even a fair eS-
ample of the art of dramaturgy. 1t is
distinctly tritc and tawdry."
Gee .' ! exclaimed. I'm sorry to
hear that. And I hope nobody finds it
out in tine TO spoil their enjoyment of
the show. Personally, l think it's one
of the best entertainments I've seen in
a long time. And don't care who
knows It. Also personally I'm still
head over heels in love with Madge
Kennedy. And ! don't care who knows
lNn nit
tions are not blinded by a girl as win
some and captivating as she is-you
can take me TO the morgue that's S all
The biggest fortunes In the show
business are made by the best guessers.
OF course, a man has TO know the
game and be n
Good GUESSING shrewd and prac-
Is Gold Wine n,ct riced business tan man ma
ting hold of valuable plays is concerned,
1t 5 the good guesser who finally sits
back and watches somebody use an
adding machine for his income tax re-
turns.
Some Of the best showmen in the
game frequently guess wrong. a play
is offered TO them and they guess it
won't go. They turn il down. Some
body else gueSscs it will 60 and pro-
duccs it. 1t makes mint.
About two years ago. somebody took
n comedy TO one Of the most successful
producers on Broadway. He looked it
over and pointed to the exit sign.
Nothing TO it.
The play was hawked along Broad
way and then Cohnn and Harris
thought it might go over. 1t was put