Evening star., 1925-01-18
The Crime Play Becomes
At Least Good -Natured
By Ph;1ander Johnson.

Everything depends on the lis
tener and observer.
The comedian who congratulated
his audience on having behaved so
beautifully was not far wrong. The
stage picture is a swift-moving at
fair and the words rattle along
sometimes namely, sometimes pro-
fanely, but seldom, If ever, with an
eplgrammatic turn that crystallizeS
IN recollection. If offense is given it
passes quickly, and if the element of
cleverness is present, is overwhelmed
by the course of action.
x
One OF the most remarkable phe-
nomena of the hour is the bitterness
with which rival theatrical influences
are reviling the improprietieS of
competitors. Pots assail kettles with
almost weeping anxiety about the
danger of snirch to the proprieties
I and the sensibilities of the play
going public. 1t has become appar-
entity regular part of publicity duty
to denounce in terms of pious repre-
hension the fagrancies of competi-
tors. In what has been an exceed
jngly rough competition the losers
have, at least, the satisfaction of
prociaiming the opinion that each
winner in turn of the literary gar
bagemen's trophy is no gent.
Every week that passes leaves the
habitual -theater roamer
with feeling that he might better
have put in his time at the Rams
Head Players, who have earned the
fullest credit for following the most
cxacting professional lines, so far as
presentation is concerned, while alb
solutely refusing to concede a sy1-
liable or a gesture to the current
standards of so-called realism.
If what is now offered is true real
ism the poet was in a depressing
mood when he wrote, Life is real,
life is earnest" But it is still de-
gently possible to contend that most
of the realities of life are pleasant
enough, if intelligently managed, and
that in order to be earnest it is not
necessary to be abjectly profane. The
situation has been peculiarly en-
barrassing to the patient scribe who,
in trying to form an adequate word
picture, is restrained by certain
lingering respect for the rules of
grammar and is forbidden by the
iruies of the typographical union
ever to letter the word in full, in
stead of using the time-honored
dash after the big, big D..
X X
These remarks are hardly apropos
OF anything that passed before at
tention during the week just closed,
except as they relate to the habit
fostered by the stage of searching
for some sinister suggestion, even
when it is not made perfectly OBJ
vious.
X ***
William Grew, who has been heard
from in vaudeville, provides a do
mestlc comedy in THE Sap" which
tells of goodnatured ne'er- -do-well
who feels morally compelled to rob
bank in order to pay the rent and
save the family honor. It's plot may
be outlined without fear of wearying
attention, for a great many people
did not see the play. This is a state
OI dldlIS WHICH IlcdHS, III cases OF
undesirable drama, sort of auto
\ matte safeguard for the morals of a
community. We are shocked at the
presence of a crowd of people at
questionable entertainment and by
the knowledge that there will be
crowds in attendance many evenings
rnsxe. We do not take proper com
foFS in considering the vast number
of people who never see the per-
formance.
There is a more or less defined
clientele for the playhouse, and even
this clientele does not always turn
out in full force. 1t requires won
derful production to play to full
houses for two weeks in a city of
less than 100000, as Ben Hur" used
tto do.
x + X
The Sap" depends for interest on
its central character, introducing
Raymond Hitchcock as gentle,
visionary young man so devoted to
his wife that he would rather hang