Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10
Multitudinous Epilogues
For Each Play.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.

for instance, that OF "Trelawuy,
which keeps its promoter. George
Tyler. busy acknowledging congratu-
lationS as he mentions the enormous
/ box Office receipts for his engage
ments from city to city.
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Theatrical reviews in an effort 10
/ encourage an entertainment which
may at least claim the distinction OF
being free from coarseness often
arouse the objection that they arc
too generous. Lecturers have spoken
on the topic how to see a play. Some
lecturer with penetrating insight as
to mental operation might give valu-
able instructions on How to Read
a Theatrical Review.
\ review is short epilogue which
summarizes the entertainment and
seeks TO call attention to its more
prominent qualities. It becomes al
most part OF the entertainment
itself If the show is pallid, the
review should be pallid also; it it IS
pungent. the review should be pun
gent if it is splendid and poetic, the
comment should reflect this spirit
and that is where the hard part
comes in.
y <
The hearts OF the public are with
the theater, and even a comment
courteous in phrase, though adverse
in opinion, will be searched by the
gentle reader for a few cheering
adjectives or palliative adverbs to
bolster the hope Of fanlished soul
for an evenings honest entertain
ment. The spectator has his rights
He would prefer to feel that he has
had his moneys worth and is likely
to argue with himself in order to feel
that such is the case. If he is host,
his guests are likely to consider it
a duty to suspend analytical func-
ton and assure him that they have
had a delightful evening
There is no play that does not
have its admirers. No performance
ever played to absolutely nothing at
all in the box Office.
No review, however cautiously
worded in order to avoid abrupt
harshness toward serious endeavor,
can fail TO betray the mental attitude
which implies sense of futility,
The best way to read a review which
is expected to guide the purchaser
as to market values is TO read it
through for general impressions
and then read it over between the
lines.
X x X
Next to lottery ticket. there is
no more interesting form OF specula
ton than that represented by
theater ticket. Each performance
is a distinct risk both as to time
and money. The star may be indis-
posed. 1t may even be necessary
to offer an understudy. A hundred
things may occur to render pres
entation brought almost to per-
lection in the course of rehearsals
a very inferior work for one evening
at least. The risk is greatest in
opera, where wandering germ may
incapacitate marvellous singer to
degree that neither coughdrops nor
Dobell solution can alleviate.
1t is a patient, good sport of
public, and the present rebellion
against certain types of entertain
ment is made possible only by a
realization that the theatergoing
world is not having fair considera-
ton.
There are audiences for all kinds
OF plays and the European cities
which standardize the policies of
different theaters so that patrons
may know in advance the kind of
entertainment awaiting them succeed
rather we'll in avoiding the affront
an auditor feels when he discovers
that following a weeks agreeable
entertainment he is confronted on
Monday next with what is not at
all the kind of a play he meant his
family TO see.
X
The Broadway theater has estab-
lishcd a system which is confusing
and unjust in trying to make the
same theater appeal equally to
straightforward home folks who
still like Shakespeare and Dickens
and TO the out-of-town buyers who
uClldiid Oliud gray
X X X
One Of the puzzles Of the playhouse
is the manner in which an unusually
meritorius entertainment is discov-
cred before the night of the opening.
There appears to be some sort of
grapevine" communication which
makes the truth of the matter avail
able before the words of wisdom"
expected from the frst-nighter can
be ladled out in printers ink.
There is a theory that the most
influential critic is the boarding
house critic. At table d'hote as at
Tabard Inn many people meet, all
on pilgrimage TO one theater or an
other. The knights and the squires
Of the drama are housed elsewhere,
but here assemble property" ex-
perts, musicians, chorus men,
dancers. each intimately acquainted.
either by personal observation of
rehearsals or by word of mouth. with
the new venture which has all Broad
way interested. The information
thus conveyed soon spreads.
The gossip is eagerly heard and the
autocrat of the theatrical table d'hote
becomes for the day far more in
fiuential on current opinion than the
"autocrat of the breakfast table"
ever was.
The most melli1uous press agent
cannot soothe the senses of the ex-
perienced theatergoer into an en-
tirelv conhding mood. The grape
vine system of communication
works against him. and even if it did
not do so. what every theatergoer
knows is that the press agent most
particularly, even more than the re-
vieunnr shnnld he read het,rerta the