Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-13
ADJUSTMENTS

POLFS-"The Doctors Dilemma"
The Doctors Dilemma" bv Bernard
Shaw. was presented at Polls Theater
last night as the second of three plays
given this week by the repertory COM
pany OF the New York Theater Guild.
IL is only human to experience ex-
qulsite pleasure in the spectacle Of the
medical profession, anesthetized and
therefore unable to defend itself, placed
upon the operating table to undergo
penetrating digs and gentle probines
from the keen scalpel OF the esteemed
Mr.. Shaw. And while Mr.. Shaw as
surgeon may be painfully direct and
sometimes cruel In his diSsecting, he
performs with such consummate skill
that to watch his methods is always
enjoyable. There must be few, indeed,
who see The Doctors Dilemma" with
recognizing among its characters some
old friend in the medical profession.
Those first so to recognize them would
be the dear doctors themselves. And
even If Mr.. Shaw is among the con-
feSsed anti-vaccinationists and there
fore beyond the pale, no doctor should
hasten to condemn him, for In this
play he makes it plain that the medical
profession is among the few things in
which he believes there lies some good.
That Is, one must admit, no small con-
cession.
THE Doctors Dilema," is one pecu-
liarly Shavisn In its conception The
dilemma, In words that are not Shaw's
is this: Two men are suffering from
tuberculosis. 1t lies within the power
of doctor to save one of them, but
only one. Which one? There is, on
the one hand. rascally artist who can
draw beautiful pictures. On the other
there is a mediocre and pauperized-
titioner. Which Is preferable-to 20
through life finding beautiful pictures
and meeting no good people or to
meet good people but find no beautiful
pictures? The Skavian philosophy, of
course. Is that there are so few good
pictures and so many good people. But,
fortunately or not the Shavian philoso-
ply is not unanimously accepted. The
play Is a development of this thought.
Not one, but five doctors, find them
selves more or less caught on the horns
OF this dilemma. And they are doctors
whom we all know. If only by reputa-
ton. There is DR.. Leo Schumacher
who has been able to retire On the pro-
ceeds of fat practice founded on the
two magic words, Cure Guaranteed"
There is Sir Patrick Cullen, also retired,
who has seen the birth and DEATH long
ago, of many cults and theories, later
revivifled. There is Sir Colenso Rid
geon, famous bacteriologist, who has
discovered a serum for the treatment
land sometimes the cure) of tuber-
culosis; Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonning-
ton, a fashionable bedside physician;
Cutler Walpole, surgeon who has
made himself and his appendicecetomy
fashionable, and DIR. Blenkinsop, poor
and seedy of raiment, faithful to his
pauper patients, but who has not
opened a text book since his graduation
from medical school. These provide DR..
Shaw with his patient, personifying the
medical profession at large, whom he SO
delightfully."- dissects. There is, in addi-
ton, woman; woman who might be
described in the accurate vernacular as
beautiful but dumb-beautiful in her
ability to idealize, but dumb, also deaf
and blind. In the subject Of her ideal
izatiOn. That, possibly, is a character
istically feminine trait. for which all
men should be thankful And, char
acteristically, one that appeals to Mr..
Shaw.
The New York Theater Guild Roper
tory Co. furnishes a thoroughly COM
petent group of actors. In this play
they do an excellent piece of work. All
of them are admirable. but the work
of Alan Mowbray as Louis Dudedat, the
artist; Elizabeth Risdon as his wife and
of Brandon Evans as Sir Patrick Cullen
and Washburton Gamble as Sir Colenso
Ridgeon Is chosen here for special men,
ton because 1t is more eXacting and
therefore more pleasing when so well
| done.
The settings are good enough, but the
desk that is used in Sir Colensos con-
sultation room should at least have
new coat of shellac. The play, though
: following the classical division of five
acts, might we'll be shortened by cut
ting good deal from the last act, and
this is suggested in the assurance that
| Mr. Shaw. promising young play
wright who welcomes criticism. will take
IL for what 1t is worth and conduct
himself accordinely