The Washington times., 1929-02-02
GLEANINGS
AND
SCREENINGS
By ANDREW R. KELLEY

che Theatre Magazine, in an
article in the current issue,
wastes little sympathy on the
wise-cracking dramatic critic
because he claims the producer
must not only be the target
but the victim of his jests.
Consider" he says, "the sit-
uation if it existed in other
fields; Let Macy's or Gimbel
Brothers, Wanamaker's or Wool
worth's open a new branch or
department. Much money is
spent to make an elaborate and
attractive display. What then,
If the reporters sent to de-
scribe the opening did not like
the show and roasted It'll Why,
those papers would be sued for
heavy damages and they would
have to pay for their libels.
But through their dramatic
critics the Journals can destroy
kreat theatrical ventures and
remain immune" J"
This sounds to me as though
Editor Maxwell had been lis
teninR to an unsuccessful and
sour producer and accepted his
abb for failure at 100 per
cent. challenge him to name
one GREAT theatrical venture
destroyed by 1nfavorable dra-
matte criticism.
There is no earthly parallel
between the case of the depart
nent store and the theater. 1t
could only exist if a great COM
fnercial establishment advertised
far and wide goods ell wool and
q yard across and then gave the
customers shoddy. The Better
Business Bureaus in such a case
would fulfil the province of
dramatic critics.
The organized theater invites
and encourages dramatic criti-
cism. If it is to have any sub
ktantial value it must be honest.
Producers in New York pur-
posely irggle their opening
nights in order to assure the
presence of the recognized met
ropolitan dramatic critics. This
automatically implies that a
favorable majority opinion from
such an experienced group will
be an asset which can be trans
posed into box office profit. So
the writers are encouraged to
come and commit their reac-
4ions to type. When the SYM
postum of opinion is unfavorable
the critics frequently become the
object of managerial attack.
The present method of the
.ater criticism would not endure
unless a majority of the pro-
sIineers felt that its benefits out
Weighed its occasional disap-
rpintmerts. | think they have
IS right to expect--yea, demand
that when they have invested
Young fortune in costumes.
scenery and contract actors
their venture be approached with
respect and d desire to put it
son a dividend basis, If honestly
possible.
Fl think. too, that the fair
minded critic will take into cone
sideration the fact that some
splaywright's hopes, and fre-
cuently his fortunes, are in the
production he Is about to see;
that actors are doing their best
to make a favorable impression
and keep the part; that some
body saw merit in the play or
money would never have been
Forthcoming to stage it. In
other words, a sympathetic at
fitude toward the institution.
About which he is writing and
perchance making his living.
But he ought never be asked to
deliberately mislead his readers
Or stultify his frank opinion.
The wise-cracking dramatic
critic il one of the present-day
denominations in the New York
2heater. Because for each good
one there are SO awful imita-
tors. They spend the intermis-
sions trying to pick up q flip
remark and frequently when it
is overheard by more than one
1T blossoms in two reviews
next day, each lobby shoplifter
claiming it as original.
However, the discriminating
theater-goer soon learns where
to go for his polished phrases
and intelligent opinion, They
read say, a Gilbert Gabriel or
John Anderson for an enlight-
ened analysis of the play, and
they read the wise crackers, if
st all, as a theatrical "Skippy."
Constructive criticism is help
full. Such d play as "Rain,"
sensational success, was
dismal failure in It's try-out
performances. The revealing
opinion of reviewers in the
preliminary tour pointed out
faults which made possible the
air-tight revision.
But to sum It all up /
find | am in agreement with
Editor Maxwell, in his ex-
pressed belief that harmful and
meaningless wise-cracking which
passes for drama criticism
should be squelched. But / am
in complete disagreement with
him in the Importance he be-
lieves it plays as a factor in