Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-29
- VERY now and then an old-fash-
- Toned parent, seeking amuse-
ment for his child, requests this

~ VERY now ana Cnen an Old-taSh-
l. Toned parent, seeking amuse-
ment for his child, requests this
IL oracle to recommend a drama
that may be attended by the
young without danger of contamination.
Such inquiries are not as frequent as
they used to be, since it has been dis
covered that the theater, even in its
most Squalid hours, communicates no
blight to the poisoning generation.
But occasionally fretful guardian,
overanXiouS to conserve the purity of
his charges, petitions me to direct him
to stage upon which no polluting &C.
currenceS occur. Those are embar-
RAISING moments to a conscientious
asks himself, shall I lead an ingenue?
To what theater undefiled shall point
the way, assuring him that In its per-
Torrance nothing will happen to inter-
rupt the equanimity of his innocence?
Yesterday I was summoned from
spraying, wedding and mulching my
temperamental flower beds at Aunt
Phoebes" by q call to the telephone.
A soft magnolia voice informed me that
the owner, Southern lady, was in New
York with her nephew, aged 16, and
was planning to take him to a show.
He is" said she, studying journalism
in criticism Of the drama. I have read
your articles and know that you can
guide me to a play suitable to boy of
clean mind and no experience. Some
thing worthwhile and not vulgar"
Dedicated as am to public service,
Immediately set my brains to work.
Hold the wire for moment" said I,
land I will tell you where to CO." Not
to "Lysistrata," I reflected. Nor to
Flying High" stepping Sisters"
Apron Strings" strictly Dishonor-
able" young Sinners" Lost Sheep"
Artists and Models" or the "Garrick
Gaieties" All of these, thought, are
united in a crisis Of the kind. They
will abash sheltered drama lovers from
Dixie land by their forward exhibitions,
misbehavior. THE place to take your
nephew" I said, sis The Green Pas
lures Made of material from holy
writ, simplification of the Scriptures,
it is cleaner that Gideon Bible. Also
1t is masterpiece of courageous dra-
maturgy, extending the petty limits Of
the stage to refreshing and hitherto un-
discovered territory. 1t is just the
place." I added, Ito take a burgeoning
drama critic aged 16." The musical
drawl of my inquirer at once changed
she, sis Negro show and we are from
Texas. won't ask you again for ad-
vice." What is a bureau of inquiry to
do when its questions are so hard to
answer? A drama reviewers only
friend Is his typewriter, and sometimes
even 1t is hostile to his comfort.
THE British censor frowns upon ''The
l. Green Pastures and prevents its
performance in London on the grounds
that 1t blasphemes the Holy Book Of
Genesis. That action Is from a race
that laughed contemptuously at the
Tennessee mountaineers when they
penalized an American school teacher
for suggesting to his pupils that there
are flaws In the story of creation. The
British, however, are not always as
SuperStitious as their prohibition Of
1.-THE Green Pastures" would indicate.
They are now shouting hosannahs to
Paul Robson, an American Negro, for
his characterization of q bewildered
colored man in Shakespeare's "Othello. /"
The only thing the netherlands critics
object to is that Mr.. Robson, sreverting
from Stratford to Dixie land, pronounces
1t "survice" instead of service" One
of my minor aspirations Is that I and
the drama win last long enough for me
to hear Robeson's cathedral voice lifted
In the pipe organ speeches Of Shake
speare's "Othello."