Evening star., 1932-03-06
Despite Some Defects
Washington Can Boast
Of faGOOd Drama Season
Bicentennial Celebration Brings Best Plays Prob
ably Indicating Better Bookings in the Future.
Critics and Criticism In the Theater.
By w. H. Landvoist.

the intelligent and cultural CEN
tiers of our land outside the more
or less 10 square miles that have
been allotted to the District of
Columbia. This much, at least,
seems due the National Capital.
No less is expected in the here
after. ..
THERE is no doubt in the world
at least, among the super
sensitive who are given to eX-
pressing themselves in one form
or another-that there are too
many critics of all kinds in the
world. The theater, of course,
like the stock market, politics and
other institutions that lie close
to the public heart, is, perhaps,
not at all difndent in providing
it's quota. There is also little
doubt that, in the mad struggle
for success, some of the critics oc-
casionally do get caustic, a little
too gay with the vernacular, re-
gardless of consequences to other
folks and things. But in weigh
ing the faults of the commenta-
tors the fact should not be over
looked that the "columnist" has
been giving them a hard run for
their money, and dramatic writer's
are never slow in taking a tip or
in their perception of a fine point
Popularity and the ability "to
make the yokels laugh" are sore
temptations. 1t Is always sad to
see a good man go wrong, and
with profound modeSty it is
earnestly urged that there are a
great many good men among the
dramatic critics, as bad as they
may seem to be as a whole to
the furtive observer. If, per-
chance, among the great multi
tude of these, one should be
found here or there who seems
disposed to be malicious, he should
at once be withdrawn from circu-
lation and squelched.
THERE is, however, this to be
remembered: All men are not
of one mind. This inexorable
truism is manifest in every walk
of life. For instance, even when
it is trying to do its best to get
our country out of hole, witness
how Congress itself is criticized
on all sides and with the utmost
unfairneSS and injustice. This
really seems to be one of the great
weaknesses Of the art of criticism.
1t is even doubtful that in sin
gle newspaper office throughout
the length and breadth Of the
land the copy boy will agree with
the dramatic editor, while in all
newspaper offices, perhaps, the
would-be dramatic critics range
from the roof to the subcellar.
Happily, during the warm months
ahead the fire of this criticism
will be diverted to other fields
But how, and by whom, is it to be
headed off? Criticism always
hurts the criticized, particularly
the writer of poor plays and bad
actors. And yet have we not been
told by the Sages that criticism
points the way to progress and
toward perfection? We do know
that scores of plays have
achieved the highest success
after having been roundly and
sometimes almost unanimousl.9
denounced by the critics. Doesn't
this prove that you cannot hide
a light under bushel, also that
you cannot keep a good man
down? Until things, including
plays and players, reach the sub
lime state of perfection, which
Holy Writ assures us is not pos
sible in this world, however hard
we may try-but this will lead to
| speculation, and speculation is
being more scorchingly criticized
just now than almost anything
else. Why not stop here?