Evening star., 1932-01-03

~ F all the persons and in
stitutionS that have felt
the lash of criticism and
~ the ire of the critic during
the past season none, perhaps, has
had his or it's shortcomings SO
widely f1aunted to the four cor
ners of the earth as the theater.
And those who have found the
time and inclination to read what
has been printed, unless they were
blessed with fine discrimination,
might be tempted to believe that
the arts of mimicry and theatrlc
presentation had truly found their
lowest level. But the like has hap
pened beforehand many times.
Critics, like the theater itself, are
just as apt to give way before the
same cares and worries that affect
other mortalS, especially when
everybody talks about going on
the rocks" and few, very few,
have any safety valves to lend.
The theater, like almost every
other institution, has been having
a difficult time to maintain itself.
1T had its troubles before the de
preston" came, and when hard
times" hit it Squarely in a head
on crash something had to hap
pen. However, there seems to be
a strong conviction that the new
year is going to remedy every
thing, even the critics, and the
real wise men are going to be
those who get ready now to help
the new year to a happiness that
everybody longs for.
X x
DR. WILLIAM LYON PHELPS of
Yale, in reply to a challenge
from an eminent metropolitan
critic, ventured the opinion that
"the theatrical season in New
York is the worst I remember, and
the only reason it is not worse in
other cities is because they have
no season at all" Continuing, the
eminent doctor added: Both in
quantity and in quality New York
theaterS are in state of depres-
sion"
DR.. Phelps is not one of those
critics who are said to dip their
pens in acid when they write OF
the theater. He had been asked
specifically why other plays had
not been deemed worthy to rank
with the ten or a dozen presented
during the season which the doc
tor had said pleased him. And he
gave the soft answer that turneth
away wrath, instead Of pounclng
upon the omitted plays with the
sharp prod of the Vengetul critic.
1t is not the present purpose TO
butt into the exchange OF cour-
teSies by the doctor with his chal-
lenger. Our concern rather is di-
Iected to the truth of the state
ment that outside of New York
the other theaterS have no season
at all. Washington certainly can
NOT boast of its season, although
some very delightful attempts
have been made to create one. The
principal difficulty has been that
we cannot get the plays for the
purpose. It serves to revive the
old story of why Mary didn't have
soup for dinner, after her mistress
had expressly ordered it. Mary
said: I'VE amt got no vegetables,
an the store didn't have no Wege-
tables, an when you amt got no
vegetables and you can't get no
vegetables, you can't have no
soup"
SINCE Peter vainly mace the at
~ tempt to Fly high" at the Ma
tional Theater the middle of last
September, Washington, on a
number of occasions, has been
favored with attractions that
ranked with the best output of
the theater since the days of its
decadence. And when those at
fractions came, folks were pleased
and turned out capacity audiences
to pay their tribute in boX-office
and in personal appreciation.
Then came the darkness. And
who wouldn't be scared when it's
dark? However, out there within
easy reach of the lorgnette, lies