Evening star., 1932-03-27
Easter Marks End of
Washington's Regular
Season of the Theater
1t Also Heralds the Approach of Our Summer
Stock-A Few Words on Critics, Audiences
Plays and Players.
By William H. Landvoiet.

tinuously. Often a production
snubbed by the critic wins it's way
with a fair hearing by the audi
enceS that are thus persuaded to
see it. The "big name" also is
exploited to the limit of its pos
sibilities. Printers ink very often
outmatcheS the critic in bringing
success to a production. For some
reaSon-and probably it may be
found in the producers own
knowledge of values-a new play
by a new author isn't accorded
this advantage. If it fails to
"click" after a very few perform
ances, no matter how good 1t may
be-and very often the failure to
Click is due to the failure to give
the purchasing public even the
benefit of the producers own
knowledge and iudgment-it is
yanked off the stage, tabled a
flop" and its author is branded
with "a failure" How under the
blue heavens is a new author to
win his way against such OBJ
Stacles?
4
THE drama critic, like all other
humans, has his faults. Some
times they do not appear to him
to be faults. If he be witty and
humorous, he feels that he is en-
tertaining his public, regardless
of his theme or its treatment. AS
a rule, he knows his business, and
If he did not he would not be
holding down his job" Some
times, it is true, he falls into the
habit of being literary rather than
Justly and theatrically critical.
1t Is then that he gets gay with
his language that offendS the SEN
sitive playwright and player. But,
on the other hand, If he does this
often, his public becomes &C
quainted with his tricks, and his
reliability as a critic gets its due.
One greatly misunderstood fact,
however, often troubles even the
experienced playwright and actor.
That is that every pert chap that
undertakes to review a show is not
really critic competent to deal
with his subject accordingly. In
that instance, it should be remem-
bered, what he writes is merely
his (or herr opinion. .Theater-
goers are not misled, as a rule.
Very frequently they do not fear
to trust their own "hunch," and it
is in such cases that the public
verdict overrideS the critics
view" and justice is done, even
without the falling of the heavens.
OUR own critics, for some time,
have been calling attention
to audience demonstrations that
seem to need the stern check of
the managerial hand. Some of
our young spectators, filled with
the JOY and responsibility of
youth, perhaps, are given to pune
tuating with unsavory and sig
nlflcant meaning wise cracks"
and peculiar scenes in a picture,
sometimes by boisterouS laughter
or other suggestion, which is very
uncomfortable and often extreme
~ dHIlOylllS W Inelr nelgnDOrS OF
more serious, if not more re-
spectacle, trend. The time was
that masters of ceremonies went
far out of their way to encourage
this pernicious habit Happily,
this evil no longer exists. It
should not be forgotten that
Washington is the Capital of our
own United States, and that, at
this time, we are endeavoring to
celebrate the BicentenniaI ami
verSary of the birth of its founder
Certainly our public entertain
ment should at all times be free
Of this annoyance, and it is be-
lieved that, now that the secret is
out, our managers will function
flttingly in the matter.