Evening star., 1932-03-27

- ASTER Sunday, more per-
E ceptibly, perhaps, than jan
l. uary l, poclaims the advent
of a new year to this old
earth of ours-or does it? Along
with the new Spring Sartorial dis
plays may be noted the approach
of new life, and with it, perhaps,
new hope, at least in the world OF
plants and flowers-and it may
be, also, in the clothing shops.
So far as Washington is con-
cerned, it also marks the demise
of the regular theatrical season,
while the chirps of the birds, the
popping out of the pansieS, the
tulips and the jonquils heralds
the near approach of the new but
short-live stock season, which Is
always regarded with pleasant
anticipation. For just as surely
as the yernal equinox bounces old
Winter from his icy seat, just so
surely is it certain that Manager
Steve Cochran is ready and will
ing to let loose a new galaxy of
National Theater Players, If but
the tagging comets and the pur-
poseleSs shooting stars of the old
regime will but kindly observe the
traffic regulations and give him
the right-of-way. Unlike elusive
prosperity, which Is always ap-
preaching, but never arrives, "the
biggest and best 10 weeks OF de-
Ightful drama" already stand
knocking at our doors, and the
news from the reservations box
gives assurance that the call has
been heard,
THERE are those who will tell
l. you that the art of the drama
is sadly decadent in the current
day and generation, but the pious
and trustful are ever ready with
the assurance that other things
besides the rugged-prize- fighter
have their hour of come-back,"
and the allurements of the the
ater may be one of these. So
many elements combine to make
and to conserve the theater with
capital T that, unless one be un-
usually careful in his analysis,
things, and the cause Of things,
even their ultimate effect, are
made to suffer "a burden greater
than they can bear" For in
stance, fitting for the moment to
the big center of critical tragedy,
we find one of the critics tabbing
a new play as likely to be unpopu-
lar for lack of "love interest" He
gives as the chief reason for its
withdrawal, however, the confes-
sion that this fresh, honest and
really significant little tragedy
might have gotten the hearing it
deserved had not its defenders
rallied to it's support too late" !"
In other words, the play was all
right, but the producer withdrew
it too soon, because it had not
been adequately press -agented,
and did not, therefore, Immediate
ly exhibit the earmarkS of a hit
Thus we perceive that sometimes
the producer himself is quite as
much to blame for the failure of
a good play as may be the unjust
critic. 1t seems to be a general
custom in the production world to
eXpend thousands of dollars in the
production of a play deemed
worth that much and then to
launch it without the assistance
needed for all plays in the matter
of publicity, or else with a sales
man whose talents match the
very inferior compensation al
lowed him. Even then the weak
heart of the producer will not
move him to give the play a fair
trial before the public to deter
mine its worth. He seems to
imagine that jewel unhonored
and thus unSung should be
grabbed up by the public at it's
full worth before folks have had
even a horSe-trader'S chance to
examine it. Fine sales in the
world of commerce are not made
in this way. Why should they be
expected in the playhouse?
r +
WHEN q big name accompanies
wv a new production, the condi-
tions are quite different. Take
any of the big producers, for ex-
ample, and you will find that not
only is a production given a los
ing run for quite a while, to test
its worth, but during that run the
most accomplished artists in the
press representatives organization
are engaged to exploit it con-