Evening star., 1932-12-11
TN the play bill of Edgar wallace's

TN the play bill of Edgar Wallace's
Criminal at Large" Guthrie Nc
Clintic, the producer, asks his audi
i ence not to tell the neighbors how
its mytery ends. Premature ex-
posure of the murderer, he thinks, will
blunt curiosity, and so thwart enjoy
ment in the story. Hence many con-
scientious drama fanciers, anxious to
oblige Mr.. McClintic, are going about
finger-to-lip and bursting with secret
which, of course, nearly every one
knows. The reviewers, while suspect
ing that Mr.. Wallace himself gave the
thing away in the novel from which
the play was made, suppress their news
instinct and are tongue-tied. But that
I am forbid to tell the secrets OF the
play house." they cry, II might tale
unfold whose lightest words would har-
row up thy soul" In "Firebird'
a similar condition exists; but as Gil
bert Miller did not demand bond for
silence. this especial tattler in a gossipy
moment divulged the assaSsins identity
and Is now being scolded for it,. From
among the less impatient reInonstrances
he has received, the following is selected
to, Illustrate the justice Of them all:
Sir: As one of the host that forms
your public upon whom. they say.
the sun never sets), I wish to step
out from our corporate anonymity
and direct toward you a small but
audible hiss. I have just read your
notice of THE Firebird," and before
I stop tingling with vicarious indig-
nation I must utter the note of dis
approval.
My censure concentrates upon
weakness which too often over
masters you: Your deplorable ten
dency to let Cif may coin phrase)
the cat out of the bag. There are,
of course. some plays, even murder
plays where you may do so with i'm
punity-"Hamlet" is oneLbut to do
it with "The Firebird" is to spoil
the enjoyment of the clientele and
to cause Il don't doubD the man
agement to stick pins into your
efigy You have not spoiled the play
for me because ! saw it, all unin-
formed. in the London Boulevard.
where it nightly quickened the Brit
ish pulse; but tingle the more when
I think how your notice would have
reduced my pleasure had read It
before that memorable evening.
With this application of the ferrule
I step back, sir. wachfully, into
the shadowy mass of your public.
Sincerely yours.
WILMARTH LEWIS.
Since Mr.. Lewis halls from a seat
of learning. one may venture to be
academic and hint. in defense of free
dom of the press, that the best theater
does not depend for interest on the
sensations of curiosity and surprise. A
good play, according to the scholars,
does not provoke the spectators Curl
osity about what is going to happen
SO much as 1t excites his pleasure by
the manner in which its events occur.
The Greek dramatists, like Frank
Craven, author of Riddle Me This. F"
did not hesitate to announce their plots
in advance. Lessing in his Hamburg
Dramaturgy," as quoted by Mr.. Walkley
when assailed. as 1 am. for unmaskine
the homicides, maintains that ''the
dramatic interest is all the stronger
and keener the longer and more GER
tainly we are allowed to foreSee every
thing" And he adds, "the ending
should not be hidden from the audi
ence, and were to undertake play,
I should announce its conclusion in the
very first scene"
A reviewer in reporting Criminal at
Large" or "Firebird' perceives. like
Desoemona. a divided duty. Will his
betrayal of their cunning ambushes
detract from the enjoyment of the audi
enceS, or will it stimulate, If he had
not informed playgoers that the Moor
strangles his white bride in "Othello"
would attendance upon that melodrsma
be less apathetic? The facts of Din