Evening star., 1932-04-10

" National this week, Wash
n ington will wave its fare
well to the slowly dying
regular season, which, like the
proverbial "old year." seems to
Symbolic the repository of all the
n1iSfortuneS with which the past
has afflicted humanity. This COM
edy by Benn W. Levy, however, is
so tricky in its conception, so in
genious in it's construction and so
astounding in its leading charac-
ter as to fairly warrant halt in
the obSequieS, until we pull our
selves together to a perfect un-
derstanding. provided, of course,
the advance notices have fairly
set forth the facts. Its chief char
acter, a sort of ministerial Satan,
running absolutely contrary to
form, emergeS as a good servant
of Heaven in an astounding de-
nouement. The story, as the no
ticeS tell it, concerns a hetero-
geneous group of people gathered
around fireside engaged in what
they call "the game of truth"
Each is required simply to answer
the question, What do you want
moSt?" Singularly enough, the
devil" arranges to grant each
wish. 1t develops, however, when
put to the test, that each, in turn
finds it is best not to accept what
he wants most, and the devil
brings about a smashing climax
to the whole by telling them all
how groteSquely trivial have been
their requests, adding, Think
what I have given you instead
A vision of God A vision of God
no lesS!" Surely there should be
reason for believing there will not
be many vacant seats at the Ma
tional this week. The attraction
seems unique.
PERFECT understanding, the
ability to comprehend, in all
its ramiflcations, any given prob
lem Of life or death, or what you
will, is somewhat rare, and it some
times behooves even the best of us
to patiently endure the clatter of
the cOmplainer, even the harShneSS
OF the dramatic critics, unless we
wish to expose our own ignorance,
or TO have it exposed for us by
those who are wiser. The wisdom
OF this seems justified by the "eX-
planation" of George Bernard
ShaW'S latest play, Too True to
Be Good" which appears in the
current issue of the Theater Guild
Magazine. 1t is so wonderfully
illuminating that one is almost
iiCnOcpd tO cl1c1Aant thot tho Guild
tempted the eminent writer to
furnish a private tip in advance
to foreStall the New York critics,
or, perhaps, generously to steer
them to the truth in connection
with the New York premiere of the
play. Too True to Be Good" it
will be recalled, was not seen for
the first time on any stage" in the
metropolis. 1t started a prelim-
mary tour outside, with visits to
Boston, Philadelphia, Washington
and elsewhere, where those who
were disposed to indulge in critical
humor were left utterly to their
own wisdom, or their ingenuity,
to discover what Mr. Shaw really
meant and what it was all about
Now the question is being asked,
Why the test of comprehension
applied to the timorouS writer in
the sticks" as they call our him
terland in the theater, was not
permitted by the Guild to con-
tinue unaided TO the Gotham
criticS-for the magazine is the
Guilds very own accessory. 1t
looks almost like discrimination in
favor of the pampered writer's of
whom DR.. Sirovich recently has
been SO bitterly complaining.
However, business is business, and
the Theater Guild should be
thoroughly familiar with the
metropolitan critics.
4 +
ZONE to think of it, the the
ater, much like all other lines
of business, has been having its
troubleS-and, remembering the
balancing of the budget, we
should not forget that "the worst
is yet to come" But withal, the
playhouse has always shown more
or less facility in developing in
genuity, even though sometimes
at q snail-like pace. 1t was the