The Washington times., 1935-01-02

who played the lead in the stage
version under contract at the
time they decided to make Sweet
Adeline." But they passed her
up since she has no pull yet at
the movie box-office. They bor-
rowed Irene Dunno from Radio
and the business Sweet Adeline"
is doing proves it was a smart
decision.
|O'Casey Play Booked
Washington will get Sean
O'Casey's "Within the Gates" the
week of February 10. This is
thoughtful and deep dish drama,
beautifully written and brilliantly
acted. George Jean Nathan de-
veloped ecstatic fever over this
one, accused the New York critics
Of not being up to reviewing q
masterpiece.
The play closes in New York
on January IL ana will make q
brief road tour.
The present fine company
headed by Lillian Gish, Bramwell
Fletcher, Moffat Johnston and
Mary Morris will be retained for
the road dates which will open
at the Chestnut Street Opera
House, Philadelphia, on Monday,
January IA, where the engage
ment will be limited to one week.
A week in Boston will be followed
by limited engagements in Provi-
dence, Hartford, Springfield, New
Haven, Washington, Baltimore,
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Cleveland,
Detroit, Toronto and Chicago.
About the Critics
Afterthoughts on a Broadway
Jaunt:-The 10 New York first
string newspaper critics exert a
powerful influence on the legiti-
mate theater. Powerful in the
sense that if they thumbs down
any attraction it is practically a
knockout blow. Indeed few plays
are able to survive set Of mixed
notices.
I saw it illustrated last week
Mother Lode" a play with Helen
Gehagan and Melvyn Douglas on
which a considerable production
investment was expended, failed
to win one glowing review. It
closed in a week.
Portrait of Gilbert" opened on
Friday night and when the pro-
ducer read the notices on Satur-
day morning he closed the play
after two performances.
Calling All Stars" was ripped
on the opening night when seem
cry and everything else seemed to
go wrong. Today it has been fixed
up, is running smoothly, but Suf-
fers from the morning after re-
ports. The critics seldom call
twice although producer Lew
Brown invited them to second
inspection.
Plays that get the second string
critics are niched by the public as
inferior from the outset, although
they may have substantial merit.
AS an illustration of how essen
tial first string critical attention
is received in New York John
Peter Toohey has invited-and
they have accepted-all the first
string boys to come to Baltimore
on Saturday and view his produc.
ton Of "The Old Maid' with
Judith Anderson and Helen Men
ken. He did this because his play
opens on Broadway on the same
night as Leslie Howard in "The
Petrified Forest" and all Of the
scribes will attend the Robert E.
Sherwood play.
I think the Main Stem critics
are not only able but exceedingly
fair. They hit from the shoulder
when they discern Shoddy but on
the other hand they are generous
with praise for all wool and fre.
quently overlook or are tolerant
with the mediocre.
Walter Winchell says that act
ors regard the Washington critics
as "yeS and no" commentators
Meaning without fixed opinions.
think the actors he got this
information from must have re-
ceived sour or Indifferent notices.
Since I have never heard this argu
ment before. For the producers
and the T. P. r. o. A. member
ship credit Washington reviews
with being both fair and schol.
arly.
William A. Brady, the Theater
Guild and Gilbert Miller are
among producers who rate Wash.
ington criticism highly. While
Lee Shubert told me only last
week that he considers the Poto-
mac critics among the best in the
country. This, Notwithstanding
that at times Mr.. Shubert has
had his arguments with one or
more who have reviewed his