NEW YORK CRITICS ON A SHAW PLAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 195, 13 May 1919, Page 5

NEW YORK CRITICS ON A SHAW PLAY

("Times" Correspondent.) '-. ".'''-. New York, Maroh 13. Mr. Bernard Shaw's latest play, a oneact satire, entitled "Augustus Does His Bit," which was p.roduced last night at the Comedy Theatre, New York, fell fiat. Mr. John C'orbhi, the critic of the New York "Times," says: "As far as the play is a satire oh English military incompetency—and that is its main purpose—it is singularly mal ft propos. To impute to Mr. Shaw a. lack of intelligence is impossible, but the fact makes it only more certain that in matters of taste and human feeling, to use the politest terms, his deficiency is abysmal. In'spite of his champing, at restraint, 'Augustus Does His Bit' might safely have been left to find its first pro>. ductiiiu in Berlin, with tho modern mood of which it is most closely in sympathy." The New York "World's" critic says that "it is hard te understand why tho play was produced in this country." The play revolves around a bet between ,a fascinating young woman and a high British official in the War Office that she can wheedle important strategic documents from a pompous recruiting'oflicer, Lord Augustus, and the guileful manner in whjoh she works her will upon him. Mr. Shaw hinwelf will probably contend that the play has done good here by compelling the American public to side with the British Army in defending it against his satire.