Critics Who Enjoy the Theatre

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 170, 8 October 1927, Page 24 (Supplement)

Critics Who Enjoy the Theatre

They Do Not Spit Venom AGATE AND SUPERLATIVES CRITICS of the drama in as widely separated sections of the world as London and New York have seen fit to protest against the idea that because they write of players and plays they must make vitriol their chief diet, and spit venom at any and every thing they see. James Agate, who wrote for the London “Sunday Observer” while St. John Ervine was wandering around the globe on a world tour, and J. Boyd Atkinson, of the New York “Times,” are the gentlemen who have arisen to protest. They do not see just why they should be George Jean Nathans and look at everything through smoked glasses when they really enjoy life and the theatre, and even the plays and players of the day. COMFORT IN MODERN DRAMAS “Agate,” in a deliciously humorous article in the “Century Magazine,” complains that Australian readers of his book on the theatre want to know why he uses so many superlatives in extolling actors a*nd their vehicles, and even while he is deploring the fact that the race of great actors —the giants of other days—is gone, perhaps forever, he finds comfort in the more general excellence of productions today.

He takes occasion to say that the critic who sits through 12 months of play-going, and finds nothing to arouse his enthusiasm, nothing worthy of extravagant praise, should find some other calling in life, for there is something wrong with him. i It is a fact that the general run of readers want to see a play or the

actors "panned,” which is a much easier thing to do than to find something to praise, but is really not the province of the critic, who is supposed to find the good as well as the bad in performances he sees, and to suggest their betterment. CRITIC ENJOYS REVIEWS Iconoclasm, irony, sarcasm, ridicule, are easy weapons to handle, and their use delights those readers who have inherited the Roman trait of liking to look on martyrdom and agony, and, like the Vestal Virgins, turn thumbs down in every combat for popular favour; but the real lover of the theatre finds something of good in almost every performance he sees. Atkinson, in three-column feuilleton m the Mew York “Times” of recent date, openly confesses his pleasure in watching the antics of musical comedy and revue clowns, -and deplores ccftm„ sl °? my , « us ” attitude of those clitics who fail to get the joy out of such performances that fall' to his happy lot. &

The critics of a centre like Netv sm-ii r re t? - e pitied rather than censured for their cynicism, for they have to look at .00 or 300 new productions each season, and of that number not more than 40 or 50 ar e fit toTe the men who write of the theatre m the hinterland see only the fine that has been Winnowed of this* chaff, so their chaff is less onerous and is really confined to the actirT and the actors sent to interpret flic plays that have withstood the on slaught in New York bulletproof so tar ak concerned. “wmansnip is

America." he explains, “‘gilgham' is , cheap material worn largelv 1 v ihe h ° U o^T k n :t H °'- reason tie i\oid is not genearlly understood h * ere . he favours the change were Bobhv I T lva . ls for the Production ' eie -tsoobv Jdi vis, Loring Smith ttvit-. Dare and Aileen Poe. Mr. jZvis wfthdrew from the principal comedy role (Denjamm Kidd) in "The Desert Son-” at the Casino (New York) to come to Australia for the part of Johnny Cousins .in. “Tweekie”— a. character played by him in America. Mr. Smith will be Jack Hayden, a super salesman; Miss Dare the vamp, Sonia; and Miss Poe the girl who invents the wonderful doll—Tweekie.

Addressing her constituents at Mr« th 'i l ia ellarl n' England, recentlv! Rusaith)!'said* PhlllPSOn ’ M ‘ P * < Mabel

“Sinee I left the stage in 1917 I hi”e bad tempting offers to return. I was offered £350 a week to go back three months ago, but I refused. “This autumn there are to be produced in London 15 American plays, three French plays and other foreign plays. Yet we have in this country splendid voices and talent among our own girls and men. We have splendid authors and composers, and they cannot get a chance. That is why I am going back—to help British artists, British composers and British industries.”

A gem of the essence of Barrie” is how Robert Loraine described Sir James Barrie’s play "Barbara's Wedding,” which was played for the first time at the Savoy Theatre, London recently. “The little piece—it plays about 40 minutes—is full of fancy and sentiment,” said Mr. Loraine, who is taking the part in it of an old colonel whose mind goes back to the past scenes. "It was written in 1915, but 1 suppose that certain difficulties in the matter of production have kept it from production till now.” "Barbara's Wedding," which was played in front of Strindberg's "The Father," once more brings back the curtain-raiser to the London stage. In addition to Mr. Loraine, the company includes Henry Oscar and Mary Jerrold.

“The Constant Nymph,” has just come to an end in London with tlm proud record of nearly 390 performances. It ran almost a vear and has been a very great success. It is estimated that between 350,000 and 400.000 people paid to see it and the box office receipts were in the neighbourhood of £IOO,OOO. The play has gone on tour in the English provinces with Edna Best in the part of Tessa.

As a character actress Laura SmitliThe Ghost Train” (the gripping comedy-drama to be staged at \uckland on October 29 by J. c. Williamson in conjunction with E. J. Carroll), has achieved a great reputation. Her work includes the Lancashire housekeeper in the drama “The Right to Strike, and the Cockney character in Outward Bound.” She plaved th* 3 American wife in “The Beggar on Horseback, one of the most beautiful fantasies of modern times, and also scored a big sucees in “The Good Old Bays’ at the Gaiety, with Oscar Ash- . Miss Smithson is one of the most popular reciters in London, and her interpretation of Hilaire Belloc’s 'Cautionary Tales'* and A. A. .Milne’s i \Y_lien YVe were Yuußg,” arc incom-

“Rain,” which it is hoped wll be later brought to New Zealand by J. u Williamson, was adapted from a powerful story by* Somerset Maugbaß. The play deals with a nVimb.T tl people who are weatherbound in t shack at Pago Pago, and who are unable to leave because of the contimious tropical rain. Day after day ft rains, till the ceaseless downpou.* sets everybody’s nerves on edge, and primitive emotions sway the strangey-as-sorted group. Throughout the action of the play the persistent downp hit it the rain is heard, giving added atmosphere” to the island setting. It is the most-talked-about play of th<; century, and if true to the story’, tbouil be well worth seeing. Vincent Yuunians, who is more or less celebrated as the composer oJ "Tea for Two” and “I Want to be Happy.’ has had his name on the programmes of several of the recent light musici shows from America. One learns tfca' in spite of these achievements he s siunder 30 years of age. He began w:ti “Two Little Girls in Blue,” an /.racri can piece which revived the title o an aged popular song. He collab- raitd with Herbert Stotliart in “WilclfLwer, which ran for more than a year in Ne*’ Y'ork and did well in Australia aan elsewhere. “Mary Jane McKi.iv a* l "Lollipop'’ were other efforts »efor “No, No, Nanette,” and lately Ml'ounians has become a producer, turn* 1 ing out “Hit the Deck.”

That weird mystery play, *‘Tb* Ghost Train,” described as one n *■»/ most thrilling productions ever will be presented in New Zealand »■ J. C. Williamson, Ltd., under fp** l arrangement with Mr. E. J. S i j rr ®“ This comedy-drama gives thn » * plenty', but with tiie dramatic situations many amusing episodes a c ' troduced, so that the tension js lieved. Strange are the happeniuS* the lonely wayside railway L the climax being reached when • glare of light, hiss of escaping and thunderous rattle of the ghost train rushes past. »- *• nations are highly dramatic ana tacular, and the denoi ment s * f velation and a great stirpnafe Ghost Train” is due in Aucila October 28.

“Show Boat," the recent na J;LiJ Edna Berber, which a 1 the followers of the circulating “Hr » have read, has been fd™*** musical play for New lon ove tH tion. There is something tiui o ;te to most people iu description* adventures of the actors and £ c r( tc of tlie floating theatre. ' f lW be found on the ro a* United States. A nove.ist early use of the subject , , i." Graham Phillips, in «ul |?rt published after his death- " Footner and others have m the theme.