Judge — January 29, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

on —— a x B E T W E HE HUDSON THEATRE has a spa- cious lobby, conducive to informal gatherings of outgoers for purposes of remarks, criticism, or the making of en- gagements at after-theatre resorts. So I was not surprised when, after struggling out of the pit—the roominess of the lobby is not carried out in the arrangement of the scats —I saw the Critic holding forth to a small i who were evidently eagerly awaiting his judgment. I entered the gathering, for I wanted to find whether or not my views corresponded with those of my learned friend. “*Bunny,’” the Critic was very good play, until the last half-minute or so of its action, ‘Then it becomes a poor play. What induced the author to tack on that absurd ‘happy ending’ is beyond me.” “TL agree with you,” said one of the crowd. “It is nearly as innocuous as the first edition of ‘The Light that Failed.’ “And, unlike Kipling, Mr. Strong did not carry out his idea. To tell you the truth, I believe—I don’t know, of course— but I honestly think that the climax was added at the behest of the management,” replied the Cri Arrived the Débutante, with a new even- ing-cloak, of which she was obviously “I'm so glad Sy didn’t marry that awful Lord Fromer,” she said. “I was terribly afraid that the play was one of those nasty things with a sad ending. I think people who like sad endings are posi- tively morbid!” The Critic looked uncomfortable. “But don’t you sce,” he began, “that that climax was—well, horrid bad art?” “T don’t care,” replied the Débutant “I think when the happiness of people being considered, art should be left out.” Before the Critic could recover from the shock of this astounding heresy, the Tired Business Man and Suburbanite arrived on the scene, arguing heatedly. “T think that was a darn poor show,” E N By CYRIL ANDREW the Tired Business Man was saying. There wasn't enough ” “Lingerie, I suppose you're going to say,” interrupted the Suburbanite. “Now let me tell you what I think. 1 think it’s one of the best shows I’ve seen in years. ‘The scenery was corking! And Lewis Stone was simply. bully. And as for heart- interest—well, it was just running over with it. “What I was going to say,” interposed the Tired Business Man, “was that there wasn’t cnough diversity in the staging. I got awfully sick of that old bookstore.” uote, IN. Ne ONE OF JUDGE'S FAVORITES MARTHA HEDMAN Should * The Boomerang leave us. we have the consola. tion of knowing that boomerangs always come back C U RTA I “To one accustomed to the artis- tic triumphs of the Winter Garden and the Follies, I suppose the set would be rather monotonous,” said the Critic ironi- cally. “To me that was the most artis- tic bit of staging that I have seen in many a moon.” I silently endorsed his opinion. What- ever may have been the technical defects of the play, the staging was a triumph. The Débutante rescued the somewhat strained situation. “Who has seen ‘Katinka she asked. The Tired Business Man took the bait with avidity. “Wasn't Adele Rowland the funniest thing you’ve ever seen?” he asked. “Rather ordinary,” said the Critic. “Adele Rowland?” cried the Tired Busi- ness Man. “Heavens, ron no. She's very clever. I * mean the play itself. There’s nothing in it toshout about. The music’s good; the voices are better than one usually finds in a per- formance of that sort; the lines are at least passable. But the same may be said of almost any musical comedy that lasts more than a week.” “Well, I didn’t say I thought it was the finest thing in the world, or anything like that,” retorted the Tired Business Man. “TI simply said that I thought Adele Row- land was good. But I’ll add this: I thought the whole show was bully. That Walking Music Store stunt of Robins’ was mighty And Samuel Ash has a peach of a And the music’s good.” “That’s all there is to say about any musical comedy, isn’t it?’ asked the $ urbanite. “If you go that far, you might as well say the thing’s a success and save all that breath.” “Well, I wanted to give my reasons for thinking so,” replicd the Tired Business Man. “My dear chap,” said the Critic, “there is no recognizable reason under heaven for the success of any play.” ; comicbooks.com