Judge, 1918-04-20 · page 25 of 36
Judge — April 20, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents satirical sketches from four theatrical productions, mocking both stage drama and early cinema conventions. **"Pan and the Young Shepherd"** and **"The Squab Farm"** ridicule melodramatic acting styles—the first showing a woman rendered helpless by speechlessness (satirizing overwrought silent-film acting), the second depicting exaggerated "primeval passion" with a cave woman character. **"Follow the Girl"** jokes about domestic absurdity: a husband and wife are both skilled at *entering* rooms dramatically but never *exit* them—the show itself "succumbed" to this logical flaw. **"A Pair of Petticoats"** presents a comedic non-sequitur where a General blames a lobster for causing his daughter's illness, rejecting medical help. The humor lies in the ridiculous pseudo-logic that a lobster somehow possesses malevolent supernatural power. Overall, Judge mocks theatrical excess, weak plotting, and the nascent film industry's overwrought dramatic conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
From “PAN AND tHe YOUNG SnePHEeRD” From “Tue SquaB (A satire on the movies) | Aglae, the nymph-wife, is This is terrified at the approach of theway film Jealous Pan, who has come actors register primeval passion. Duke to snatch her away; but, being, Kenyon, the leading man, is being dumb, she cannot speak or camped by a cave woman. cry out. KE (dishi el): Stop! WW/c ire sib ponalewiaiily to Duke (dishing the reed: Ser insinuate that it is this qual- pet ity of speechlessness you're which makes her hus- tickling band so fiercely loath to lose her. “A Pair oF Pettt- coats” From “Fottow THE GiRL” (This way out) Bippy: Hadn’t you better send for a physi- cian, daddy? Generat: Nomedical man could be of use. I es: Where’s that daughter of ours? blame the lobster, chief- N: She just swept through the room. ly. It is preposterous :5: Oh, you're both good at sweeping into a room, but I that any lobster should ‘ou never sweep one out! have the right of such (And yet, in spite of this joke, the show succumbed) malevolent power.