Judge — March 5, 1921 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Judge Magazine Cover, March 5, 1921 This satirical illustration, titled "Ring-Around-a-Rosy," depicts dramatic critics as a giant lobster surrounded by dancing women. The header "Criticising the Dramatic Critics" indicates the satire targets theater reviewers rather than actual critics themselves. The lobster—a creature known for its claws and aggressive behavior—likely represents dramatic critics as destructive forces in theater. The women dancing around it appear to represent actresses or theatrical performers, suggesting critics "circle" around and potentially harm theatrical productions. The nursery-rhyme reference in the title implies critics are playing childish games with serious art. This 1921 cartoon criticizes how theatrical reviewers wielded disproportionate power over performers and productions during the early twentieth-century American theater scene.