Life — October 5, 1922 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page contains two separate pieces from *Life* magazine (circa 1922): **"How to Write a Play"** (left column): A humorous advice article signed "L.A.M." mocking aspiring playwrights. It satirizes the pretentiousness of would-be authors by suggesting they consult dramatic editors and network with theater managers—implying most amateur plays are mediocre padding material. **"The Unrivaled 'Rivals'"** (right): A poem by M.S. celebrating *The Flayers* theater company's production of Sheridan's classic play "The Rivals" (1775). It praises the production's wit, romance, and comedic execution. **The cartoon below** depicts a gardener complaining to his employer (a woman) about daylight saving time, claiming the extra daylight hour "burns up the garden." This reflects early 20th-century working-class skepticism about daylight saving time as a productivity measure.