often considers
it only fair to give the production a little puff in return for the free
press tickets. And so a large share of any reporter's dramatic criticism
is reduced to selecting things that he can praise. Yet, one cannot
praise in a way that is too evident; he cannot simply say "The play was
good; the staging was good; the acting was good; in fact, everything was
good." He must praise more cleverly and give his copy the appearance of
honest criticism. Perhaps the principle is wrong, but nevertheless it
exists and happy is the dramatic critic whose paper allows him to say
exactly what he thinks. However, whether one may say what he thinks or
must say what his editor wants him to say, he must have as his
background a thorough knowledge of the stage upon which he may base a
comparison or a contrast and with which he may make intelligent
statements. The following illustrates what may be done with a paid
report of a mediocre vaudeville show in which every act must be
praised--the report was written on Monday of a week's run and is
intended to induce people to see the show:

| This week's bill at ---- Vaudeville |
|Theatre is dashed onto the boards by a |
|very exciting act, "The Flying Martins," |
|whose thrilling tricks put the audience |
|in a proper state of mind for the |
|sparkling and laughable program that |
|follows--a state of mind that keeps its |
|high pitch without a break or let-down to |
|the very end of Dr. Herman's |
|side-splitting electrical pranks. This |
|man, who has truly "tamed electricity," |
|does many remarkable things with his big |
|coils and high voltage currents and plays |
|many extremely funny tricks upon his row |
|of "unsuspecting-handsome" young |
|volunteers. |
| |
| The musical little playlet, "The Barn |
|Dance," is very jokingly carried off by |
|its Jack-of-all-Trades, "Zeke," the |
|constable, and its pretty little ensemble |
|song, "I'll Build a Nest for You." Many a |
|young husband can get pointers on "home |
|rule" from "Baseb