lt that they grew intensely weary |
|of each other, and how at last everybody |
|concerned was happily and sensibly |
|reconciled. |
| |
| The spirit of the piece is sane and |
|"nice," the decoration of it whimsical and|
|graceful. |
| |
| Miss Lucille Watson, embodying the |
|spirit of witty mischief, gives a very |
|fine performance of the part of Mrs. |
|Bayle, a "smart," good woman, and Miss |
|Ruth Shepley is excellent in byplay and |
|flutter as a silly, good woman. |
| |
| Cyril Scott is graceful and vigorous as |
|a philandering husband, Dallas Anderson |
|comical as a London clubman with a keener |
|relish in life than he is willing to |
|betray, and William McVey wise, paternal |
|and weighty in that kind of a part. |
| |
| "The Best People" is a pleasant spring |
|fillip. |

The first admonition in theatrical reporting is "Don't resume the plot
or tell the story of the play." This is almost all that many dramatic
reporters try to do, because it is the easiest thing to do and requires
the least thought. But, after all, it is usually valueless. The story of
the play does not interest readers who have already seen the play and it
spoils the enjoyment of the play for those who intend to see it. The
usual purpose of any theatrical report is to criticize, but a report
that simply resumes the story of the play is not a criticism; hence
space devoted to the story is usually wasted. To be sure, this
admonition must be qualified. If the development of the critic's
judgment of the play requires a resume of the story, there is then a
reason for outlining the action. However, even then, the outline should
be very brief.

The following is a typical example of the usual dramatic reporting
which is satisfied when it has told the story of the play. In this, the
first two sentences are a very bald atte