To the Editor of the "Nontu-Cuna Dany News"
SmI feel impelled to congratulate you on your very excellent sub-leader, this morning's issue of your valued Paper, on the subject of the "Lysistrata" performance. This 1s, indeed a criticism and not a simple report which one so often meets with in the local press, especially where Amateur performances are concerned T am not criticizing the performance or the performers as. such. Both were good. It was obvious, that all the players gave of their best and the performance, in itself, was a tone on which all concerned may be congratulated, When, however, it comes to the subject. on which' much good effort and talent was expended, It must be said, that the same was unworthy of being presented to an audience" of playgoers who were enurely unpre-ared for the vulgarities which they actually witnessed.
years ago I saw "Lysistrata" in one of the Continental cabarets as an operetta, The performance was sulted to the place and character the theatre it was shown in but must confess that, although in parts the play was of the genuine cabaret type and many scenes and dialogues wore certainly "slippery," the show Was, nevertheless, in comparison what we saw and heard in the Capitol 4 Christmas Revue for little folks. For instance, the scene in yesterday's presentation' in which the returning Warrior insists repeatedly, emphatic cally and brutally, that" his wife in' an open scene, was nothing short of disgusting and horrid and one had the feeling, {hat It had not been played to" the Many years ago I had a little controversy with your late Editor, Mr, Little, who, when T protested inst an'insufficient criticism of an ADS. performance, "replied "that Amateurs could not be measured with the same yardstick as professionals and that criticism must be tempered by merey accordingly, My argument Was and is, that I have no right to criticize anything in a place where I am a guest, enjoying hospitality. However poor the food may be, however badly another guest or the host may play the piano o sing, T have to appreciate that which is offered me in the spirit in which it is offered, However. the moment that 1 pay in order to witness a public performance, theatrical, musical, lecture of sport, T am fully entitled to exercise the privilege of criticism so long as the Point of view is presented in a fair and impartial, even though strict manner.
In conclusion one might say of this performance, that the stage-management was excellent, the costunfes and effective, the scenery satis factory and the direction quite evidently in the best possible hands.
1. K, Sex,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.