The Best Plays

These are the plays which, in the light of metropolitan criticism, seem most important;

Drama

HELL-BENT PER HEAVEN--A modern realistic version of Tartuffe, with a southern religious fanatic working evil in the name of good, assisted by a cinema-esque flood.

SAINT JOAN--Shaw turned historical under the beneficent auspices of the Theatre Guild.

IN THE NEXT ROOM--The public appetite for mystery exploited in another shrouded discussion of who-killed-who.

TARNISH--The philosophies of sacred and profane love and their application to the modern youth.

THE MIRACLE--Moves a Manhattan theatre back to the shadows of the Middle Ages. "The greatest show on earth."

SUN UP--A cruder side of American life among the poor whites of the Southern Mountains.

"LAUGH, CLOWN, LAUGH !"--Largely owing to the performance of Lionel Barrymore, the old, old story of the woebegone clown is again successful.

OUTWARD BOUND -- An alternately amusing and terrifying study of the preface to death. Generally accounted the best play of the season.

RAIN--People are now beginning to boast about the number of times they have seen the courtesan destroy the charletan.

Comedy

CYRANO DE BERGERAC--Our village Hampden become a modern Mansfield in this memorable classic from the French.

BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK--A brilliant dream fantasy, at which the tired business man dies a lingering death from wit.

THE SONG AND DANCE MAN--The outward and visible sign of the inward and visible philosophy of George M. Cohan.

THE SWAN--The regal grace of its namesake exemplified in a flawless production of family life where Royal blood runs blue.

THE SHOW-OFF--A naturalistic satirical study of the sort of bumptious young man who continually finds they're all out of step but him.

Musical

Epicures in musical comedy will find the following items from the current menu most delectable: Lollipop, Kid Boots, Mary Jane McKane, Poppy, Runnin' Wild, Sweet Little Devil, Music Box Revue, Ziegfeld Follies, Charlot's Revue.