Best Plays in Manhattan

Since the beginning of August, 37 new plays have opened in Manhattan. These are the best of them:

SERIOUS

GOIN' HOME--Colored soldiers and white officers embroiled against each other in the last moments of the late War (TIME, Sept. 3).

MACHINAL--Sophie Treadwell's sombre and striking study of the events which led up to a murder (TIME, Sept. 17).

THE WAR SONG (see p. 43).

FUNNY

GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS--A play about a newshawk who tried being a public relations counsel--written with grace and truth by newshawks who know their racket (TIME, Sept. 10).

THE HIGH ROAD--Lonsdale wit leading to an unhappy crisis in the career of a stage star who has fallen in love with a lord--played perfectly by Edna Best and others (TIME, Sept. 24).

ELMER THE GREAT (see p. 43).

EXCITING

THE FRONT PAGE--Bad language and good writing in a piece about Chicago newsrats (TIME, June 4, Aug. 27).

NIGHT HOSTESS--An expose of the ladies who make hay when the sun goes down (TIME, Sept. 24).

THE BIG FIGHT--A chance to see Jack Dempsey in a mediocre play (TIME, Oct. 1).

JARNEGAN--(see above).

MUSICAL

In order of their excellence: The New Moon, Good Boy, Earl Carroll's Vanities, Cross My Heart, Luckee Girl.