Publisher's Synopsis
AN application of the slapstick to satire is the way in which George Jean Nathan describes his volume of sketches, "Bottoms Up" (Philip Goodman). Mr. Nathan is preeminently the satirist of the theaters of Broadway, and Broadway needs a slapstick. No one has ever punctured the pretensions of fashionable drama more cleverly. He wields his slapstick not only vigorously and with accurate aim, but occasionally even with subtlety and a sense of real criticism and fundamental truth. Those critics of the Broadway drama whose opinions are pontifically delivered at regular intervals might profitably peruse his "Promenades with Pantaloon," and read this analysis of emotional acting, as it is usually perpetrated in the Broadway theaters:
"The art of emotional acting, on Broadway, consists in expressing (1) doubt or puzzlement, by scratching the head; (2) surprise, by taking a sudden step backwards; (3) grief, by turning the back to audience and bowing head; (4) determination (if standing), by thrusting handkerchief back into breast pocket, brushing hair back from forehead with a quick sweep of hand and buttoning lower button of sack coat; (5) determination (if seated), by looking fixedly at audience for a moment and then suddenly standing up; (6) despair, by rumpling hair, sinking upon sofa, reaching over to table, pouring out stiff drink of whiskey and swallowing it at one gulp; (7) impatience, by walking quickly up stage, then down, taking cigarette from case, lighting it and throwing it immediately into grate, walking back up stage again and then down; (8) relief, by taking deep breath, exhaling quickly and mopping off face with handkerchief; and (9) fear, by having smeared face with talcum powder!"
Nathan thus defines the difference between a good actor and a star: "The proficient actor is one who can completely immerse his own personality in the role he is playing. The star actor is one who can completely immerse the role he is playing in his own personality." He is not averse to using his satirical slapstick upon his fellow critics. He defines the "constructive" critic as one who builds up his newspaper's theatrical advertising revenue. Comparing the critics with the actors, he remarks that the only difference between them is that the actors do their acting on a platform. But the critics, he thinks, are not quite as fatuous as the playwrights: "It is a favorite challenge of the average Broadway playwright to the dramatic critic that, if the latter knows so much about plays, why doesn't he write one himself. The same question might be asked of the average Broadway playwright."
- "Current Opinion," Vol. 63 [1917]"
