OBSCENE PLAYS

Evening Star, Issue 19519, 29 March 1927, Page 5

OBSCENE PLAYS

GAKPAWH IN CANADA PRODUCERS SENTENCED. Pres* .Association—By Tebgraph—Copyright, OTTAWA, Marcli 28. fßeceived March 29, at 9.40 a.m.) At Montreal three producers and six actors participating in a sex play were found guilty of engaging in an obscene production. The producers were sentenced to ten days’ workhouse and fined 250d0l each, and the actors received suspended sentences. The producers paid their fines and commenced the sentence.

[A message received on February 7 stated:—Aroused by the announcement of a forthcoming production, which was openly advertised as dealing with a subject usually treated only in medical books, tbc Police Commissioner (Mr M'Laugblin) stated that he would send patrol men to all objectionable plays, and arrest the castes mid _ managers outright. Police censorship is promised to follow upon a season that has been unusually prolific in salacious dramas, against which there have been strong public protests. Strenuous efforts have been made to have the managers introduce a self-imposed censorship, following the failure of the so-called “play jury” system, under which a group of unnamed citizens visited the theatres, with the managers agreeing to withdraw any play that they deemed objectionable. The juries proved too lenient, only one play being condemned. Attempts to have tho managers choose a censor from among themselves also failed. Complaints are made that of gome sixty productions now current at least a third are salacious, and beyond tho hounds of decency.]