BACK TO IDEAS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 29 March 1938, Page 9

BACK TO IDEAS

WEST END THEATRES (By Air Mail—trem Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, 3rd March, j Thoughtful playgoers are congratulating! themselves that the West End theatres at last show signs of dawning intelligence. ; That is to say (hat purely commercial ventures, designed to catch the fancy of the groundlings, are getting shorter leases, and plays with stimulating ideas behind their drama and comedy are making good runs. We are, as one critic puts ; it, getting away from hips and developing hypotheses. It is the younger playgoing generation that is rallying to the provocative plays, and long queues of enthusiasts, ranging from the 26's to (he 30's, may be seen every night outside the theatres which are devoting themselves to a better dramatic outlook. Instances in point are “Mourning Becomes Electra” at the New Theatre, “Robert’s Wife” at the Globe Theatre and “Victoria Regina” at the | Lyric Theatre. The last named looks like running through (he summer, though it started last June ,and is averaging over, £2.000 a week. “Robert’s Wife’’ is turn-j ing away about £6O a performance, and ! taking over £2.000 a week in a theatre j that holds no more than 1,000 people. ;