The Journal News from Hamilton, Ohio • Page 10

Saturday. in. Jmirnal-Ni-U's. Hamilton Kail-Hold. Ohio II Reader differs on Civic Theatre review (EDITOR'S NOTE: Mailbag Feedback is a column open to readers who may wish to express their opinion regarding reviews, interviews or columns printed on the Journal-News leisure pages.

Replies can be sent to Leisure Editor, Journal-News, Court at Journal Square, Hamilton. Ohio 45012) EDITOR I must protest Ken Williams' review of Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre's "The Night Tfipreau Spent in Jail, which appeared in last Thursday's paper (129-76). Can it be possible that he did not see the same play which I saw Saturday night? It was a play which many people undoubtedly did not bother to attend, partly because of Mr. Williams' cruel, insensitive, and, from many people's point of view, grossly inaccurate review. Even though Mr.

Williams expresses admiration for a wonderful script, I feel he couldn't have comprehended what the play was really about. The performance I saw could only have been a "bore" to someone who was not really "intellectual" enough'to realize what was being said--no--happening, before his eyes. I couldn't agree more with Mr. Williams' assessment of the genius of the amazing Thoreau. I dd not see, however, how "emotion and power" could "flash off the faces of the characters surrounding him," when those characters were as mystified and bewildered by this "controversial" figure as I feel the actors accurately portrayed them to be.

Incidentally, I feel that the parenthetical (then), regarding Thoreau's controversiality was inaccurate, as he would no doubt be just as controversial should he appear as a man, and not a legend, in our world today. Why is a critic disturbed by how old or young Bill Keller and Henry Cepluch are? I saw only Emerson and Thoreau, and I found Keller and Ccpluch's portrayal of them far beyond "fairly effective" and "only very adequate." Ron Miller (the director) wore his first GHCT hat in a manner which struck me with great admiration. I am not so sure about how Ken Williams wears his "leisure'' (editor) suit. Even if the performance could have been as bad as Williams described it, how or why could Williams have been so crude as to ruthlessly slash the ardent efforts of Hamilton's amateur performers, who were, at the least, noble and courageous themselves in undertaking a difficult and challenging play? GHCT is not Broadway; as Mr. Williams, lest he forget, is not a critic for a New York newspaper.

After I had read the review, I thought that Mr. Williams might have possibilities for becoming a professional critic. He writes critics have a reputation for being ruthless, though, incidentally, often wrong. Citizen bands often used to aid stranded motorists By JOHN D. McCLAIN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) For thousands of motorists planning trips over the holidays, Citizens Band radios will provide the fastest and sometimes only means of summoning help in highway emergencies.

And, according lo available statistics, there's a lot of help available out there. The Electronic Industries Association, a CB trade group, says between 15'million and 20 million CB sets now are in use. That, EIA says, includes one in every 11 cars and three in every five long-haul trucks. The National Safety Council counted about 1,000 highway deaths over the Christmas and New Year's holidays last year. And although it could not provide the number of accidents or motorists on the road during that period, it did estimate that 21.7 billion miles had been driven.

For those motorists with CBs, assistance usually is just a click of the microphone away. And for those without CBs, a lot of CBers out ready to help. For instance, we were returning from upper New York State during a recent snow storm that left dozens of cars stuck in ditches. Some of the skids were recent, and the cars' occupants milling around in the snow wondering how t'o get their vehicles back on the road. We tried to help about a halfdozen motorists, only to find that CB-equipped vehicles in front of us had reported the emergencies and help already was on the way.

The EIA says millions of emergencies and assistance requests now are handled annually with CB radios. CBers have three main ways to summon help in emergencies; Try to reach a Smokey, or law en- ARE YOU? SINGLE, DIVORCED, WIDOWED 1. SINCERE AND PARTICULAR WHO YOU MEET 2. TIRED OF MEETING PEOPLE YOU HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON WITH 3. TIRED OF GAME PLAYING IN BARS IF SO, COUNTERPART JUST MAY BE YOUR ANSWER INQUIRE TODAY) CAU 761-8866 OR, RECORDED MESSAGE 761-8211 IF ACCEPTED.

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More and more state and local police departments are equipping their patrol cars with CBs, some like Ohio even advising motorists on highway billboards what channels the Smokies are monitoring. Most monitor one of tw6 channels 9, the national emergency channel, and 19, the channel used by most motorists and. truckers. CB-equipped police departments" report faster responses to emergency calls received directly by officers because this eliminates the need for a motorist to find a telephone, make the call and then have the information relayed. Ron Sostkowski of the International Association of Chiefs of Police told a recent CB-motorist aid conference here that the Missouri State Highway Patrol said use of CBers' reports cut its response time in half.

The volunteer organizations such as REACT and ALERT monitor Channel 9 and 19, often 24 hours a day, relaying emergency needs and information. REACT, the largest of the volunteer organizations, now has 1,500 chapters and 100,000 active participants in all 50 states. ALERT, the second largest, has another 14,000 members across the country. After I saw "Thoreau" Satufday night, I knew I had not seen a Broadway production, but I was nevertheless moved deeply not by Cepluch, Keller, Tunning or Simer, but by the message I received and from--Henry David Thoreau. They must have done something right.

like Mr. Williams, I experienced something dreadful, and something wonderful. Mona Bennett 304 Ross A ve. Hamilton, Ohio Leisure Editor Ken Williams replies: You are absolutely correct. I did not see (he same play you saw Saturday night.

I did, however, see the same play Wednesday night, and a lot of things may have been changed by the fourth and final staging. Theatre criticism is a difficult art. Unlike film criticism which remains effective throughout an entire run of a film, theatre criticism is only truly effective for the performance that the critic reviewed. Let me explain this further. When the critic reviews a film, he has reviewed the final product released to international audiences.

With very few exceptions, the film will never be cut, reedited or changed after it is released to the public. Thus, the film criticism will hold true from the day the film opens until the' day the film closes. On me other hand, theatre changes during every staging because it is live. No two performances are alike. And opening nights, when critics are invited to review the productions, are sometimes a period of great anxiety on the part of the actors.

Therefore, what may have worked during dress rehearsals may not have worked on opening night. And the critic, who is paid to do his job properly (and that is not.to he intentionally cruel, insensitive, inaccurate or ruthless as you seem to suggest all critics are), must be truthful and report what he saw that particular night. Mailbag Feedback What if he were you were a director and you saw these problems, would you not make every effort to correct them? If you were an aclor and you understood your weaknesses, would you not make every effort lo overcome them? Perhaps this is what happened lo GHCT's "Thoreau." Perhaps the Saturday performance was outstanding. But even if (his is such, (hat does not mean it was also outstanding Wednesday night! So how can I dispute what you feel about Saturday's performance, which I did not see. But the same thing holds true for you, too.

I also have two other points to clarify. First, I realize that GHCT is not Broadway. And it is not regional theatre like Playhouse in the Park. Or professional dinner theatre like La Comedia or Beef 'n' Boards. A critic must have a set of standards for each level of theatre.

After all, how could he judge GHCT's "Thoreau" against Broadway's "Chorus He couldn't. That also means he can't judge local community theatre with the same standards he applies to regional and professional dinner theatre. Isn't that only fair? Second, the critic knows many of the local performers and directors. If he is to command any respect from his readers, the critic must not allow these personal acquaintances to interfere with his responsibilities as a critic. 1 know I couldn't live with myself if I began compromising my principles.

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