MR. BAXTER'S PLAY
SIR,—In spite of what " Janus " has to say about ordinary members of the play-going public who call in question the opinions of the " professionals," I cannot refrain from commenting on the way in which Mr. Beverley Baxter's play It Happened in September has been treated by the critics.
I am not so much concerned with the fact that most of them failed to enjoy their evening, and consequently condemned the play, while I myself got a great deal of interest and pleasure out of it. But I am very much concerned with what appears to me to be the personal spite against Mr. Baxter displayed by several of them, in particular by your own critic, James Redfern. It does not matter to me whether or no Mr. Redfern, for example, has good reason for disliking Mr. Baxter personally, professionally, or politically, but I feel bound to protest, most vigorously, when a critic's opinion of the author of a play is allowed to affect his published criticism of the play itself. That you have allowed this to happen in your columns must be evident to anyone who has both seen the play and read your notice of it.—Your obedient servant, GODFREY NICHOLSON. [The suggestion contained in this letter is baseless, offensive and, incidentally, actionable.—ED., The Spectator.]
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