42nd St. Moon Blog

He knows for example (in response to my comments about Robert Coleman's use of the royal "we"):

It was standard practice in the first half of the 20th Century for critics to use what is called "The Editorial 'We'" -- ie, just the same as editorial writers used (and in many cases, still use).

It really wasn't until the late 60s-early 70s that the practice went out of fashion for critics. Clive Barnes, I believe,
was the first NY Times critic to revert to first-person. (Walter Kerr, on the other hand, often used first-person when
he would reference earlier shows in a review -- "I remember on opening night of Oh Oh Oh Nurse! back in 1926, I turned to
my date and said ..."

And yet his knowledge extends past the theatrical to the sartorial (in response to my envious curiosity about Cindy Goldfield's hair):

And yes, that's Cindy's real hair. You'll have to ask her how she got it so curly.

I will. Oh yes! I will.