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Holbrook Blinn Surprised and Pleased His Lines Are Not Cut by Boston Vigilantes--Sees New Trend in Molnar Play

Unlike Jane Cowl, who recently expressed astonishment at the slashing of lines from "The Road to Rome" by the Boston vigilantes, Holbrook Blinn was mildly surprised last evening, as he chatted in his dressing room with a CRIMSON interviewer, that the script of "The Plays the Thing" had not suffered a similar fate.

"They haven't touched a word of it," declared Mr. Blinn, "and what is more, a minister came up to me the other day and said that he saw or heard nothing wrong in the play. Many people have thought that the play was a little risque, but with the recommendation of a minister behind it, even Boston cannot make a fuss."

Continuing in an enthusiastic vein on the subject of "The Play's the Thing", he characterized it as a novel departure in the field of modern comedy one in which the author, Ferene Molnar, has put himself into the play in his professional character of playwright. Binn portrays the playwright in the role of Sandor Turai.

"What does the American public want? Well, any kind of play, so long as it is well acted and true of life. And Molnar has the ability to make all of his plays life-like."

Asked if he preferred acting in motion pictures to playing on the stage, he said. "The movies are all right, because the work is easier, and there is not much to do in the way of rehearsals, but give me the stage every time. And then, I like the stage better, because I can design my own stage sets. I copied the set in 'The Play's the Thing' from an Italian room in my summer place.

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"I am going to take the play over to London in the spring, and have made a date with M. Molnar to talk over a new production with him there. We were in Chicago when he was in this country, and he could not be lured out of New York to come and see us.

"Oh yes. I am much in favor of college dramatics. They are very formative. Unfortunately, acting was taboo when I went to Leland Stanford, and so I missed the opportunity that you fellows have."

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