THE TEN BEST PLAYS OF 1934-35, And The Yearbook Of The Drama, by Burns Mantle; Dodd, Mead and Co., New York; $3.00.

CRITIC Burns Mantle has added another volume to his unique and invaluable set of contemporary plays. Since 1918, he has selected, with the aid of his newspapers colleagues, the "ten best plays produced in New York City" each year, limiting this choice of course to new plays in the English language. There is usually little quarrel with his selections. The Pulitzer Prize play is always included. Most of the other plays are outstanding popular successes or artistic triumphs which won special praise from the chosen few. Of course there is not room enough to give the complete text of each play, but there is no fault to be found with Mr. Mantle's editing so that the most important two-thirds of each play is given. These yearbooks have already proved their value as references volumes for students of modern drama or for the casual play lover.

This year's selection of plays is no exception to the rule of excellence. The most important fact in connection with last season was the trend toward a realisation of native values in American life. Many plays definitely American were produced successfully, and the four conspicuous ones are reproduced by Mr. Mantle. Future historians of the drama will look back with interest on poet Maxwell Anderson's "Valley Forge" and Mare Connelly's colorful picture of Eric Canal life, "The Farmer Takes A Wife." America today is well represented by Sherwood's romantic western comedy, "The Petrified Forest," and by young Odet's panorama of life among the lowly in New York City, "Awake And Sing." Then there is the powerful and biting "The Children's Hour," which unfortunately leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The year's Pulitzer Prize play is rather a weak sister, as it was a compromise candidate, "The Old Maid." The other four plays are undistinguished, run-of-the-mill comedies and melodramas, "Accent on Youth," "Lost Horizons," Britisher Van Druten's "The Distaff Side," and Kauffman's tourde-force play given backwards, "Merilly We Roll Along." However there was probably nothing more important to substitute in place of one of these four, except possibly the hilarious saga of a bersek British explorer in "Petticoat Fever," or the libretto of the excellent musical "Anything Goes." Of course it was a mistake to leave out "Tobacco Road," the morbid view of the Southern backwoods, a native melodrama which is nearing the end of its second year on Broadway. But the most important event of the year was the trend toward a native American drama.

It is a pleasure each year to add one more volume to our collection of the best plays, and Mr. Mantle's effort deserve whole-hearted praise.