The most time-dishonored custom on Broadway is the advertising trick of lifting words and phrases out of context from critical reviews, thereby changing negatives to positives, pans to raves. Last week a half-page splash in the New York Times heralded Albert Camus' early (1938) play, Caligula, which had just opened for the first time on Broadway (see THEATER).
The major daily critics stood 5-2 against the play with various qualifications, including praise for the cast. But by careful selection, the ad performed wonders of verbal alchemy. Samples:
Want to think? See "Caligula."...
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