His targets were arrogant politicians, war-mongering generals, and self-important intellectuals, exactly the people who sat in  the front row of the theatre, where everyone could see their reactions.
y atacaban a los poderosos. Criticaban a los políticos arrogantes, a los generales belicistas y a los intelectuales engreídos, quienes se sentaban precisamente  en la primera fila del teatro, donde todos podían ver sus reacciones.