Variety (Jan 1932)

52 VASJETY LECI¥IMATE Tae«d«7, Januarjr 26, 1932 Plays on Broadway i lilTTLE RACKETEER Sbubert ihualcal comedy-revue BtarrlnB Quoenle Smith. Adapted from the Qermnn t( F. Knlbtuna and B. Wilde; music by Uashcll Browii; lyrics by Bdwand Ellacu; aencea Btaged by Albertlna Rasoh. Bettings by WalBon Barrett; book sUir«d >y Wil- liam Caryl. At tbe 44th St. theatre, Jan.: 18. »4.40 top. „ . „ J IMBnle Parker ...Carl Randall Mr. Knoblock .John Perkins Frank I<a»c. George Maishall Alberta Lawrence Barbara Newberry Ethel Plerson.. ...Grace^Hayes Dick Barrtaon i- Head Walter George Del Blgp Flossie ■ Kay Simmons May Kvelyn Relde Donovan Danlel J. Bulllvao lav aiump; ..........William Kent Jay -lump. ...... _ .Queenle Smith Mrs'. Alameda Snook..... .Lorraine Weimar Henrv Haintree Harrington Grayson Wolter Johnson The Ghost Priest.....Khalll Oglou Maalnl To Hay Tons ..Princess Tto Hay Tong A dull and formula book made al- moat worth the money by. Its aur- roundlngs ot a brisk dancins show, If, indeed any dimcln? ahow can be made worth $4.40 considering what can be heid up and down the Street at 85 cents. It is the danc- ins In this production that gives it what lure It has. Production itself makes a flash tor the amount involved; in its in-, vestlture, since the siisplclpn forces Itseif that much, of the accessories came out of the reservoir th6 Shu- ber'ts'. have in the store house. And even then there's.nothing prodigal about it . But as a sprightly stepping ses- slon 'lt's worth while. Besides that there isn't much, except a few fairly spicy' exchanges of dialog with a medium content of wit. Tlie star herself is cast into what ought to be an Ingenue role and although she manages to get from it'all Us value, even then'it isn't much. Grace .Hayes, the statuesque, has a; part richer in character and humor than the star, playing as she does, a not so hard boiled gold dig ger and playing it with a creamy blatdness. that , makes it stand out .' However, the piece being framed the way It is, most of the honors go to the dancing principals, notably Barbara Newberry and Carl Ran ' dall, a dancing juvenile who is recognized in show business, for a resourceful stepper who has never realty received his deserts. This pair drew . the applause verdict of the performance viewed, notably their acrobatic session In the sec ond act. . ■ : What made the dick especially conspicuous was that It was spotted in far from the-best location, foUoW' Ing.immediately upon a Spanish eu' semble' interpreted by a group of ' six svelt Albertlna Rasch girls with plenty of hip waving and a load of sex appeal. The Randall-Newberry follow up couldn't have been, worse piIa<:ed.for effect, but still dynamited . to the embarrassment of 'Miss Hayes who -found it difficult to get going with h^ lines immediately ■ lifter. ^ " Other featured player Is William Kent, sunk in a seml-stralght light role as the hero's chauffeur and in- volved in a comedy love episode with an eccentric c medy woman done neatly by Liorraine Weimar wltl\ just the right low comedy em phasls. Tenor role falls to John Garrlck, who. has both the voice and the smoothly masculine per sonallty to carry oil this usually blah assignment. Laughs are fairly well spaced, although the lines often go to pretty extreme lengths to invite them, but on the comedy alone the piece would never stand up. It is the dancing and the semblance of' speed that makes the show possible—If It is possible at the scale.' The score has some grace but nothing that stands up as a sure musical vogue: Best of the lot Is 'Danger it I Love You,' a light love song easy enough to listen to, even It it is reprised from late In the first ^ act on. Best test of the straight ^ away numbers was that tliey earned H only mild returns, while it was the W dance bits tb^t got the solid ap ''' plause. In the playing the piece looks as though pi-etty much all its original German book was .jettisoned and made over. In all probability the score was considerably American ized, as well, and then the whole thing pepped up with dance acces sorles. Story has to do with Dixie, (Miss Smith) city waif, who playp, the racket of going to sleep ih expen- sive parked cars and then playing upoi) the sympathies of the owners. Dick (Garrlck) finds her In his auto and in order to cure her ot disposition to play' with mild rack etlng, schemes to make her a part ner in a phoney burglary In his own home, arranging for a make-bellevc arrest, all of it leading to the satis- factory love affair between them, all to the disgust and defeat of Kthel (Miss. Hayes), Dlck'S: ifell prov^ed a tor gir) friend. Rush. MR. PAPAVERT Comedy In three act« and Ave scenes pre- sented by Joe StelU at the 'Vaaderblle theatre Jan. 23.' Adapted and staged by 11. S. Kraft under Buper%'lslon ot Mas Fig- man. Based on a novel by Oeorge Froeschel. .Miss Ford ..Mlllan Toller onice Boy Baser Le Ooorladec Max Latar. Edward Leitcr rands Bavache ...Herbert Corthell Mrs. Pnpavert ; .Flavia Arcaro Mrs.' Welnatela..' ...Stella Unger Hilda Papavert ......Alice Belnheart Commissioner Hughes.. William Boaelle Inspector Burke..Hugh Cameron 'Warden Fhinnlgan Wm. J3,. Morris Mr, Papavert.....: .Edgar Stehl Callahan....... I John Byrne .Sigbart Moses. .Max FIgman Police Lieutenant Rooney..Anthony BlaIr Joe Murphy. ,..Udw.. Colebroofc PLAYS ABROAD MADEMOISELLE Paris, Jan. 10. Comedy la three aott by Jacques Doval. Produced by Benolt Leon Deulsch and Jacqnea Albert, At the Saint Ooorges, Paris, Jon. t. MadomolseUo i Marcelle Oenlat Christian* Galvotalar..Rene* Devlllers Madame Galvolsler Betty Dauaamond Juliette ......Jane Plorvllle Holene Btalnval Theresa ^...Arlelle Luclen Oalvolsler.. Pauley Qeotges Bontlh Maurice Benard Maoitee Galvolsler. Chrlatlan. Gerard 'Valentine , ....Ooorges Clorlno Edouard Andr6 Beart More than anything this produc- tion seems to be a lesson in wtaat harm 'kind' newspaper criticism can do. Play was produced first about 3 or 4 . weeks ago and'was a dis- mal failure. Critics ne'xt day, trying to be kind to Joe Zelll, calleid it a very bad . presentation ot a good idea. So Zelli closed the show and announced it would be rewritten, recast and r^staged. Now, it any- thing, it's worse than before.- It's pretty much a hopeless idea. In the first place. Had it been writ- ten by some really inspired theatre writer of the George Kaufman cal- ibre there is a possibility that it might have stood a chance. And a really Inspired theatre'-writer could Just aa easily have found a better Idea to do his writing on. 'Mr. Papavert' it's called now to differentiate It from the first version, called 'Papavert.' Play, itself -wos rewritten with just as little imagi- nation. Supposed to be a satire on com- munism. Wllhelm Papa-vert is a poor .bookbinder who somehow got mixed up in a strike nine years be^ fore the play starts and was sent to jail for life. 'The Party' makes fight tor his freedom, using him merely as a symbol, he not even knowing about it. Party leader. Max Lazar, lives -with Papa vert's daughter In companionate marriage, and even Papavert's wifi has be come a party worker. £Uection is coming, so Papavert is given a pardon, to find hiiuself In maelstrom of polltlcs-about which, he knows nothing. - He tries to get himself rearrested In order to get away from the various party ofll- clals who hound. him, and can't Tries to ' hang himself and the chandelier breaks. So he decides to become the national hero he's being told he Is and takes over the reins of -party leadership himself. Play Is doing quite litcely in Paris, which is given as a basis tor the thought it ought to do well here. Not. necessarily so.: Every French funny paper—or sober . paper, for that matter^makes a point Of bur- lesquing politics. Every reviie has sketches about politics. Politics and sex are the two subjects which about cover the entire field ot French modern wit. Feeling some times arises In foreigners -visiting France that there arb no jokes about any other subjects. With that back ground It is conceivable that they might like 'Papavert' siomewhat. But tor New York It's.hopeless from every standpoint.. As to the manner ot acting It Is oiily necessary to realize that Hugh Cameron, a burlesque comedian, has one ot the top i>arts and plays it that way. In the first version he was a warden. He evidently was too good for the part. He is now an Inspector of police and manages to wander through almost all the'acts, blighting that much .more time. Ed gar Stehll struggles hard with i German accent and ridiculous situ atlons In the title role. Edward Lelter gives the only really good performance as the communist leader and wastes his efforts. Stella Unger tries hard to give an imita- tion of Lou Holtz. There was a lot ot changing be- tween the first and second New York versions of this play. . All wasted,. Kduf, WHISTLING IN DARK Melodramatic comedy presented at the Ethel Darrymore theatre, Jan. 10. by Alox- .andor McKals; written by Laurence Gross and Edward Chllda Carpenter: F.rnest Truex starred: staged by Frank Craven. Hilda Martha Mayo Joo Salvatore Ralph Theodore sum Scanlon. S. Henry Norell Herman I^etkowltz.. ...Charles Halton Chnrlle Shaw Arthur R, Vinton Jacob Dillon Edward Arnold The Cossack; Charles McClelland Denny.^ Jack Stone Wallace Porter...... Ernest Truex Toby VanBurco. Claire Trevor Cap Q-Rorke John Kearney Police Sergeant Charles .McClelland . An unstinted hit, due for a sea- son's run. at this stand, and with touring chances magnifle4 by the fact that no. props iore necessary, only set being an ^ordinary drawing r«pm. Internationally it should also go big, especially by building tip the star port"—a Claire ESames type. Also possible screen bet. Jacques Deval's Hollywood ex- perience on films Is sensed, in his clever pacing of pathos and comedy, cleverly timed to relieve tension. Staging of the play, done by Jacques' Baumer, an experienced actor,' is exceedingly good, with tim- ing and business making perfectly con-vlnclng the whole story in one single set. Play opens showing a well-to-do and exceedingly ulti'a modern fam- ily of which members have prac-. tlcally nothing in common except residing together, composed . ot a lawyer father, trttvellng frequently to' try cases; his nice but brainless wife, his carefree son, and his charming but very independent daiightey. Latter's companion has left, and a hew Qne is introduced. She is -a stern old maid whom the girl Imijrtediately hates. Girl never- theless ' hysterically breaks ..down, acknowledging that she lied about an errsjid she just did, anid confess- ing she has really been .to.a doctor, and finds herself in a delicate posi- tion. The man responsible, a young foreigner, can be counted oiit, . First aot ends with the compan- ion saving the girl from suicide. Next act, which takes place . two months afterward, shows that the companion, whom the girl still hates (or Interfering with her independent ways, (or some notion of her own, is sUU shielding the girl. When latter suddenly faints, she calls for her englpeer brother and compels him to act as a doctor, ordering the girl a long rest In the country where she will accompany her. Last scene shows the return of the girl home some months after her country so- journ, where, unknown to all, a child is born. Girl first intended to tell her family everything, but finds herself immediately taken up in the whirlwind of worldly life which her youth craves. The homely compan Ion, whom no. man would ever have looked at and who always craved for motherhood, ^teps in to protect the girl from blackmail by a ser- vant; succeeds in making her start life again as if nothing had hap- pened, and pretends to the family that she herself has had a child, gives it as a reason to part with her ward, and satisfies her spinster's craving for motherhood by thus re talntng the girl's infant. That its father is known to have died in a motor accident satisfies the audi- ence's mind against any possible future for the girl. What might seem unconvincing in the story is made pia,uslble due to the clever way in which the members, of the family rush after their o.wn pur- suits regardless. Acting is of the highest order, The star part is done by Marcelle Geniat with consummate ability, Despite the fact that play Includes considerable comedy and exceed Ingly witty dialog, drawing many laughs, she succeeds in never bur lesquing her Very difficult part, which, though It Is the title role, by no means outshado'ws the othet- characters.' Foreign stars likely to Insist on the building up 6t the part In the adaptation, which can easily be done. The girl's part is prac- tically as important as that of the governess, and Is magniflcently acted by Renee Devlllers. The coni- edy background is supplied by Pauley as the father, just out (if the Pirandello cast, and Betty Dauss mond as the mother.' What-make the play go big is not only the old: maid's craving for motherhood, or even the tragedy of the girl's predicament, but these two being encased In a witty but biting comedy.. Jtfoxi. This play which had aCiiiong othet titles 'The Perfect Crime,' corf- sldered too meller, is nO indicated smash, but it Is diverting enough to land in the money. Alexander Mc Kalg, a young producer, is In again after a lapse. There are elements of novelty some of the crook stuff seems rea! enough, the acting is of the better order and the comedy, while not exactly plentiful is i-Ightly spotted On top. of that the Interest pyra (Continued on page M)' DAS LIED DER LIEBE (The Song of Love) Music by Johann Strauss, done over by Johann WoKgang Komgold. Manuscript written by Ludwig Herser. Sieged and presented by Frlu and Alfred Roller. Cnels: Richard Tauber. Annie Ahlers, Adele Sandrock. Oily Gebauer. Uczl Nalz- ler, Ernst -Verebes. Rugen Durg and Fritz Snira. At Metropol theatre. Berlin, '. Tills Is the usual Christmas play offered by Rotter Brothers, and it Is always the same formula; In the first act two get to know and love each other. In the second act, dif- Acuities arise or misunderstandings, and In the third aot they find each other again. Richard Tauber Is here enabled to (Continued on page 68) Hays Out of Town WILD WAVES - Philadelphia, Jan. 2E. After a long string of hopeless third and fourth rate tryouta It was a pleasure to find one that stands at least a reasonable chancci A couple of musical shows that bowed in here early in the season made the grade on Broadway, but nary a non- musical.. This one is 'Wild Waves' and it is the first venture of the newly formed formed firm of Doran, Raly and Hewes. Opening at the Garrlck last Monday, It -was originally in- tended for a single week only, but the producers decided to keep It here a second week for revisions. And don^t think 'WHd Waves' doesn't need them. It's a good tryout, but not that good. Authored by William Manley, new comedy, all the action of which takes place in a radio station, gains a very great deal from the shrewd direction of Worthlngton Minor. His staging, and the performances . At two or three of the principals are of uncdlculable aslstance to the author, who has more of a flair (or (ast dia- log and punch lines than he has (or sustaining a plot. However, thanks to the help he gets (rom director and players, and to his own. sense of theatrically ef- fective scenes and swell comedy sit- uations, Manley clicks neatly as an author, and after the changes' have been made 'Wild Waves' should win him'much credit. '. Word has gone around that this one satirizes radio somewhat in the manner 'Once in a Lifetime' did the films, 'Butter and Egg Man' for the stage, and 'June Moon' (or the song- PUbllshing business. That may be truci In a very general sort of way, but-there are plenty of differences between Manley and George S. Kaufman. Present writer permits sentiment in speeches and scenes that (Seorge would never include, and 'Wild Waves' has only a little of < the brittle, almost cold, wise- cracking comedy of the plays men- tioned. . Manley has apparently studied the Kaufman pattern. Chief characters are Mitch Orat- wlck, who had once had iasplratlons in the field o( highbrow music, but who ended up as an overworked (ac- tptiim in a broadcasting establish- ment; .Tohn Duffy, a young fellow with a bully voice but a terrific in- foriority complex; Nancy Hodson, the heroine, another employeo. and Roy Denny, a hot-too-colortui heavy,' who plays fast and loose With the ladles and finally nearly gets taken for a ride as a result. Mitch and the gal are always working to put young Duffy across on the air, but he always backs down, at the last minute. When he does get his chance, Denny arrives in the station with a brannlgan and can't sing. Duffy, makes Denny the sensation of radio, but he is perfect- ly satisfied to go plnchhltUng and not trying, out on his own. Mean- while Denny gets plenty of atten- tion from the gal. Denny's second chance to make good comes when Mitch, who has written what he thinks' is- a piano masterpiece but which turns out to be something by Brahms, falls at the crucial moment.. Duffy gives em 'Sweet Mystery of Life' and other standbys and scores, but the whole trio are fired, and the final scene, quietly delightful, sees Mitch, Duffy and Nancy getting plastered in cele- bration of losing their jobs. One grand performance is con- tributed by Osgood Terkins as Mitch. It's a gem of underplaying for tremendous effect. Surprise of the evening was the work of a youngster named John Beal as the juvenile. Beai, whose real name is J. Alexander Blledung, played leads for the Mask and Wig here two years ago. His rolo here is a long and Important one, and he clicks. Plenty of sympatthy and also right amount of masculine force. Betty Starbruck, away from musicals, is satisfactory as the girl, and Edith Van Cleve gives a peach of a per- formance as the hard, wise-cracking but soft-hearted gh-1 at the desk. George Graham is also okay as one of the fussy studio heads. Cast Is large—almost 40—but most of the characters are Jiist bite. Raymond Sovey has designed a, nice lot of sets, and the production moved smoothly and quickly, even the first night. Those who knew anything about the workings o( a radio station were' raving, and those who didn't seemed to enjoy the comedy nearly as much. 'Wild Waives' should have a more than even chance. Horton and Shirley Grey had ton spots as the couple ably supported by Lee Prather as the girl's Texan (ather; Matt McHugh as a tab re- porter who spouted headlines as no reported ever does; Ralph M. Rem. ley and Florence Roberts as a pair o( middle-aged, topers; and Gavin Gordon and the bell boy-(rlend the girl first turns down. Word o( mouth should build this show, (or there's more laughs here than anywhere else in town. Cast is capable, with Bobby Vernon, si- lent comedy star, handling a small part well enough to warrant some talker consideration. Phil Tea* as a French speak. prop was totaiw miscast. • This is the first local legit show- ing (or Miss Grey, who handles her role with ease and gets about all that is passible out ©( it Horton. as always, plays His part (or all It's worth. Two sets are simple and plenslng. Horton's direction filled the bill adequately, _ Bucking local premiere of 'Union Depot (Warners) was a muff, with the house about two-thirds capacity and many o( the regular film first nighters- absent. "Waters. Unexpected Husband Hollywood, Jan. 20. Plenty of laughs heard at the Hollywood Playhouse during this Barry. Conners (arcs which lasted briefly last summer In New York and Chicago. Slow last ha,lf of the first act held action down, but from then on it was whoops eUl over the place. Piece is the (oUow-thru on the story o( the couple who passed out, were taken to a hotel by strangers and put to bed together and registered as man .and -wUe. -As done here, Edward ^Everett / .■ Samson and, Delilah (Revival) ^ . „ ■ Chicago, Jan. 21. ^^Jacob Ben-Ami, better known to the Yiddish stage, is back with the )lay that first introduced him to the SngUsh-speoking rostrum some lo years, aga but with a much better and clearer diction. It's a two-week gambol (and gamble) (or the Adel- phi, which had no booking In view anyhow.' Robert McLaughlin, Cleveland producer. Is presenting Ben-Ami, with the production unhappily cast locally. No chances were taken and . the show opened to cut rates at $3 top. Might just as well have elimi- nated the two for one. thing and gone to $1.50. Ben-Ami's draw is a limited one here. While rating as a.fine actor,.Ben-Ami never reached outstanding success in the Yiddish theatre because he was too . high- brow. In 'Samson and Delilah' Ben-Ami probably shows himself to his best advantage; the . play allowing him free riein (or emotional acting as only Ben-Ami can do. But he is still essentledly a Yiddish actor and that's why his per(ormance is very tardy and much, too heavy. Same trouble has been discovered by other Yiddish. actors who have graduated to the English stage. True, Ben-Ami's, accent is not as pronounced as some o( his contem- poraries, but his mannerisms and general deportment remain un- changed. 'Where in the Yiddish, Ben-Ami is always sure ^ChimseK, he can't help (eellng something ot a restraint when handling English linesi Neither he nor any other Yiddish actor has ever been able to overcome that. I( the support were here, which it IsnH, situation might be otherwise. Originally Ben-Ami had Pauline Lord opposite htm and it made a difference. Francelia Waterberry might be okay in ordinary stock, but aside from flashing a nitty strip, scene she was no match (or the sensitive Ben-Ami. Play itselt is a moody poem, al- legorical in'theme and melodramatio in . texture. Sven Lange, Danish critic, wrote this many years ago, ta his native tongue,.with the Eng- lish translatloni later done by 9. Grossman. The play within a play thing is the underlying current ot the show. Flashes back to the an- cient Biblical story and conveys the thought that the same situation h^ been going on (or years, changing only in costume. In the cast are James Blaine, Beverly Younger, "E. F. Hawkins, William Yule. Cliff Raynor, Willard Kent, Lois Combell, Laura Long, Charles De Shelm, Edwin Bailey and Eugene De Long, besides Mies Waterberry. What impression this piece wUI make on the road ■will depend on Ben-Ami personally, btit (rom the 'way It looks here it won t go (ar. »P*»**' Japanese Children's Theatre Los Angeles, Jan, IB. As confident on the etage as are their elders in the Manchurian. mooch, and highly Imbued with the- atrlcallsm, the 12 Japanese girls ot (rom • to 18 years who make up this Juvenile Kabuki troupe have a chance to collect some coin in this Qountry and abroad as a (reak at- traction (or the quite generous mob which pro(es3es highbrowlsm. The girls were Imported (or Los Angeles appearances by the Japanese The- atre Association, but Simeon Gest took a look and put the bropd under his wing. He will try the troupe in a Broadway showing shortly, and tlience to Europe K Broadway says yes. ■ At the Wilshire-Ebell theatre In two evenings performances at $3 (CohtlnueRl on page M)