Variety (Aug 1932)

Tuesday, August 30, 1932 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 45 Plays (^^^ FLYING COLORS Fhllaaelphia, Aug. 29. The new Max Gordon show which opened last week at the Forrest, after one night's delay. Is by. no means as sure of Immediate success as Its three predecessors, 'Three's a Crowd,' ^The. Baijd Wagoh' and 'The Cat and the Fiddle.' In fact, this new one Is teetering on ■ the edge .that divides hit arid flop. -Undoubtedly 'Flying Colors' will suffer from that old bugaboo of comparison. The management has complained that the 'local notices put too much stress on the parallel between It and the other Qordon shows. That just shows the natural sequel which any successful pro- ducer must face. Present show has: plenty of talent and plenty of possibilities, but it lac'ks the 'class' of the other Gordon pieces. Score is excellent sind'prin- cipals, as a whole, satisfactory, but show needs some one person like Hassard Sh'ort to whip it Into shape, and also requires more Imagination in the departments of dance and scenic design. Neither end shows much that Is striking or extraordi- nary. .Howard Dietz, while supplying some, good ideas and some swell lyrics, doesn't show to same advan- tage here that he did In '3and "Wagon.' Most of his sketches need restaglng, and the whole show heeds a more experienced hand In ar- rangement and pace and spotting. Arthur Schwartz has provided contagious tunes, particularly In 'Louisiana Hayride,' 'Rainy Pay,' 'Alone Together'. and 'Shine on Your Shoes.' Some of his numbers are marred by Inadequate staging and arrangement, but there's, hot a auestion but what the show has two or three smash potentialities In the matter of. sohefs. Clifton Webb stands pre-eminent above not only the rest of the cast but above his material. - He used to be a line dancer; now he's a crack- erjack comedian as well. In this show Webb has plenty of variety. In blackface he. leads 'Louslana Hayride'; as a recitatlonist he does wonders by 'Day After Day'; as a dancer he shines in both 'Alone To- gether,' and, even more. In 'Valse Flnaletto,' a Viennese bit that is one of the show's highlights. Charlie Butterworth, one of the stage's most distinctive comics, is first rote as far as his material goes. He is handicapped, however, and it's his own personality rather than his lines that put him over. Patsy Kelly doesn't seem to quite belong In 'Flying Colors.' In several of the sketches, needing subtlety and shad- ing, she falls to click. Among the non-featured players, Jean Sbrgent, Phllly eraU labors courageously under the handicap of bad staging. This torch singer, who played In 'Face the' Music,' hasn't a powerful voice, but Instead of giving her footllght and Intimate spots, the 'Flying Colors' manage- ment has burled her as far back on the stage as possible. Philip Loeb Is admirable in his contributions to the sketches, and Helen Carrlngton, Jay Wilson, Imogene Coca and June Blossom (who does the waltz with Webb) are outstanding enough to deserve merttlon. The team of Buddy and Vllma Ebsen won first- night honors by their dancing. They were good, but it's hard to see the reason for quite the enthusiasm that greeted them. Most of the sketches die a-bornln' and most of the blackouts are fee- ble. P'lenty of rewriting ahd a George S. Kaufman are needed to give them the proper emphasis. Two of the "skits are ot the macabre or horrific variety and won't be liked by many. Norman Bel~Gteddes hasn't done himself proud, with the scenes and lighting. Nothing striking and nothing particularly original is dis- closed. Same goes for the ensemble dances staged by Agnes De MHle and Warren Leonard. The colored chorus hasn't been utilized as it might have been and seems strange- ly lacking In spirit and zest. The opening, a la Georgle White, Is good. ,'Two-Faced Woman,' . danced by Albertina Vitak, subbing for Tamara Geva, la. disappointing. 'On the American Plan,' a sketch, has funnv spots but fades at the end. 'Mother Told Me So' has cork- ing lyrics. 'Day After Day' is all Webb. 'Service,' another sketch, Is so-so. 'Shine on Your Shoes' was badly staged. 'Christmas Card' is artistic but badly spotted. 'Sister Act,' with Butterworth and Webb and Loeb, Is fair. 'Farmer's Son' flops at the end. 'Bon Voyage,' with a good tag, buffers because of Miss Kelly, 'Alone Together' Is good. 'The Harvey Woofter Five Point Plan' is another rhonoiog for But- terworth on the order of his famous •banquet* speech in 'Americana.' 'Louisiana Hayride' is a first-class finale not properly staged. 'Valse Flnaletto' is a swell dance offering. 'Fatal Fascination' gives Butter- worth and Kelly a good chance, 'The Surgeon's Debut' is gruesome but funny. 'Break the Rhythm' lacks something. 'The Triplets' is an unfunny skit with Webb, Kelly and Coca. 'Smoking Reefers' is fair.. *A Rainy Day' Is a fine tune not quite as well brought out as it should be, and the finale is interr estlng if not strikingly new. Almost every number in 'Flying Colors' can be paralleled directly with: numbers of 'Three's a Crowd' iand 'The Band Wagon,' and in near- ly every case to the advantage of the original. That's, going to hurt the present show wherever it goes. Chances are only fair for 'Flying Colors.' Waters, BEST YEARS Atlantic City, Aug. 24. ; An engrossing drama which turns the spotlight upon a common prob- lem, tha:t of the selfish desire of a neurotic mother for the domination of her daughter, foisted In. the name of love. Written by Raymond Van Sickle and produced by Elizabeth Meile at the Apollo here for the first time Monday evening (22). The three acts are natural, inter- esting .a;nd' each closes upon tight drama. The dialog Is uniformly competent, the people are. real, the situations veraciously set out. Theme is treated in a spirit of good temper and sympathetic understanding, even when it is emphiitlc la Its de- nunciations. Homely touches are the more amusing because they ring true. The scene Is laid In a small Ohio town and-the action passes in the living room ot the Davis family. A self-centered, middle-aged widow manages to spend upon^ herself every cent that her older daughter, Cora, earns and to keep her from mar- riage so that she (the mother) may have the girl's entire attention. The badgered and much Imposed upon Cora is advised by the family phy sician to take a firmer stand With her mother for her, own good; and when a former suitor, a young en giheer, returns to town, the girl de termlries she will begin to enjoy some of the things of life she has been forced to pass :up. This'pre cipitates a tempestuous scene in which. the mother works herself into such a frenzy that she suffers a slight stroke. The prospective, long invalidism of the mother seems about to complete the ruin of Cora's life when death steps in to free her. • While Katherlne Alexander, In the role of the sacrificing daughter, and Harvey Stephens, as her suitor, are featured, the whole company shares almost equally important parts. Jean Adair, as the mother; Mary Home, as her, plain, outspoken sister-in- law; Thomas Reynolds, as her deaf wooer; Marjorie Lytell, as the gay, irresponsible . younger daughter! Fred Shcrmaii, as a cheierful hus- band; Daniel Poole, as his. father; Leona Powers, as the happily mar- ried friend of the Davis family, and Thomas Flndlay, as the doctor, are excellently cast. The play has the advantagei of some canny direction by Priestly Morrison.: Weintraub. HANG UP YOUR HAT Hollywood, Aug. 20. Musical comedy In one scene and two acts presented by Paul M. Trcbltsc^ at the Music Box, Hollywooi, Aug. 17. Book by V. Valentine and Paul M. T^ebltsch. Music by Edward Ward. Lyrics by Bernle Oross- man and Dave SUversteln. Dances by Ed- die Prinze. Staged by Paul M, Trebltscb. *1.M top. Rdgar Hemingway Richard Sumner Marie Kenee Marvelle Dorothy Gale...... Eleanor Hunt Gwen Lee Doris McMahon Vemon Hcmlngw2ty Bruce Colman General Rlblero;... :.Jo8e Rublo Tommy. Ryan... Dick French Mrs. Hemingway ...Is'obelle La Mai Henry Baxter Eddie Chandler Chummy Baxter Phil Hanna Trlxle ..Lucille Browne Originally produced as farce com- edy In east; 'Hang Up Your Hat' had lyrics tidded to serve as Paul M. Trebitsch's initial production here. In the east It never got past a break-in. Here it probably will do no better. Amateurishly written, directed and cast, it is neither better nor worse than most In and out coast productions—-turkeys at best. Out- standing features of show are Bcr- nie Grossman's lyrics, and chorus work of the 16 line girls. Music is uninspired and lacks originality. Story Is hackneyed situation of two girls who, to eliminate unwef- comed suitors, tell the lads they are married. An uncle visits the girls, meets the lovers, and hears that his nieces are married. What plot there is results from 'the girls' attempt to extricate themselves from their own dilemma: •• Minus sufficient material to make a two-hour show, producer has. thrown in extrariebus characters who run on and off the stage, gum- ming up the proceedings. . With the exception of Doris Mc- Mahon and M.lss La Mai, Cast works like the Oswego high school group, giving its. first performance of 'Pin- afore.' Direction could have helped. Production got away to a bad .start due to insufficient cash. Equity called up ca^t members, who later waived bond. Non-union stage hands and musician.s were engaged, only to be let out five day.s before ope.ning when orchestra could not hanJaie score. Jnion crew and mu- Shows in Rehearsal 'Humpty Dunipty' (Schwab & De Sylva) FuFton. 'Lilly Turner' (Abbott & Dunning) 49th Street. 'Nona' (Peggy Fears) Vanr derbllt.: 'Clear All Wirer' (Shumlin) Times Square. •The Stork l« Dead' (A. H. Woods) Apollo. . 'Passing Show' (Shuberts) Shubert. 'Americana' (Shuberts) Bijou. 'Black Water' (Earl Carroll) Manhattan. 'Of Thee I Sing' (road) (Sam H. Harris) Miisic Box. 'Manhattan Medley' (L. Laiw- rence Weber) Longacre. 'Vanities' (Carroll) Broad- way. 'The Budget' (Ford & Askin) Hudson. 'The Good Etarth' (Theatre Guild) Guild. 'Man Who Reclaimed His Head' (Weber & Hammersteln) Broadhurst. ~ 'Laugh Parade' (Ed Wynn) Imperial. 'Here today, "Another Lan- guage' (road) and 'Ballyhoo of 1932' (second tryout) opening this week. Season Slow Getting in Motion, New Musicals at $3^5 and $4.40 'CYNARA' STARTS BIG AS CHI'S SOLE LEGIT TIDDLE,' $16:009 GETS EXTRA FRKCO WK San Francisco, Aug. 29. Reojpenlng of Alcazar with- local mystery play, 'G-2,' brings Frisco's legit offerings up to two, with 'Cat and the Fiddle' stil clicking merrily away In Its fifth wefek at the Curran. Unable to get satisfactory union deals on shows, Henry Duffy has temporarily bowed out of the Alcazar and his former manager, Emil Bon- deson, Is operating house. Piece 'G-2' written by a former army officer, resident here, and except for week in Oakland and one in Sacra- mento hasn't been, done before.- House has top of 76 cents. 'Cat and Fiddle' was due to close after fourth week but has held up so well Belasco & dui^an keeping It here this fifth stanza before cart- ing it off to Los Angeles. Fourth week's $16,000 as good as money of previous weeks. Geary still dark. Columbia too. Another former Duffy house. Presi- dent, getting' the paint brush and carpenter's hammer. in preparation for a Sept. 15 opening by Sam Har- ris with a tab show. Engagements . Catherine Doucet, 'Love Life of a Tlfty.' Harry Shannon, Doris Groday, Oscar Raglund, 'Humpty Durtipty.' Mark Smith, Nana Bryant, Ninon Bunyea, Ethel Norris,. Phyllis Hol- de.n. Eve Farrell, 'The Stork.' Herbert Warren, Anthony Blair, George Gilday, Bertram Millar, 'Black Water,' Hugh Cameron, 'Ballyhoo of 1932.' Helen Lowell, Minnie Dupree, Gloria Holden, William Corbett, 'Manhattan Medley.' Henry Hull, Frieda Inescourt, Cynthia Rogers, Eric Blore, 'Springs time for Henry (road). Chicago, Aug. 29; Chicago became a cog. In the legit machinery agaiin last Thursday (25) when the Shuberts opened 'Cynara' In^ the air-cooledGrand Opera House. Thereby ended a seven- week period during which the coun- try's second argest city was Without a single legit attraction: 'Cynara' received excellent notices and started off fairly well. First four days got around $7,0.00. liEiiSHOW Los Angeles, Aug. 29.. Only one legit attraction playing here currently, 'Hang Up Your Hat,' co-op musical at the Music Box. On Its first full week it struggled along to slightly over one grand, about enough to pay the musicians, stage hands and chorus,' with little left over to take care of the prin- cipals and business staff, all in on percentage. Estimate for Last Week 'Hang Up Your Hat,' Music Box (2d week) (M-965-$l.B0y. Not much chance of this one hanging on. First full week got $l,'20O. Future Phys 'The Party,' by Dawn Powell, which-Robert V. Newntian was orig- inally slated to present, will be done by the Theatre. Group. The Shu- berts will back^^ show spotted hi Maxlne Elliott's theatre. House Is not a Shubert receivership property and the attraction will be one of the Shiiberts' personal ventures. 'Compromiae' will be the first production'' of the' newly formud Gotham Productions. Comedy from the French of Pierre Germaine, adapted by August A. Williams. '^Beyond the Night,' drama by Saxon King, to be produced by Ha,rry Wagstalt Grlbble, who Is tired of Hollywood. In association with Max Chppnlck. 'Disappearing fMen,' by Samuel .7. Park, will be sponsored by Earl Carroll in association with Roy Walling. The two have produced In partnership before. 'Early to Bed' will be brought to Broadway on the strength of its showlnjg at Provlncetown last month. 'Damn Deborah,' Colonial play by W. C. Roberts, will be tried by (3eorge L. Miller. 'Both Your Houses,' by Maxwell Anderson, for fall production by Jed Harris. 'Who'll Take Papa' will be done by Raymond Moore, of the Cape Cod • players. Comedy by Harriet A. Paul. • Admission pi-ices on. Broadway for the new season, which Is Just as slow getting started as was an- ticipated, are unsettled. Looks cer- tain that no show. will attempt a $5.50 top, but, while there Is a, downward trend, the scales thus far decided on are Jumbled. It was expected that the several oncoming musicals would be $3.30 top, but the several managements have boosted the scales, flgurlng they cannot turn a. profit otherwise. 'Ballyhoo of 1932' will be $3.85, while 'Flying Colors' will be $4.40 top. First musical to arrive Is 'Smiling Faces,'- opening tonight at the Shu- bert at $3.30 top. Prices for straight shows will await the trend of busi- ness. One, however, has announced' a $2.20 top. It being 'Black Water," going' Into a largD capacity theatre (Manhaittan). Two cancellations this week left but one premiere and there are *ut seven shows playing. Next "weejc (Labor Day) there were six new shows due, but another.'brace were yanked. 'Folies BeVgereJ 'suddenly folded in Newark, while the pre- miere of 'Flyliig Color^' wa;s set back to Sept. 13, the revue remain- ing, a third week In Phila. ; Next week's openings: 'Here Td- day,' Barry more; 'Ballyhoo,' 44th Street; 'Man- %Yhb Reclaimed His Head,' Broadhurst, and 'Best Years,' Bijou. . . Heavy tain Saturday evening nlckod the box offices as much aa $1,000 on the night performance. Estimates for 'This Week . 'Another Language/ Booth (19th we^) (C-708-$3.30). Best of cur- rent comedies and s|(tould last against Incoming field; business. last week bettered $9,000. 'Bridal Wise,' Cbrt (14th week) (C-l,043-$3.30). Appi-oximated $4,- 000 lately; that appears ^sufficient at this time; cast oh percentage. 'Cat and Fiddle,' CohaiT (47 th week) (M-l,400-$3.30). Due. for rpad after'another three weeks; cast o/i percentage; up to $12,000 last two w^gqIcs* ' »- ■ ' 'Of Thee I Sing,' Music Box (36th week) (M-I,00p-$6.60). Holds to Ex- cellent pace .tvi'th over. $26,t)00 again. 'Satan,' Forrest.'" Colored drama again postfioned and opening scratched. 'Smiling Faces,' Shubert •(1st week) (M-l,395-$3.30), Presei^tj^ by the Shubert receivership; toured last season, starring Fred Stone; opens' tonight. Other Attractions 'Show Boat,' Casino (CarroIl>; re- vival still commands excellent trade at $27,000; indicative of road chances. " J 'That'e" Gratitude,' WalMorf; re- vival. 'Flying Colors' Starts Philly Year With Bang, Tapers^ Philadelphia, Aug. 29, PhiUy's legit season; got under way last week, biit several factors combined to hurt a couple of days after the opening. 'Flying Colors,'. new Max Gordon show, was postponed: from Monday to Tuesday night at the Forrest. Delay undoubtedly hurt, and result- ant notices hurt more. First night went clean, as was expected, but a sharp decline set in directly. Wed- nesday matinee beat $2,300 and re- slcians came back again after bond was posted. Chorus gets a salary, but princi- pals are on percentage, as l.s the business staff, Including the p.a. In a 900-seat house at $1.50 top, Open- ing night box ofllce deluged with people paying war tax on Oakleys. Call. vue hit close to $18,000 in seven per- formances, but Interest lagged after start, 'Hollywood opening' proved a great success,, with Ella Waters as mistress of ceremonies at the mike. Station WIP had the assignment and Philly fell for the stUnt hard, especially with plenty of celebs over from New York. Next opening, now listed, Is Sept. 12, when two shows bow in—'Nona,' Peggy Fears' offering with Lenore Ulrlc, at Ihe Garrlck (indie) and 'Americana' (Shubert revue), at the Forrest. On the 19th 'The Good Earth," first subscription offering of the new American Theatre Society (combine of Guild and Shubert groups) makes start at Chestnut. Rumors around town- have Shu- bert, Locust, Erlanger (to be re- named). Broad and Walnut active this fall, in addition to Forrfst. Chestnut and Garrick, already set.. World's Fair Take ■ (Continued from page 1) enter and is composed In part ef historical documents and menien- toes of the type exhibited gratis at the Chicago Historical Society. It was drawing little or no trade al- though several of the other aittrac-^ tlons were crowded with, out-of- town gawks. Alligator Farm Is running with a regular sideshow spieler who gave an- 'absolute guarantee' that the show was about to begin in three minates and was saying the same thing 15 minutes later. Most expensive - was the midget blimp tied by rope and pulley. It costs 55 cents per head to, have the rope released 200 feet. Nucleus of the niidway includes a rifle range and ■ba:seball-throw African Dip not Itemized in the ■budget above. Four rides, inferior to those in 'tl^hlte City and River- view Park are the cheapest con- cessions^ 10 cents. And few takers. Work on the various large build- ings is progressing rapidly and the fair seems to be well-up to schedule. Architecture is modernistic, which means crazy, throughout. Bigness rather than beauty seems the likely result. Theatrical archives Indicate that the 1893 World's Fair was no help to the legitimate theatre and In view of the hijgh cost of exposition-going It seems jprobable that the bulk of the visitors Will have all of their moiiey, as well as time, consumed by the fair with little left for the loop, ; • Book cn Midgets Burnett Hershey, Warner Bros, film writer, is doing a book with Walter Bbden, night city editor of the New York 'Post,' to be titled 'It's a Small World.' Book is all about midgets, Simon and Schuster will publish*