Variety (Oct 1932)

. Tueeday* October. 18» ■1932 1EGITI MATE VARIETY 45 Plays Out of Town TELL HER THE TRUTH Rochester, Oct. 14. ' Musical farce Jn three acts preaented by "Mine Leblong at. the I>yceuni, Rochester, :i{.»;n. Written by R, P. Weston and Dert bee 'from pla7 tiy Frederick Isbam and j^es Montgomery! ihuslc by Jack Waller and Joseph Tunbrldge; lyrlca by, the au« thors; atoged by Morris Green and Henry ^TVUh^Raymond Walburii, Robert Parker, Hobort Cavonaugh, Andrew Tombee, "Wil- liam Frawleyi John Sheehan, Jr., Thelma White, EMIth Davis, Margaret Dumont, Itllllan' Bmeraon,Uoulse KIrhland and Berta Donn. • A new treatment of Willie Col- lier's old farce success, 'Nothingr, But the Truth,' with music proved tin entertaining noyelty In Its American premiere at the Lyceum theatre here tonight. After a slow start It developed a Buccesslon of comic lines and situations' that broueht more than a fair quota of laughs. ■ . . Although the niuslc is not blended Into the story, It Is introduced as eCTectively as in . most musicals ana it does carry, out the mood of the scenes. Tunes are excellent. Top Is reached in a clever burlesque medley o' opera .bits sung by the ftye men principals and two women. Absurd travesties on 'Miserere.' .aiainentatlons,' from 'Faust,' 'Erl King,' 'Light Cavalry Overture' and . a'Mignon' gavbtte. Dances are introduced by Thelma 'White and Edith Davis, who in the play are show girls mixed, up in domestic affairs of the principals; • Lillian Emerson and John Sheehan, Jr., who provide the romantic in- terest. A novelty touch Is the plac- ing of three attractive girlig in the orchestra pit to 'harinbnize' various numbers In the show. They were ' May and 'Muriel Muth and Dorothy Esslg. • Story opens In the office of a tricky real estate firm and intro- duces the show girls arriving dur- ing business hours after a party the night before. Centers around a bet of $5,000 by the junior partner that he can tell the truth for 24 hours. The money was given him by his fiancee with the demand he double it within a week. Constant crafty questions by the partners make his life miserable. By reluct- antly but stubbornly telling the truth at all times about everyone, be antagonizes his friends, threatens •to wreck his boss's marital bark, upsets the women and approaches a break with his awfietheart. But a 'moment after the time limit on the bet some fast lying straightens out The show Is conspicuously well cast with William Tombes. William Prawley and John Sheehan, Jr., car- rying the honors. Hobart Cavanaugh does an exceUent bit as a Scotch real estate operator. Voices are good In the musical numbers, al- thougK Lillian Emerson was handi- capped by an attack of laryngitis that threatened to prevent her ap- pearance. Frawley In a caricature of a slyly mercenary clergyman did a most amusing comic sketch and Jed several musical numbers, par- ticularly 'Sing Brother* in a delight- fully funny fashion. . 'Tell Her the Truth' was imported from lyindon where It has been a success for many months. Record. DANGEROUS CORNER Philadelphia, Oct. 17. In many ways this English piece by J. B. Priestley, the novelist. Is ' the best tryout Phllly has seen this season. On its opening at the Broad last Monday It won very favorable notice from both critics and first- nighters, although there were some orltlclsms of certain members of the cast and of the direction. How- ever," not much fixing Is needed, and •Dangerous Comer* should stand a nice chance of making the grade anywher^. Priestley has attempted a difficult thing In this, is first play (he col- laborated with Edward Knoblock oh the dramatization of hie own novel, ..'Good Companions'), and he has gotten away with it in workmanlike , style. 'Dangerous Corner' Is a mel- odrama with a minimum of action; Its thrills are achieved mostly' by suggestion. A groiip of suburban English peo- ple is enjoying a conventional, mod- est little social get-together. They've known one another for a long time. There are two married couples, a bachelor and a single woman. A . .'desultory conversation veers •round to the subject of a cigarette box that plays a tune on being opened. Somebody remarks that this box had been the property ot a .certain 'Mart^,* recently deceased. Vtom that accidental remark one thing leads to another, until the whole group becomes involved In a series of scandals and all prove to have skeletons in their family closets. One of the men is a thief; one wife is unfaithful, another has only been waiting the chance to be; another of the men Is dlscoyored to bo of a perverted nature, and the unmarried girl is found to have oommltted murder, albeit without Intention. Most of tholr llvM "have ■ been closely Intortwhied vlth that of 'Martin,' who, instead of the lovable character supppsed; turns out to have been an utter scoundrel. The unraveling of the various scandals provides a game for the spectators which is as exciting as the secret-' panel and shot-in-the-dark. yarns. Colin Keith-Johnston is featured. His performance as the host of the party is generally good. Jean Dixon is excellent in a role quitie different from her usual wise-cracking, brit- tle characterleations. Most of the first hlghters seemed to like Hbr- tense Alden, but she Is being re- placed by Mary Servoss. Stanley Ridges, generally seen in musical comedies and farces, impressed^ with a corking performance here that was dramatic and authentic. Cecil Holm earns praise for not oyerstresslng the 'pansy' elements of his role. Jane Wheatley and Betty Hanna, without a great deal to do, satisfied. Elsa Lazareff, wife of Harry Moses, the producer, has not given the play inspired direction. Groupings., are bad, especially to- ward the end. Woodman Thompson provided a stunning set. Waters. VERY GREAT MAN Cleveland, Oct. 12. This comedy by A. E. Thomas and Jack Haussman seemed to click with local crowds when premiered by Play House, Cleveland's ace lit- tle theatre, as Its first winter play; Thomas attended the opening, but if he banks , too much upon the un- critical reactions of audiences here, both authors are slated for a dls- /.pyointnient if they try It on Broad- way. .■ Although 'Very Great Man' Is amusing stufC and handled with un- usual competence by Play House thespiang, it's a bit .lightweight for metropolitan tastes. Play Is a satire :on the publicity racket, has a bright idea behind it and starts oft in high. Co-author Haussman shows the Influence of his work as a Hollywood scenarist by letting the plot run tvild in the second act, which takes a slump, In spite of Thomas' touches of biting satire and snappy wise-cracks. A total lack of love element and extra- large cast of 36 are two factors that will probably make any Broadway producer a bit dubious. It mimics 'Of Thee I Sing* rather successfully at first by ribbing fame exploiters who make nobodies fa- mous through high-pressured pub- licity and slogans. Chief character is Mr. Blatz, head ot the Blatz, Blatz, Breezer & Blatz advertising agency, who wajgers a friend 26 grand that he can make a celeb- rity out of a horn-tooting moronic German picked up on a park bench. Most amusing stuff is his cam-, palgn building up the German dumb-bell as a great, but eccentric, scientist from Germany. There's some juicy, witty comedy when the boob is ushered in with parades, speeches by the mayor and a lot of publicity hokum. Then the dummy spoils everything by going on a bay-rum bender, forcing the pub- licity big-shot to have him kld- nanped by a gangster-client to cover up the entire gag. Absurdities in the show are bol- stered a bit by good Play House performances, Including K. Elmo Lowe, as the exploiteer; Irene Ted row, -S. Thomais Gomez, Charles Green, Kirk Willis, John Rowe, Amy Douglass, all members of theatre's repertory company. Piece has good possibilities as a book for a musical show. Pullen, Shows in Rehearsal 'Love Life of the Tiffy' (L. Lawrence Weber), Lorigacre. 'Dark Hours' (Lodewick Vroom), Little. •The Du Barry' (Mrs. Joe Le- blang), Cort. *The Piarfect Marriage' (Siju- berts). Bijou.. 'Cyrano de Bergerac' (musi- cal, ShubertS), Barrymore. 'The. Gay Divorce' (Wiman and Weatherly), Playhouse. 'Nino Pine Street' (Ray and Hewes), Lyric. 'Rise 'n' Shine' ('Humpty Dumpty') (Schwab and . De Sylvia.), Apollo. 'Walk a Little Faster' (Courtney Burr), St. James. 'Carry Nation' (Arthur Beck- hard), Booth. 'Late Cristopher Bean' (Gil- bert Miller), Miller. 'There's Always Juliet' (Shu- berts), Ritz. 'Incubator' (Edison and Bur- ton). Rpyale. 'Dinner at Eight' (Sam H. Harris), Music Box. 'Chocolate Soldier' (Charles Purcell), 409 West 47th street. 'Music in the Air/ 'Forward March,' 'Girl Outside,' Dinner at Eight,"The Passionate Pil- grim- opening on .Broadway or out of town this week. I Love You Wednesday (Ccntiniied fi'om page 42) Vincent Millay'a 'A Few Figs from Thistles.' One of the play's bripht spots is the ca^iering of Henry Bergman as Eddie the singer of ditties in Joe'.s establishment. He wanders in and out of the bar accompanied by two guitar players. 'Henny' is the clever trouper formerly tearried as Clark and Bergman.' Legit should have found him out long ago, and If some manager will turn him loose with his 'Dutch' dialect (not used in the show), it will be somethingf. Jane Seymour stands out as the caustic Mary. EiUvai'd La lioche good as Joe and Rose Hobart makes ah attractive Cynthia, looking much more the wife than Miss Fuller did the dancer. Henry O'Neill okay as the.fellow who wins Vicki. 'I Loved You Wednesday' is given smart showmanship and If it misnes, the margin will be slight. Ihee. YOUNG IDEAS Hollywood, Oct 11. Walter Brown presents comedy by Sid- ney Tabor, with Morgan Wallace, Adda Oleasoii. and Helene Millard. Directed by Wallace. At 'the Hollywood Playhouge, Oct. 11. Remainder, ot cast: Edward Cooper, BaH>h M. Remley, Marie Oray, Cornellue Keefe. Helen Kleeb. Here Is a light show with a theme dimmed by frequent usage in the past five years but one that should be a middling grosser. Its principal revenue should come from a source just now withered on the vine—the stocks. A good rep bill. Toun^r Ideas' tells about a wealthy West- erner whose wife and daughter try to turn him into a society man. To teach them a lesson wh.en they walk out on him, he becomes a Chester- fleldian ladles' man, apparently leaping from one boudoir conquest to another. This treatment brings back peace and sanity to the family .circle. ■ Plenty of laughs, several of them of the haw-haw variety. First act In which the daughter spouts sex theories (role is admirably played by Marie Gray), should get picture consideration, btit it needs editing and although the initial stanza works up to a credible climax, this is nullified by holding It too long. Morgan Wallace, looking much like William Jennings Bryan as the homespun Westerner,, has the show .to himself. His second act tran- sition to a dolled up Don Juan Is a little too smooth and swift for credibility, but is well handled. Adda Gleason, opposite, puts a nice touch to her trouplnt;. Starting as the wife's friend and winding up as a sympathetic vamp, Helene Millard does her usual good work. Another film. possibility is Ed- ward Cooper as the butler. Suave and forceful. Cooper has a definite personality that could be utilized on celluloid. BLACK SHEEP Three-act comedy by Elmer Rice, singed' by .the author, Setllnga by Rnymoml Fovey, representing: by a single intorlor throughout. At the Morosco theatre. New York, Oct. 13. Scale *t $3 top. Marw Thompson Porter Jean .\dalr Dorothy Woods .Helen Brooks Ellzftbeth :. .Harriet Russell Alfred Porter Edward Downcs Henry Porter.. Dod.son Mitchell Penelope Porter.. ..Jane Hamilton Thompson ('Buddy') Porter, Donald Macilonnld Kitty Lloyd.. .Mary Philips A Taxi Driver JantiM Carroll Helena Abercromble....... Anne Shoemaker Milton Abercromble Fred Herrlck Bertha Belknap..... , .Frederlca Going spirit, the one character to stand out as entertaining. Donald Macdohald conveyed the vaguesti idea of a vague . personage in the writing. rogue, while Mai-y Philips made her literary monitor a good deal less at-, tractive in appearance and manner than the occasion called for. Rush. [Shoiv closed Saturday. Revietb is printed for the record-] PEACOCK Piny ih three acts prfsonteJ at the •JOth Street theatre Oct. 11; written and etnged by Leonard Ide; George Fawcett starred; no management billed, but Shuberts Indi- cated. Suzanne De Brulard;. Virginia Curley Pauline...... ..Kate Mayhew Dr. Raymond La Salle....Charles Campbell Andre. ;... Philip Leigh Roger Do Brulnrd. ....George Fawcett Felix Doumarnl.: ...Alfred Kappeler Oothllde Do Marfln,' Percy HaswelJ Comtesse Lcontlne D'Alvay... ■ .Helen Raymond Eugenie Maubrnn...... .Dorothy Tennant Diane Glrnrd Rena Parker Jules PcrrCt Rupert LaBelle THEATRE UNIT. INC. (STOCK) 'There's Always Juliet' Baltlmorie. Oct. 12. Theatre Unit, Inc., is the new tag for the stock organization formerly knbwn as the University Players. In the past two years they have been alternating between this southland spot and West Falmouth, Mass., playing the down east coun- try during the oummer months and hopping here for the winter sea- son. Last year they came Into the Maryland theatre here under a two- weelc agreement and flnished by making It a season of 11 weeks. What sent them across thei line last season was 'Lysistrata' and a,, switch to a ibuck top, running down to four-bits in the top pews. This year they are coming in oh a six-week minimum plan and starting from the gone with the one bill tariff. They have also reorgan- ized their Internal hookup as to the payoff. Last season It was largely a commonwealth arrangement, the members of the company drawing down what Is known as a nominal minimum, while the organization paid for the. board a.n<\ lodging. This year the coat draws a regular salary and people pay for their own beds and coffeei. And it'll probably work out that the upkeep cost will be less than under the other. arrangement. ' Another new Idea this season Is the importation of known stage names to lend a New York flavor to the productions. Thus, the cur- rent show is headed by Goeffrey Kerr and Bdlth Barrett It was for these names that the group flwitched its opening plans, starting, with the known 'There's 'Always Juliet* rather than the new 'Carry Nation.' Figured that the new play meant nothing, while the hit John Van Druten play and the new featured players lived up to the advance promises, of the company and would send the season off with a happy boxofllce. 'Carry Nation' will be next week's production. Arthur Beckhard, producer of 'Another Language' is associated in an Indirect way With this stock group. From appearances Beck- hard will utilize this town and com- pany as a try-out <>rganIzatIon, both for plays and players. The tag of his name on the programs has the tendency to give some sort of lustre to the stock group. The . switch of the name from University Players to Theatre Unit is obviously an improvement, that university label having too ama- teurish a flavor. From the current 'Juliet' play there's little that can be learned or seen about the acting ability of the group, since the play . Is a four-per- soh affair, of those, two main parts are taken by Kerr and Barrett, while the remaining two portions are hardly more than bits in com- parison. One thing, however. Is certainly evident from the Initial piece. That is, that this plays are getting good productions. This play was put on extremely well, and If the future pieces stick at that level, the com- ments will be good. Direction was by Bretalgne WIndust and suited the play's froth admirably. Other listed director with the group Is Joshua Lockwood Logan, while the head producer Is Charles Crane Leatherbee. Art director, Eliza- beth Higglns Sullivan, scenic direc- tor, Charles Norrls Houghton and technical director, Walter Krlmont, / Big worry now Is business and Elmer Rioe has here fashioned a not very interesting comedy around another figure of the literati, this time a first-rate literary blackguard etched in relief against his prosper- ous hum-drum American middle- class family. The play may and probably does represent much pro- found observation of the writing genus, but it works out as thin en- tertainment, altogether lacking In the color that made .'The Left Bank' sparkle.. ■ In a week that divides attention among some half a dozen varied newcomers to the Broadway theatre list, its pro-spects are rather un- promising. One isn't always sure at whom the satirical darts are aimed, whether at the temperamental gen- ius and his Inglorious amours, or at the stolid relations whom he so completely hoodwinks. Maybe the spoof goes double, which doesn't cure the situation, since one. doesn't know which side to laugh at, and that doesn't make it any easier for the casual theatre-goer. One con- stantly has the feeling that there may be some substance beneath the surface of the play that one is too obtuse to understand. Perhaps the author hasn't anything up his sleeve at all, but the sense that he may have is irksome. 'Buddy' Porter, bad boy of the family, suddenly turns up In the prosperous home of his parents after seven years of vagabondage, accompanied by Kitty Lloyd, an- other man's wife, but his compan- ion, to the consternation of his dot- ing mother and the fury of his re- spectably affluent father. He is about to be ejected, when It is ac- cidentally disclosed that under an unrecognized pen name he Is a per- sonage In the literary world, and the family makes him welcome. Com- fortably ensconsed at home, this black sheep goes upon a career of romantic, hi-jacking, starting with the family housemaid and reaching a climax in a near-elopemMit with his brother's fiancee, the while his fluttering mother and his compla- cent father encourage him In his seeming intent to reform and 'settle down.' In all these adventures, Kitty, a capable person and his only steady- ing Influence, strives to get him away, partly because she loves him in a surly sort of way and partly because she sees that the soft liv- ing of his easy, sponging life will mean the destruction of his writing talent. In the end, she jockeys him off half across the world, just In time to save him from an entangle- ment with his brother's betrothed and a general smash-up. The only admirable person In the whole menagerie is Kitty, who is naturally looked down upon by everybody in this self-righteous cir- cle. Rather a terrifying person, this Kitty, and the audience doesn't re- gard her untidy person with any special friendliness either.. Indeed there isn't anybody in the play's personnel that one can really feel drawn to. Certainly not to its hero, who Is very objectionable iiideed. Perhaps the play never should have been staged at all, but left to a printed version in which the au- thor could have developed his nu- cleus Of an idea more clearly. As a pla:y It's definitely dull and not un- derstandable. , Play's defects can't be blamed upon the acting, although the per- formance is Indifferent in this re- spect, with the single exception of the mother role played by Jean Adalre in an agreeable comedy The phoniest French comedy In seasons and can't last. Author is unfamiliar and may be a phoney name, too. Tust possible that 'Peacock' is one of the score ot foreign plays that the Shubferts announced early last Season, just before they slipped into receivership. But when that In- evitable phenomena occurred, the receivers threw back some theatres to the Shuberts personally. The 49 ih Street is one of that group. To make the small house pay has always been a problem, being squeezed in somehow next to a chui-ch at a time when the Shu- berts went on. a building spree. De- spite the action of the receivers the program states that the Shubert Thea:tre Corporation Is the lessee, < when as a matter of fact it Is one of those theatres which the Shu- berts ha:ve to worry about on their own. • . 'Peacock' Is a one-set, short-cast affair with ■ a worn-out French diplomat - dilettante the central figure. For It George Fawcett comes back from the coast, a mistake on his part. . Roger De Brulard Is 111 and broke in his homeii ah hour awa-" from Paris. ' His grand- daughter comes upon some lettera written years before by three' of his former sweethearts, two of whom are married andi settled down and the other, about to follow their example. *■ The girl politely suggests they come to the old bOy's aid on the grounds of the good old days. The A.K.'s promptly arrive, assumlhg It Is a form of blackmail which they cannot ignore. A tidy, purse is raised among them^ the girl telling the old boy It Is part payment from a defunct bank. He offa to Paris to see a specialist. Instead he goes to his former favorite cafe, spends tho night In the old manner and ar- rives back In the company of th« 'toast of Paris,' who discreetly scrams. Some big shots from the foreign ofllce had been In the cafe and good news comes that Instead of Brulard being shelved, he Is ap- pointed to Syria. Not a laugh In this comedy. Just wasted effort all around. Reports are that Fawcett bad his own money invested, the Shubetts be- ing In but the receivership not in- terested, nee. IShow closed Saturday. Review, la printed for the record'] Peaoe in Buffalo Buffalo, Oct. 17, Erlahger, this week settled Hi three-month controversy with the musicians.' It will resume legitimate attrac- tions Oct. 31, opening with 'Choco- late soldier.' from indications the start is no better than fair. The competlsh currently from Ed Wynn's 'Laugh Parade' and the 'Pa.sslon Play' may I figure. ml QIC during the De- presslon as now, LIFE INSURANCE was mag- nificently "standing up" like a lone tall tower unscathed in a tornadoed town. And the panic passed!—as panics always do. In these seasons of shrin kage in values and securities, LIFE INSURANCE is about the only thing a man possesses which lis worth as muoh as It was a little while ago. Real Estate has de- preciated, stocks are in an abyss, bonds have shrunk, commercial goods of every sort are at ebb prices. BUT the holder of a LIFE POLICY in any statadard Company, whether the face value be $1,000 or $50,000 Is serene in the knowledge that the sum called for will be paid as sooh as the policy is due. Of what other earthly property can this be said today? For. further information see JOHN J. Established 1910 S51 Fifth Ave. N. Y. C. Phones: Murray Hill 2-7838-7839