Variety (Nov 1932)

CabU AddraMj TABDCTZ. XOMDON, TMwto Bmr SOU-OMt * ^ ' ^ _1 CaM* AMNMt VABUnWS, rABU, JIMMM 7£-«4 Austria Calls on Radio to Save Its State Stage From Bankruptcy Vienna, Nov. 3. Austrian ofDclaldom is calline: on radio to help save the state thea- tre and opera. Dr. Ramek, president of the par- liament, has worked out a plan aq- cordingr to -which he hopes to elim- inate the increaslns deflcit of the state theatres. His idea is to let Ravag, the Austrian broadcasting company, pay for these other state amusement institutions. He would increase the radio subscription about 4c for every subscriber. The money thus obtained, he figurea, would amply make up the deficit In the theatres. Such an arrangement would en- able the Ravag to give a much bet- ter broadcasting program by giv- ing frequent reproductions of opera, etc., performances. Thiis, again, is calculated to Increase the number of subscribers. Something must be done about the state theatres, for they can't, go on cutting salaries to good purpose much longer, and the Ramek plan seems tlie most ade- quate. Austria's state theatres, the opera, the Burgtheater and the Akademie- tbjeater, are In flnancial straits. For the third time la the course of this year, a cut in actors' and other per- sonnel's salaries has been decided upon in order to balance matters. Saving would .be 160,000 schillings during November and December. - .All .the ^employes are protesting violently, asalnst the latest cut and refuse to accept it, but have no . means they can use against the management's decision. Play Boosts Resort Vienna, Nov. 0. At the Booth performance of •White Horse Inn,' one of the btg-. geet hits Vienna has known for years, the mayor of St. Wolfgang, mountain reisort, came to Vienna to expresfs the town's gfratitude for the publicity given it by the, play. St. Wolfgang is the locale of 'White Horse Inn' and the major says foreign visitors' number has more than doubled during the run of the play; Hans Muller, librettist of 'White Horse' is at work on a sequel. SOLVENT VIENNA MGRS. BOYCOn BROKE COOPS Vienna, Nov. 9. Burgertheater, broke, went co-op soine weeks ago. . The Association of Theiatre ^oducers now entered a Aght against the increasing practice of bankrupt companies go- ing on a cooperative basla. They say it Isn't .fair on other producers who are still trying to pay their liabilities. Having no other weapon, Prn- ducers* Association made an agrees ment with playbrdkers and agents who. will not give cooperating com- panies any plays. Bugertheatre has had to go dark on this ac-. count. BAOIPE IS HUSK BY LAW-iN CANADA Ottawa, Nov. 21. ' The Domiiiion Ooverment has oC- .flclaUy i^ed that a. l>agplpe is a musical instrument. , ; In dealing; :With tariff - revisions under' the Anglo-Canadian' Trade Treaty resulting from the Imperial Economic Conference, Parliament placed the Scottish wlndba«r under tlie heading of 'muslcaMnstramentfl' In the schedule of. duties and, as such, it was added to the articles admitted into the Dominion duty fi-ee. If imported from countries other thau the United Kingdom, an Increased rate win be pald^ the in- feretacd bein^r that a b«gplpe is Scottish or nothing. 'I am glad to see this noble in strument flnally recognized as a musical ' Instrument,' declared Thomas R^ld, • member of Parlia- ment for New Westminster, point Ing out there -were 50 military pipe bands in Canada and more than 1,000 pipers. With instruments duty- free, he hoped and expected there would be more 'snake charmers.' Hon". B. N. Rhodes, minister of finance, suggested that bagpipes should be listed as. "reid' instru- ments In honor of the member from New Wesmlnster. 2 Quick London Flops Iiondon, Nov. 21. Two quick fold-ups here Satur day night (10). 'Philomel' at the Ambassadors had played 18 days. 'Follow Me* at the Westminster leuited only one week. Walk a Little Faster .(Continued from page SO) goes over big. 'Scamp of the Cam- pua* found her at her 1>est. But she Is shining .whatever she does.. There are other fine numbers. Bernice CbUre and girls score in "Time and Tide'; Miss Claire sings nicely with. John Hundley. *Where Have Wq .Met Before,' Pave and Dprothy Fltzglbboh tap out new. and intricate steps; and the Basch las-' sies are charming and agile in 'Caini Can' and . .'A Penny, for Tour Thoughts.' There c^e others, but when it it over, one recalls that B.^e Lilllle is, while not the wiiple show, at least nve-eighths of it; The revue will, remain through this week, for drastic tallorine:. Then it takes its chances^r-and they, look mighty good, for "Walk a Little Faster' can be develoi>ed into big box office. . liibbey, FOLIES BERGERE BLAH Paris Standby la Unimportant and No Help to Dull Trade Paris, Nov. 81. . New'Folies Bergere opening isn't important news to anybody. It's a cheap, unimportant show and doesn't rank with the. past per- formances at the theatre, even in thought. Legit conditions in Paris at' the moment are none too healthy, and this revue won't help matters. REINHARDT OUT OF LAST STAND London Show World liohdon, Nov. 12, Five openings in current week have kept both first nlghters busy. Tuesday's show, 'Springtime for Henry,' at the ApOllo, Is the Benn Levy comedy -which did good busi- ness in New York and the Coast, now getting its first presentation here. It should run three or four months, with heavy do-wnstairs support. Vienna, Nov, 9. Max Reinliardt, only a few years ago prince of liroducers, has l>een compelled by clrcumstanoes to give up the lease of one theatre after another in Berlin and Vienna. Siegfried Geyer, manager of iRelnhardt's last stronghold, the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna, is negotiating for the lease of this famous stage. Of course Relnhardt continues di- recting as l^efore, and also takes an occasional shot at producing/ In his former theatres which are, all in the hands of friends iand. former collaborators. Financial; difficulties set in after the death of his. I^rother, Edmund Relnhardt,, who malntiged all Max' business aftairs ajxd a large sum was spent- on Reln- hardt's divorce from ^Ise Helms, World Stage Rep. ■».' . the Vienna, Nov. Schneiderhan, manager of state's Burgtheatre, la startling on a series of productions of represen- tative dramatio ^orks of 14 nations, They are to be produced at fort- nightly intervals during the pres- ent season. *rhe first one^ Is to be an'Austrian historical ploy . ' by' QHlIpaxzer. American drama wUI be re]presented by one of O'Neill's plays, probably 'Emperor Joiies.* BRIEF MOMENT Pasadena, Nov. 16. — Presented by the Piiaadeiia Commanlty Players at Ita own theatre.'. By S. N. Behr- man, Dlreoted by Harrison Ford under supervision of Gllmor Brown, lilttie the- at(* production 'at $1 top. Roderick t>eao..>..'. Harrison Ford Harold Slerlft,...Ralph Freud Katbryn Dean...;.u....Madeleine Holmes Manny -Walsh.,.'.,.' Booth Howard Ahby Fane,, : Sharon Lynne SeiKel -Voloschyn Leonid KInskey Caas Worthing Gene Oowlng Trent ^.i Frank Dawson sional debut, aa sister of the leiading man, had little to do. Booth Howard, as a gangster leader,, and Qene Gbwing, as a wealthy polo player| are skilfully cast. Story tells of a night-club singer who passes up a chance to. marry the underworld Idng for a soft but highly cultured man' of wealth whose hobby is the theatre. Tlie singer is too vital for-the Jaded, dis- illusioned set of her; husband, aind she finds her chief interest in col lecting celebrities for her dinner parties. Gowing, an old fiame, comes baok into her life, and she finds herself unable to resist him. In a quarrel with her husband, she leaves, and tbe affair makes the tabloid front pages. After three weeks, she re- turns. Is forgiven, aiid the couple start life again by deciding to take a trip to Russia. M. T. P£ HAAN DIES , The Hague, Nov. 12. M. J. de Haan, Dutch impresario died here in his 62nd year. He promoted Dutch tours of Percy Grainger, Mlscha Elman, Albert . Spalding, Pablo Casals and ran the German cabaret of Oskar von Ple- Utz. Before the war, he handled the presentation in Holland of 'The Merry Widow' by Lehar. Kalman's ASOfiOO Performanees Vienna, Nov. On the occasion of Emerlch Kal- man's 50th birthday, one newspaper quotes statistics of the number of performances of Kalman operettas in 26 years. 'Czardas Princess' is top with M,009 perfomiahces all over the world, 'Countess Maritza' comes next with 27,000. Other attractions make up a tOtt^i_ of 160,000 per- formances. Chosen as the first production to be sponsored and booked by the newly - formed Theatre League, 'Brief Moment' was accepted as an Interesting and diverting study In modern manners by the Pasadena carriage trade. When the play reaches the sticks, It may prove a puzzle to the natives unless the league has attracted the upper crust in those spots as Its members. i>lay has been given a neat pro ductlon, with Sharon Lynne lavish on her wardrobe outlay. This, and the play's catering to the sophist! cated and cultured, should launch the Theatre League with sufficient prestige. Production coat about $1,600 Players go on salary the first date after the Pasadena showing, where It Is scheduled for two weeks, and then It is problematical as to how they win fare, Harrison Ford as the mlld-tem pered; wealthy and introspective lover was suitably cast He had few scenes calling for anything more difficult than lighting a clgaret. When dramatic scenes did occur. Ford lacked force and sincerity. On the straight dialog, which comprises most of the play. Ford was satlS' factory. Miss Lynne has color and frer sonal appeal that fit her part of a torch singer who marries money. Ralph Freud, cynical, friend of Ford, earned applause at nearly every one of his exits. Freud spent most of his time lying on a couch and brilliantly satirizing life. Audi ence ate this up. Leonid Ktnskey, as a Soviet film director, limned the comedy part excellently. Madeleine Holmes, daughter of Taylor Holmes, making her profes Play After Film ••Tonight or Never' flnally reached the legit stage here at the. Duke of York's, Nov. 10, although the Gloria Swanson fllmi^tlon has had its innings. And what a cast! Peggy Woodi prima donna, looks young- er and prettier than ever; Basil Rathbone as the Impresario; Ken- neth. Kent the pianist; Eva Mobre the Marchesa. A delightful! per- formance; ' The Enolish Way < Not only the theatrical news- hounds, but the flnancial writers on the London dailies were put upon their respective carpets, and asked how they muffed the buying' in on Moss Empires by Gaumont-Brltlsh. Even the Dally Express, owned In the main by Lord Be'averbrook, one of the principals in the deal, wasn't let in on the, story. Three Plays End Three shows closed Nov. 6. At the Gaiety, 'After Dinner,' after backstage squabbles, and. despite rumors of amalgamation with an- other show; the Soviet play at the Garrlck, 'The Bear Dances,' after 10 days; and 'My Hat,' Mark Swan's 'She Walked in Her Sleep,' after just as short a run at the New. fering £200,000. It looked like the theatre was going to change hands for the latter figurie, but with United Artists playing previews there, the grosses jumped to such an extent the receiver bectime independent, figuring how the house was making profit a waiting policy for selling should be adopted. Theatre cosj around £ 450,000 to build. Store for'Ballerina' lAdy Eleanor Smith's 'Ballerina' is being adapted for the stage, John Murray Anderson is just back from the Contliient, and has con- ferred with Franz Lehar to do the score. Idea Is to turn book into dramatic play with symphonic score, and introduce a ballet on a very large scale, with Elizabeth Bergner, the big German star, in the chief role. Falling to -get Bergner, And-, erson figures he. could have songs interpolated Into the sho- - and get Gitta Alper to play lead. Which- ever way It is decided to do the book, it will be on a massive scale. The man behind this venture Is TonI Paanakker, wealthy Dutchman. •The Tempest,' UFA-Jannlngs latest; goes into the Rialto for. sec- ond run. Billy Stewart^ who ably manages- this house for Universal, was in Germany, recently, trying to get- this picture. He bad practically settled, when Gaumont-Brltlsh put one over on him, resulting in pic- ture going into the Marble Arch Pavilion, a Gaumont-Brltlsh house. picture stayed for two weeks, failing to hold up. . From the German Edward LauriUard. definitely pro- ducing .'Business with America,' from the German, as soon as.he can get a theatre. 'WiUiafn MoULson will do the producing, and addi- tion t6 the cast is Mary Glynne. Anthony Prinsep is behind this ven- ture. ^P** Dominion Sold The Dorhlnlon theatre, which has been a white elephant since it opened, has been disposed of by the receiver for £250,000 to Gaumont- Brltlsh. This makes the sixth thea- tre in the West End bwned by Qaumont-Britlsh. Understood A. E. Abrahams was another dickering for the purchase of the Dominion, with the receiver asking £300,000, and Abrahams of- showi the predominating colors of orchid, green .and lavender failing entirely to harmonize with.cos- tumes. Stage was pretty small for some of the group scenes when en- semble and cast trod on each others toes. Karl Hajos'produced, staged and directed orchestra for opening. He bows 6u£ as conductor after few. days with Max Dolln taking the baton. Orchestra of 27 pieces was excellent^ handling the Lehar score in nice fashion. Bock. MERRY WIDOW (REVIVAL) San Francisco. Nov. IT. First of a oerle* ot operetta revivals at Hrlanser'a Colnmbla. Baa ftMcisoo. Pro- duced and staged by Karl Ha)M, also conduotln?. .• Uoslcal number* by Harold Hecfat, Revtsemeitt of book, additional lyrica and dlal(« dlrectloa by J. . Keim Brennao. Cast: Itutb QlUetta, Alex Cal- lura, Florlnne UcKlnney, Herbert Bvans, Roland -Woodruff, FrankUa Becord, Wil- liam Jeffrey, Diane -WarfleM, Paul Sautor, Rollo Diz, Harold Beeves. Eva CunnlnS' ham, Don Julian aB|l Marjoria, Joba Cani' eron, .Emily Hardy. At 12 top Ralph Pincos and J. J. Oottlobb are reviving a projected series of operettas, first of which is the current 'Merry 'Widow.' The perennial Franz Lehar show is nicely staged and produced, well cast, and apparently more appro elated than last yeu'a similar ef fort at the Geary where three shows were done to fair buslnesa . One of 'Widow's' outstanding fea tures is its cast -with Ruth Gillette, Alex Galium, Florlnne McKinney. Herbert Evans and Roland Wood ruff contributing stellar work. For mer two, in the leads, copped plenty of honors for voice and appearance, lacking only the waltzing ability, that; had. tt been preaent, would have given sock to the production. Franklin Record doing de JoUldon was weakest of the leads, display Ing an okay voices but failing to click in his spoken passages. AH femmes of east, particularly prin- cipals, are lookers, Mies Gillette being a. statuesque blonde whose appearance was equal to that of Galium aa male lead. Show was alow, opeolnv ntgfat, Gntre'aeta belnjr ^uch too long. Scenery -was wealfiest element In the ROOKERY NOOK Toront<>, Nov. 16. finish farca la three acta by Ben Travers. Produced and directed by Jack maater. At -the Royal Alexandra Thea- tre, $2.00 top. Gertrude Twine ....Alleen EtUnger Mr*. Leverett. Frances Davie Harold Twine Kovan Bernard Clive Fopkisa.. Jock Minster Gerald Fopktas.......^..... .-William Daunt Rboda Marley Madeline Gibson Puts.... Frederick -Victor Admiral Juddy Edward Fetley TovPT Diekley... • Erica Faster Cnora Fopkisa >...» Ijena Anderson Mrs. Possett... Elsie Gouldin? Show for Arnaud While in Paris recently, Hugh Mc- Lellan bought the English rights of a new play for Yvpnne Arnaud, Une Femnie Ravle,' by Louis V^r- neuil, how running successfully at the Theatre de Paris. The English adaptation is being, made by Harry Graham. Now Terry Piece 'Philomel,' the airy musical phan- tasy chosen' by Phyllis Nollson Terry to follow her recent appear- ance In 'Twelfth Night," has charmi, but little else. Ready for a 17-week8' trans-Can- ada tour, 'Rookery Nook' looks :ike a natural. Opened to a capacity house and got favorable audience response. Piece marks the debut of Jack Minster as an actor-producer, although the young Englishman Is well-known to Canadian theatre- goera, having been seen here in three former successes last season. The farce situations in 'Nook' are as old as this form of stage-writing but up-to-date dialog and modem mannerisms add new flavors even If the meat of the dish le the same. Piece deals with a young English newly-wed whose interfering sister- in-law believes that a country rest ia needed. The . Interfering s.iJ. takes a country cottage for him, ar- ranges that a male cousin will keep him compangr until the arrival of the bride, and hires a housekeeper by the day. Complications arise when a young girl, eivtcted by an angry step-father, seeks shelter in the cottage, her sole garment a pair of dew-soaked pajamas. Piece reputedly ran 409 perform- ances at the Aldwych Theatre In London and company Is lagged the Aldwych Theatre Players. Played In a city where an English actor or author can do no wrong, excellent reception augurs well for the rest of the tour to the Canadian Paolflc Coast Pace is well-sustained throughout, stage business comes off nicely, company Is well-balanced and pro- duction nicely mounted. McStdjf, MauQham's New Play The dally press dramatic critics seem to be - unanimously of the opinion that Somerset Maugham's newest play, 'For Services Ren- dered,' is a masterpiece. Then they explain that .the theme of the play is too starkly realistic and set in altogether too pessimistic a key. . There is tiot a note of comedy, and the very fact that it is so briUiahtly acted makes it all the more har- rowing. It is not likely to pay heavy dividends. Understood here Sam H. Harris Is coming over shortly to see It, with a view to American production. Before the show opened the re- port was circulated that this was to be Maugham's swan song as a dramatist. The day after produc- tion there appeared In one of the afternoon papers an interview with Maugham In which he said he thought he would do Just onie more play. Studio-Stage Divorce British Equity Is making a direet drive at the 'closed shop' here. While the reputable legit man- agements are not averse to such an arrangement, they have sug- gested a clause to the effect that actors playing at theatres shall not appear In pictures at the same time. They argue that actors cannot give their best at the theatres after wi day in the studio. 'Words and Mueic' in N. Y. Negotiations are in progress for Charles Cochran to present "Words and Music* in New York at the Ne-w: Amsterdam -with the original AdeW' phi cast, next April. Glenn Ellyn a 'Find' Luclen Samett'a 'All for Joy.* at the Piccadilly, is the first attempt to play twice nightly musicals in the West End at popular ' prioea. Show opened Oct. 28, and waa atf near a fiasco as anything that ever ventured in the West Elnd. Show is plotless, tuneless and lu»> morless. Samett's idea of playing' these things for a fortnight and tbea disposing of them for a tour of Nou 2 towns Is good, as there is a di»- tinct shortage of musicals for these towns. But he will have tp get beW ter shows, . However, one thing this show kaa done. It has. given Olena BUyn, ait Ameiicaji dancer over here, a chanoe to Nveal her abilities aa an ac- tress. Policy at Vaudeville Policy at the Vaudeville theatre, the latest West End house to go oon- tinuous. will now be to change the acts every week and the spectacular scenes every fortnight. Originally scenes were intended for monthly changes, but manage- ment has had complaints from pa- trons claiming they did not expeot to see the same shows there for runs, which looks like house is es^ tabllshJjig regular clientele.