Variety (Dec 1932)

46 VARIETY ^ LECITIMATC TMsday, Decenber 20, 1932 Plays on Broadway BIOGRAPHY I unip.ly In ilui-i- lu ls. I'rcseiiloil at the CulM Dec. 12 by the Thi ntrc CiulUl. >\ rll- ten by S. N. Uchrmftn. Stngetl by Vhlllp Rlchird Kurt Kftrle L«rlmore jflnnie Helen SiiUnger Melchlor F.ydak Arnold KorlT Marlon Kromlc V Lenn.lrr Nolnn Jav F"?ae" Warwick Wilson Ale::nn<ler Clark Orrln KlnnUotl Charles Rlchman Slade Klnnlcott Mary Arbcnz Theatre Guild's second attraction this season should go well beyond the subscription period with profit- able results. 'Ihci Guild has nrossntpd two of S. N. Behrman's comedies, 'Meteor' and 'The Second Man,' the latter the more diverting. His 'Biography' Is comparable to that work. Its conversations are tooled with spar- kling wordage, and that is the au- thor's forte, more so in this play because the characters are not after Hollywood. Way had been prepared by Feydak, a Viennese composer, engaged by a picture magnate, who thought the man was his once famous brother, Victor FeyUak. The deceased Vicky had been Marion's best friend abroad. The Feydak incident is the author's gentle slap at Hollywood's over- lords. Ina Claire returns to Broadway as Marion, making that character the most authentic and by far the most enjoyable. Miss Claire Is ad- mirably suited to the part, giving it lightness and yet warmth. Her Idea of an artist caring little for the conventions, but not as profli- gate with her favors as reported In the home town, is fine playing. The spice of the performance, however, is Injected by Earl Larl- more, whose excellent makeup strengthen the youth of Kurt. He is belligerently radical, wanting to tear down something or everything. Marlon sends him away, knowing SEA WIFE Mlnnett^polls, Dec. 16. sharply etched. ., Dialog so much supersedes plot ghe would break down the very that It seemed the ending had to be thing that made her love him hastened and the several principals others in the excellent cast are left in a rather nebulous status. Arnold Korff the Viennese, Helen Good acting, however, glossed over Salinger aa Marlon's ample German much of the story weakness. Plenty maid, Charles Rlchman as the windy of lines stirred lauThter, the comedy publisher. Jay Faasett as Bunny, content being liberal, but not a few Mary Arbenz as Bunny's modern- giggles were lost to those in the minded fiancee, and Alexander Clark rear of the Guild house. First night- as a picture idol, ers may be blamed, but the fault 'Biography' should do very well probably was the low pitch of the | for the Guild. Ibee. stage voices. Scene is within the rather clut- tered studio in New York of Marlon RED PLANET Froude (Marianne to her Continent- - m. manA^m^m al friend), a portrait painter who Droma in three acts presented at the ha a 'Anna' St flnpk of titled Euro- M^"'''' ^^c. 17, by Laurence Rivera, Inc.; has done \ »°CK or uiiea riUiu ^ BaMeraton and J. B. peans. It Is hinted that she had had Hoare. affairs with most of her subjects, nay Fanshawe Bramwell Fletcher Tales of Marion's sprightly career Admiral Battewby, K.C.B. .Eugene Powers drifted home to-Louisville and from Mary' FaMh;We::.\\".\\\\„Va'^^^^ there comes an unexpected visitor, Maid Madeiaine Vaughn Leander Nolan, who was 'Bunny' John Morriaon Percy Moore ♦^Tw Af vnr« ^ ^' Randoll, P.C..Richard Whorf to nei or yore. SecreUry WaUace Wlddecoihbe Marlon had given herself to nun- i^^d Chancellor Thomas Louden ny and then scooted to New York Prime Minister... Oswald Torke anti nvap thf> nond Althoueh now a sir James Valentine ..Louis Hector ana ov®5„l"5 P^JV*-. ^""^^ count Do Relnach "Walter Armln fellow somewhat Inflated witn nis unton rod waller success as a lawyer and a candidate Archbishop Leonard wiiiey for the Senate, Bunny expresses a Joe v; **"^ Si?°" deep affection for her. . -ckiderV. V.V.V.V.V.-.hX° nS'rbl^^^ While sitting for his portrait' Nolan learns that she Is to write her biography, a commission from ^ disappointment and a costly the belligerent Richard Kurt, editor one. Coming from the sponsor of of a weekly magazine. Fearing men- 'The Green Pabtures,' the new play tl9n of their aff^l^^j'eht Impair expected to be unusual. It is, political chances,-Nolan tries to per- , ^, , Buade Marlon not to set forth her but being largely sermonlstic. Is memoirs. Unsuccessful, he then ap- °^ sticking, peals to Orrin Klnnlcott, powerful , «ed Planet' was rather an Intel publisher to whose daughter he Is lectual mystery play for most of the engaged. The pompous Klnnlcott distance. It is nearly all British promptly dates up the charming and acted by English players for the artist. First he had contacted the "nost Part One of Its authors wrote publisher of Kurt's magazine, and in 'Berkeley Square' and while It was a resulting row over the intended difficult to tell what that was all biography the latter told the mag's about, the play struck the Amerl- owner to go to hell. ^an fancy through Its presentation In the end Marlon destroys her and playing. 'Planet* too Is obscure script. Nolan Is not all stuffed and the authors failed to clarify shirt, asking her to wed him, very their Jilay, although they promised willing to break his engagement to do so. with the other girl. But Marion has There Is "a certain novelty con other Ideas. For one thing, she Is In tent but It Is side-tracked In a wel love with Dickie (Kurt), despite at J ter of mixed Ideas and dialog, 35 she is 10 years his senior. But Science versus religion Is one theme, the affair ends before it starts, the Politics and religion Is another. The young man walking out when she practicability of communication ditches the book. I ^'th Mars Is made to seem possible And then the unexpected, as al- and then spoofed at ways with Marlon when things A young scientist and his wife looked the worst. She gets a mes- have contrived a radio sending set sage from the coast tq do portraits, which they believe has signalled the and plans to go on to the Orient red planet, Mars, and they also be- ' lldve that the Martians have replied. The couple are opposite In a re- ligious sense, she being devout and he an atheist, A message comes from Mars starting with scientific matter, then switching to sayings dating back to Christ The husttand cannot under stand that twist, but the wife eager ly adopts it and to an astounded world It Is Inferred that Christ Is on Mars, It Is believed that Mars is thou- sands of years ahead of the earth in development so the New Testa ment matter is less understandable, but it is supposed to transform the Play In two acta Adapted by Eva Le aaUlenne and Florida Frlebua from tiie story by Lewis Carroll. Production and direction. Hiss L« aallienne: music, Rich- ard Addlnsell; scenery and ooatunies de- algned, Irene Sharalt; heads, masKs and marionettes, Remo BufEano. ^At the Civic Repertory theatre as part of the current list of plays with a Wff cast inciudlng Josephine Hutchinson. Eva Le Galllenne, _A.fter witnessing 'Sea Wife,' It s^c'fi&uWBl'ph«m^^^^^^ seems obvious W Maxwell Ander Robert GoVdor :^^^ Herrick, Burgess son entrusted the premiere of his Meedlth, Sayre Crawley. Tonlo , Selwart, pi^y to a university producing group • As presented by the University of There is one thing to be said f^ tYinTCsIc'SSforSmrs^^ this kind of a play in the first ^j^^^ ^ ^ sombre tragedy un- place—whatever audience It at- doubtedly possessing considerable tracts is half or more sold before literary and dramatic merit, but not buying tickets. The rest ought to endowed with the Q^falitlM which ^ , , tr«-j o= +hc.* spell success In the commercial be easy; and Is. Hard as that ^^gj^j^g sort of statement Is for theatrical ^aj^ ^n an Island off the Maine minds to accept, 'Alice in Wonder- coast In the last century, the play land,' as produced by Eva Le Gal- has as its heroine a young wife who ,7 , Is sensitive, refined, the exact an- Uenne is a money play. tlthesls of the coarse, profane flsher Miss Le Galllenne seems to have folks, superstitious and Intolerant, gone to considerably more expense comprising the bulk of the remain- and effort with this one than is ing characters. She had deserted her usual. The production must have husband and disappeared. When, cost a pretty penny. But It's al- after three years, she returns, she most sure to have a successful run, tells a story of having mated with the sets and costumes will last for and borne two children for the fab- quite some time, and it will bring ulcus Sea King, head of the king- her Fourteenth Street Playhouse gom of mermen, water gods whom new adherents. the ignorant flsher folk believe to be This is a Lewis Carroll year, too, actualities and responsible for most which helps. Some sort of an- their women's moral derelictions niversary of the writer has been Qf all the flsher folk, her husband considerably publicized and there ^lone scoffs at the myth of the mer- are an unbelievably large number K^g^ jj^ endeavors to understand Alice ki Wondwland Plays Out of Town the longings which evidently have impelled her desertion and given birth to her fanciful tale. He at- tributes her condition to a. tern- of Carroll adherehts In this coun try. The first point to realize prob- ably is that it is not," as so many persons believe, a children's fairy H±;^ Tp'ii^X^^fhrJlueK 1 Por^ mental disorder, and he tries -i°tw ih«^f»^ nr th« h^^ki^ B!,t to ^^'^ her trouble by tender mln- «r« S«ntv nf «flnu« ^nroSfd 1^ Seeking to win her back irw\oTA"'a^°hari;Sf a^^^^^^ 'or he still loves her *^y«e"£^^°ll=r^^aptation If^^fZ-^VtlfJi^^^^^^^ and staging the acting might as <»mbined in the three long acts. The well be foriotten; It doesn't count. VO^ng wife and husband employ The production is a matter of blank verse to express their masks and staglhg. with all the thoughts and emotions, while the bows going that way. Josephine foul flsher folk talk in coarse prose Hutchinson as Alice is the only Much of the writing is beautiful, one who does any acting, and she's There is much stirring drama and quite fine. She is jUst about a per- colorful characterization and many feet Alice, for that matter, look- striking stage pictures. There is ing and acting the role. Nobody tender and gripping pathos, too. But else is seen by face, and nobody the play and its people lack the unl- else is on long enough for the pan- versal appeal and Interest necessary tomime to be much more than bit to find a large audience, work. Local critics read hidden mean Thing is in- only two acts, all the ings and symbolism into the play scene changing being accomplished and attributed to it a depth which via a panorama and a number of Anderson may never have Intended, platforms for props. Panorama is The playwright, in fact, simply de evidently wound up at both ex- I scribes his drama as a 'social sat tremes of the stage and moved for I ire' which 'depicts the efforts of a scene changing purposes, the plat- woman trying to live without ad form at the same time being hering to conventions switched. Sometimes also It be- In Its intelligent and artistic comes a regular panorama, moving I staging, direction and acting, the against the stage characters to de- I production would do credit to a pro note passage of space. In either fessional organization. A. Dale case It works rapidly and satis- Riley, head of the University of factorily and It does away with a Minnesota dramatic department, did lot of heavy scenery that would be himself proud. One of the play's necessitated otherwise. But the virtues is the acting opportunities producUpn must be a property contained in the heroine s role. As man s nightmare. ^ ^ , the young wife who lived in a dream Costumes all seem to be made in ^orld of myth, Ruth Dietrich played rubber and painted. They look very ^jth fine sensitiveness and under effective. Remo Buffano not only standing, displaying histrionic tal- tllf^ t^^^ J^Lin^^t*.^''\^t} e"ts which eventually should com- r„ ool'»r,'i^«Jf''T5i.a^*^*^^^^ notice In the professional £r\\Tp";orc*t1on'|°o?s t S^m h' JfJJ' ^er?\hose'*"of J^^^'S^^^tl the stagers and scenic folks cimlng t^^^Zff %M^Lr mh^,. ^i^hir^ right next and actors last. With the exception, of course, of Miss ?fth« 22;person cast ^m^^^^ Hutchinson, who has n4ver done Include Sam Mlrvlss .ind Melva as flne a piece of acting. And with "^""^ .^ , , . , ^ the exception also of the Richard P'^^- '^^.'oh^ received much Addlnsell, who supplied an excep- newspaper publicity and attention tlonally flne musical score which, here, ran flve nights. When caught with sharpening and outlining, on the fourth night, with the tern- could stand on its own aa a musical Perature well below zero, the 600 composition. Kauf I seat theatre was nearly filled. Rees attempt to retire for the night wltl\ the hero trying so linsuccessfully to combat draughts, a hard floor, a, smoky fireplace, and the traditional, English chivalry that shrinks fronx. any compromising, situation. It is here that the monocled WIU liam Daunt brings magnificent: comic powers to a sympathetic role that is fully understood by a Cana-« dian audience now wallowing in a sentimental sea of Inter-Emplre mutual appreciation of anything that Is British. The piece Is at- tractively mounted, the dialog has a Wodehouse flavor, action is brisk when the British m.p. and the wife of the hero unexpectedly appear on the scene. Interpretations of typical English rustic characters are faultless with honors going to Frances Davie as the keeper ot the inn, Edward Pet- ley as the bar-tender, and Frederick Victor as the smocked English villager. Piece' should have no dlfflculty in getting < over in the West. In its favor, there is little competition In the wheat belt where drama-lovers are starving. That the Aldwych Theatre Players were called back to Toronto on such short notice is sulllcient Indication that this company has Just as much an opportunity in the West with this offering as registered here. JUcStay. PYGMALION Beverly Hills, Dec. 12. Produced by Little Theatre of Beverly Hills frr Professionals at Hawthorna Auditorium. Play by Qeorge Bernard Shaw. Directed by Oliver Hlnsdell. Cost Included Constance Delghton Simpson, Adele St. Maur, Charles Carroll, Martha Sleeper, Crauford Kent, Walter Uyron, Maldena Armstrong, Ferdinand Munler, Mary Forbes and Carlotta Hammer. *0 NON-SMARTING TEARPROOF ^ayhelline Here's what you've been wanting — for off stage' end on, A real eyelash darkener; one that goes on right the first time and { that won't run, smear or smart with tears or per- .„ — v. ^..^ spiration. Positively non-imaftingI The most K^orj^j One message revealing that popu ar mascara with the profession. Perfectly ,, v,„ „v,.„i_,»j harmless. Try the NEW Maybelline. Black or ^11 power can be obtained from Brown, 75c at any toilet goods counter. cosmic radiation, destroys the fi- nancial structure of all countries. An admonition to 'clothe the needy, feed the hungry, rouses the British .EYELASH BEAUTIFIER I prime mlnlstei to declare for the golden rule, superseding the gold standard. That brings about the panic of all panics. The scientist is ordered to con tact Mars again, but there are no replies. Solution comes when a little old man comes to the laboratory and proves the whole thing had been a Iioax. He had a similar radio set in the Alps. Being embittered through hardship and cruelties, he lilaniied to get even with the world It was ho who sent the messages .tiupposeclly coming from the red planet. The wife fearful that the revelation will bring about more misery th.m ever and convinced that tlie golden rule was retrievinp till peoples, blows up a hydrogen tanJc, dying with the evil genius and her husband 'Red Planet* played out of town dates wliirli ate up considerable money. It Is a fantastic affair upon •vlilch too much energy was ex- >"nded. Ibee. '^MISSING FRIENDS" To BTJBY OWEN, formerly BUBY BI.ACKLEDOK, formerly of United States of America, London and Aus- tralia, but now ot parts unknown, Actress TAKE NOTICE that your husband HABOU) B IS Y NO D 8 OWEN formerly of London, but now resident In Victoria, Australia, Actor, has commenced proceedings annlnst you for divorce on the ground of desertion. Unless you enter an Ap- pearance In the orflce of the Pro- thonotary of the Supremo Court of the State of VIctorl.i. A u.-<li:ilia, In Melbourne. In thn filiitn of Vlrlorln, on or before the Twoiily-lirst <\r\y of March, lOan, tli« suit may prorocil In your absence. Mclnerney and Williams, 90 Queen Street, Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Australia, So- licitors for the Petitionrr. Future Phys Cuckoo in the Nest Toronto, Dec. 14 English farce In .three acts by Ben i| «*- r>_„ c . : _ , T7. ,, ,. I Travers. Produced and directed by Jack Late One Evening,' English com- Minster. At the Royal Alexandra Theatre, edy by Audrey and Waveney Car- f.^"*' .^''p- ten. will be opened at the Plymouth, | a,ne:.\\\\\'.\:.\\ :.\ ;Aii?en'Et^i?g^^ Major Bone Jack Mlnstor t\i •! J B! it i I Barbara Wykeham Madeline Qlbson 'Veiled Eyes,' by Pat Keawiey, Gladys Bisie Gouiding has been bought for production by h^"'^^'' .:.:- v.-. ; •: Edward Petiey Carroll Sax. Rights to It were held' ^"^"^^ by David Belasco at his death. | Completing the eaatern half of 'The French Idea/ once consld- their tour with 'Rookery Nook,' the ered by Arthur Beckhard, will be Aldwych Theatre Players have put in rehearsal presently by Chas. I'eadled here 'Cuckoo in the Nest' Friedman and Ray Gallo. It's by western half of this English Produced chiefly to test Metro contract players or prospects, 'Pyg- malion' was given a nice produc- tion by the little theatre group. Acting, except In few Instances, was good, although Shaw's dialog In spots showed signs of age, and was trying to both cast and audience. Play was directed by Oliver Hlns- dell, who is in charge of Metro's talent school. Hlnsdell gave the show a professional touch, which in a community like Los Angeles supporting dozens of little theatre groups. Is necessary to get any notice. Although not as prolific as the Pasadena Community Play- house, the Beverly Hills group can challenge them through 'Pygmalion' for the attention of film people. Martha Sleeper, Metro contract player, had the chief part of the cockney flower girt transformed In six months to a lady. Miss Sleeper gave a flne performance, besides wearing some nifty clothes which seemed to Indicate the MGM ward- robe department was helping with the production. Actress overshadowed her lead- ing man, Walter Byfon, who was miscast. Byron looked too young and well dressed to play a sour bachelor and teacher of phonetics who doesn't care for the fair sex. He failed to lend the part reality. Ferdinand Munier, the cockney father of Miss Sleeper, took second honors In acting. Mary Forbes, as Mrs. Higgins, mother of the phon- etics teacher, also gave a good per- formince. Crauford Kent, as Byron's associate in instructing the flower girl, and Maldena Armstrong as Byron's housekeeper, turned In expert performances. It looked like part of the prolog and four acts of the Shavian drama had been cut out, and more modern dialog Inserted. Opening night proved a bigger event than expected, with more than half the large audience In evening dress. Shgw was well at- tended by picture people. Oscar Serlln and Allen Boretz. ENGAGEMENTS Eugenie Leontovltch, Moffatt Johnston, James Spottswood, Flor- ence Edney, Dennle Moore, William Drawley, Nat Brlggs, Ray Roberts, Granville Bates, Etlcnne Glradot, ■Twentieth Century.' Ann Pennington, Hal Skelly, 'Mel- company's trans-Canada hop. Both plays are Ben Travers farces that score on nonsensical absurdities. It is likely that 'Cucltoo' will be a holiday hold-over for another week before the English company Invades the Canadian west. Opening night had a nearly capacity house com posed of repeaters who had former- ly seen earlier in the season this company's 'Rookery Nook.' Story Is thin on plot-structure but it's mlrth-provoklng piece of riotou.s fun that taxes no intellect and ody.' Ursula Jeans, John Buckley, 'Late I "l^-kes for an evening in the theatre One Evening.' °° steady enjoyment. Revolves T _• -NT .r, T , around the escapades of a highly re- fnf ,'^J'??nl5^:^°"'^^'I spcctable English couple who I?e proceeding to a week-end- house .Girls In Uniform.' Hal Leroy, 'Forwaa-d March-.' party when their car breaks down near a village where the only hope of rest for the night Is in a single room at the 'Stag and Hunt' Inn. ■nM«. -n.^/no., «o.».«*4«., »To».. n««i ^'''^^ deals with the embarrass- Bido Dudley a«enting Late One ^ent of the couple who are married. Evening,' Sam T»ick company man- but not to each other, but second ^S*'"' ' act momte to a frol4« ssiiea tbe p»lr AHEAD AND BACK Annuities Explained Send for This New Booklet Life Annuities describes in sim- ple language the different kinds of Annuities issued by the com- pany I represent. Examples are Included, which Indicate how these various forms of guaran- teed Life Income meet the need of men and women in all walks of life. JOHH J. KEMP 551 Fifth Ave. N. Y. C. 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