Variety (Nov 1934)

I T I M A T C Tivnvao. in ,thre« acU and four «cpnc« t»y l/tllli^B Hcllinail t>r*iTeivtcil by Herinvn ehitnlln ftt M«xlne Kltiott's thMtre. K. v., Kov. 20. Staged by tha prortumr; —a»ta AUna nerni«tvln; |3.;iO top. Hi Ifn llurton. l.yiiiii- Kihlu-r lioia I'^inher.....i.....Jai;i|Ucllne itusliiiK Ca^|iacti|ik:J t'i........... Uarbara h*m] h 'KDaanttf WellM i\, 4;... i...; Barbara Bpals Wary Tllforil. .... .Florenca Mi-Ooc Karon Wright. .Katherlna Kmei y Mnrtlia Uobie Anno Uevcre liditor Joseph Card In Hob. it Kt-ilh Aeaiha,............... .Kilinonia Ni)llvy lira. Amkila fUWA. . «Kath«rln« i&mniei A Otioeanr JM#.i>>...^.. *.», *3acls Tjrl<?r Xo quibbling is possLbkf itbout thl« play; U'b a 8t»reftdld pl*ce 61 dfamaturEry with the added dlatlnc- tion or bcinir Rood theatre. U'b .'iiliiit drama, poBsihly too heavy for mcst purpo.s >.s but neverthfelesft pus.so.-scd of what it takes to get » l(l;\i.sant logil run In Now Yoi k. Tlure will be those to whmn the mil'joot mnttcr will sooin tlistasteful; mt'uy more will tooI it unpleasant. On the other hand the nndorcur- reiit whispcrinpr al i>ut the fact that thf play deals with homo.sexuallty will bring It a certain amount of ■boxolllce strength. I!y and larfff, the earnestness v.ith which It was produced and th»» hotie.sty with «rl)Ic|> it WAS written, cannot fall Lillian llellman In thi« play, fter llrst produced play, talfei up; th« matter of gIrI»" »<;hooU;from * re- verse 'Maedchen In iTnlform* anfle. In that latter piece the tnatteT waiB hanflled from the land point of clean children and nasty surround' InKs. In this newir piece It's ai nasty, psychopathic child and that ch!l(i's effect on a previously hajtpy ineft of Irarning. First .two acts are a study of that tliUd inA Ita effect. Third act, the only twie to'-which there can be any ftonevt objection, is noi ttiiUe in the iiiRie t«na» ftlid trfea to atraighten .PMi, two iefai ure aMw? aiji4 tlifrd i« Mhtimenit*!, INt also v«ttra 111 tluit it looks into the |i4tatii : whose livlM have been '■>irtiied» ■' ■ There's something deflnltely lbeh- Ish In the manner In which Miss He 11 man tackles her problem in,the tlr.'^t two actv |twl|il i fl ii (t p :fei tl » f c :ll>iiy of 'Ghosts.' • Martha Dobie and Karen Wright have been struggling for many year.s to build up their little private school for girls. They've gone with- out food and ccmfurts and are found, as the play opens, almost at their goal's end. There is one child in the school, Mary Tllford, who la a thorough brat. She lle.'^, terrorizes her companions, and stoops to almost anything to Uttaln her desires. When scolded •he manufactures a fainting spell. When iaughea out of that fh« runs away. ' ^'■ ■■-- ^^'^:V:v''•'v^^■;'>^■!■^ Back t the home of her doting grandmother she continues her work. She Invents a tale about the two femme teachers who run the schoolx. They're lovers, she tells grandmother. And proceeds to prove the He with more lies. The grundmother, at first unbelieving, is genuinely shocked ard moves into action. She apprises all the mothers. All the girls are with- dr.iwn. The two teachers are left alone in the bare rooms of their school. They try to protect them- selves, there Is nothing they can do. The Tllford girl's vicious tongue and mind are too much for them. They sue Mrs. Tilford for libel and lose the caae. They are left briinde4 wtmttMw their. Uvtes, : tl-;f;ir careera.their.'.tilfii' ;#ia;:t^lr ^Mttiitiona'.ruitied,'' There i« littit '«fl«|if»rinaliM pos- sible on a subject of thtbt iortr a happy ending is out oC the unes- Uon. Mia* Hellttian brings Iho grnn^mothei^ back fbr an apofotfy. She has found out it wasn't true. How can she rnake amends? There are no amends to make, Martha Dobie has committed suicide. Karon Wright haa sent her bethrohed, Joseph, away. How can there be restitution? Katherine looks pensively out of the window and says she doesn't know what restitution means. She'll go. on, on her own, trying to flght her ^ay but of the cobwebs. That ending doesn't quite fit. It ftpn't an honest as the rest of the i>lay. It's, perhaps, even more out- ttiteoUB than the title (a thoroughly ii|tfscusable pointing flnger) be- eatM0 it isn't at all necessary to lUtiiig Mra. Tllford back. It isn't iirejR n^iBMNMnri^ for iMif 5^ the^giris^ : |>08alt>fy If • a matt#r oi staging. Ikfr. Shwmlin has dohe a grand Job with the play, but he may have painted It just a bit too heavily. Jf he hadn't planted, urtne«»*i»sftrUy. th.- fact that one of the girls reailly is a .•suboon.sclonH honinsoxu.al In the nr.st act, the last act denouement wouldn't be so bad. Also he could hav«' nuide the la.'-t m( t brighter. It reud.s much brighter in the script than m the''.i^yiiit^ .'teWtfl have hflped. Hut those arc minor tangents. The facts arc tbwt it Js a finely that It's sensitively and beautifully presented; that the acting all down the line is A-I with no one m<>mber of the cast mentioned here because all are equally exptit. nod that it will probably be one of the .snong- c.><t candidates , fii^ the I'uiitzer prize. Kauf. Mualcal iCOjBedy. ytarrint Wiitj^ Oax- t«in,- Kthel JAartflan and Victor Jidftro, anJ fcnturkig Hcttlna HaU; vrwented by Vinton Frooillfy. Musli' .nut brU-a l>y Cola Porter; book, Guy Itolton and V. O. Witdahouac; book ravfaad by Howard Llfid* Jay and iiuaaei oroitae; atasad tiy LthJaay: il in. <\'». Itobcrt AUohj : aattihfPk-sPMlttld (>.TsIa>;or. < ►prnfiA^.',': Naifi . fl;; Al*)«. N. y.; $1.10 loj*. . ./';;"v.:;v^',-.': > (arK'nder.. v. v,...... . <..OaonW K. JCarU Klittha J. WhU«ey,.U......--^ut K'ifarton Hilly Crocker.... ....William Gaxton i;. II)>■>>■ , li vin I'iiK Us Itrnn iSwoenty., . .Ktljrl Mprai.tn .Sir Bvel.vn Uaklaisa;;<..;.... .T.enlio Ifarrle Hope Ilarcourt,,....>.,..■.....HoltIna IihU Mr.". Harcourt... i. ,v.:.; ..^ .Hfl' n Itn.vinonil IJishop Dotteon.....:..;».,,.. .. I'tn l ■ Itlinili" l*ivin|f. *..,4;'..i.. ^«inif"i>, ',-4 • ..... snooka,^. .'•*.'..•«..... .siownrd .\s3isl,int I'ur.oT Kirsl Keileral Man .VIra. Wentworili.., .lliili.tril WuHK .. .rhartta .Driionia strain WMlliiiii .*<t!»iiim Val \>»toll' ..........Harry Wilson .May -\bb*y ^tra. Fpii-k ;»; ;.,. Florenoe Karlo Ui-vor»'nd Dr. Mi>on..... ViPtor Mooro Jinnnie I.ftciur Vt-ra Uiiiin Chipf OilliMT. HouMiun Klthard.s Hh\p'n nrunki.......,,,;,.>>.William Uarry .Mr, Swift....ti,...',v,,,,-..,Maurli'e Elliot Little Hoy............... niMv Curtis r,1,ptaln.... John C. King l!ab«........, Vivian Vanre iMtaralMn iMBith ll>wl|rt>t Snyder ll*'*o I'ortt'r nu^'^L^JtuiA (ttiet Urco nit* -QliaVfpfcfo'f •••,»#•»••. J Kill Stnmm :■ 1 Neal Kvan.s II Ed. lJi'll)riilKO "Arthur Imporato I>avid Ollddcn ftldiardv/Naaly Sfttart *Yaa#T .->nip » iirrneaira The Ktylista tiirla—Kulh Uonci. Norma nuller, Knt h Karly, Marjorlo Ki,sh«r. Uulh Qoraley, liene Hamlin, Uonoe Johnson, Iratia Kally. Loola Knapp. Doris Maye. Mlllan Oatrom. .T.ickle Palsro, Mary PhlHpa. Cornelia Hosera, Kranops Stewart, Ituth Hhaw. Kleanora Sheridan. Kay Adams, Lola l>ex- tcr Maurlne Holme*. Haleit FplaotA. Mar- qulta NIcholal, Kthel Sonmarvlli*. iPinetta WalHer, Bvelxa Kelly. 'Anytliing Goes' is both a grand per- lormanctt and a slnglnv lesson. Moore, as a gag gangster, has nio.st of the laughs and gives a superb exhibition oC sustained comeding. That leaves Claxton more or less in the middle, with .Merman having the songs and Moore the gags; Caxton has the romantic end to himself, with Bettlna Hall opposite, but that doesn't amount to much. Although at a dis- udvantage in th* way .of material. (U^ton retains hli peat |ai the l^ffU jAfM: a« a liicht MmMlan, and hrthsrs ttlTiiiniee again the auefition of hew or why Holt^oeitl hai jpaalitM bina up.-. '/■■■■'." ■ Miss Hail, by b«i«elf on th« fea- ture btitlnff- Htia juat uhder the title, is ♦ha "Beide sirr 0f tb«! fil^t tojpo"- trast to the roucbar aM Jni^ en- tertaining Merman 0hajnMiter. Story iii a pretty fast otia for a 'nice tlrl' to dratv^ atieiitlon, while the show itself is also a bit too fa>t for Miss Hall. Her splendid' iNrtei 1ta l<lfC in the shufl"le. Among support players the stand- tuit is Le^ilic Barrle, as a musical comedy Kn^Tllshman. The Ouy iiolton-P. O. Wodehouse hook, <l(K tored by Howard Lindsay, who al.so sta.ered the show and Itus- Rol Crouse, is a delicious poke at the ganvrster theme. It plants Vic Moore, as Moon-faced Mooney. Public Enemy No. 13, on an ocean liner for a getaway and drcs.ses him In a minister's suit. After that the lauKhs and situations work thent- .selves out. With his machine gun ('my little putt-putt-putf) Moon- face wins the ship's trap shootinp: contest and hopes to Improve hl.s rating on the Publio Enemy list. When a cable from the Dept. of .lustice belittles hia aanffstership, he squawks. 'I ean't «na«ra!taiid thts °^^9^Sn%^Sittlrical stutt (Of lialt- in9;-'la'M'irtei^.;vi^':bii^ 'fives' a 'once- ov^r-H^«# l3axton-Hall- Merihah r^aiii<Hb wblob . •wffJ* chiefly as an: tnel^Mitai: ttk- Miiiir lUla .songs on. ; As to flaws in the show, they are few, and never so prmninent as to impair the assets. Perhaps the most noticeable omission—grantlnn it is (Contlnuett on pace 66) ;bMak 'Anything fht hottest set of printed and verbal notices of the season. Living up to the bally was its toughest a.«5.slKnment on Broad- way. But at the Alvln. before as classy a first night crowd as ever stepped upon each other's toes, the show blasted a superstition, lived down an inflated pitch from the sticks and made good on its merits as a big time musical for big town consumption. It is a certain hit, a fact that becomes evident before the .show is 15 minutes old. 'Anything Goes' is a festival of l.\rics, an engrossing exhibition of poetic slelght-of-^and that looks very well ind«e((l, bttf ll8t•l^t even better. It askv 1^ attdienees to keep their aart roady for action at all tirno^ jrM |t aak too muoh. C^« »(>rtfr'a rhyme* and rhythmt ane *trk|tly nexl*te^t^los- Lyrics, coupled with some fasci- nating tunes, are not the whole works, of course, but they are the most Important element. 'Anything Goes' also tote.s a fine east of prin- cipal actors, several with box ofllce pull; a funny book, .^mart dialog nnd a production that's worthy of all these things. Ethel Merman, "Victor Moore and WillLam Gaxton are co-starred above the title of the show. They ore bound to deliver at th* gaifi bttt if only hair aa well as they do inafdft the theatre that Wilt be suf« nclent, The two^man t*i,in that has eielatad on Broadlvay for the iSast two :flMtas<ma no^ its third, still lilicklng. But with eon- afderably atlftef competition this tlma, for Miss Merman runs away With the show. Explanation is a simple one—rMisfl Merman has al- moat an •xelttaiva. aii. tha Poirter I'lit while the sonirs are largely re.Mponsible for the high rating the musical attain.^, it is also true that the sonps are the sort that rofiuiro the rlcrht delivery. And Mi.«s Mer- man's is 100% right. .She stops the show before five minutes have elapsed, which Is .about as early n fstoppaee any .show would want, and then proceeds to tear them apart fill evening. Mi.ss Merman has made long and rapid strides in the past couple of years. A good looking girl always, she looks even better now. Ahd sings better; Kow she appears to b* No. 1 among the Broadway single women, and a polished comedienne besides. .. ' Most oit ttias Merman's progress has b#en In- the line <>{ ViersatiHty. From » stylist with a single forte she has become an all around in- terpreter of all musical styles. She ha« Rhnk»n off the Al Pl'^t"! infltt- etiee under which her nrrnnpemont.s were all slmllnr. Her .nrrangement.s now are different, d< p( ndimj on thr .i^onffs themselves, and she bandies one .as well .as ;iin.|her. I.,o\vdown on Mi.^v Merin.'in's .ahillty may be found in the faet that the I'.irter lyrics ,Tre trickier thnn ;i ,Tnpitie.-^e wrosthT, vet ns thi^ i;t)*l siiiu'.'» 'em not. a jfyllahjo is lost ajid not nn in1l«tftf!9n' nil><Ptn(^; w<»H( li PLAYS ABROAD '^ilHlillftaman From Olmedo') Madrid, Oct. 27. Drama in thraa acta and tan aeanaa by liOp« da Veira. In moderntCed version by .lullo da Uoyos. Preacnted by the Melia- Cibrian stock company at the E»ipanol the- atre. Sets by Fontanala. Opened Oct. 10. A famous classic of the Spanish stage has been modernized by Julio de Hoyos without losing any of the original appeal and charm. As the Rreat contemporary of Shakespeare fashioned it, '131 Caballero' consist- ed of seventeen ecenes, but Hoyos cut It down to ten without damage. Pepita Melia is excellent as the virginal Ines who Is worshipped by the 'Caballero/ pljl^ed by Benito CUbrian. Story Myofves around the latter's love for IneS and the Inter- ference of a Jealous rival whiD hat him shot in tb* back. Cibrian l^'lep hard, but ha liiMned to haifi froalMe handling I^opt^ hO* Vegans- remark- ably exprosalv^.varae*'--..'-'-■•■ Play in aa BpatUsb aa Safin* and a* cbarming. It haa all Hla*v; pl(3- turesqu* ffestures of o|d iBpalh and all th* pandon,: inobUity. color (ind vigor ecMf»d|r atti9b«lt*4 t* tlM perlaMtt'..Ari*R.. mm*i vaiiah .•mplrs; i..." ? It Hiw^^ London. Nov. 9. Comady in thraa acta by invld Itoebm, produced by H. X, AytlK at the Dnka of York'a theatre, Novt. ll .'^haw . (.^'Vdward Chapman Dr. McKonjiie .««...(iliarlG8 Ciimoron TifTany UlKby...... ...........Richard Bird Mias rendlebvnr...;.^.:..«.v.|*bjrtl(a Morria Mrs. .«'l<>ane....,ii»»..>;;.,,<.,.May Whltty Kllzabefh ('ur«6ai^^»v««««IMana lioaumont rtrucH fam{>b*ll..,'*««..^,»«.VBaHll liadford Audrey Murrajr.,.*....... Judy Kelly Mias nenham.....^.., Marf^aret Giinn Itudy Halzmauh..... George Thorpe The author is an American, but this piece was not produced there. Plot concerns a youngish scien- tist who is HO Interested in writing hooks on the aublcct of the mating of lnsec;ts he hasn't found time to think about it as applied to himself. On the verge of a nervous break- down, his valet, a sophisticated in^ dividual who has for many years served lordlings during the period of sowing their wild oat.-», endeavors to lure his master into adopting a more worldly method ot Uvinff. It Is hero the JUondon ciTitlea found fault with.tb* M ness' of the plot, aM/fOme even went so far a* t* jniami tbiit It passed th* play eenspr. Yet not one of them dared 1* deny, 6r even neglected to admit in writing, that th* audl«lie* «rM lit a praetioally conttnuouii vith^v*] of hiiaterlcal latiRhten-v ' Entire cast fitted »mf>othiv into their retipective roles, with Ki( hard Mird as the scientist and JOdward Chapman as the servant standing out cffulgoiitly. Thi.s piece will be either a tre- jiictvlMiH success or an absolute l.iihiie. It will depend entirely on how the theatre - Kolng pul)lii; re- gards th* frankness of tb* dialog. CAIXING AU. STAilS^^^ Boston, Nov. 23. Muaical rovus In two acts and a> scenes; produced by Lew iirnwn; lyrica b^ tha pro- iiucer; muaio by Harry Akat; dances and enaemblea by Muriro 1.^ Kussel; Hottlngs by Niit Karson; oostunn* <lesl|ftnvt l>y HIIIIh Uvinsatoa: akatchaa and dlalosa by I.ew Hreini, A. Oariaa Q|«M M. I. fhiliipaj fe'atura tifenea nuiakara - by Itora Mildred StrauHH; first perfomnnre nn any stags at the Khubert Nov. 21. Featured prlncipula: l.uu Holts. I'hil ]laker. i;:verett Marahull, UeHruda da Hktaan, M4tal May(a.>r, ^Jack Whittnir, rattlclan Bowman, Patsy t'tlck, I»uwn O Diiy, K.sO'llo Jayno. Martba itay, l'<'KKy Taylor, Ifilla liouan. Al Kcmla, Afttfr Judy, Zoke and I'ete. Arthur Aucrba<:li. tha .*^ara Mildred Strauaa dancars.; Harry Mc- Nnucblun. l>a(a Conov*. Jack T«U»y, An- thonir Hlair. UsroM Oa Hackar. MortlflMr Lew Broiril. ha* unquestionably produced the btfftm «|i«Mdcal of the season, but It a a lOi^T^!^ b*- ing the best. It is a stupjondous show—«ast, scenery, revolving stage, chorus, costumes, lights, stars, everything but the necessary "eUeljit," Opening night ran to 1J|:3&, with «nouth ma- teriat tor two ordinary inuslcals. Browne problem Is merely whether or not h* will hav* Ihe offtflnary mtialcflJ when he Itnisihea hi* ilaih- ihff and co-ordin^tin|r; inreiMirtt ov%r« head make* U look dottbtliil a* a monoy-niaker even at capacity, un- less acaled hlgh*r thati th* prevail- ing musicals; ' "Calling All Stars" Is an orthodOk type of revue^ big ensembles, black- outs, vaudeville acts, potential song hits, and blue sketchtss. It is the kind of revue where the high spot in applause goes to Peggy Taylor's adnglo specialty, and the outstand- ing novelty appeal is Al Bernie imi- tating stage celebrities. Phil Baker with Lou Holtz In a box as a stoopo, Everett Marshall's songs, Patricia JJowman's <l:iMios, Judy Conov.a as .a hill-billy tr.ick- l)ot. Jack Whiting, Gertrudi' Nii'.'^on. Mitzi Mayfair, Harry McNaughton and Martha Hay cert.alnly offer un- limited possibilities for a show that apparently has had a free hand in rolling up production costs .and ac- quiring new material. New comedy is needed, esix clally for Baker and Holtz. nlthouKh Hrown is prob.ably correct in his be- lief that those two will work out a better routine for them.selves than anyone could ever hope to write for them. Holtz Is even trying such gags as 'three kinds of gin—nitro- gen, oxygen nnd hydrojren'—and tlten knocking them cold wth his classical old veteran, "The M.ahara- Jah—he say.' The bl.iekouts are the weakest spot in the entire revue, and a dozen or more of tlUMirliKi^'IkllW^ ash-barreled. Music will stand, and several win- ners are certain, being along the lines of 'Life Hegins at 8:40' in gen- er.al trend, possibly too much so. '.Straw Hat in the Rain' looks like a second 'Ilrother, Can You Spare a Dime'; and other popular sheet music possibilities are 'I Don't Want to liv President,' 'If It's Ix)ve.' 'I've Noth- ing to Offer' and 'Just Mention Joe,' In acbre, ensembles, chorus rou- tine, every angle of dancing and in sieenlc and costume inveitltui^s the show is all set and la ready and (It for :a full season Wew tork. The cast Is all,.and possible more, than Lew Brown ahoutd^/j^^ build UP; th*.;'se*|Mal'«' M musicaU Two or UirM j|k*^^ r*aliy f uhn# nifeil need tiothlifig but a blt\of prwiing fc* .s|»«ed. > WjM •Ca|ttii# All StW>*ms to n**«<|; IjR mw ahd original comedy material and a knittthg togCtter of a bantering vein of spontaneous hu- mor that will take th* production out Of the category of a review and into the category of a revu*.i It has speed but needs sparkle. Lew Brown apparently realizes that he has a bull by the tail rlwht now, but is definitely of the belief that a week or two will bring the production up to a point where it will df>mlnatc the season's crop vf mtislc.als. He certainly has everything neces- sary to work with, jAhbey, GUY Boston, Nov. 23, Play In throe arts nn.l live Hi ones; writ- fon by Mplvln lycvy; lYroduced by the • .roup Theatre, Inc. I* atnkqipiatlmi with ». A. lK)ran. Jr.; dIrecliHl by lice Wraa- berr. aettlna I'Y rV)naM fVvnklaieti and coHtumes by Kay Morrison; flrat peiv formanoe, Nov. 12, at tha Majeatic theatre, IioHton, •. ■■^ ■ Mneondrsy'.,,.4;.,. ,llAtnaii Bndnen Tony S;.rrensan..,;..........Ocrrit KralH>r A'liim KeHnn....... Waller Toy <.uy Button..J. FMward Rmmherir 5«H*^*.'«,:«'' • •• • • • •9iff"r<> <>.let» will yarrntt.;.»........,.Mwrla Cnrnovakv Kl^'SL '52?^''»>»- f I t bar A.11 er AnaB Mankta...,.sjelta A.ller 7'k^imi^'\T A Ian Ra xtor r'oi.u • • • • f '^•.•,•«•ii»*»"Hi''» <'"Hlns «i *MUWrf>Maj«a^ Barkor f "] T ,\ * • i'-i'-ijfnm^ atrtdda r.l -Civ T'*'' --r*'V«Vw*.AW«i»til*r Ktrfcint. 1 1 • t.»' il' f t.'^' iL*«» •«.♦ ♦ *j.• t^t^ii ■, <l«ri 1,1 n A nit^ :f*^/»K.««W<i.».vlWft^.t|a|aiw- i>njHP» ;W>,..v«.■»'.>♦>>•».■,,Lewis Orottp Tlieatre has tihe«r1li*a a TK.wei-fui .oag of the ocean shipping ndustry in the ruthless drtyr frtl^. lowing the Civil War. Whether it surylye* or not H deflhitely estab- mm* ■ ■^,^9f'[!S^'^-.:^^**"^^f'fff as a Wtt^wWW^ fWttor, turning otit t^ b*at P9rf9vttaii«« ol ikl* *ax*«r. i>*r*dacilon haa ttMwtiMd out nic*it .since opening Altiil; and If it iboa- tinues to ipeodi UP Itt dialog and action it BMidy d*lr«lop into a reaiiy virll* 4rama. It ha* unlimited film- ing poiwlbilitiAs, ,iilmb«t to a point of poaslbly having b**n written with this in mind. Story deals wim a young sailor who Is dollar mad and who ulti«' mately, by unscrupulous methodat gets control of a shipping line, his iirst wealth coming throuKh import- ing Chinese labor to build the trans- continental railroad, and later bringing lln.incial depression to .San Krancisco by creating the coolie problem. Hulhles.s in everything. Including his marriage to xno liancee of the former owner of the shipping line, he dominates all, including control of banks until his old age, when he saves his company by sinking a ship loaded with bullion after havjiii. stolen the gCld from the chMlbK intimately hi* so:i uneisurth* hi*'i^^* cret of th* losf Of th* ihlp Wflilll 30Q murde||a |)af**Bgers .and cre<# ; and thrtMiiiiM: :lini with expbaur*;; unless h* ttima over th* ehtlf*. • company; / Filial curtain shoira tlM; San ftenclaco earthauak« #M<ii: |h*.^ man is klllsd; W^f-:'r.f;v'^^, On* or two deft tbuches help tna. abow, Ineludtng the portrayal of thii one true emotion In the life of 'Gold 'Bagle Ouy' in which, In his old age, he reveals that he had alway.1 yearned to po.ssess and love a young a(iventure.s.s, the only pcr.son in his life ho had not been able to iloml- nate or buy. One unfortunate p.irt of the |)lay lA that it re<;allH the Dollar l.lno and Its founder, nlthouKh there was no ni)parcnt intention to ImoM the famous character up with the dis- reputable founder of '(Jold lOajrlo t'.uy's Line.* I'rugram apologizes for the ]ibertiiM''t«lfe»a7Wltlifttitttt«N^ facts. 8cenically and in cast it is aa elaborate production, too ht>avy for stock piu'i)oHes aii(l possibly too heavy to < aity on after New York. ISoston likiMl it, even before It was whipped Into reasonably satiafactonr smoothiiess,-:^^^^^^;}^ VALLEY FORGE I Pitt.sburgh, Nov. 19. Theatre OuHd presents a new pJay lH(l. Maxwell Anilcrsoii with I'hllip Meriv.ila. I'Ireoteil t)y John llou-MOnuin nn.l tlie .aiUhor; production by Kiite l>rain I.itwaon: cos- tumes by Carroll Frvnrh; music arrftnRaA' iiy Max Welser: minuet atagedl by MaHlii (irahum. At Niaori far ena ^«ak rtntm. Huii.s. iipUon ausMres ot AtnvrlMtk .TheatI* Society. . : ■ ■■■ •' ■■ . C'aatr Thadaua Clutey. Alan Buncc, Vle^ tor Kllltiin, (Jrover Burtreaa, crharleB Rllla, Jock Mdlniw, flans lIunHen. Robert Thoni- -si'n, Harry Hermaen, Alexaniler Mlrsky. l-'ranci-H ,Sji;;e, Florence Uerald, Jlentlrik r.o<-,raeni, O.'orife «""olourl!«, ItinKo, flt.anloy IlltlKes. Philip Koblnson, Philip Merlvala, Kdward Trevor, L«rwaU OiUMora. vClmrlaa Prurntnond, Iteglnald Mason. Ruth W«at6iW I tiilii' Koxter, .Stei>hen Api'Ieby, (Mi.irlea l-'riiiii is, Alan I:iuiiIIit, I'hillii J!ol>in.Moii. Wallace Acton, (JcorKe .'ipaublinir, llnrold nomd, HaroM Rtllott. John -^ennott, ITar- land Tucker, Krakine .Sanford and Charlaa Francis. ■ ■„.,.,;■ I-.^dleM: Cora Hurlar. WtiafWr R^ltsteili, Jflan .Sennott. Cynthia f^herwood and Kath- eilne Slan<iin»;. MualcJan.s: Mux Weiscr. NIcolal lV>aea andi Maarica «^ackatt. . After delivering three socks In a row, 'illizabeth the guecn,' 'Holh Your Houses' and 'Mary of Scot- land.' Maxwell Anderson misses out on his fourth. 'Valley Forge.' It's the sort of piece that might -read good but plays In the opposite di* rection, and opening night opinion, was sharply divided, with majority' agreeing that an extensive rewrit- ing Job is the first requisite. Understood Guild, which origi- nally Intehded to take the show lit w(ck after noAt. will *eep It out another fortnight In. #t eCfort to wh^. ii ground* 9lafi«3o 0Ulinor* wa* in: the prcniler* aMlenc* ai|il whiapers had it that she will tak* ov^ Ruth Weston'* role when and If Anderson fattens the part. An- other replacement was made among minor principals and Herbert iiiber- man was called in to take over the direction, indicating that the pro- duerrs realize they h.ive a job on their hands. Chief f.iult, however, .seem.s to be in the writing, with the author dishing up, save on a few occasionHi, a seriou of stiiffy ciiarae- ters afi# ikCK aietiOfl.'.. '^v: ■'■■■[ ■^■■r^-'^^^'/. flair fttt* olaMiie pro**, but (h* prettr r word* don*t tncah ahythlng. If ahy* thing. Ml tnct^ 'Valley Forge' repre- sent* a cm* (jMT overwriting, with whatever Inherent drama there is I»resent submerged in a m.is'.e ot long. pr)mpous speeches. Only a couple of scenes out of the six have any pungency, others are dtill and draggy. First act on opening nlnht ran SO minutes and it was around 11:30 before curtain rang down. Tliat in itself Isn't significant because same thing was true of Anderson's '.Mary of .Scotland' when H opened heri» last season, but 'Valley Korg^i* 1» emphatically no 'Mnrj^*;' -;. •,: ' , ■ '4iii*b>{:|MiM»:"^Sri5^ «cMiatt character, stippoflOd to b* ah er^ Ham* of Waahlrtgion'ft^ ahd weaa altufithm* resulting thrdttgh her ■ l.y:;:.K!otiqnn*ai:^'P^:«6i.