Variety (Sep 1935)

72 VARIETY I.EOI¥lM4TE Wcdnesdajr September 25,- 1935 Plays on Broadway chances besides dolner some singing, but In the latter department hor Bill" ll~vcrttB Tflieds-TC-isTiiw-for-stecee" delivery, something ithat isn't notice- ablo In her picture wprlt. She loolcs well, particuliirly. with 'the new coiffure, which is enhancing on the rost im RS-in fllros,. ?j»d ber dancitig. is, of course, aces. In her flriJt number she wears paiits and works straight with the .24-girl' line, bwtr in The Lady With the Tap,; np- , .,. , I parently speclaily written, she ha:s Siace ^oni is the baclibone of \, , . _, . . _ ^ legit revue" find-lTfi- other^f^^^^^ AT HOME ABROAD ....ahut)M.tttx'Wi~atJLRcX.b)LMitcstil-MineM\' -Star) Beatrice Lime, Jitliei "Waters; tea- tureB Herb Williams. Elennor Powell, Bool: and score, Howard Dletz nn<l Arthur Schwartz; based on Idea by Ray Knifflil: dance's" Gene SnyiJcr tnil Barry Uoeee. dialog staffer. Tlioinus Mitchell. At WIntor Garden, N. T., coniineocing- Sept. lU, 'fl.'; S4.40 top. .. Cast inchictrsv P.-ial - rraT.fc<m, :Keeln«.W Gardiner, liddle Foy, Jr., Vera Allen, Nln:i Whitney. Jnnies McCoU. Wood.s Mii:er Julio Jenner. Sue Kastlngs' Murloiiettes, Andre Cliarlse, Gone Martel, Six Spirits of Hhythm, Hoy C<in)i)bell'8 Continentals antf ^^ Flrr^, variety entertainment, its serioua lack is liable to cause trouble in set and the girls backgrounding as soldiers give her a rcaisoh for a spy lacK 15 uau.e lu ™° ^'"""'^^f" impersonation, and .her dancing In this nstance In aJ4.40 r«yue pl^ terprets the action. Number is ai of mirth is the first iiuJience expec- prets the action. Niimber is an ideal blending of production and tfition. T^at it isn't present^here is ^ ,g best things likely to keep a productionally ejc- | revue. cellent show from reaching its otherwise just rewords. 'At Home Abroad' the first Miss Waters unfortunately starts off with her best numbfer, 'Hotten- „ ^ ^ I tot Potentate,' an Afrlcana special malor revue Broadway has seen warm string accompaniment Blrice the sumrfter 'Sketch Book f^om the Six Spirits of Rhythm, aftd riglM. now its the only one «" colored. Mlsa Waters dan do aemuch town. Lee and J J. Shubert *n<l h,vith, a lyric- as Heifetz can do Harry Kaufman endowed It withKyjtj^ a fiddle. Combination of lots ot class and if<K)d locks and in powell a:hd Water.q dancing and the-cast are several name;! who wMl gj^ging in 'Got a Bran' New Suit* entertain on their own and draw a ^oea much to send that next-to- bit" at the box oittt^e .as well. No closing Item over. Immediate competition plus ttle Haakon has two spots, but his dy- o^^nf c^ldv^ouli'ilt 'AbS^ Afternoon,' , oauies witn a congressional «fi*^*S » If t^^^^ a suspensetol story on the committee bent oil declaring war. oft to a good dtart. . If these torn- ^ ^qj j^j^g, Whitney makes a capa- Althoueh accused of treason and biried circumstances, partlcularlir 5,^, aancing partner for the boy.. : fhrSed .?ith ImneacSrhe re f!;voV"To?t"-«nou'S ^ilo- ll Reginald Gardner does most of Sfef to L''"wed!^^£^^^^ favor ?«>"5,.«no^^. stralghtmanship in vigorous Jap protagonist against war/Koye. wmd "P^^th^^.'-n?^*'^?-*^ manner and steps out Jri 'one' on Is Crested, - - least.. Too ..*^?;'^Jhe comedj I^^^^ .occasions for his Imitations of President makes a quick decision ^V°^ S^::'^^\''^^'' y^'y.^^^"-' .«tc...which go|-to go. to Tokfo and seek peace ful whether it will draw sciierouBly from average playgoers. Presentation' la carefully and skillfully prepared. There are near- ly 30 speaking parts and the, pro- duction includes flyo xhanpes of settings. That feiature of 'If This Be Treason' rather mitigates the avalanche of words that occurs now ■aTHi-thBTlT-" ".—"---'---^ One of the authors la the Rev. John liaynes Holme!?, nn eloquent siookt?sman-who has lmpla:ntea;well- turned speeches in collaboration with Reginald Lawrence,. With war clouds oyfj" Europe .ft,nd:Afrlca>. th?. performance is timely. There are no gory passages, although there is the teJlinp reminder that mlllion.s of nien lie in trtobdy^--graves without rea«6nt Story tells vt how one man, through the courage ..of his convic- ■flons; ■ ■pieveliTS-'mT'"Bfe'tW v. S. and Japan. He is the newly elected President Gordon. On the day of his inauguration Japan cap' tures Manila. The'country Is al- ready aflame with demands for wari but Gordon hold? to Ijls principles, being a pacifist. He finds., out tliat hlis predecessor had ordered the flfeet and iiaval aviation corps to jstrateglc points in the Pacific following. a,n,ultlmatutri: that couid hardly result In. anything but conflict. Gordon perceives that fw fleet movements have-been de- tected by the Japs and the attack on Manila was, therefore, made, with a thousand mien lost. Gordon defies his secretaries i>t war and navy and they resign after he orders the fleet back, to the coast. He battles with a congressional Plays Dot of Town JUBILEE Boston, Sept. 21 ■ unirt'eirj' trr "-two-a-cbij-.-inreteat^d-bj' -^eBS-L Hnrria And Max Gordon; producl'il. by Hoe- aard Short: book by Mobs Hart; mueic and lyrlca by Cole Porter; dancea arranRed by ftlbprtlini- Roach! «ttlng-*r Jo> MWalner; dialog (llrectod by Monty WooUey; costumea by Irene Sharnfr gowna by Connie da- Pinna; orchestrations by Jtuaell Bennett; ordicatra .director.. Fxank Touni, King Queen.......... Prince . James., .Princess Diana, Eric DirTK Karen' C'R-ine.......... live. ■Standtrut. Charles ■ Ransmillor.....; Beach Widow...'..'.... Vrfffce "PSiff'." T T7rr~: Prince Rudolph......;. over after they flnd oat he's hot With his secretaries he planes to have been, assured, I really Slugnutty, Gardner's clincher I Sar -Francisco, boards a destroyer Standouts in th* cant, due to h;aT jg a lip movement gag while a pho- and arrives In the Japanese capital, terial. distribution, are Beatrice nograph plays 'Mississippi Mtld' by I Two-scenes there comprise the third Liilie,: Ethel. Waters, Eleanor Pow-^ I the Three Rhythm Boys, and not act, which Is much the best because ell. and Paul Haakon, latter belng la ba:d. idea In protection is using it Introduces some Interesting char thfe'only .gent'to finish in the money;. [Blng Crosby's singing (unan-[ acters. In his absence congress haa As written, this show does more Lno^nced) for accompaniment. declared war and the house has im- for women's rights than the 19tb t H^rb Williams hasn't got two real peached Gordon, • AmendBient and the- Irving- Yate31 good lines in the show, and the After difficulty, a conference Is all-glrl units. script has him out of char5.cter most arranged with the premier, with the But the liirbdueers Idn't know of th&. time, lust to make it tougher, aid of the British ambassador, Pre- 'what tb do vrith tKe.'comedlains, Working with Vera/;-Allen as the mi^r and hla staff are adamant, mak .-wasting-them lUfe thie Gliants toss, miale. half of the globe-trotting in? accusations that the president. aWay base hits. Herb Williams, who team, Williams gets even less than is there to stir up more trouble. His rates on top amonF modern Ameri- Miss' Allert, a strdigbt woman; In arrest Is ordered-. Word comes-that lean- Goniediansr la., brutally neg- the material. the senate has held up- its vote in lected in . the bahdlng out of mate- p .3 chances to break through '^^f imP«achn»ent pending Gordon's rial. Elddfe Poy,. Jr, a first ratfc ^re Lpeless and the rest^f ^the ^ -Then those light comic,- la. overlooked-even comedy entrants. are about In the "r/*^^" more, to-the e:ttent that he's not Lame boat. H"*" release Koye, -who xoraes eveii a stooge, and lii'his most'inv- „ ^, , U upon the scene. When the chief of Dortant'scene 13^^^ Hastings' Martonettes open gtan otders him arrested again the LnSr boy To bring blck another show and get enough laughs to guard throws down ,its arms. The stmitht man warrant a later spot. premier has no alternaUve. but tb Miss Lillle' liiust have, been No, . 'Bran' New Sulf and 'Potentate' cor':ede.tha;t the people do not want 1 i„ „v +1,^ w>ofoT.<ai vnoViinix are both novelty songs with Indlca- Iwar, I t «J?tiotiiv an Th^ "ons they'll leid the score. Other McKay Morris, who handled trf for she has ^ pmcucauy^ ail ,^ ^^^^ Schwartz-Dietz score president role-when the play was Jokes and most of the funnier com-ij^^^ Westport during the edy lyrics. But even ^iss LnMe la whlatle' and 'Love Is a Dancing summei', again has the part. His as more or less on her own, dependent ^hlng.' But none of them sounds signment' Is a heavy, lengthy one, on her personal tricks mo8t_or tne jj^^^ potential smash tuning. requiring no little energy. Morris ^i^^^nn^i'^ThnnLh in^more Vari Girls are not exceptional or even doesn't look quite old enough for a the songs, although >n„"V're than ^ looks but their danclnc is chief executive, and he sports a red he^'tL^^Ihe s^ng excellent and they're blSSt?fuHy .tie.. Still, he does a good Job. *tJ^If' thA There-r no outfitted. In the whole show there's InLmhK sendlnsf"^isa Powell oM ^^t a bit of nudity, that alone in a. last scene, but he, too; is outatand. f.f^» t„M,^o««. i«/ thnt^« about Shubert revue being enough novelty Ing aa the Japanese premier. There *^r f*».?.V°^i„^J'"^;t^^,*^''p!w^^^^^^ B° °» the billing. are three or iour JaiS players, but Ar^onl s?rlctlT5DSurpoople Lack of strong comedy Is due another good impersonation comes P^^Hfakon is thrtoS Male either to poor selection or fio sburce. from Arthur.Hughes aa Koye; his rSiSf Seer f^^^^^^^^^ the future of legit, .V^^.^^^^A^ZT'l^^^^ Jhc nX.<.H»„. a ntrnnBA oieht ih business it la to be hopeC that the. P'ay. Kathryn Givney plays the I fl^^'^l^t^h hPretnforP Ld n^^ the reason. Between them, president's attractive private secre- t.^f^^.J''^t''f^l°^Zlol^t "ri'J^ plcturea and radio have gobbled up tary. James Spottawpod counts^a« ventured into the concert realm where men are concerned. But the cream the comedy Writing an admiral. Ibee. LIFE'S TOO SHORT Drama tn thr^ acts presented at ti , Broadhuist, N Melville Cooper , Mary Boloind ... i 1. Charles "Waltors ,...Mnr^aret Adanis Derek ■WlllUms ..,.<•. ■.. .June ICnIeht .. .., ,• . May Bolpy ,;..,'... Mrtrjir Plum. ..Dorothy Fox, '.-■MoirtRtmreryCllft- -■■ V...Jackie Kelk wnere. men ai^ ^"'Jr^r"- ." V and theae amuaement branches paakon isn't the only^^Pfr^V^f' consume material so fast the boys'' for the essence of the wnoie b.iow 1;^^,^ ^^ for side issues, s far from noi-mal for a 'eyue jV l ^ ^^^^^3 Lo^g ^^^^^ lot of people Will wonder whether „:„i • amnn^ rnnnnn ffir th*. I . f.ipv havA walked into the Radio L 1! ii^.^ f P .,?^ ^ N. T., Sept. 20, '33, by Jed I^^F i^ .„?«^on kJ ™i=;aL T^nt P^^^ condition of vaudeville. If Herrls and directed by same; wTittin by City. Music Hall by mistake. But .j^^.n^^g Abujld' is a criterion, it's John Wheffon and Arthur Kaplan; top $:1.30. with the production by Mlneiu ana K,o^ a aertoua matter for the legit Hannah Priest .,...Kathorine Srjuire dances staged by, iJene Snyder gtage aa well, and o.ulck correction fi-^^^Reian"""''''••KieVorhm? (Rockettea). and Harry Losee. the ,3 .required If. the revue Is to have a Ethel ^oseilbir^:::V.::::;'. .jl?.et Fox Mi H. resemblance is ho accident. future on the Broadway map. Book—and there's not much of It Bige. —Is based on an Idea written. by Ray ICnleht, r&dto comic, but all that remains of the Knight origl- |F THIS BE TREASON nal. according to the program, is - one blackoilL It concerns the Drarna in three acts preaentied at the Tirnfl^ tniir r,t a nnli- of AmPrlcvTi Music Box Sept. i3, ina\ by the Theatre world tour Ol a pan or American 0^,^. ^rme„ ^y Rev. Dr. Jdm Hayncs tourists, man and wife, and the Holmes and Be<jlnald Lawrence; staged by varlouis numbers and scenes are ae- Harry wagstaft GribWc; w.so top. scrlptive of the stopoffs. An effort to 5umer tie things together Is made Via gag Robert'Goraon! Authors, producer and pla;yer8 niuat have had a Jubilee after, thfe opening night—:for. thla la unquea- tionablv a hit. It la a lavish piece (with the MG money backing evi- dent throughout); it has .an unim- peachable caat; It has CO'.e Porter's music (up to his standard); the dia^ log is. bright, the situations clever, and the wit aubtle. .; It is apparent that Cole Porter a;hd Moaa Hart grabbed off a few stpart ideas on their world tour and there is no doubt they will cover their traveling expenses manv timea with the result of their writing cn voya,ere. It's a natural for Broadway and Hollywood adaptation. Theme la a kln.sr.and queen who,. Just before their kingdom launches a Jubilee celebration, break away from their dulU formal eixlstence to romp around with regular people and enjoy some of their secret passions on one gay spree. Prince and princess get away from it all. too, supplying a slight lQ.ve interest, -which never gels mushy. Queen Is an avid, fll lan mag .eader and breaks the ice of the formal throne rooni acene which opens the show by sneaking out . a copy of a fan mag from under her throne seat fefter dignitaries have bowed dut of their .majesties" pres- ence. For her holiday she scrams out to n. picture house where .Charlie Rouamlller Ca Tarzan) is making a personal appearance. She not only meets blm incog, but takes her hero In. tow throuphout the balance of the evening's fun. Klnis^. ll>:es - legerdemain and ^Is trying to develop a knot-tying trick in the opening throne room scene He learns hla trick and almoat gets to America to .see Thurston to learn the disappearing bird trick.' but reapohslblliUea. of state finally stymie him. On hla off-duty Jaunt he teama ■ up with Eva ■ Standing (Elsa Ma.rwell's counterpart), who throws a Greek party that climaxes the royar fling. P-rlnccss.meets i\er favorite young author;; and. the dancing prince finds good company in a show girl, cianablv played by June Knight. HlghUghta In this fast-moving show are inany. Oiie good bet la the film theatre acene, where actual plx are slio-wn on a amall acreen: and Where the bronzed Tarzan makea a perfect, typical Hollytvood speech (with si. lisp). For spectacle the throne room,. opening and ' closing the show, but in two absolute dhanges In costume by the entire company. Eva's, ballroom Is another eye-full, aa la the breakfast room set In the royal palace. Costuming, alleged to have .set back the pro- divcers $80,000. Is conaiatently good thoroughly laviah and colorful. Comic situations are too niiraer ous to mention and Porter's lyrics ai-e too crammed' full of subtle chortle-producing quips and Jibes to Edward Fowler..John B. Lltel Ruth Fogarty .Kvelyn 'Vnrden- J. M. Babcock ; Prleetly Morrison James Collins....^ : T..eslle Adams Helen Fowler.. .Dorjs .Dalton Wrfi. Rerason .F,t 1 "Wilson ■Walter. .Joseph M. de VlUrrd, Mrs. Collins ^. Lea' Penman As an exhibition of casting and ^ , direction 'Life's Too Short,' first 5^""="" ■wa"ter''N ^Gwazah*"^** 'Heroea Are Born.-^ ia of the John stark I best, but It Is questionable whether cablegrama to the folks back home. 1 John Gordon — ..McKay Morrie the play is diversion; With the in- flashed on the traveler from the Miss FoJwoii ,..Kathryn^Givnev rugi, q{ shows and. because of projection booth between .scenes, Sn.nsfleid:° .'.'.V.V.'.\\\^V..Rohe^ of 'Llfe'jj'. theme, a lim- biit the missives are only half funny Mm, Oane .Kathleen comegynl ited engagement is indicated. and after a while they're forgotten jntish Ambassador.:.....Edgar Rent • French Ambassador........ ..Marcel Joumct Thomna Clinlirner.s lacourcn ■yo.'^hlwurp completely, . ^ 1 Bright Even though she gets most or the ptfulnson breaks, about all that Miss Lillle Fitzgerald. obtained from the' script was . three ^^'J• ■:; ••••••• or four pwfMir. woe^Ar lines Ifuunn. for ccmed^f scenes ^hl'Ch any bad Ja^^•!F — little boy .'could have written, a"<i n^!,V,ch' ''' ' ' two comedy fypics whi'ph won't, go A/r,^irni'james beyond- Ihls theatre.' The 'shoes ofl!' lii-plnard. and 'Montnarnaaae' lln.a.'* are ex- Todu........... amples. .. althoUh. they probably Sr7u'jimX\"V.V.r.V.\\\V.VT5-^h^^^ oS?.i won t iAT the LilUP. following ne- r,ord Carrlngton rhnrles Br.vnnt caiise e"h'eifl one' of the few people vaitt. ....Tom- Powors canable of making .inything sound :{^^^"n 'V^^' y^^i;;!^* nu^xtl cute. ■ 1 - .Btit in her dialog items, such a.s •Dinrter Napkins' (hot new) and The "Audience Waits:' Miss Llllle can. take naps ' between laughs, so far apart are thie punches. Miss Powell has three dancing It IS a depression story dated bonVTH Maciiipnzic I about two years ago. Kew Deal and Boyd T)a.viR the administration are criticized in Mitrhei" uatr^iR unmistakable terms. The various wi-ciice M. Tliir Up current goverhmentail relief bureaus .Frank Tiac are not mentioned, writing probably ■■■■RohiJ'i°t"\!J>wH^"tedatln3--those measures, Fling at !!.Hnrianrt Tucker the administration creepa in here ..Tamos 'spoitswoort' and there, - bUt .the play Is not'a propaganda work generally. Theatre Guild opens its 18th sea- «on With a di-ama that is frankly propaganda against war. It ia an unusual play which should -well satisfy subscribers, but it Is doubt- Characters are thpse employed in a wholesale grocery establlehmilnt, employees in the first 'acsno feariiig pay-day because of- the probabjlity of another salary cut or blue slip, On this day all in the .claim office get another slice and there are ex- pressions of resentment. But Ed- ward Fowler, the clerk who han- dles returned goods. Is let out, old Babcock, head of the firm, explain- ing that e clency men thought the department could be eliminated. Fowler has been wltlv the firm for 17 years, a clerk who figured himaelf a fixture. Hfs young wife Helen encourages him, but he is unable to get another Job. After seven months Fo-wler is desperate His morale is gone and- he fre quently quarrels with her. She had been secretary' to:-James Colllna head of the sales department, and they had carried on. an affair until •Fowler martled the girt!. It is Helen Who intercedes with Collins and gets Fowler his Job back. Latter hates Collins and his actions virtually force Helen batk to the , other man's-arms. Girt Is determined to stick until he accuses her of secretly resuming the aiffair. ■Back on the Job, FOwler philoso- phizes to Ruth Fogarty. mature saleswoman, whose- wit furnishes most Of this li-gfifer passages in the play. Yes, he took Helen, a!way from Collins and Collins took her bfick again. At fli'st he wanted to IciU- the other man, but life's too short.. Yet at the curtain, after ^Fowler's" tons' speech, he isn't certain -^Vhat he wants to do—retrieve his -wife or try to forget • her. 'Life's' third act Is the best, most of what action thore la coming then. Comment of filing clerks is enlivening If not amusing, espfecially that of Mlsa RQsenl>erg, spouting the communistic remarks of her fatl.ier, •who was 'peacefully plcketinS'" a dress works on 38th street.and was (Continued on. page 74) record after only one sitting. He has Included. a certbln successor to Tou'rie The Top' In 'Picture, Me •WItiwut-IPou-.'-It-wlll-be-iiett?*^ lot- - from the lyric' pluggers. Dance bands will play for"^ many mbntlis ..'B«(ngniiie,'..9. lUUng.tango. BaJtj.. lad .singers will doubtless take to When Loye Comes Your Way'—and for those who are looking for" a natural foilownp ''Of" the' "Fiving TrapeseV the catchy 'Me and Marie' should, fill the bill. 'Insepamble, almost, from the theme of the show, and very valu- able-.si.d^jincts fo jtg flU(;o.ess^iji,'<y. , 'tVhen Me. .Mb-wgH,' Love,'' 'MjTSlost l-ntlHaate--PpieRd."-—and—^Irs.—- Smithy' There are others, and not one of them dull. Show wais delayed In Its opening two days aiid if iany .expected to see a- loose, shabby pr/bductio^n as Is often seen, In Boston, they were pleasantly surprised. If. the pro- ducers are holding something In the bag; they might as well save it lor the next show. There Is little tight- ening , lip to be done here; all they need lis a house -with plenty of seats, Mary Boland has a. perfect role and does not overplay It. Melville Cooper as the, king turns out a beautiful performance, deftly hold- ing Miss Boland in the spot in all their scenes. Charles "Walters (of Fox and Walters, dance .team) Is well cast as the prince apd unloads a few.steps that make his audience want more. Miss Fox does an oke- dance specialty in the second act. June' Knight Is extremely decora- ttvCi -and - att asset to the show. Miss- Boley-plays her party-nro- moter role to the hilt. The two klda, Montgomiery Clift and Jackie Kelk, aa the miachlevoua prlncea, .are competent. So well caat Is the show that nobpdy steals it; and yet Miss Bolq^nd stays In top place all through. For, PATHS OF GLORY New Haven, Sept. 18. No matter what happens .to Paths of Glory' as a legit produc- tion. Paramount, which backed the Arthur Hopkins production, is. al- most certain to reap a profit on a subsequent film, version in return for the heavy sugar it's poured Into the piece; Picture possibilities are excellent and, as a matter of fact, screen script is practically half com- plete now. as the stage production Is built along the lines of a series of close ahota. many of which could be lifted Into a film as Is.. Play, having. ita premiere at the Shubert here; is not entertainment in the sense of diversion. It's too brutal for that, -with very little com- edy relief to offset the tragic, trend. In adapting the Humphrey Cobb hovel, Sidney Howard has confined the plot to a one paragraph affair. A • glory-seeking general sends battle-weary troops against over- whelming odds to capture a position that will net him a promotion. Wben they fall, and most of the regiment is butchered, he orders the survivors placed under arrest on chargea of cowardice and eventually three of. them are shot as examples to other soldiers. Apparently the producers wanted to learn Just how effective com- paratively mild dialog would be, with film censorship In mind. Lines are excejptlonally clean for a 'What Price Glory' atmosphere. Play is absorbing and builds rapidly aftei- it gets started. One reason is the rapid handling of the 16 changes, accomplished . w-lth movable plat- forms, which allow four scenes to be set up simultaneously. Henry Dreyfuss did the sets and uaed an angle effect in a number of scenes which enabled him to get a lot of small space used, as well aa to provide unusual effects. A serl- oua drawback to full understanding of the play Is aiidlence inability to follow, via programs, the large num- ber of scenes, as the play ia handled largely in a darkened houae. Final curtain here found the audience waiting fof niore. Play is done -with a single intermission. Caat la uniformly good. Myron McCor .Ick, William Harrigan, Lee Baker, Jack Roseleigh and Jerome Cowan are standouts. Spirit of the trenches has been well caught by the east aa 'a whole.- McCormlck, Harrigan and Cowan give ace per- formances as the three corideriined men; Roseleigh la the brutal general and Bakier makes a cotirt martial plea realistic enough to draw a hand that holds up stage action momen- tarily. ' Arthur Hopkins directed as well .is pre.sented and ha.s given the pro.r duotlon excellent staging. Scenes aa a whole re.crister, but the part one flrialo, repi-.esenting a battle Scene, ■svas ruined fii'et rii.crht wli6n offstage sounds killod e.5.s.pntlal dialog, leav- ing those who had not read the book wondering what it was all about. Court m.irtlal scene and play's finale are topnqtch. Questloncible if the stage produc- tion can come out with a whole financial .skin, even with a run. Cast of 4^, plus a crew of 23 has rolled up a nut that iv111 be tough to cracki But then, there's nlv.-ay." the film versi(ni. Boiie.