Variety (Nov 1935)

Wedaeeday, November 6, 193S L E G I T I Ml 4 T E VARIETY 57 Plays on Broadway Jhere'$ Wisdom in Women Comedy In thtce acts presented at the Cort, N. y., Oct. • , '35. by D. A. Dovan, Jr., written . by Josepht O. Keaseli-lng; staged by'Harry •'W-aBatiift •G7lbi)le;- Sa;3y top. „ : Tony Cooke..... Qlenb Anders Ella...1 •.. .i. .Jane. Bancroft Margalc, Nordblt............... Ruth. Weston X.eon JJordoIt ■.; .Walter PliJffcon. Irene Ploettaer. Frances Maddux Carl Ploettzer.;... i Alfred A. Hesse Ura, C«rt«r........ ,Mary Home Morrison Hon. Paut B; Carter. Boyd Davie HenrJ ^^beureux., :. . Joseph Kalllnl Cecllla^VanabVer"..' .V b'SltJ' T-fWiiSra ■ If this, smartly- written, smartly produced and smartly staged play had a few more laughs It would have a good chance of duplicating the success of 'No More Ladies.' As is, There's Wisdom In Women' should do moderately well. Play was among those tried out at Locust Valley, L. I,, last summer toy D. A. Doran, Its presenter, and It was regarded among the best of several likely candidates for Broad- way. Paramount was concerned with the summer trial and Is also a production participant. 'Women' is similar to plot to 'Ladles,' that of an attractive young wife whose husband has a pror penslty for affairs with other women. It has the sanie leading woman, Ruth Weston^ and la the new play she again masters the master at the end. There isn't as much , fun ,but a certain amount of dramatic tension and very good curtain lines. Au- thor has for a philandering husband one Leon Nordorff, a pianist of note, who Is wed to Margalo^ also a con- cert artist who gives up her. .career that it might not eclipse Leon's. Author knows whereof he w'rites, belnr a musician and familiar with artists of the field. Leon Is temperamental and super- stitious, his most prized possesion being a rabbit's foot. That Is in- cidental; merely to show the kind of guy he is. Margalo Ift quit6 aware of his straylngs but loves him and neatly puts it that AVhile he la a cut loaf, one less slice shouldn't make much difference. She. has no. qualms that the In Cidental affairs will stop Iheir marital life, but fears the time when a smart dame comes along who says no. That might break up their home and, when a coloratura comes on the scene and Leon goes for her in a big way, Margalo quick- ly tabs 'Cecilia. wan&over',as the women she has to watch. Margalo ccntrives to leave them alone ghe evening and there is an affair. Wlien she returns in the morning and learns that they spent the night in her bedroom all her theories ai-e cast ^5ide; She Is through-d£anU^.llV sho .thinks. XDr^^ dei-ed out of the apartraeut, Leon returns highly enthusiastic; having achieved the flnale of a new con- certo white walking past a deli- catessen shop. Finale has . Leon, Margalo and Tony working at the piano to complete the score. It is a telling bit of theatre, orte which brought hearty audience response on opening night! Ruth Weston looks and plays as weir as in 'Ladies' while Walter Pidgeon as Leon turns In an even better performance and proves He can toy with the ivories. Glen An- ders hasn't had as happy a part as Tony in seasons. Frances Maddux is on in one act and they liked 'The Co.imtry Maiden,' which she plays and sings at the piano, a number especially written for the play by Elliot Qreaitnard and Terry Shand. Very good, too, in the less weighty parts are Alfred A. Hesse, and Jo- seph Kallini. Betty Lawford does not seem to relish her assignment as. the .other woman. Author makes clear the difference lietween appearing in concert at Steinway Hall and Town Hall, so if the new play can woo a fair per- centage of those who attend such affairs it should- register. Ilee. mi\ DESIRES That All Communicafion* Be Addressed to Her Personal Manager m IRWIN RKO BLDC. RADIO CITY | NEW YORK Suite 2200 Circle 61234 hipkum than it receives. Roy Rob- erts as a not .so honest manager and Oliver Barbour as the deck- hand spouse are both in strange territory. For reasons of physique Roberts would have been a much better choice for the Barbour role. Barbour doesn't fit it at all. Garson Kanin, playing a, Hebe candy butcher with a pash for painting mustaches on posters,, tops the cast in effectiveness. Walter Scott Weeks, as a license coirimis- stoher, does. welMn a part replete; with ribbing, good natured and otherwise. Like 'Strip Girl,' this . one, ^hasn't a strip. And what's burlesque with- out a peel? As much stripping as auybody can stand is obtainable around the corner at Izzy Herk's 0!).tety for. 25c, The top for this, without ..stripping. Is .13. - ^ Bipe. (Closed Nov. 2; ' for {he reeordy. THE BODY BEAUTIFUL Comedy by Robert Rossen: Sidney Har- mon, producer; stnged by author; settings. Boris Aronson; Polly Walters featured.. At PlymcMJth. N. T., Oct. 31. 'S.l; W top. Tzzy Cohen '. Garson Kanin Kitty..... U>retta Sayers Borla Vaasllevltcti Eugene.,SlKalofr Gypsy Claire Carlton Charl»y t Leo Hoyt Blir Farmer Roy Roberts Lulu JohDsoii. PoUy Walters Jliuny ; liver Barbour Magistrate... .J. F. Kirk Court Clerk , ; iSam Roland Detective Oargaii... .Phil Sheridan Ofncer George Smith. Sue Barnes .\rlene Francis Snunder.<( Frederick Clayton WlRRlns Waller Scott Weeks Baxtor , Carl Rukoff Model Beverly Phnlon Walter.. Samuel Roland ..\. Boy Richard Ahert ON STAGE Comedy In two acts presented at the Maii!>aeld, N. Y.. Oct. 20, '35. by Laurence Rivers, Inc. (Rowland Stebblns); written by B. M. kaye; staged by Ro rt Ross; S:i.3a top. Morgan Crawford Osgood Perkins Edward Gllson..' Donald &TacdonaId A Messenger Boy.^........ .Harry Gresham EleanOr Chanler..'. .Selena Royle- Sheila DanXortb .Claudia Morgan Brooke Carrlngton.. .■ Frederic Worlock .Tarry Harmon '.... Alan Marshal James Sturdevant...; Louis Hector American Academy of Dramatic Arts Founded. I8S4 by Franklin H. Saraent THE! first, and foremost in- stitution for Dramatic and ExpreS.slonal Training..The In- struction furnisiies the' essen- tial preparation for Directing and Teaching as well as for Acting. Winter Term Begins Jan. 15th Catalsfl (t 111 C«iirM« from th» Secretary Boom Carnegie Hall, N. Y., Robert Rossen is the second play- wright of the season to take a whack at the burley stripping indus- try, ajftd although he lias come closer to the mark than the author of 'Sti-ip Girl,' the score is still no runs, no ftits. etc. The Lulu Johnson of this one dif- fers from the Dixie Potter of the. contemporary piece in two respects —she's chaste and she manages to get out of burlesque. First named distinction, or stigma, as the case is here, is disposed of in the last act through consummation of the strip- per's marriage to a stagehand. But after getting his stripper out of the Minsky atmosphere the author didn't do right by her. That Lulu is an interesting char- acter for most df the first act is an- other Indication that there possibly is a story to be found, in the lady taker-ofllers of biurlesquie, other than as dull psychological studies. But once again an author has been an accurate sharpshooter. Rossen's dialog at times is good. There are moments when his comedy punches land like a Louis left hook. But there is too much spacing and not enough structural strength in his story to carry tlie chatter. Besides, which his backstage reporting is drab and his analysis of the subject influenced too much by impressions gained on the wron^ side of the footlights. Anybody who knows the mechan- ics of burlesque and its people could not go so far wrong in his details. The fact is that a real lowdown bri burlesque would be lots more comi- cal than an imaginary repi-oduction. Settings are good looking, but in the backstage sequences not alto- gether realistic. Lulu's dressing room, in whieh too much irrelevant action takes place, is moie like an alley than a dressing room. Polly Walters, featured and play- ing the lead, doesn't fulfill the prom- ise .she showed in 'She Loves Me Not,' and prior, to that in pictures and vaudeville. She slurs her lines, gets much too kittenish and strains tog hard to Impress as.a dumb dora. A simple portrayal without the tricks would suit the part much better, and Ml.ss Walters is capable of doing it If she cared to. Also, she's put on .considerably more weight than is m'ce.«sary for a girl of her size, but that can be cor- rected. Eugene Slgaloff as the nutty mti- siflan to.s.ses Jlalect all over the place without getting maximum rc- tui-ns. For one thing, he is de- pendent for laughs chiefly on his dia,lect and without much help from the dialog. Otherwise he seems to have preferred to have played down a crazy character that calls for more 'Qn Stage' is a mystery play not of tiie thriller type but more along the lines of Pirandello's 'Six Char- acters in SearcK of an Author.' Rarely does an.,.author who makes the audience wonder what It is all about get his work across, and it is unlikely that Benjamin Kaye, a New York attorney, will pro^i^e the excep tloh. He seemed to secure inspiration from 'Six Characters,' hew play be Ing along" similar lines but reversing the order by having the author searching for his character.?. Ahaly sis of what the author's aim really is. i3 a guess, but there is little doubt that the flrst of the two acts is quite draggy- and both are better toward the close. Playwright has- written a melo- drama in which he hias a young wife murdering her husband, a broker gone broke. He falls asleep and. the balance of the play is a dream,, he stepping before the curtain to ex- plain the plot to the audience. Char- acters enter as he expects but they do not act nor talk just the way the script reads. Dramatist at times is invisible to his characters. At other points he is spotlighted on a different part of the stage and so are they, but they cannot hear him. Still, there are some dialog exchanges, in which he participates. So the question of what is real and what or who is unreal is never quite definite. Play is made more confusing when the author gets a shot in the arm from a doctor and then imag ines his characters mixed up in the murder trial—the girl shoots the broker and is convicted. He comes out of that spasm to find all six characters around him. But the cast has another player,, that of the dis- trict attorney. Dream is still on. Author has fallen in love with one of his char actcrs. Just as they are dragging the murderess off to the chair the playwright is awakened by an actor who, in the dream; was a flaggelat ing physician. Girl who he dreamed he loves actually calls. They had met on shipboard and some of the things she "had .told him were Inci dents mentioned lii the script. Any- how, the dramatist decides he'll ajarry the girl. Osgood Perkins has the major part, that of the author. Others in the limited but well-known cast are Selena Royle, Claiidia Morgan. Don aid MacDonald, Frederick Worlock.. also Louis Hector^ Harry Gresham and Alan Marshall. Maybe they know the answer. Jhee. voice of quality which, if further brought out, might win more than passing attention.' Phyllis Austen is a looker and licr song contribU; tions, too, divei-ted the Sunday eve- ning first nighters. Cyril Smith, with .two. Engli.sh numbers, is a London Music Hall type of single and his appe.arance is something of a novelty. Smith was formerly a steward on a British liner, but has been playing clubs around New York for several sea- sons." If they^giV^ hirfr a. piano down there he's liable to stop the show. Second act was supposed to top the flrst, but doesn't, mostly because of the skits. Oliver arid Marie. Al- varez have two conversational, ses- sions -in one, along cross-fire, dialog lines. There are some giggles! but onfji^ppearance should have been enough.. Miss Alvarez has a dialect, saying she is a Pole despite her name. She has a way of looking surprised when staring at the audi- ence aftei- pulling a gag. Torky Done His Best" is a rather pretentious finale, borrowing the effect in 'Poi'gy' in the spiritual singing and lighting effect Choral direction is by Rose Ludlum, it being managed somehow to have a. small orchestra pit. "Riverman,' sung by Mary Schaeffer, has a striking effect. Miss Austen's best is with 'New Words to an Old Love: Song,' for which Dave Stamper wrotel the melody and Fred Herendeen the lyrics. Miss Kay's best try is 'I'm a Professional Now.' 'Push Over for Love' gets something; for Oliver. Eight dancing girts, directed by Mary Rtead, do well enough In the limited space. The Bemays are okay in a specialty dance. Revue has a chance to draw some business in the Village; it Is the best effort down there in some time. Ibee. . Provincetown Follies Revue In t^o parts presented at the Provincetown Plaj-houBe. N. Y.. Nov. 3. ■^5. by the Greenwich Musical GulFd, Inc.: .score by Sylvan Green, Mary. Schaeffer, Arthur Jbnea, Trevor Jones. Dav» Stamper'; skllH by Frederick Herendeen. Gwynn Langdon, Barrl^ Oliver and George K ArWiurl staged by Lee Morrl.son; dances by Mary Read; $2,75 top. Cast:- Darrle Oliver, Beatrice Kay, Phyllla Aii.sten, Cyril Smith. Billy Greene Wood Hawkins, Eileen Gravis. U[arle Alvarez.. The Beroays, Theodore Stanhope, London Four. Opening lyric in thi.S intimate revuei chirps that since it is spotted in the street called MacDougal, the .show is rather frugal. That is. a franli admission that the musical is strictly for the Greenwich Villagf; berth. That it will be brought up town is distinctly unlikely: Show has some pretty good things, but nothing exceptional. It is well lighted and fali-ly well drcs.sed, appparing to better advan- tage on the tiny stage of the 200- seater than if regularly prcsonted Most of the sketches rim too long and aiirn't fun-ny. prinVip.'ii '.vc-.k- ne.ss of the revue being the scarcity of laugh.s. Barrle Oliver, who has had Broad- way experience, i.s^ immaculate in tails. Ho is,.a combination^ m.c, comedian, hoofer and general utility man. Feminine .section of the llmlt- e'l cast is topped by Beatrice Kay, a comedienne who score.s with one or two numbers. MLas Kay has a PLAY, GENIUS, PLAY Comedy In three acts by Judith Kandel; presented at St. James, .N. T., Oct. 30, '.33. by Le^ Caatorr staged by ;io Oraliam; 43.30 lop.. Pac'cl Taughan Godfrey Jenny. ..,,Virginia Sale HoUlday .Stapleton Kent Mrs. Margaret Carey Theresa MaxweU Conover Mr. Jay Carey Ferdinand Gottschalk Jorje Carey Sam Wren .\lbert Sterne Clarence Derrrent Paul Carey HarJie Albright Leda Marshall. ..Frances Carton Casazza Sydney Rlggs Diana, Sanndera.. Judith Wood Mr. Morgan... .Butler HlxOa .'^unt Nancy..Gertrude Mudae tJncle Brian William Fay Cousin Doris Barbara Brow» Uncle Richard John T. Dwyer Cou«ln Annabelle. Vera Hurst .Ambrosia Mercedes .Gilbert Manufacturer .Maurice Freeman First Girl ■.., Elffle Afton Farmer llllara Norton Second Girl .Helen Kimm Healey Len Doyle Third Girl .. lldred SchrOeder First Man William Morris Second Man... Craig Williams Eve. ;.. .Charlotte Gloer Sascha Noodleman. .Sarajaott Monty Gavin Mulr Kelly W. W. Shuttleworth Proprietor... > Walter Armlni Doctor. Walter Fenner ENGAGEMENTS Jobyna Howland, 'Evening Star.' Broderick Crawford, Lea Pennian, Edward Sloan, James MacColI, 'Boy Meets Gill.' SsLm Sidman, 'For Valor.' Joseph Holland, Walter Holbrook, Harry Redding, Winston O'Keefe, Charles Trexler, Barry Kelly, Mar- garet Rawlings, George Curzoh, Ef- fie Shannon, Edwsird MacXamara, John Emery, Barry MapoUumi Alex-v aiider .Frank,—Cle-me.nt O'Logh.len,. Gordon Burby, Ruth Matteson, Phyllis Connard, Ruth Yorke, 'Par- neli's (complete cast). Myron McCormlck, Ralph Riggs, Harry Bellaver, Burke Clarke, Mari Brown, Ann ScovlUe, Nell Harrison, Leoniard Loan, Marion Willis, Nor- man WUllams, Elmer Oettinger, Will Henry, Gedrge Colan, William Cul- ioo, 'How Beautiful With Shoes.' Lee Baker, Charles Bi-yant, Frank Monroe, Clara Palmer, Lillian Em- erson,- Percy Kilbride. Nicholas Joy. Seth Graham, 'A Gambler's Chance.' Lee Patrick, Maria Ouspenskaya, Barbara RobbihSr Allen Fagan, 'Abld^ With Me.' Maida Reade. Sylvia Flel in the Mud.' Carlyle Bennett, Bernard Gbrcey, Joseph Striker, iana Tempest, George Sherwood, 'Satellite.' Grace Stewart, 'Sketch Book.' Russ Brown, 'One Good Year.' David Shelley, 'Whatever Goes Up.' Lillian Glsh, King.' Mary Morris. Ralph Theodore, John L. Kearney, Ralph Slmone, Vincent Irrblli, Wendell Phillips; Royal Stout, William Nnhn, Ber- nadine Hayes, Virginia Runyon, Violet HiU, . Mae Schultz, Helen Haffner, Alfred Haffner, Gregory Robblns, Anthony Bassett, E. .J. Bluiikall, Cliff Hlcklnger,. Leon Stern, 'Mother Sings' (complete cast); Fi-ederick Leiijter, Helen Goub, Joan Marion, Wtlfrefi Lawsoh, Er~ nest Lawford, 'LlheL"^ Doris Dudley, 'One. Good Year.' Helen Holmes, Edith Atwater, Ben Starkey, Agnes Marc, .'This Our House.' Stanley G. Wood^ Helen Henry, 'Mother; Leslie Bingham, 'The First Lady.' James Bell, Kathleen Fitz, Lee Baker, 'Singing Acres.' If this season has abounded in any one thing it has been comedies with good ideas which didn't quite come through. This is another one in that category. Pretty obvious why the producers saw this- as a good chance and also why Mervin LeRoy financed, it. But why, after all that, and after investing it with an ex- pensive production and a costly cast, it was allowed to go on withr out being rewritten Is difTlcult to figure. Judith Kandel is the wife of Aben Kandel, playwright and dramatist. She had an excellent idea here—tliat of the life of a musical prodigy at home—but is inclined to gag It too much to make it funny. Charac- terh are askied to constantly speak lines that sound like the captions under cartoons in smart magazines. Sometimes they're funny, but they're never real; they never have any breath of life in them. H'-^ too gaggy to be funny. Also the need of a bliic pencil 1» evident. There are scenes, several of them, which are completely un- necessary and which, if clipped or di-opped, would have helped the gen- eral effect. Direction by J Graham is on the same pitch. He has his characters acting not like humorous, or pathetic, or in any way slgnlflr Cant persons, but re.serabling carica- tures. It is as though the author and director are on the stage all the 'Girr Cute Cast Over the week-end the cast of 'Strip Girl,* Lpngacre, N. Y., was reduced from 27 to IT, but there were two replacement players en- gaged. Play; is among several this season which were regarded as having too many scenes a^d script revisions have corrected that. A number of players retained are doubling. Operating expense was reduced about ?450 weekly through the let- outs. time saying, 'Look here, this Is going to be very funny;' Only the fun never quite eventuates; it always falls Just a bit flat. Paul Carey is the vloliiiist. who was a child genius. He's now in his early 20'a and beginning to fldget. Mamma and Papa Carey exploit him for his money reaming, capaci- ties and he has n^ fun at a.IL His brother Jorje, being no genius and having no talent, spends his time and money on wine, woman, etc. Paul steals a gal from Jorje and goes out to have a fling. It doesn't pan out so well and ^ conies back home to his overbearing mama, his domineeriner manager, his parasitic pappa and his obliging violin. Hardie Albright tries hard with tho part of Carey, the only really legitimate performance of the play. Theresa Maxwell Conover over-cm- phaoizcs the mother. Ferdinand Gottschalk is fine as the father, but has little to do. Sam Wren whistles his way through the brother role, Clarence Derwent is miscast as the manager. Frances Carton never siecms too sure how to handle her-i self as Carey'^u fiancee. Judith Wood, too, is miscast, as is the other girl. Several bits out of th^long cast are well played. It'll probably make a good film If rewritten sanely, Kauf. (Closed Nov. 2; printed for the record.) I. MILLER Showfolks Shoeshop, Leading producers find the prices, in our new theatrical departments, a pleasant surprise. • t552 BROADWAY Open 'Tin 9 P. M.