Variety (Oct 1936)

64 VARIETY LtCIfI MA II Wednesday, October 21* 1936 Plays Out of Town HAMLET (LESLIE HOWARD) ■ Boston, Oct. 20. Leslie Howard's production 'of William Shakespeare drama as prepared by Schuyl- er Watts. Directed, by Howard and John Houseman. Special innate/ Virgil Thom- aoh; choreography, Agnea de Mllle;•■ settings and costumes, .Stewart Chaney.. At Boston Opera House, Boston, Mass,, Oct, 19, .'30. King -Claudius .....«...... Wilfrid Walter Queen Gertrude Mary. Servoss, Ghost .. i v. i. ! ............... < John Barclay Prince Humlet : ....... i,. *Leslie Howard Lord Polonius .............Aubrey Mather Laertes ..................... Clifford Evans Ophelia ...... Pamela Stanley Horatio ...................Joseph Holland Marcellus i..Wesley Addy 'Barnardb ..... -i ..»...v..;•'.■..John; Parrlsh- Francisco -.. ....,,..«.....P«Mil Genge R<>senorantz ;..;'',wV.-.i>...i.>.Denis Green Oulldensterh ....... i ... .Winston ,.0'Keefe Plajier >........ : ..•......',. .Herbert .Jlanson Player King ........./...Alexander Scourby 'Player''Quean" ...,..>.....;...Mary Meyer Prologue ,;.......Madelyn. Phitllps First Gravedigger .>,....Stanley Lathbury Second Gravedigger ......O. Z. Whitehead Chaplain ',;..'..'...,...;Erlc Mansfield Osric •. • •.-. ... Albert Carroll Gentleman - 4 : . ," .>. v.. . •'.... ■ s .Hugh^Norton COURTIERS: Messrs. : Jones, Tanner, Hayes, Foster, Zwerllng, Potter. . COURT-' LADIES '. Misses Adams. -Hill, Sorel, Syjva, Bayne, Schauer, Sphi*arn. PAGES: Messrs. Francis, Sudano, Clay- ton,. Perry. . ■ ,: SOLDIERS: Messrs, Blood,. NoacK, ham,, Volk,, Leonard, Randall. Leslie Howard's magnificent pro-; du:tioh of 'Hamlet' premiered here tonight and will stand comparison with the best of them. It will hot only; delight Leslie Howard; fans and fully satisfy the most critical, sea- soned' Shakespearean followers, but will doubtless win many new re- cruits to each of these legions. • Howard's Hamlet is a sane, clever one, only feigning madness to fur- ther nis ultimate reyenge. He does not 'saw the air too much with his hands/ but, rather, Holds the mirror up to nature.' While other Danish -princes' may have tingled -more spines with their raucous rantings, or shone midst second-rate support-. . tingplayers,Howard's version will go down in theatrical annals as one of the better all-round productions, effective and sustaining because of its simplicity. . Instead of setting a stage for the •- declamation of the welL-known solil- oquies, Howard simply takes these in his stride, without undue emphasis (which may be criticized by. some as a weakness), and projects their thoughts in a way easily understood by the beginner. Howard and House- man had their eyes ion the box office,! and possibly Hollywood. Novelties are the 11th century cos turning, said to be Danish rather than English, and a wharf scene, at Hamlet's, departure for England, in which a galley ship is featured. This set is the ace of the evening. Light- ing is exceptionally good throughout. "• Mary Servoss, understudying Ger- trude Elliott, stepped into the role of the Queen Sunday, day before open- ing, when Miss Elliott was forced to Withdraw because of eye trouble. She is adequate. : Pamela Stanley as Ophelia is be Uevable; Aubrey Mather makes much of Polonius through, deft comedy, handling; Clifford Evans pleases as Laertes; John Barclay registers sol- idly as the Ghost; Wilfrid Walter is a" fair King, and Stanley LathbUry's Gravedigger is a high spot. Howard's most dramatic scene was his opening-night curtain speech be- fore a Worshiping audience. His ob- ject, he said, was to present the tragedy as Shakespeare would have, -•* given modern stage appurtenances'. Fox. Portland Civic Starts . Portland, Ore., Oct. 20. Portland Civic Theatre, under the direction of . Gordon Davis, opened its season of legit with 'Ceiling Zero' 'with admish at $1 top. Advance bookings for the season indicate. jthatJocally_j)rp.duced.-legit. is-gaining in popularity. .;.. ,. ", PUNCHES & JUDY Comedy in three acts by C. G. Blythe, presented by John Golden; features Flor- ence 7 Rood; directed by Joseph Oi Kessel- rlng. At Boulevard, Jackson Heights, N. T, week of Oct. 19, '30; SI top. Judith Farrell ..............Florence Reed Father Curran ..LaWrence-O'Brien Stacla Farrell ,. :.... ,.. . .. .Phyllis Welch Mrs..Donald Hammond ......Ivy Troutman Peggy Kirk Dare .Murlal Williams: Larry Haney ;.-;............JOrlb Dressier Policeman ................... Robert Lowe Swede roderlck Crawford Re* Crbnin .................Robert Burton. Donald Hammond .,.....Carlyle Blackwell Valet .........................Jack Soane» Dave Mitchell .............William Fbran Champion .'Leo Frederic Reporter ......Arthur Hughes Camera ................ > .Malcolm Langi New John Golden offering is com- edy again With Madison Square Gar-: den hovering in the background. Ringside is never seen, but it is there. Champs who go for dinner jackets on the way up, society girls and personal appearances are' enacted out front. Also a stern Irish dow- ager who hates leather-pushers, especially Where her daughter is concerned. Play has two roles which need fattening, They .are played by Flor* ence Reed arid; Brbdefick Crawford. Picture possibilities appear favor- able. _ Miss Reeid works with a distinct Irish brogue throughout. It is some* times hard to take. Second act does not use her at all, with the final scene having her indulge in parf lor fisticuffs with the coming champ, blackening his eye and smashing a vase over his dome. Hoke stuff, but it gets a laugh. Crawford's part is a bldke characterization bearing faint resemblance to Maxie Baer; it should be encouraged for socko re- sults. ' V. Entire cast is well chosen; Phyliss Welch is the girl in the, affair who nearly marries the boxing king out Of spite. She figures in the entire action. Eric Dressier also works in dialect, role being a sympathetic one which has him continually hesitant until practically pushed in the. face. He is th e pr omoter who discovers the flghteFwid grooms him for the? big: tussle; Carlyle Blackwell Puts in .a trim appearance in a minor rple.- Lawrence Cfirien as the priest, and Muriel Williams as the society girl hot for the muscle exhibitionists, are others prominently spotted. Actual pactihg of the fight of the century has some punch material but not enough at present. It is a round-table huddle with quips giv- ing the lowdown on the dotted-line Golden has dressed his production With quiet taste. First vista is mid- Victorian with smatterings of the old country, and the last two acts are modern put not modernistic; ■ ;• rol. ■„• CATNIP ^ , , . St. Louis, Oct. 14. Comedy in three acts by Robert Hanna, presented, by The players; directed by Mj,\ Howard Cammack •• and. Maty Jane Roach; scenery, F. Ray LelmUuehler;.cbs^ tumcsi '-.Frances . Campbell; lighting, John Chnmberlin: at Little theatre, St. Loiils, Oct. 14,. '3(1. Mia Deering. .....Margaret Havt John Parmenteer........ .i... .David Crossen Luclana Albanarl...... ........, i .Nell .Gray Alice. Knight...'....... . . . . ...Jane Blaekriior Eleanor'Albfinarl..Helen. Hlgglns Bauer Nellie van Glider. .,.. T .Ruth It. -Roach Thompson .■.....Vartlm S'fiilr'noit Maate TolUver.............. Melville Gordon Timothy Tolllver. : . .Wallacb.- Wilson Fairfax Blue..Jack LancVilt .L;irry Parmenteer'..;'........Rflymond Bond Bella Gardner...........w..Vibn Smirnoff ilver jubilee of The Players ush- ered in the world premiere of 'Cat- hip,'-written by Robert Hanna, N. Y. playwright, arid former member of the local organization. . Film rights to this play, based bri the trials and tribulations of "the "love-making-pro Corrciit Road Shows (WEEK OF OCT. m 4 Abit*» UUh Bose/ Brighton, righton Beach, N. Y. 'Blossom Time,' Forrest, Phila- delphia. ' . * ; Hoy Meets Girl/ Plymouth, Boston* . 'Boy Meets Girl/ Temple, Sagi- naw, Mich, 19; Palace, Flint, 20; Post, Battle Creek, ; State, Kalamazoo, 22; Keith's,. Grand Rapids, 23; Shrine, Ft. Wayne, Ind, 24. 'Call W A bay,' Shubert, Bos- ■ - ■ 'Children's Hour,' Chestnut, Philadelphia. fbead End," Studebaker, Chi- cago. ' 'End of Samimer,' (Ina'Claire), Nixon, Pittsburgh. . 'Ethan Frome,' Bushnell Audi- torium; Hartford, Conn., 24V. Tint Lady/ (Jane Cowl), Na- tional, Washington. Torbldden Melody/ Erlanger, Philadelphia. 'Great Waltz/ Community, Hershey, Pa, 19; Temple, Scran- toh, 20; Binghamton, Bingham-. ton, N. Y„ 21; Masonic Aude, Rochester, 22-24. 'Hamlet,' (LesUe Howard), Boston Opera House, Boston. 'Heddft : GaMer/ (Nazimova), Colonial, Boston, 20-24. "Lady Precious Stream/ Ben- ton Hall, Oxford, , 19; Hanna, Cleveland, 20-24. liove on the Dole/ Shubert, Newark. *Meet My Sister/ El Capitan, Hollywood. 'Mulatto,' Cass, Detroit. 'Naughty Marietta/ Grand, Chicagd. ' ,,. 'Night Jam Selwyn, Chicago, . 'Personal Appearance/ Engle- wood, N, j. 'Plumes in the Dost,' (Heriry Hull), McCarter, Princeton, N. J, 24, ' ; " Trlde and Prejudice/ Harris, Chicago. ' ■'Punches and Judy/ (Florence Reed); Boulevard,, Jackson Heights; L. I, N. Y. 'Red, Hot and Blue/ Shubert, New. Haven. v' San Carlo Opera, Auditorium, Chicago. 'Scandals/ Curran, Cisco. Tobacco Road/ Hartrhan, Co- lumbus, O., 20-24. W Due Out •Love From Stranger' will be withdrawn from the Fulton, N. Y. Saturday (24) when it will have played four weeks minus one night. Melodrama was^ originally done in London. It drew a mild press arid business was under an even break at slightly more than $6,000 weekly. •LOVE FROM A STRANGER' Opened Sept. 89, *39. With the exceptlen of Burns- Mantle (News)* all the first-stringers turned thumbs down oa this Alex Yokel import. Anderson (Journal) said there were 'mountainous peaks of unmiti- gated dullness.' Variety (Ibee) said: 'A doubt- ful entry.' Syracuse, Oct. 20. Syracuse University; tenanting the Civic University theatre here, and leasing it to the WPA Federal Play- ers on a split-week basis, is running into difficulties with publicity for its first road show, Nazimova's 'Hedda Gabler,' booked for Oct. 30. Because of the double tenancy, many Syracusans believe the Ibsen show is a. WPA unit To further compucate matters, the University is offering foreign film program twice monthly. Rah, Rah, in Lincoln Lincbln, Oct. 22. . Extreme unlikeliness of •; legit roadshow season here has the. press giving unusual backing to the two college player groups here this year; University Players (University of Nebraska) has a * play schedule including 'Personal Appearance,' 'Three Men on a Horse/ 'First Lady,' 'Lost Horizon,' 'Call It a Day/ and 'Night, of Ja.n. 16.' • Wesleyan Play- ers (Nebraska Wesleyan. University) are doing four, including 'Three- Cornered Mooh,' 'Twelfth Night,' 'Mary Rose,' 'Bill ivorce ment,' Florence Gardner, legit promotress on road stuff, tpld the newspapers that there didn't seem to be anything aiming this way. pensities of Luciano Albanarl, have been purchased by Warner Bros. While the stage play is confined to one set there is little doubt that the film makers will find opportunity for numerous scenes, for the betterment of the play. Plot is laid in Philadelphia where Albanari, associated in business with John and Larry Parmenteer is run- ning riot in his flirtations with Lila Deering, still in her ^teehs, and Alice Knight, a sophisticated willowly blonde, during the absence of; his wife Eleanor. Both are dazzled by his glamorous love-making and ac- quired Oxford accent. Eleanor's sud^- den return to the home of Nellie Van Gilder, her . aunt, with whom she and Luciano live, doesn't have much ef- fect in slowing up Luciano's bold ad- vances to. his newest flames. Because of her love for Luciano, Eleanor con- fides her trouble to' her aunt, who already is aware of . the situation. While they map a plan to bring Luci- ano to his senses he abandons Lila for Alice and this friendship reaches the ; point where they intend to run away, although Luciano evades Alice's request that he tell Eleanor he ho longer loves her and wants a divorce.- yr- - -"t - - A Eleanor's intuition tells, that dan- ger is in the air. Although she sees no solution of her domestic difficul- ties ihe wise old aunf counsels par ti once. Arrival in Ne\^ York of Bella Gardner,, novelist arid divorcee, from France and her acceDtance of. an in- vitation to visit the Van Gilder home further complicates the situation when it develops that it was' Bella who introduced Eleanor to Luciano at her Paris, home, where Luciano was a favored; suitor. Eleanor, urged by her aunt, tells Bella of Luciano's infatuation for Alice and asks her advice, ■' It all straightens out sans tragedy. There are many smart li , which kept the first-night audience chuck- ling, and these were delivered, in th" main, by Timothy 1 Tolliver. Neil Gray, as • Luciano, 'doesn't ap-, 03T to be the gay Lothario the role 'rv'lls-.for,. but Ruth Roach capably fills the part of the all-wise aunt and stem's, moire ,bf --a ..professional than the; r«st of the cast. Play was re- seated Oct.: 15 arid 17. Sahu. . 'Ann Rutledge,' musical based oh the. romance, , of".. Abraharh Llhcoih and Ann, Rutledge, is being prepared by.': George Freystade of Paramount, who will also produce in association with Joseph M. Weiss. Latter writ- ing the score. St. Louis Sked : Louis, Oct. Legit seasori here gets under way Sunday (25) at the'American The. atre with the first St. Louis showing of 'Mulatto,', with James Kii;kwood i the star role. 'Mulatto' will be followed for the week- of Nov. 1 by Tobacco Road,' which played here three weeks last winter to sock biz, Taylor Holmes will head the 'To- bacco' cast. 'Boy Meets Girl' is booked for the week of Nov, 8 arid, while" a booking for Nov. 15 is indefinite, there is a possibility of 'Pri arid Prejudice' being brought he.re for that' week. Ina Claire in T ' A of Summer' is due week of .Nov. 22 and Jane Cowl- in 'First Lady' on Dec. 'WALTZ' FOE ATLANTA . Atlanta, Ga., Oct. Lucas & Jenkins' Fox. Theatre will go legitimate for two days, Nov. • 23 and 21, when 'Great Waltz' Will be presented here for three perform ances. ' , ■-;Houserh;as" the-only stage-in Atlanta large enough to handle the produc- tion, but the power lacks 2,200 amps of being enough. Planned to jazz up the juice supply , on play dates. New Business (Continued from, page 42) Hampshire Jockey Club, eight 15- minute programs, twice weekly, p.m., to Oct. 23. Program Listing: ?Race Highlights with Babe Rubenstei .' Through Dorenius & Co., N. . Y, WNAC, Durkee Mower Co. (Marshmallow Fluff), 52 participations in the Gret- chen , McMullen; Broadcast, once weekly. Through Harry M. Frost, Boston. WNAC (also WEAN). Smith Brothers, Poughkeepsle, N: r Y., 65 participations in The. Yankee Network News Service, five times weekly, ending Feb. 19, 1937. Through Brown (k Tarcher, Inc., N. Y. WNAC. Pure Foods Factory. Newark, N. (Herb-Ox):, 26 participations in the Gretchen McMulleri Broadcast, once weekly. Through C, W, Hoyt' Co., Inc., Hartford, Conn. WNAC Chamberlain, Inc., Boston (Leader- ship Shoulders)52 participations in Gretchen McMullen Broadcast, once weekly, p.m. Through Charles W. Hoyt Co,, Inc., Hartford, Conn. WNAC (WEAN). - Cosmos Chemical,:New York (San- ovan), 13 participations in the Gret- chen McMullen Broadcast, once weekly, a.m. Through B.B.D. & O., Inc., New York, WNAC. Kosmet Laboratories, lnc„ N. Y„ 26 15-minute programs, twice weekly. Through Brooke, Smith & French, Inc.. N.T. WAAB. Wander Company (Ovaltine), 260 15-minute programs, five times weekly, p.m. Program Listing: •Molly of the' Movies.' Through Mu- tual Broadcasting System. WAAB. - F. W. Fitch Company (hair tonic), 26 15-minute programs, once weekly, p.m., ending March 30. Program Listing: 'Meadows Beauty Forum/ Through L. W. Ramsey Co., Daven- port, Iowa. WAAB. William - Little, Inc., Waltham, Mass. (Dodge-Plymouth), 365 wear ther reports daily including Sundays, a.m; Through Julian Gross,. Hart- ford, Conn. WAAB. Gibbs & Co., Chicago . (Gabrieleen Permanent Wave), 26 15-minute pro- grams, once weekly,. ending March 31. Through Bertram & Reibel Ad- vert. Co., Chicago. WAAB. .(Continued from page 6t) era! meetings. At last spring's ses- sion the amendment was given slight edge, score; being 222 for ■ and 192 against and therefore failed adoption. Referendum vote was 603 in favor of adoption, with 164 opposed. There were 956 ballots in all, but 189 were disqualified. On percentages it Was claimed that 78.61 favored the amendment, opposing percentage be- ing 21.38,. but that did riot take into consideration the .invalidated ballots, over which there may be some dis- cussion. Total paid-up Equity membership at-present is around the 2,500 mark, with the registered referendum vote being regarded as fairly strong. London, Canada, Theatre London, Canada, Oct. 20. r Plans are well advanced for build- ing $100,000 'coriimunity theatre' in is city. •• New theatre will be .especially equipped to meet the needs of the Little theatre groups, but will be equipped with talker apparatus' just i case. FUTURE PLAYS . Look Now/ comedy by Joh Crumpy, to be produced arid directed by Gustav Blum; Already rehearsing for Nov. 2 bow. 'This Pretty World' by Converse Tyler, to be produced by Johnnie Walker, former film actor; Casting now for rehearsals on Oct. 26 undei producer's direction, 'Contingency/ by fi. H. Simmons, and 'Rosalinda/ by Jessica Per rin, acquired by the Players Group, new firm. ENGAGEMENTS Jack McCauley, 'Show Is On? ' Lucille WatsoniEva. Le Gallienne, Leo G. Carroll, 'Prelude to Exile.' . Howard Wierum, 'Four to Go.' Walter rice, Margaret Mullen, Matt Briggs, Lora Rogers, Juan, Hernandez, Kathryn March, Bartlett Robinson, Berry Philson, Charles Dingle, Inge Hardisoh, John Bunn, Foster. Williams, Eulabelle Moore, Ann Franklin, Juanita Hall Singers, ^weet River?:- : -^^T——,-—r'"-—- George Curson, Brenda Forbes, Winifred Lenihan, Alexander Kirk- land, A. P. Kaye, 'Black Limelight.' Rosemary Arnes, A. E. Matthews, Rex O'Malley, 'Matrimony Pfd.' Alice John; Ralph Culli nis Hoey, 'Green waters.' Regis Toomey, Tom Fadden. Joe Vitale, Ruth Holden, Martha Hodge, Jerry Sloan, Clyde Franklin, Berilla Kerr, John Ravold, Jack Toller. Eric Frankl, Albert Bergh, Carririgtori Lewis, Mortimer H. Weldon, Claire' Nolte,: Harold Woolf, 'All Editions.' John Buloff, 'Don't Look Now.' Dudley Clemients.-'Double Dummy.*