Variety (Jan 1937)

58 VARIETY LCGITIMATE Weilnesdaf* January 13^ 1937 Plays (h Broadway gpectncle tjrama in- three 'pftrt$, preseiltea at Munhuttan OpexA House^ M. T.i, Jan, 7. '37, by . MeyerwVV. WelsRal and CrQaby Oalpre: Max Reinhardt'production: settlpKii, cost.uinea and' lighting., by Non'nan Bel Geddeu; Frianz Werfel'B book translate^ by ' X.udwlir Iiewlsbhn. Adapted by William A; Dtnke;, score . by 'Kurt Weill; lyriOa by , CharleB. Alan; - daiices,. ehsQmblcs ;by Ben*, janiiln Zemach:' $4.40 top, Babbi :. , ,,,,...,..... yjon Taylor Adversary ■ Sam Jflfto ^Plnii<^ •;Soul Mark Schweld Rich Man . •... i-; ,.,.. .\.. Anthony. Blalr Estranged One Harold Johnsriid Estranfted one's Son ....... Sidney Lujnet Pnfsldent oC OonRreKatton David A; Leonard First OPloiis Man V....... Robert;Han'lson Second PloUs Man ........ Chfirles Adier Third Pious Man ..;...... Baruoh Lumet, 'Fourth Pious' Man ,i.r,.,,. . XesUei.Aiisfeh :FIftl> ,Pious Mon Benpett CsalHs Sixth Pious Mail jCasalus C. Qiilmby ; Seventh-, PlouQ Man. Harry HamjniU' i Elifhth Pious Man. Hal Klnwley >iillnth Pious Man. Kurt Za^nar. ' Fanatic ......... Roxer I>e Koven ' Adversury's Follower .. Abne^ Blheronun Watchman r.vV'.i.,.David Kurian r . ' Al GllfTord ............i;,...-I Charles Homer .• .1 GUstave Strxker "Women of. ConicreRatton: Edit. Anj^old. Elizabeth Carpenter. Alberta Chaunfey. Mildred Dunnock. Miriam EUaa. Lea. Warden. • . oy^ 'ot- ConfcVeRation; Nat L,' HlntZi Howard' Sherttiftn.., Dickie, i Van Patten ' Jesse .,. i.,i,,v....... Herbert Rutfley 5 Allen Girt ';;;;..:.'.;..;01lve Deerlntr ■^Ancient >,.-....,Charles ;^i'\le Abraham,*.......V..;...Tltiomaa Chalnteirs ^erah -..v..>...;...... Bertha KUnz-Baker ,: Ellezer;,,,.........',,,;.(Jart ' PormleB Solomon,\.i.'...v.^^I'ohn. Uppman . Darit AnKei: ...; ..«';;. i, , Edwara Kane ; Voice -of Ch^ruh; > ..;...., timmy. iRott '«'«racob . • '.Vi'..... i; k.'.. Jlalph Jctmeson 'Jtacbel . / S&rah; Osnath^Htileyy Joaopli. V..,..',;;;. Eart Weaiherford . (Reuben .....V,'.;.. .Robert 'WBrren Bantley. - Shimon-, ,".:.';■ i>>-i .. li-- Noel rCr^vat :. laeYi.v,.;';.iiiV.;<.j;v:.f'.. - Paul Hammond- "Ji^dah .. .i'. Vi\,. i.,',.... ..^-ToBeph-:Ma<caulay ■ JaaachW, >Vi»...;,,;. *. Starjp West ■ Jones .-•IStlMwir'W..v;'.. i.. <.;. •..;.. Kurt-.Kaa;^aii ■jifaphtallt ■. v.ii^*.jj:.'.'.V.. ■ :.Ed*ard. jPlgWe^: ''.-GHA't'. ...;'v:7k-.^V>. i» < •'•.. • Leonard- Mence ;^'ABhet' fr'»/fr»;,'',i.v,.v,.;...Edwiar'd Vermflrttl V.'7cader.: Anii[el6': "Edward Kane,.-. ,|Vlbert ■■ivi'-'^Casehlro;;'" •"'. .■ ; .Beplaniln' .: :'i;,i:;i..f%^-, . Walter .Elliott ^. -St'eivailt ■i--' '•' V ii.»i'-. i v..'. i .■.,.'DJiafte ;.! Scott - ^^Jureler •*.Vi..."..• Flofente -Meyer '.CMdadB 4..ViV..<ii'^r. SanlUel Goldenbertc ;JfIHitm/ r.V. ;;. .i'; i .•..liotte Lftiiy* TaskroastAr .;.•. »....., ;. JUyhlond Htllet "jR^Vr&yf ^liaiVo' . .1.....,'.,. Paul Marlon. .^dvfrsary.'s FoXlow^t . i^nj^ihln Zeniacb '.Joshua.'. .'1 i ii...;.,';..,. - Robert" Beiitley .Rvth .^>.ti.:I.t. KftthBripe: CarrJn^on '.Difaftint. ...,>,Bertha Kun'Z'Bijkelt' Dancera .at\Weddii<(?: Lll . Zilandrs. jQn$t . JanoV.' Francea Hellman. Ruth -Nlsenson KlPfc Saul. .,.v..i;.'..... Walter Gilbert. :^'Samuel ; ...:. Bdnnett Chbllla ; Joriathat): ^ii.,;...^.t.-;...'..v HalvKlnfialey ■•'Henbtiifiaiii . ..';.^«.;-.%...•<• ■• Fred BafrlA Datfa^.Slxebi^ Rosamond PlnchDt ■ ;C6i|rtl0rj.;v.i«. .';■ .^^ 'Fred Bpjrrle '. G-HoBt pi' Ruth ~'.... ~. K&therlno; Cairrlncton . , It took ttiore than a year lor TThe ,i;t;er)iiai Road' to become a reality^ fbui: its i)reinler*j tevft'aled an ac- . ;jcomplishmeht.: Soectacle is the: most vivid Biblical pageant eveit staged Jn the U; S. and itierhaps in the .world. Bankroll troubleS' bf Meyer W. Weisgal, who he^dded, ihe . oirigihal t>i'omdtion were fihipdly solved when Crosby Qalge became r associated rwith hiih. Why the total cost ran id aboutA$600;(raO is understandable, what with > the' changes made in the /interior of the 'ohe*tln(iie home of :Hammerstein graiiid 'opera. That this iinvestmient.; will be itdly reciaptured is questionable, b^t the persistent ;«96rt and hiiige liibor, in : which VUx \Beinhardt'; participisited; finds, ful- fillment in a sHe^in^aniy Result -'■ . Ttaint Well*L :^Who Wrote the ;.«t6ry, .'proves tfpiC' the Biblfe holds more drma tfiaEn ..any> othcir book. .'tThe Eterndl ROad' is taken from the old testament atid its story has to. ?do^ with, persecution of .the Jfews from the eairliest days of.-mon6theis- Jtic religion. But the' appeal is hot rstrictly secular and among the most enthusiastic proponents of 'Road' vwere catholic clerics before and .at the first night. Elimination of the piroscenium arch and'Teconstructibn of the loweir floor permits the massive ' base setting, which extends uhderheath what ;would be the orchiestra pit level, .letting designed by Norrbah' Bel tieddes iis irregularly ramped on five levels. aiid, duirihg: some inter- ludes, thei'e is an effect of vastness 'Which seems > iiispirational. Not all the motion is fully, visible except from the mezzanine, however. IScore is principally symphonic and is recorded oh, film', this, being ftrst show to .attempt such a musical set- up. Score is heard through the R.C,A. Photophohe Ultra-Violet jsySr tern..Staging problems were topped, by the. synchronization of the score to the action and singing. Therie were times at the opening Wheii the amplification was too -loud^ also some static, but. it Was surprising even to those of the production stall, that the show- 'went off as smoothly as it didi . Principal ^ault appears to be that the premiere performance rah too long; Close to midnight when the. lights 'went down- and there were calls for Reinhardt. Some 20. minutes had beeh cut afteir Several dress re- hearsals, but the German refiigeies Who had a large part of the presen- tation were agaiiist further deletions. Massive plush front curtain screens the upper levels of the set. It is never fiilly' dropped, the front sec- tion of the settiiig being the interior of a synagogue, which .is also 'visible. There is: seeh.the rabbi of a congre- gation which is about to be exiled from ah .un.kno\yn towjn^ the Jews forced to ^ taike ^ - the eternal - road again/Wall of this temple is shunted into ' the . wings when the action moves to the Uppet levels. Whole setting and lighting effects are com^ parable to Hollywoipd results. Into the .temple conies a man who had .changed-his-hamei; to, hide ,the fact- he: is ,a ■ Jew"; ,JHe wahts; to re-r tiirh to his peopte; and with him is .r, sniall i^oh. .To this , lad the rabbi read^ from the Holy. Book:' He tells of howi the lews, wiere ;forced biit oi! Canaan-ihto Xj^rpt and then into the- wilderness: As. these; events ^e revealed to the: lad> the highlights of 'the' old- testament .are: en^<ited, with frequent ehsembles. both in dances' and chorals. Fot. the latter there iis^ ah orchestra, bi^t it is 'q^fl- .-stage. Used also for some of the solo singing. ^ ■There is bickering ' within the temple, fomented mostly by a charn acter billed as • the adversairy,' ^ scoffer Who beriates the congregation for living in the past and; who it Ihially, expelled. There also is t rich man who will lose five houses when the congregation is ousted and an alien girl who loves one. of the ypUng men and who adopts his f%ith. Perhaps the too scene of the ^lay comes when Moises smashes, the tab- lets and the gilded calf is destroyed. When he comes down from the mountain with the Id Cominandmehts virtually the entire cast and comple- ment are Oh: stage. ..Synagogue is always a prolog. In back of it flud above< it are the scened events. In act one, there is Abraham, Jacob and Rachel; Joseph and his brothers, and. Joshua' in Egypt Act two, has Moses in E»ipt and in the Wilderness. Third act has Saul, David'and ^Solomon. The David scene brings' on Bath-Sheba^ :Uriah and the . avenging ahgei; :also the ghost of Ruth. Most in evidence Is the Rabbi, played by Myron Taylor, who'frie-. quently,. lifts -hliS: vbice.^^jn ^ohg, Sam Jafle is the adversairy-scolfer, who. is cast but, A. kidi . Sidney Jiiumet handles an* imfjortiBnt'-. assignment and is aimed 'for the 'Coast. ThOnias Chalmers is AbrahamV Bertha Kuhzr Baker is Sarahi Ralph Jameson is Jacob, Sarah Osnath-Halevy is Rachel, Joseph MacaUlay is: Judah^ Samuel Goldenberg is. Moses, Kath^: erine Carrineton is Suth,. Rosamond Pinchot is Bath-Sheba. John Upjp- man is Solomon. '. N,It is a long,cast with; generous eh- sembles; and extras, while .the whole performance pervades . bigness. Its sponsors believe The Eternal Road' Will'' play indefinitely and that may be so. Scale, at $4.40 top however, is high for spectable. , Mbee. OTHELLO . rafcedy In two parta (10 ecenesi.by Wil- liam Shakespeare, presented by Max GorT don at New Amsterdam theatre, K. Y.i Jan, <|-,: '37, co-starring; Walter Huston, Brian Aherne; staged by Robert, Edinund Jones; j?tJ.30 top. . ' Othello..; .,,..., .WinUer Huston lago..............., j..... i.. .Brian Aherne DosdemOna...,Nan Sunderliind Emilia....,, .Natalie Hall Cansio.i..v.........v.... P. Huntley, Jr. ^adei;lgo,..^Arthur Pleraon Br'abantlo.;., ,. , Edward Fleldlnf^ Dake of Venice,. >., A. P. Ivaye liOdovlco,,,...';...;. .Whiter ' Beck Gratlano:,.......,.., Joseph. Roeder Montanb.;..:.........:.. .-.LeO Chalzel Paulo:.,............^.,>.WilIlpm E, Morris A Herald;...,.^...Gcorso Spaulding Messenger;....;•.;:.......,PbllU> .Foster A. Gentleman..;. v..... Ulott C< Brown, Jr. Senators: George. W.- Masters, Al Bay- flel^i G. B. Kingston, Henry WaUoi-s. Ed- ward James^ •dthello>-With Walter Huston and Brian Aherne in the roles of the Moor and lago, respectively, is a disappointment, despite the joint he- roic efforts of -the stars to put some life and.vitalityJntd it. To make it woirise; the initial performance.-in New, York developed into a vocal conteist between the actors and the spectiators, latter persisting ' a brdnchiial chorus which at times threatened to submerge the text completely. It was very much like attending a- play at the Medical 'Center; " ' y Perhaps the "fact that John Giel- gud's splendid ,'Hamlet' has caught &e popular fancy this season, en- couraged Max Gprdon to attempt this Shak.e3peare pireisentation; Rob- .ert Edmiind Jones,. who directed the aetors' ahd desigtted the" scenery and costumes, collaborated With Huston in ah lOthello'' production in Colo- rado two years ago. Iicavihg aside any cornparison of the histrionic ca- pabilities; of Hiiston and Gielgud, 'Othello,^ as theatrical fare« in this day .and age; seems, old faishioned, uninspired and lifeless, While the same author's^Haihlet' ijs yibrant and thrilling.. At least Gielgud and Mc- McCIimijs^ make sit seem so. . Original 'Othello' text iiias xmder- gone 'some yd^astic modification and; transition tO idt the need of con- densation/ Shakespeare's flye acts and numerous scenes have, been compressed into two parts, first, of six scenes and.isecond of foUr^ Somie shoirter passages are played on the apron against a damask curtain, while some ingenious theatrical de- vices are -used to give the play un- InterrMPted ebntihuity. Oh ' the 'whole, the Editing is; well done. It might be better to elrin- inate a lot, if hot all, of lagb's con- fidential communications tb( ...the audience. Although Aherne recites these asides with; proper melodra- matic ^irit, they are out of tempo tiiese days. . $cehie production and costiuhe^ by Jones , are elaborate, beautiful and not too somber. More stage lighting would Kelp the general effect Only one sciene^ a sea-front at Cyp'rus; possesses scopie and prbyides the chance for some colorful- pageantry, which relieves the series of intimate,. Spotlighted epitodes. Final scene. Which: abounds in tragic incident, is poorly illuminated, a handicap to the players and .some. annoyance tO; the audience; ' tago, as usual, bUtshinies the other roles. Aherne sets the pace', for the .entire play,- motivates- its actions, and cOrhes off 'With real distinction; He is easy, confident and assertive,' ahd plays with a certain fiair. In the earlier scenes he - speaks too rapidly for clear Understanding, but the fault is soOn cbrrected. ; Huston seels Othello as a dUU- wittied warrior whose passionate love for Desdemqna is transformed into a cohsumihg jealous hate by lago's in- trigue and poisonous implications. Awakening of suspicion in Othello's mind during the scene with lago which.' furnished' the finale of the first part comes closer -to gripping, moving drama than any other' part of the play. :Only in this scene does Huston dominate. Thereafter he is the easy victim of lago's treachery. > It was the clear intent of the dram- atist that Othello's . rage* ■ ohce aroused, should s'weep .the final scenes to the ultimate tragedy, show- ing a passion SO overpowering as to enmesh .lago in . its madness. - On this imi]f6rtaht point Huston .does not press the emphasis. lago comes off the stronger of the' two and': cdn- tinues the master. Crowdied staging, and:inadequate lighting-of the flhal bed-chamber sbene may haive con- tributed to Huston's difficulties. Miss Sunderland gives a com- pletely siatisfying portrayal of the unhappy Desdemoha. Her bewilder- ment when accused of 'unfaithful- nesis^ her premonition of. tiragedy during the charming boUddir scene, and her' pleading for Understanding -^all ^re-eonyihcing. ■ in the less important role. of Emilia, lago's wife, Natalie,: Hall gives a ^ound performance, topped off with a denunciation of, her vil- lainous husband' which ii not too hysterical... G. P. Huntley, Jr.; as Cassio, Arthur Piersbn as Roderigo, and V Edward Fielding as Brabantio; are the other principal^. .; As a contribution to the educa- tional side of the theatre,, this, show :has much in its favor'. As entertain- ment, it's hot so hot; whieh was the same verdict handed down on last year's production of the same play, starring Phillip Merivale and Gladys Cbopei:. Flin» HIGH TOR Fantasy In three acta by Maxwell An- derson, presented by Guthrie McCllntlCi Jhn, b, '3T. at Martin Beck theatre^ N. .Y. : staged by producer; set, Jo Ml?clzlnep; ?3.80 top, , • ■• ^ ■. ■ ■ Xlia Indian,......;,,.,...,-,..,..«Le6 Baker Van Van Dgfn;..Burgess Meredith Judith. .. /;... i.;....,.,..Phyllis Welch Art J; Blggu.., ,,,, > .Hnrold Moltet Judge Skimmerhorni......Thomas W. Ross Llan. .......,.. .Peggy Ashcroft Onpinin .i.........vByron. McGrath Pleter.,,,.;. i,.; John PhlUlber; First Sailor., ..i ...Wllllani Casamp Second Stiilbr ;...,,......,.,: WIU Archie Third Sailor, Harold Grau DeW I tt...,.,.......Charles B. Brown Dope..,, :.. .■ . i...,,>. Leslie GOrall Elkus.• • ...^..i.Vi;,vHUme Crohyn Buddy..; .>,...;....;....;.. John Drew Colt Piatsy ......... .Charles Forrester A.. B;' ...f.;....John M, Kline Budge....,,.. ..i.,.. .-;;... Jackson HalUday Makwell Anderson's n6w play is aih odd mixture Of Rip Van Win- kelesque fantasy, slapstick hokum,; metaphysical philoslophizing, skin bruises for business men and long- winded free Verse. With it iall^ it manages to be quite amusing: until toward the end of the second act. It does not seem however, to'possess enough of the stuff that makes for Broadway success, Nor is it entirely qualified as an artistic picnic., Its appeal to Hollywbod is likely to be limited to those studios which like to indulge in prestige. Playwright of less ebtperience, ability and- inherent sensitivity could not carry off a dramatic mulligan stew such as *High Tor.' Anderson makes it palatable with , the slick cookery of director-producer Guthrie' McClintic. Yet there grows, as the evening. ages,.. a ieelihg. that;.Ander-' son' is. often' talking foi: the sheer de- light of his own words. His free verse passages get dreadfully ex- tended. He forgets to be a dramatist in letting himself go ias a poet Play suffers as a. result,^ from'the view- point. of the- ordinary inonrpoetic theatre customer intent on ah eve- ning's diversiiph., •.; There arV moments y^hen the play- wright's' message either gets thin, yagUe oir trite; It's another kick in :the " pants for' the. maohine age. Without arriving at any defihite at- titude, and without gripping the listener. : ; • ; Syndicate wants to buy High Tor, a^Catskill palisade^ to cmiarry the guts out of it O'winier} a- mystical youth, doesn't want to sell. .There's an ancient' Indiah (I^ee Baker) look- ing for a place to dig a gra've for himself; a practical girl^ ^(Phyllis Welch) who loves the mystical youth; conniving business- inen; three youths who have robbed a bank, and a .group or wraiths— ghostly figures in old Dutch cos- tumes. Good deal of imagination and in- genuity is represented in the weav- ing :together of the realistic and allegorical elements, Plot produces some juicy situations and, comedy interludes. But it thins out about halfway through and it is sheer arti- ficial respiration which sustains the Play imtil H o'clock. 'Peggy Ashcroft reads speeches of congressional length with a voice Of modulated charm; She has to act^ never .easy—as some one not really alive, and- she brings a great deal of technical skill to the job. Her diction is clear and crisp. Her pier- formance seems certain to gain her recbgnitibn as an actres;: of: resource- iulness. I , Her colleague up in lights in front of the Martin Beck is ; Burgeiss Meredith. He stumbled a few times oh opening night but, in general, it was an able performance. Between 'Wihterset' and'High Tor' he may get 'typed' and that might not be the best thing that could happen at the start of a proniising career such as his.. ' Surprise in the cast is Charles D.. Brown. JjOhg, aissigrted to wise- cracks of a ilip 20th cehtuty flavor, he is doing a salty old 17th century Dutch ghOst in this instance. And doing it with a complete change of slyle, Harold Moffett and Thomas W. Ross .play the modern comniercial brigands who seek to force the boy to. sell his mountain. .These experi- enced troupers squeeze dozens of gig-: gles out of their scenes!. Whole Cast has been filled and 'managed--with the .canny skill for which McClintic is noted; Jb Mielziher has artfully arranged the one set (with ai swing- ing steam shoyel effect added for some scenes) to carry out the sense of altitude. Land. , A Hpuie in ihe Country Comedy melodrarha In: three acts, pre- sented, at :the Vanderbilt, N, T„ Jan. 11, '37; by Murray .Queen; written by Melvin Levy; staged by • Melville Burke:; $8.30 top; Frankle, liotzgazel. Tom Powers Gramma, Lotzgazel.....Fredrlca • Slembris Herman SIgafoos.;.........Alfred Herrlck pelphlne Lotzgazel........Louise Campbell Mooney..,.;........... i ."wiH Oeer .Mr. Knoitl.;....-.. .Roy Gordoh Joe............. ...-..;. iTeddy Bergman Mac......;i,.,....,,i.....Leon. Ames Bean. >.• ....,, imer Brown There have been; arid will be, ohei- set showii with limited casts which have clicked, but this is not one. Indications' are< for a brief stay. Mild title is deceptive, for the play isj, melodrama in principle, with ronredy heije thgre, hot produc- tive of more than a few giggles. As for drama, that never seems to come off, although being oh the verge sev- eral times. Locale is ah old house in Bucks County, Pa., really owned by an ex- bootlegger from Brooklyn Who is currently mixed up in the poliev racket in ManhaLttan. He secured the spot as a possible hideaway and now Xs his time. He and two other toueh guys arrive to find grandpa antl grandma Lotzgazel, who are squat^ ters in the place, along with their illegitimate granddaughter Delphine Old people have been wed 40 years' he mostly sitting around and she earning a pittance by sewing over- alls.- ■ j;. Add to that drab group the gang. Sters, who decide to board 'until the huhtihg season opens,! Their coin is plenty welcome to the Lotzgazels. Men were in oh the hijacking of a 100-G policy bankroll and plan to compromise 'with some other easy mbney guys. One of the trio is sent to the big city oh that mission, but runs into trouble, bumps off a gang- ster and flees back. Gang leader^ Mac, decides to flee. They unload a machine-gUn and/ after being interrupted by the old lady, take it on the lam. BUt their car is ' wrecked and they , return; Story ends; with the old folks taking possesision of a shotgun and -lining the nien up against the wall. Game, warden had become a herb by shoot- ing gangsters off-stage and he fin- ishes the job of their iarrest In all, the play piresents a rough bunch of characters and even the hicks suddenly turn wise-gUy. Idea of gangsters hiding in the sticks was used several times previously. Tom Powers'heads the cast and, for him, it might have been a chance to create an unusual character as Lotzgazel. But the story branches off with melodramatics and. the chance flivs. Not much Use lugging, in a mongriel dog called President Roose- velt-either. Perhaps the playing of FredUca Sleinohs as the old lady, Louise Campbell as the girl and'Roy Gordon^ Leo Ames and Teddy Berg- man as the tough'guys is okay, but does not help the play enough. . ■' •■'■Ibcc.' PEPPER MU-L .Intimate revile In. tV** ^''^^ Etlktt. -Mann: ' Staked by .Therese Gle^se; sets.. Anton- Refregler: pianists. Mai^nus Henning, Pell*-Qunther: .mistress of csre.r mony, Erlka Mann; cftst.- Miss rjlapn. Theresa Glehse, 'Lotte . Goslar, .Wftllaca Rodney, SyblUe SfcWosa; John Iiatou?!he, John Beck, At ChanIn:Audltori.um, N. T.,- Jan. 6, '86: $1.(50 , tot>. Somebody got the wires crossed when this show was piaiUikMi an- nounced and . set. As a results the New York, critics' let it. down roughly, completely . and brutally, whereas; actually, it's, an enterprise which is not at all bad. It simply was spotted and labelled errone- ously^ It is not a legit entertainment and therein lies the first and, worst mis- take. 'Pepper Mill', is' a European import known as cabaret It is pot the sort of entertainment known on this side very much and the word 'cabaret' as used .abroad doesn't mean the same thing as when used here. Actually, it is a sort of po- litico-satirix vaudeville show, gen- erally played (iabfoad) in a spot which also has eating or drinking facilities, hi New York it is shown in, a theatre with no beverage side- lights. That- makes quite a dif- ference-ffor this .type of show, Alsoi the group wasi not very well advised for its New York showing. Struggling <fr with the English lan- guage anyway, there seems to have been little thought given to ; con- tent Thus all the satire is pointed in a sinjgle direction (anti-Hitler) and takes on too mUch a tinge of bitterness. Also, the male contin- gent of the troupe is all American, added here at the last minute arid hone too good. , There, are several excellent nuriir- bers and several excellent, people. But at the opening, the N. Y. drama critics,, having: come under: the im- pression they were to see a regular- legit performance, gave the most completely rude performance of the season. They talked to. each other; kidded among themselves and walked out en masse (with a'single excep- tion) at the end of the first act Maybe - that had . something,- to do with the fact that, the second act wais much better and went oft much ismoother. . Show probably •won't last long as is, but .from a. show biz stahdr point it's by nO means a flop; There are at least two 'people ,iri it^ .from an acting standpoint, who ought to go places. Lotte Goslar is an unr usual and thoroughly interesting dancer. She should really climb the heights in the United States. (Continued on page '60)