Variety (Jun 1937)

Ve<Jnc8day, June 23, 1937 UBCniMATE GROSSES VARIETY «5 1 Giganti Delia Montagna ^'Tbe Giants of the Mountain') •Rome, June S. 1.111111 Plrandellw'B ■ VaHt mil. linflnlKlied «1b!v produced at GUuxWno Dt Buboll in Floience, June fi. - W; , Dliectea by Renato aimoiil 6tarH Memo Ber)at>sl, Andrelna vaicnanl. . Carlo Nlchl. Sandio Rumiii. Featui«R Cele At)ba, HoseUa^ Tofano, Klg- Zar PJeroz/,1. Signor Niccoll, /.SJenorii Almleil. iSetB Asc-hlcrl. When Pirandello/died, he left the 'Giants of. the Mbuhtain' unfinished and^it was found that his notes on the t^*^** final act, weire so frag- mentary that no one : would under- take the task of finishing the last act. Nevertlieles it was felt that the first two acts were of such dra- matic interest that it was a shame not to introduce them to the public. Ac- cordingly the play Was offered as the final attraction at the Florentine Music Festival, and the third act was read to the audience by a vQide from off stage; it was riot read in dialog but orily in outline foirm. . First act introduces us to the strange atmosphere of the Villa Scalogna — a yiWa ,at the foot of mbuntai , existing iii . an . indefi- nite place and at an indefinite time. Small group of-people that inhabit the Villa call themselves the Scalbgnati, and.', they live thete away, from: the rest df the world in a little world of their ov/n hoveiring between reality . and the land of ' dreams. Cotrone, their leader, is known among them as the magician; he is master of illusions, can conjure ujp strange apparitions, queer lights, coiYimand spirits. He is-the x^ent^r jof.the uhrealities that, jtotjthem, have become reaility. Sca- lognati can all leave the body and let their spirits, move around freely. Countryside all round believes their, villa to. be haunted and leaves them alone. . Into this, strangie setting, comes, a tr6up0 .of wandering -actors, who have " a strange story, themselves". They are called,the trbui)e of the Countess. The Countess Use was a famous and successful actress be- fore she married the Coiirit and left the stage. A .young :poet wrote a piece for her which Was called "The Story of the Chanjgelihg"; but be-; cause she would have none, of it or of hi , and he was desperately in love with her, he killed himself, Then the Countess felt that it Was her mission to make the poet live throiigh his Work; and the Count, who understood her, also under- stood that she needed to produce the poet's work as a sort of penance. So he went with her and turned over ,,all his fortune "to the mission of making the poet's work.famous^ But the jpoet's pieces had . not pleased the public, and so the Coun- tess's troupe had become poorer and poorer and niany members of the cast had dropped by the. way- side. A,nd by the time they reached the Villa of - the Scalognati there were only a few , members of the company left and they - were poor and hungry. Cotrone welcomes them arid says they may share all that the Scalog- nati have r-- that is, illusions and things of the spirit, rather than ma- terial things. Cotrone speaks to them so much of spirits and illu . Eions. that the Counters sees the "spirit of the poet \yalking above the portal of the villa. But it turns out to be merely Spizzi, one of the actors .Who is in love with her and who is impersonating the yoiing man. That finishes the first act and in- troduces us to the two groups—the Scalognati Who live in a dream world of realities which they have themselves created and which are sufficient to them; and the actors who have centered their lives about a creation of the fancy, a poet's play, but who have the need to riiaike it real and riiake it live ;for somebody else^;, Now we . are to hear of the third group, the realists, the giants of the mouritain, a strong people who have made themselves powerful by tiieir maistery of tahgiblfe thirigs. They are brutal and elementary, ar- rogant creatures^ very proud of the po.Wer they have achieved. Cotrone suggests to the. Countess's troupe that they give a performance of the Poet's play in horior of the wedding that is to be celebrated as sealing the . union of two powerful giant families. Performance held in their .honor would appeal to the giants' pride and would at the same time .answer the actoirs' need, to put on their .show...After .sonie general ex perimejijting with Scalognati tactics of leavirig the body to walk iri the spirit, the actors settle doWn to a rehearsal. The, Countess fears tha ; so many members of the cast have dropped out that it will be difficult to give the play, but Cotrone con- vinces her that the characters which .the poet created can live in reality too, and as the Countess says her lines, the cues.are taken up by spiri"; Voices. As the Scalognati and. the Countess's troupe rejoice over the miracle, thundering steps are heard and a trerifior of the earth announces the arrival of the giarits. The cul' tain fails. From there on an unseen actor reads the outline: The play does riot please the giants; drunlt, heavy after the wedding celebrations they want eivtertainmerit — something ' splashy; not a deaid poet's phantasy. A battle ensues betweeri stage and audience' and the giants -— crude and brutal people—seize the actors. Three of theise are killed in the fray. The Count cries out that they have killed Art, but Cotrone has retired inside the Villa arid frorii. there he calls that the Count is wrong. The actors have been in;the Wrong; The giants, poor fanatical servants of life and ritiaterialism, have killed some of the poor fanatical; servants of art" iarid unreality. The iants have not yet found this things of the spirit and the actors have drifted too far away from reality and lifie. Their only salvation would have been to deny themselves of material reality en- tirely, as the Scalognati have done. But if interpreters of., Art want to please ancl lalso want .to, make art live in the world of. reality, they cannot go too far away frorn Life.' This theme, already developed in other plays of Pirandello's, sheds, light on the Whole play—and gives sigriificarice to' much that: might otherwise seem purely fanciful and arbitrary. Being so important in the structure of the pliay, the third act is especially miissed. But even so. thie play is fascinating. and worth- while; Hetn. DIE PRlMANERm . Berlin, June 7, Gomedy Iii - iflve atte by .Slgmund Gva.ff. b(ta«d -on, a novel by A.' .Tunhayer. , I'le- lented at KurtueMtendumih theatre, Berlin, director, Fritz H^IK JDmil Kruger Helene..,.-. Xltty...;.; Prof. ThesJngv.;;. Nelly Ijangenbaxsh Helnrlch Helmreich Prof; Schlndler.,. ....;Otto .Stoecke.1 •.... . Berthe Oust , .Magda .Schneider Hans Zeseh.'BHilot ,..IrmKavd Nowiik.- , , .Max Kaiirinann Hans •KornBlehel Spllttstoss.er..Walter Supsenguth This little comedy is. just .about a producer's ideal of a sumrrier offer- ing. It has all. the ingredients to pull the folks in and send them away spreading the glad hews. Fritz Holl, known in New York through his association with the Theatr^ Guild, iias .surpassed. hiriiself " the (di- rection. • Kitty, a senior at high school,, sud- denly discovering that she. has a math exam when, she had prepared for .Latin, sticks the thermoriieter in hot lemonade and the doctor is called. They fall in love and she becomes Mrs. Dr. Thesirig. But after the honeymoon, when her hubby s calls leave her so much alone, she feels a terrible yen for her books and playthings aind goes back. to school as .Kitty 'Krugei-. In trying to keep this a secret, she gets her- self caught in an intricate web of lies which makes Thesing conclude that she's cheating him. He goes after a divorce. However, it all dis entangles itself, so that pattering tootsies. replace the diploma. For Magda Schneider, an expen enced picture actress, this is a legit debut. Though she gives a very acceptable performance, she loses as the evening wears on. Gestures which were delightful at 8 o'clock begin to pall by 11. However, she is pretty and very popular here Folks want to see her. Hans Zesch-Ballot, though not the youngest of leading inen and, in pix, relegated to characters, puts on a corking show. His' figure is good, his face sympathetic and he saveys all the tricks, . . i4 Most difficult assignment as Walter Sussenguth's as the school teacher. It's a tricky part, which he makes convincing, as well as likeable. School-room scenes are rollicking and Carry the folks back pleasantly,, if whimsically, to the days of read- ing, 'riting and "rithmetic. .There is good businiess, "fast stepping action, amusing situations arid dialog. It should be a long time before gets to the storehouse. CORNEU. $22,000 IN BOSTON BOW-OUT Bostota, June 22.. With the ending of a two-week repertory by Katharine Cornell at the Shubert, Saturday (19), the cur- tain falls on the current, legit season here. ' Strawhats win blossom out in. this territory soon and the first sched- uled opening of a new piece will be at Mary Young's Playhouse at Cen- terville (Cape Cod). Dorothy Stone and Chairles Collins will-be seen in J; M. Morris' .'All's Fair,' a new one, July 2, 'Stop Light,' With Carlyle Moore, Jr;, . son of the late author, and Jane Barnes, hbth from, the Coast, is on the . CenterVille. list, arid an Edgar Selwyh piece, called 'Prej- udiced' .Estimate for Last Week Katharine Cariiell Bepertory; Shu- bert ($3.30, 2d week). Final frame of 'Wingless Victory' and 'Caridida' tal> lied, up about $22,000, excellent. Xm TAKE IT' SOCK m m "Service and Take It' HoU Strong With 116'way Shows Carrying On Chicago, Jurie 22. CMly 'ifou, Can't Take It With You' in town at present, and the show is doing Well. Hit approxi- mately'$14,flW- last week.- Despile; the 20 weeks this show has been in; town Gertrude Bromberg, p.a,, some- how manages to think up.new. twists that keep the show breaking in the dailies. Looks as if there , won't be an addv ition to the local legit famfly until late in August when 'Brother Rat' is scheduled for the Selwyn. Other two houses, tlrlanger and Grand, re- main shuttered. Estimates for Last Week 'You Can't Take It With You,' Harris (1,000; $2.75) (2p.th wieek). All. alone, arid turned in a. barig-up $14,000 last week for one of best ses-^ sions in the. run. Excellent press work helping. WPA 'Lonely Man,' Blackstone. *6 Say, Can You Sing?' Great Northern. Reopened last Thursday (17) for summer run with soriie new bits. TORTDNE TELLER,' ST. LOUIS, $35,000 .' Louis, June 22. 'Music in the Air,' the kern-Hamr merstein operetta, Which . Was first presented in the municipal al freisco summer theatre her6 in '34, began a severirriight jrun Monday night bcr fore an audiience swelling the intake to $3,600. Anna Mary ickey, youthful so- prano, who successfully siibbed for Bernice' Claire wheri lai'yrigitis forced her out Of lead in 'The Great Wailtz', .three Weeks ago, .scores again . as Sieglindey fenime lead role in 'Music.' Leonard Ceeley, .quite a fave of the muriy operetta-goers here, ap- pears, after a two-year absence, in the role, of Bruno Mahler, , Making her . debut in open-iair shows here, the. veteran eomedjienne, Blanche Ririg, gets large audience approval for her work a.*! Frau Kirschner. OJheris .prorhinent In cast are" Guy Robertson, (Sladys Baxter, John Gurney, Harry Mestayei:, Joseph Macaulay and Mary Hopple, a new- comer. Ballet: line Of 24 girls iac- quits itself well with new . routines; concbcted for this showing by Adolphus; Last week Victor- Herbert's 'The Fortune Teller,', with a cast topped by John Crurney, Bernice Claire, ■Eddie Foy, Jr.; and Joseph Macaulay, ended a seven-night run Suriday (20) with an estimated take pf $35,- 000, swell biz. Attendance lor 'Teller? was 60,000. 'DEAD END'3 WEEKS OF SO^ BIZ IN L. A. 'RAT' IN FRISCO IS' Out of Town PLACES~PlEASE! Hollywood,. June 15. Comedy rama Jn thiee nt-ts (iour s^cones) by \urahl(i Kouvevol, pre-scnted by HJ-niy Siintrey, StaiifRd by MlohWel .Jeffroy.. .set- llnK, Leslie Thomas; • executive; iliiet-lor •Nancy Yarbrough;' theatre, nbllyWooel, Anthony I^-ii nunl... , . Johnny Olbbdns Mary cole IJainurn ... Sylvia OVConnor. .. . ; Jjiila;...;;... ■ • • • ■. . •' I'Moy FarniTOi nobcrtii Knvnum,. .. . Stanlty. tanc^-.i...;.. Alec Peters M1-.S. Peter.s Agnea Kllot........... Mt-.s. Murllia (Jlle.s... KUch Giles........... Ahnic,..-........... i. Doctor .Selby i. Carolyn Page........ Mack., 4........ ..\t Hollywood Mttle line. l-J, M". . .NVynilbanv Plnndlng ..... . ,Uavid .Kuvclay Nancy YmhroiiKh ...'■.■>,.. I.A'li-e JD:ily ........... .;Sara SA'C ,,,,, Yvonnp J''rii ncfiii . .... . .Uorolby Short . .. ..UolKrrt r^ods ,... Frederick W.in.'jor .......Jane rnrcoriiti .... i'KrhHril Diirwnod ^....... .IJiirbara. AVest ....Nan I.nnilon , .(iladyH AVron Michael Jcffipy .HoKiHil APKa Uyron ltiis«lca Aurania Rbuverol has. authored another prdmi.sing play in 'Places, Please!' Staged in professional .style and played by a cast, the majority of whom are: capable actors, piece evi derices fair possibilities. "Theme concerns difficulties con Los Angeles, June 22. •Dead End' folds at the Biltmore on Saturday (26) after three weeks to fair returns;, House goes dark.for a week, then relights for return en- gagement of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, this time in their new piece, 'Amphitrlon 38', for one Week only. slimates for Last Week 'Dead End,' Biltmore. (D-1,656; $2.75) (2d week). Hot weather cut- ting in, so best in sight for second stanza is $8,500, oke, but not too profitable. WPA 'Rachel's Man,' Hollywood Play- house. Historical drama runs through July .4. 'Johnny Johnson,' Mayan. Another July 4 closer. 'Merchant of Venice,' Greek thea- tre, opens June 29, runs to July 4. fronted when an actress, daughter of a famous actor, marries a. staid and conservative New Englander. The vivacious actress arid fireside foot- warming pillar of the proprieties, find themselves drifting apart, This situation is brought to a head by the self-centered, unrecoriciliable mother" of the husband. The marriage breaics up wheri the actress, fills iri .at a perr formance when the regular, pier- forrrier is ill. She then returns to her heritage. 6f the theatre. Aui-ahia Rouverol, who has several creditable plays to her name, many of which stemmed irom the in timate theatres, takes this trite enough major theme and has; drawn some effective, qharacters. It is. in these characters, their temperanientis and inheritances, that the play packs interest, both in. the motivation of the action arid the delineations. She has polished them with intelligent dialog, deftly drawn iri characteriza tion with isonie huhchy comedy lines. Cast is efficiently selected with Wyndhari^ Standing toppirig in the rOle of the famous, experienced and born actoi*. Vvonrie Frances plays the daughter, and Frederick Winsor the husband. Jane Corcoran, veteran trouper, gives a good performance as the haughty mother-in'-law. Produced undei: the direction of Heni-y Santrey and staged-by Mi chaei JcfTrey, play is well mounted and presented with several clever mechanics in staging of the first and third acts. Barr. San Francisco, June 22. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne played. to capacity. biz during their two weeks' stay at the Curran Ihea tre in 'Idiot's Delight.' Town has gone for Lunt.and Fontanne in a big way. and is.all agog.over the opening of the stars in the Theatre Guild's world premiere of 'Amphitryon 38' tomorrow (Wed.). Besides Lunt as Jupiter, and Fontanne as Alkmeria, wife of Amphitryon, cast includes Hope Williams, Richard Wharf, Syd- ney Greenstreet, Kate MayheW, George Meader, Barry Thomson and Edward Raquello, Geary theatre is coming strongly to the fore again after four weeks of dismal biz with the film, 'Capi-. tains Courageous,* 'Brother Rat,' which opened June 14 to good biz, is getting isome excellent word of mouth publicity and trade is build- iriig. Show, Which, also clicked with crix, is in for five weeks. Alcazar, which is now a FTP house, has 'Blind Alley' in for a three weeks' stay. FTP has dropiped the Saturday matinee in favor of a Sun- day night performance, with good results. Pierce Lyden, who played the lead, was taken ill last week and rushed to the Marine hospital several hours before the evening per- formance. Wire . was immediately sent to the FTP in. Los Angeles to send Anthony Wardj who played the lead, in the south, here by plane. Ward, now in pics, arrived too late and the . evening performance Was called oflP, Estimates for Last Week 'Idiot's Delight,'. Curran (2nd week) (1,700; 3.30)—The Lunts ended the second. stanza of their 14-day performance with an approximate $30,000, equalling their first week's take, which was almost capacity. This is top money for the Curran. 'Brother Rat,' Gearydst week) (1,700, $2.50); Expect trade to take an upward jump -..when, word of mouth publicity gets around that it's not a melodrama and that the play packs Spmie good laughs:; Although biz started off at a pretty good clip, the gross the first week being around $10,000, this figure is expected to be bettered during the next several weeks that the comedy will run. Company came here direct from Boston and goes south after month's stay here. WPA 'Blind Alley,' Alcazar i'2nd week) (1.269; 69c.)—Set .to slay on. here until Jyne 27. 'Pursu.it of Happi ncss' moves into the Alcazar .sev eral days later. Doing nice biz with 'Blind Alley,' which took approxi- mately $4,000 on the second stanza Broadway is iji the .riii nier doldriinis. While businesvs pi up in some theatres last vveeli, little charice in the present gi v's.s levc'ls e;:pected. during the next thr v>eeks. After July .4 is ;)nss> the annual influx of buyer.- Col.ionists. really .starts, the should benefit, weather, r ing a constant factor. ' The„ list js down, to .11 f(t!ractions. Only niiie aire rated hav ri}» a re.i- •^onable chance to span, tlie heated period, while seven or eight are vir- tually sure of doing so. That is to be. considered ia fait list cpn.sidering the passing of summer revues. 'Roorii Service' went into the lead- ership of the straight shows last week, as 'The Women' eased down- ward again.' . .'Service' Was. rated, around the $17,000 mark, but the actual leader still is - You Can't Take It With YoUi? Sometimes the mirij-, ber of standees is \mder 10, but every riitiht finds some patrons ori the hoof; •Yes, My Darlirig Daughter' has weakened, but riiay come back next month. Surpri.se stayer is. 'The Show Is On,' which, after calling it -a season at the Winter Garden, still reriiains on the boards. That gives- roadway two musicals and,, otherwise, 'Babes in Arms' would have had the field to itself. Latter reduced the scale with encouraging reaction at the box office from students in town after graduation exercises. Art Uhlisted casualty, however, oc- curred with the shutdown of 'Abie's Irish Rose* at the Little. Revival of the million dollar hit was atihounced to relight in the fall here before going to the road. Schedule of mystery play revivals at $1.10 top at the Majestic was also called off; 'The Bat' about broke even in two weeks with the 'Cat and Canary* following, but to discourag- ing business. Revival idea might have fared better in the fall. Estimates for Last Week . 'Babes in Arms.' ishubt'rt a 1th week) (M-l,382-$3.30). Claimed iiimp of S2,000 after reducing scale: mostly . office; quoted better than $17,000. 'Brother Eat,» iltnfiore <26ih week) (C-991-$3.30). Some improve- rifient last week b.o. getting Keneirous share of students in town, after graduations: $9,000 indicated, 'Excursion,' Vanderbilt (12th week) (Cr804r$3.30). Picked up. too, with support of cut I'ates: takings around $5,500; about even break with cast ori cul. 'Having Wonderful Time,' Lyceum (18th week) (CD-l,006-$3.30). Laugh .show going alonig profitablv arid with last w6ek estimated over $8,000. 'Boom Service/ Cort (6th week) (C-l,059-$3.3O). Now out in front of the straight shbws with last week approaching $17,000 mark; about all house will hold. 'The Show, in On,' Winter Garden (26th week) (Rrl,671-$3,30). After advertising to close Saturday man- agement decided to continue: esti- mated takings over $20,000. 'The Women,' Barrymore (26th week) <C-l,048-$3.30). Eased off again with last week's takings around $15,000: should pick up after July 4 and easily span summer period. 'Tobacco Boad,' Forrest (185th week) (D-1,017-$3J0). Among sur- vivors announcing extra matinee July 5; has been off but even break or better at $4,500. 'Tovarlcta,' Plymouth (36th week) (CD-l,036-$3.30). Rated over $10,000 again; early hit seen safe for balance of summer; house recentl.y equipped., with cooling system^ 'Yes, My Darlinjr Dau/thter.' Play- house (20th week) ■. (C-878-$3.3()). Has been slipping for some time r.nd engagement aimed through summer; $10,000 estimated: okay at: figure. •you Can't Take It With You,> ^ iBopth (28th week) (C-878-$3.30). No change except in niiriibfer of standees; socko show rated oveir $15,000 every week.. Revivals 'Able'is Irish Ripse,' Little; with- drawn Saturday after five and oner half weeks; slated to resurne in fall before going to road. 'Cat and Canary,' Majestic; stooped Saturday. WPA 'Power,' Ritz. 'Prof. Ma;mlock,' Dal.y'.. Paiil Green Playlets. Adelphi. 'Candidc' arid 'How Long Brethren,* Bayes. 'Case of Philip Lawrence,* ette. Harlem. Vic Palace Folding London, Jun .Victoria Palace closes vaude policy Sai. (26). Spot reopens in the middle .of August under the direction of Payne, Jennings and Killick, who have a lease on the house till next March.