Variety (Jan 1938)

ALL THAT GLITTERS IF 1 WERE Yp\} i.'ntnr><3j'.In tliree acts, pre.sent6(l; byGepfKe.; Ai'livit; • \Vrllten , .by. . Johri Hjiraifwanatli.. aii.l Kenivetli .Simpson, ' StaRod, by tne.pro- <iiii-ei'; Jlj."*" K>P' A'" thp Blltmore, ff.. X,, Jan. ■l.K, '08.' ■' V :'. . I..-XM: ^ Suuon:.; . ; , /. PAVia• OirlcU: •^I.'.r«^al^'( >lViK!iy ASMlIlahia).,.... Ally.n- jQ.siyiv . )),»\ i> llamllii. i .-v..,..~. r • -Ito.val ^llcal Ja.-Ui^ <..;.r.v.......,,...../>Joan-Cnsto .noiieV,.. v.; ,; a^'. v..; .UeverlyVPhalon; .V . ,;.;. ■.... .■.■..Arleiie Prnneis . rini;li«.; .V.... .. i. .Kverctt. Slo-uie. liti :^. K. iloiM linor :Tovvnseh(i7Heleh Oftnlner. <;•>.»! £fe TtM) Ky^k,. i . • '■ -. Judjson I>al.ro ncea :i'VlIo-\ves... i... .EdLlh Van Clevt^; JCIi IV (f Mai'K-P^.......... .. .Cnrmcl. Whlte- AViUinjii :l''etlpwcs. M.....-. ..ICrtward T^ostcr. .••:iiiml<V^).V. i,:.. .. .Colin ..Da.wsan . .*; h1v. .,. i ... i. . .Florence. BrUton At voad " I'ost:. .i.. -.Tliirr.y SiiVUvnn. P.VUv .niNon;..;;.,. ; .'Klo^epco.■^Ind"'" .JiM|lM»Jin>.-. .Geortre .W. Pmltlv K.J wards...... . . . i .Kenneth Butes ; BjiUimqre ; sjiid::. tM George Ab-' bolt's, .rie.wle'it .presentation/ .his thiir^; this .season,-, qdtild not niiss.. .Broad-: . way.'s first-riighters thbughf' otherr ^yisevfo.r the most' ipart. : 'All ;That GlUter^' has. an agen ;WiU. hifeipr-but ■ aft period, .•; wliich ;'it' / CpVers, ' stay . is ■ doubtful. ■ _ '; - ■ Play is ..ia :prank and. said. to., be based bn.'a true dccurr6nc6/ .■Fact ^^^^^^ ia.ncy, v.autho^5 do ;hbt' seem, to have;- delivered ah amusing, enough ; ev*-. ii iiig.; There is a Park aVehufe back-, ground,, but the socialities' teactipn isV.iilearly' irtdicated in the agencies, brokers being keenly .disapppintied at'.the 'pr^emiere. ■ . ■ , ■ :. Abbott .has a ■ flair for' curtain :,liries: and .some are eiffective; : Others, inr eluding . the finale/ are obViouS: and ihcreduious. puns. Prdducerr. is ciedjted .with adroit casting, b is opeiV to qiieistioh, even at the. start, wheii two of. the three, party- girls fi-om: an alleged-Park aVenue fast house! look far from the types. ■ The; ultra iVlrs. E. Mortimer. Tb.wn- sehd. (Helen Gardner) starts'it .all, : by -; cruelly sniiibbihg the aqtress ^ fiancee b£ Morgan (Muggy) Williams (Aliyh:Joslyri), and he swears he'll get hunk. He chooses a Spanish type girl CArlene- .Francis), from a dubious background, ais the pne to mdrtify the Upstage matron. ^Plah is to introduce the bfeauty to her as Countess Elena, of Sevilla, and latter Js very willing .f or $1,000. / Elena ' makes the grade; with the help ' of Muggy's ; welU friends, bUt his scheme goes awry v/heii.: Georgie Teh Eyck ■ (Judsori Iiaire\. a "Wealthy bachelor, whom; all ai-ft forid ofj. goes ■ for,, the girl and marries ■ her ^before Muggy . can . tip him off. This leads to the third act; much the biest of the show. Teh ■£yck realizes,he has a ba^ bargain, and is in.' financial trouble besides, i^uggy; starts, repairing .the: damage' . arid Works it out very: well.. When H/ti-s.: ,T6wnsjerid learns Mjlggy riiay tip off a gossip colUmnist. that Shfe entertained: a .phoney- couhtessr:the.: socialitie ? agrees to . help Ten . Eyck and. . alsor .recpghizes ! .the actress' Fiirco 111 tlii-'pe ac.l..s .(s'J.>:..MC(>ivos) -.pt.cspntpiT- l>v . Paul . Jlorvcy Koxv I'luy- .(liainuUwrt ^ Ijjt. Tuul Hci i ey Fi).\ -and lloiin . U .. i.cvy rrom- tlie': hovol, '.'ruihabout,'. .by Tliorne i<inlth( . Stars . Con'sliiiVi'O .(Jiniii"!')..'?'*. ' ^'.^'V. tui-cs Dortiavd ; l.ee, • .Slapod by -.srti . MnB< Raymond HoveV,.. A', .tlio Munsllord, ■ ,v.- y,. '^iaiv. •.'I,' 's^';:t(..i> - Arthur Jfiluut....:; Mian HallferV. >'ora.... / '.. .V;.. Keleiia l!ni ly..... Neriis munt,.;.. ICenlcth.43.iliy-';; Cooic.;,.,. 1-; . . ..i .Mdklo. M:»ybi;ii'k. C'bhai.i.bli",; . '. Lii"." Alexantler. , -. Uernard . Lfle. :. .v.\ ..Mvna Mnray .■.iJt'iiy- 'J'"io)d• . A .:.-.-.Jilricl.' Hrll ■ .A'tjn.si:iiu:i!. i:iiirtmlnK:». ••.V.. Har.o.ld .Verinllyca' .yi ■.' i .Mjirie de.-HaC'ker.. . , -Ii-vIn.Mbri'o.w ... ..IrilinM. OVConnor ; . .'J. . Mulcolih Dunn: Fardcai.half-fable, a whimsy half-. zahjV but earmarked for successi *If I: Were.^You' totes eiiougK npveltyv originality, zesty - humor and • gopd troupirig to run. out the" season.: . . ■ After: finding:, the. going .rpiigh through her recent rqles ;in -heavy farce.. Constance -Cummings .' comes through, rin.a .-^bie.tter part than;:.she. had in her last success,, '/--.cent -on YpUth,': star p£ the; shpw hieyer ap- pears tp :better advantage otv either stage or s'crieen.. She'll: be in demand in the latter mediuih whe.ri her ,swell acting-in this:job sinks in. Co-dl-amatizers Berin W. Levy: (Miss Cumniings' , spouse) ahd . paul Heirvey (also listed, as the .produ.cer applied the proper tone ]to the .-novel; ■Turnabout,' . by thie" latie' Thb.rne:. Smithj to . squeeze,, to ra drip. . just" abPUt:all-the gPbd,' rich "ppssibilities fpr. a play the' yarn pffe.rg; Essehtially a iertil'b field fpr seedr' planting pf farcieai .situatiphs stpry is of the British (Ipcale is .Ehglahd, but it "cPuld be any where) .:biiprchem- ist,: who is - immersed: in his job to the exclusion. . 6t .all other - interests,. including, ^pv;.a major part', his vyife. Hiis aim .is. to alter the sexes of lab- ' pratbry animal • sybj ec.ts,:: The mppr > ihg Irish-girl maid hoots -at .him and his experimentsi advocatihg her old Emerald lisle aunt's form of ,Witch'-- craft,". ■ ■.; .::■'::■■(;: V ■"•■•••.:■■•■ : Act One ends . when,. unknown to the couple, the\maid;>uhs off one of her aunt's, formulas and-: swaps", the sex of. the pair, with .each retaining; irespective charaete'tistics and tem- peraments.. The maid then variipPscs. From then on; the efforts: of the pair to hide their !*dis.£!race.';Xurhish run oh 'the upbeat;;. Especially 'are: they hard put; tp steer theit cipsest firiehds, anpther cbuple, ftpm gleam- ing what has hapnenied. .And when a University dean arrivea to offer thie •'mahV a cherhist's chair at' the insti- tution, 'thei riot'is onl ;.. ; . ; ^ ? , For a wihdup' the' ends ari not bhly, dirawn 'ieveni but the final ciir- t^ih line is a 'high-h:bwr of a .corker thi;t would almost make' the .play had hoi so many. lefviathah' .laughs and Sparkling.;situatipns .gpne::b.efpf^ tp; run up; the strong scpre - on : merit's As the bio-cnerhist. Bernard. Lee Is makingvhis IT, :S;. debut. Ih a diffi? cult role. -.dUe Ito; haVihg to suddenly strut a woman's way and Wiles while trying to; accustom .himselfvto 'appear in . 'White Oaks'—yictbr Payne- Jennings. ■'■'''.;. .. •:. ■ ; ■';'■ ''Man- . .on .' 'the'- ■DocVr-^V.ic.lpr;.: .Jacbvus-Eliot.Cabot. : -.v.;' >SaVe-; mW- Mie ■■ Waiti'T^ak; Gordon. •■■.■.■■".'■■•':. . 'Oiiice K , Enpuffh' -r- Gilbel:•t■ / Miller..-':'.•;:■'■■ . 'How to Get "rough About it' Guthrie McClmtic. . -; . : 'June vNiff^^ '■.tnOTe/. :■':''.".',■.■■ • ■"■■'■'■ . :.''Rods4y^.^llyerti^'Lew1^ . ;. ';..'■ 'Salute iUiVGIpry'^Hyniian :,and ' ■ .Cooper; ''■■■: ■'..'.■. ''-; ■ ■;-' ■■-v.'^''- • !;.' - *J)9urheyman?-T-Sam Byrd. . r-Suhup to- jSUiidoWh'—D.; A.. ..'Pbr^ni.' -•■. ■:.■■■■•"'■'.'.^.'•''■■ ..':■.■ ■■'•■■ ' 'Casey; Jones'^fGrpup Thiss^tre, fiance. Main . t'rpuble with 'Glitters' is :its lack of Jaughs. Abbott shows, bar- ring two mellers of recent..months, have been 'clicks dn the strierigth pf comedy results; : ; That is probably why; more Was. expected of the new ■playi ";;.".■:' .... "'. .:..:::.' .Joslyn and Mis? Francis head the cast. Miss Francis .is .comparatively new and she -carries off her countess pai't creditably^ Joslyn is of the . nianager*s' so-called 'ac.tirig company,' his best scpring part having been in *Boy Meets Girl.'- . ' ' Royal Beal, ■ as Muggy^s friend, Dave, does very Well. Present, as often with. Abbott >shpws, is EdiJ;h Vaii; Cleve. Laii-e handles his Wor-. Tied blGhelpr part cleverly, but there, ie spihe whp dpn't lppk the part. . -asiJU-man,_iie.ilG^s/lpose:.'s THE SILVER JUBILEE ■. Philadelphia, Jan, 25. ': Comedy-drama Ih thrco apts . by Cprnvac, .O'Uulv;. I'roUiK'.ed . by the Irish Wayera. of lUW .Abbey Thextre. Directed . by T". II.. IHSKliis. Stake dlrecton Arthur Phlelda. Fli^-f Ainork'aii preserilalloil at the Forrest, l>lill;ideli)hla; ..Ian. ' LM.' '-38.: . \'ei\v liev.; Mlchucl. O'CaiToU ■ 'i' . .; .Michael J, :.13olan ITd nri.ahw.;. ..Vuureeri ' Dclany Very Jicv;- AVillluni O'Dowd/Auatcn Meidoii .'liilia; iJUscv■.-... .-. '.r: . ; . iMay.: Cralgr ■ilm'y Caiiyy; . yi .; Alde.erc .p Connor .(obii-Jo-scplvUarrclt.- ;.U'enla ■.Olj.lcrt: Jului Casey .....;...... .v..F.;JV. Garolaii cpmedy trouping; Harold. Vermilyea "(appeared earlier : this ' season; in . the flpp; *]M[adarfie Bovary,' with ' Miss Cum- mings) is excellent as- the swelling* bPuncirig friend;- as. his wife, .Janet Hill,; rather new pn. Brpa'dway^. .is'; :Oi k; in a smaller rolie. ^ ■ Betty Field left.the curi-ertt ^Rponi Service' to play the Irish , rhaid.-. There is plenty of ;punch to her act- ing; Malcolm Diinh is a help ias the university doctor. Rest in the sniall caist have-bits.. Lev.v's staging bright-i ehs lip the scrip tail; along, the route; his farde pacin.ff . weaves the play in a manner: displaying excellsnt sense of comedy and, situations.' Raymond Spyey's; two settings, a, living room and a bedroom; are becoming. '■:"-'■■' i Bert V ■ -« the theatrieiai worl(J to go nsuit iour' , T h e a-t'-r I e ii l'..'.A.id.y-l» &r '.. ;'.' :.: ;.;■.•.■:'; -★'-;"■:v' i:'-:. ?.-'V^ -.':': Still carrying on the half-ceatiiry olil traditioii of I. Millec, tli^ leaclmg niaker of costunie^GharacterandcuiTentfiishw TUEATRIC^AE. p llTil:K'?f T: Broqdivay Figh t (Gpntihued from page 55) unipn prpceeds albng similar ..lines it cpuld! picket eVe'ry sh W on Brpad- way, .since: all' the agents -areV'-of. N'YTPA. Men were ordered tp picket; the Shubert hpUsies bn such grpunds, Dnion's. Orders ■ it' is the. first time TMA'T has talien that stand - pn press agents.; From: th^- time thi^ box pffice people stam- peded . tp. get . intp : the bunion,' there, always has been; a questiph-abput. the agents and cprhpahy managi^r mem- bers, bpiniph was that the, treas- urers could operate as a group bet- ter than hooked, up ^yith.,managers and; agents, particularily; the .latter^;, who. are jiot ; regiarded as properiy. being, of ;*.the front-of the ^hpus.eVv ' Union ' agitafpr^, :•. hp,wevei?|: sa\v..: S way .tp;^get actiPii* by tyih& U the teamsters; Other theatre unipnsi particularly the stage hands and aq-; tPrs,. refused tp: bedpme: involved,' in the TMAT and NYTPA . situatiph. Both were affected by the teamsters, however, and there may be-vinter- unioh squa'bbles .a's a result. LeagUe of New Yprk Theatres.; the managerial grpup which refused; ta recognize TMAT on the; ground that a^^nts arid manag'j-'s. are execUtiyes and should not be unipriizedj held a meeting; .Mpnday (24)... Understppd the shpwmeh are npw ready to enteir ihtp;;an; agreement with - N'STTPAl Such a' pact was;-spiight last seaspn. Managers claimed they ; wei-e .fpire- stalled at that time because of ad- Vice. that lATSE; migh t enter the; front-bf-the-house field; ."■ Theatre Guild Theatre .' Guilds . Which uses girl ticket-sellers, drily; claimed as rea- son that ..they have the; patience re>- quired tP handle its untisuaily fin- icky subsferibers;- 'Staff of the StV James prbved ,that: was .a faulty ar- gumerit by . making exchanges of. tickets spld~fprr''Mafech3^ engagement at the Gu.iltii theatre.; Not only: were the exchange? han- dled efficiently, but the men at the si James gave the subscribers vir- tually the same Ipcatipns they had secured; at; the GUild at the Ipwer subscription rate. Union's' move Monday ni^ht was to call out the boxoffice;staffs at the Morbsco ('Bachelor .'Born';), Broad- hurst: ('A Doll's . Hpuse'), Golden CShaddw and Substance'), Winter Garden: ('Hopray ' Fpr What!')' arid imperial ('Between the pevir). All are Shubert hpuses arid, the ticket-: sellers are members of TMAT; Stated by the union that the. walkoUt Was designed to force the . managers to recognize TMAT. League pf New York Theatres went .intp session and maintiiried .- that it .was WiUirig to tecpgriize.; ah' associatipii of treas- uriers but.. noi the present setup, whieh} includes ; press aigerits and cpmpany (alsp hpuse) managers. TMAT, how;eyer, :i[>Ut fprth: another cpiitentipri tp the^-effect: that the pres- ent membership setup would be Jmalntairicd, -sink 6r swixn.' Eiitplain.ed the 'pulling' of the :boxo(rice people as b^oirilg 'a di^mpnstratipn; aga^^ the prpdUctipn end;! pf;. the ^ theati'e, whereas up tb ripw- its' activity; had been cpriflhed tp the theatre opera- Lion end. ... ' ■• ;,'' Shubert B.O.'a .Willihgriess; of bPxpffice pepple tp. waljc frpm .shubert :theatres.;is ex plained in .anbther .divectipiy. Treas urcrs in. such hpuses are paid cpri; siderably, uh.der ; the ..scale Jspught by .j.he .'union.' . Instead 'of $'75 -a, ...Week, tbr treasurers and $1)0 f6,i;. .assistanls; thdy ;have been getting $45 and $5(^ .tops, ■.it'.-is .claimed;. . ..■ .■..' ' ^ Irt>a:dditibn,VShubei-t b.oV .s^^ i-dquirjed to; turn-by.efr to Ihe: inanag^ rnent;. all' perquisites from ticket 'agencies. ]Ev6ry ticket, lialidIed by the .brokers must be accounled foj;, ;\vhGther on a, 'buy', basi.s or not, Re .suit is that In; Shubert ttpuies. tt»e : . 'Silver Jubilee' was very well re-; ceived here- opening night . (24) in; its,. Ariierican debut and should be air'admirable addition tp the Abbey Players' rep«:rtory.' dUring thieir preis- ent tour. ' One gets ths impressibh from the first act that it is ^ goirig to.; be still anpther; play verging : on: religious: doctrines. HoWeVer, although there are ^spbts of riielodrariia and philospV phy, comedy of the typiical, bubbling,' Irish quality priedominate's: during the last two acts. .'; . Michael (Micky) Dolan, one. of the veterans .of the: ceriipiany, has ;a cerir tral part: here,..that of the Very Rev. Michael O'CarrpH;: Although he has just been presented with a. very fine electric clock by serine.pf his younger parisi^ipners,. he feels that he has been failure; ; s; - -: ;But an - incident bccurs Which puts him straight,; Yourig Maty .:C.asey.^;is in a family. Way and the- ybiirig-man in .question want^ to ''.do the/right: thing,' but Mary refuses this marr. riage Pf necessity. Her parents de- mand redress of the clerie.- : . ;Thanks,; hoWever, to; the dipIoririT acy of Father O'Dowd, a little wifely .br6wbeatirig..<-used: by Mrs. Casey, kindly advice by ■ Fither O'Carrbll, and; -the fact that: thfe -yourig people really loye ..one ariother,; a marriage^ plus a dbwry, is arranged,, and at the end: Father O'CarrpH. dpesri't feel quite so glooriiy about his flock. . There is .also ari; enliyenihg perr forniartce- by:. P.' J, Carolari, as the belligerent John Casey-. Austen Meldon. brie, pf; this year's neWcerin- er^vtb the- cempariy, is admirable as Father O'DoWd.. ;.The ever-capable Mauteeri .Delariy, as a garrulous arid eavesdropping : housekeeper; May Craig,; as Mrs. Casey; pretty Aideeri O'Connor, as the half penitent Mary, and Derii.s. O'dea, as the young man 'contribute able performances. There is" one set. Waters. : OUR TOWN Princeton, Jan. 23. - : PJay;by' Thofp.ton ,-Wilder. - Stara Klank Pi-av^n. Prtjduopd-' b;y Jed Harris. .Tech-. nlcTi: aire.r'tlan, ..Raj'niond...Sovey;:.costumesi. JHeiene; i'ons. At tlie SlcCarter, Prlnceion, ..Tan." 22. '33. . ;;,.;:-../-^ :- ^ . Sta;g-a; Ma'n^geri... ;.».FninH:.Craven- Dr. Glbb.T...;. i.;i-.;-. ;'.-Jay':-Pissett itoe;:Crow,ell.;.. ..,...;.Raymond Roe- Howie N^wsonie'.'..Thomas -KaddeTi Mi-!i..- Oibba.... Evelyn Vardcp: Mra. .'Wei'))). ....:.':.-'".•*. J. .Heleii Oartew. Qe'o^'ire GIbba.......^ ,y'.^.,, ..'John .Cralven Rebooca. C Ihb'q.'. i..Mairlly ri: Ecsiilne Wnlly. Webi)...;..'.... .•..V.Chttrles Wiley. .;Jr. Emily Webb.;,...; . . . .Ma:rth» Scotf I'.roteaaor Pepper; . vi-.;;.;.».. .Arthur Allen Ml"; .Wel-b;. .;.. ■ i..,. ;ThOmas : W, Ross -Wt>ma'n.^liv^theHBiilcOTHS%-T^iTTv^^ Man 1 n' tbo;AudItoriuin,...."Walter -6.-; iilll- iiady .In: the Box..'. .... ;AlIrie McDefmott KImon fitlmson.;;:.;;..-. .;'. ..Plilllp ^OooUdk.e- Wrsfi Sbame.x..;...'.:...,.. . ,i, ,Doro .Meratide Constable ■ W'avl'eri..-.E. Ifvinsr -T^oUe SI. CrawTillv;;.;...%..;:;......v...,,>B Ba3ebali,.;t'iayerB,. .;-: " . ..Alfi-ed ■;.Ryder,:.William: 'Rbehrick 'and- .Tlj'omas .Coley • Sam' ',OralK,.........;;...Francis G. .Clc.vela'nd .lue /StoddsrJ...;.. ...:. . . . William .Wadsworlh Prtojile of the .'.I'own.:- Carrier Weller, AUoe :I>onalds6n,; W;«Uei: O. Hill,-Arthur Allen, Charles .Mellody, Katharine: Raht, Mar>; -Kiiiiabelh -.Fbi'bes. -'Dorothy Nolan; Jean .Piatt.' Barbara Brown, Alda Stanley, .}?ai-bafa 'HnrAon;'..Lyn Swann, ..'Jiorothy Rynn,"; Shirley-• d.sburn, Einlly; BoUeau; Ann We,<)ton; I.ieOn.. Bose, John .Iryln'g Finn; Van'Sheiti. Charles ■Wal.tcrs, Wh- lUnv :Siiort, . yi-ank , Howiell,-, Max, ;Bcck, Janie^,-Malurdy; ..' ., .' ' ; . Thornton 'Wilder's first full'-ilength play,' 'Our Town,' .turns out to be an excursion into the realrii of allegory. As theatre fare, it is not only disapppintirig . .Ij.ut' hppelessly slow. ;. Jed Harris has: endPwed it with a superlative ,;cast,;'headed .by Frank Crayeri,. and it will prpbibly; ?p ,d6wri; 'as the , .seas6ri's.: m6st ex- Iravagent Waste -of fine..talerit.; It's hard fp. imagine--What the ei:stwhile wonder boy of Broadway saw in this ij/p. staffs have not been: able' to earn a cpmparable wage.-.' .■■ An agreement %ith; thie ' Theatre Guild was' made Monday :(24.)> the same day the Shubert b; . staffs were ordered -put Arrangement calls for the' Guild staffs (all girls) jpining the unipri;' .Guild .will cpritinue tP Use its girl ticket sellers ; in.theatres ; bther than ;..its pwri when - its, shpws are playing such spots." Claimed by TMAT that the'GdUd Will pay the salairies of staffs, sp displarited, hpw-- ever- . "That, is declared npt.t and that: there is np:such:menti6n in the agreement. Also'; stdted that thei'e. sjhaU :be rid strilces'.ripr; picket-, hig; p'f , Gvriid- pi-eseritatibnSj and in cases of dispute, .avbiti'ation shall; b ;tised for sell!ement. "[C uild,: hpWever'; ;is,- prepared- tb; :r(Bcoghize .'TMA'T so far as the Ireasurers; .are cbnce,rric,d; . b lit• npt Ih e. uriioTi's ■ agents arid mari- iiiscis contingent;. disjplnted, ;' bitter-lsw^^ ; • affair ■ 6f sriiail- tbwMV NeV Hampshire life.. ■ :'Play'^ ■ chances -will; rest solely pn the ; riovelty of the- ^production, it •probably .represents an . all-time high in;, experimental theatre for Broad- way. By comparison the ^moderri- dressed, .sperieryless , 'Julius Caesar* ■ emerges as Prlhpdox and cpnven« tipnal, • It's the type pf stuff put on here eyery.: ripw ; arid then- by the Princetpri Theatre Iritime, .univer- sity • bxperimeritai :grpup,; and Pthet seribu.s' cpUcgiate •.; ergahiza'tipris. 'Our Tpwn' should never have left the ;cariipusi. f or. ^pnce the. nevelty has ■ been worn thin,: the play lacks tiie sturdy qualities necessary; to carry it on its Pwri, ; ;■; ';.■'; '.;-,-- ' ; First tippff oh thie experimerital biz cpnies .upori entering the thieatre. With a ; handout that, 'the manage- ment Wishes tp annpunee that prp- granris will..; he distributed at the Close of the perforrriance.'. There is nb curtain; and the full stage is bare, with pnly. a few stray .prpps resting agairist this; biack' wall;. , At What cor- ; responds to ciu'tain; .time*: out wallts- the ■ stage: .riiariage'r' (Ci-ayeri^^^ with- the irieyitablc ^shirtsleevesf hat and pipe,- and leisurely' sets;'.down'a^ f chairs ' arid two small tables. These, together;with twb ladders; used.later: fpr;, irilaginary stairways, represent the pnly:; props or scenery used; throughput the ;play. :.';;--'::"•;:''-;: :; Th'rPughput, -the - play C^raven ..as- sumes "the ;rpl.e . Of-: anjibtatbr, .i^hp calls pn the varipus.characters tp ppr- traiy; their rbles. •. He tells ■ aiidieirice play • as; -abput' - to/-begin,' .extin--. guishes ;single. bright-bulbed,, back- stage light arid then conjures up. for you . a - picture of Grovers Cor- ners, ^ New Hampshire,, back in 1901. You: ai"e;; aslced..'to Visualize Main street.' Witli its assprted istpres'; and" the. Slide street hdmie.s.' ef t>r. Gibbis arid Mr. Webb,. editdr; ef; the.:tewiiv Weekly. : 'The slim .thread pf a story; that hplds :the 'play tpgether re- velves arpurid the lives; of thiese -two. fariiiliesi '-■ ■-':'-■'■> ■.''• - ■ The rripst unusual act is the third and fpr first; time 'We. see . that the: authpr has a' riiptivei fbr his: play, and that it is npt merely a riiedium fpr a riPVei; stage- presenta.tipn. Here; h6.. mpunts his platfprm and preaches the belated. serrripn that every mo- ment :.of life is fleetingly . beautiful but pnly a;few rai'e ppets and philps- ophers know enough td live: fPr the. morinent. --; '-' ' . ''•'v The final stanza bperi.'?, riine year* later, .with, a do'zeri characters sitting mutely on chiEiirs: on one side of the stage; these pepple are dead. Craven explains it is a cemetery. ; Frem the btherside :;;pf the" stage enters - ths funeral party of Ertiily; Webb, who dies in childbirth. ' Here is this mpst effective, mpnient ef the.play, wher* deep:emptiqn is expressed by tht ti:agic denieartpri of ,a huddled' greui*' ef mpurners ; under uriib.rellas. . Out ef this grpup emerges Emily, in wedding; dress, to tak^' her place among; the dead, It is brily .when the dead expound their jjhilbspphies that Wilder's sermon takes concrete form. ■ In additipn ib Craven, expert pcr- iformances are" contributed by Jay Fassett,; as.- Dr. -^GJbbs; .Ev'elyn .. Var- deri* as 'Mrs. Gibbs,' John Graven* as' Giebrge : Gibbs;' Martha Scott, as Emily Webb;' Thomas ■ W. Rpss, ai Mr. Webb and Helen Carew as- Mrs;- Webb. .'-, . .; Rosen.- :;.''Il|rM;&f;l'i^^ Hollywood,. Jan. 25. • :■. J. M. Kerrigan, . .dharacter 'actor,, apparently left hiS pptimisip behind when he did a' tempprary walk on. the film biz fpr- a Whirl at Br pad-' Way with Iria Claire in 'Barchester Towers.' Writing, his pial,; Joe Shea« CI rand Na tipnal praiser, of.; the: Man- hattan: legit sitUatipn, he cpririplains: '. 'As. if things weren't tpiigh erieugh fpr actors, tlie. outstariding show for material arid :Splayers is .IPiris and, Needles,' put on by the. Garment Workers Union. ;.After all the cracks, about; pants pr'essers, it's rather dis- turbing* •; :,■;.■,•-'■•■,,'',■:''■-■:•:;;■;;', ' 'Anpther shpw, a ; hit- ('Julius .Caesar-),: has•'rip Scerier^r;; and. a; big. musical hit (The Ciadie^ has pnly one musician, ■ ;1 .'.;,; ;" • 'And;? he s.ays, 'they, talk about Hollywppd.' : Mgt,: LOU CLAYTON Cslumbia Studi HVood