Variety (May 1938)

VARIETY IJBGITIMAm Plays on Broadway Washington Jitters riiii.ilv In iwodcln i>)' Joli" Uiiruft khJ Wnlii'i- iliiri. HcliiiHeil fiom Unliun Truiii- t>.i'» Miiv.'l 1)1 sMimp mime; iircacntcd liy llu'' Thi!/ilii> Oullil; I'roiluccd by Iho Acloru ll.MiiTUiiy <'<i, Sihroi) by Unrl iinU- Wnrih- liKUm iner. KotllnBH. tJiwronu'i' U tioW- n-uMpr, Ai ilic Ciuilil. N. Y.: top. Biik Wnl!! It-i<1lr> Announcer- > lliti-\'t»y l;i>I) M.'hnlTerly . S'liii Uit^vHon... s<>ii:ilf>i' Moi'tile l(:iiiilltiin 1)111.. ('•>iit;reMmnii^ KuHjier S'-fri'lnry H.^ni-y H0R(t.......... Kiilii' Kp.'fei-. ......... Mi-s. .NVI >a (iiiiilr.. ; ■ I'.iuriHl < S''itiitof ^v iiioi- Kim So iilni' Si-^-iiitcl b'eniilttr J'Try n^i k ., JVrlAunl M:ut;iKer 1V;illftr I'arldon. S-nHliir KHnHUhl... Mi lilniy. MliM IN-i>»ton Pliii(ot;rii|)hpr Mi'j. llwlKllt CovvnrtI A SIk-n PHlnlpr.... Ji'nny Ri-oiiMtn...'.. .,.. ..\nlbony U<>hh .,'. .Hurry Mhnnnon . Robert I'ortcrileld ... .Francis Ilicilol , ^ ;WrrcMt Ori' crlnuii Thorn iiim'Chailibors . .KreJ Slevvarl Helen SlilcMa ....Kiithryrt r.rlll .■ . David Clark^ cirolhy Brackcit .....Will XJeer DoilglRKS Parklilrat ... .....Kilwln Cooper .. .,.'. .Duvirt I'larke .........Kendall Clark ... .John -G'ShaUBhnessy .. !. .Robert Thomhen . Erik Wulz- DouKlii»a ParkblMt ...John O'Sliauehnes-iy ,.,. .Dnvid Clarke . ,.. : .Rose Keane .....Kendall Clark .Lesley Stafford .. Jeortje Oliver Taylor ......... Bdwin CoopiT ..... ;Dorothy Urackclt Norma Chambei'!*. HEARTBREAl^ HOUSE I'liiiicily (ri'VlviiU In thri'o acta by George Kl'rnMiil tihaw: iiresentvd by the Mercury ilivalri'. .sianod hy OiKon Welles, iiettinir, Julin Ivoenix; coHlumCd, Mlllia Davontiorl. At the .Meiiiny, N.. Y., April 211, '38; »L>.20 U'J.T.'i Saturday nih'ht, $.'1.30 opening) KIlio t>unn. .N'ui'.se culnne.s ,\.. Capl.. Sholovei- I.udy L'Lti'r\viir<i..., lliMinnt! llUMhabyu. .Ma/.iClnr-l>unn. Ilevlor fliiKliiibye.. l.ti)M.x .MuuKaa...... '^::iatlHll I'lloru'Oi- . llur;;lar.:...., .Uuraldino Fitzgerald UrcndK Forbes Omon Welles ...IMiyllla Joyce ... . ..Mttdy ChrlstianB Urflklno Sariford i . Vincent Price OeorKO Couloiirla .......John Hdyaradt .Kuatuco Wyalt a reputation the Mercury joJ David ("larke ( Jobn HundnRliin Footmen ( Charles Gordon First a* 'Simply Henry Hogg' and •Little Dark Horse,' 'Washington jit- ters" then reverted to the original title of the novel by Daiton Trumbo, from which it was adapted.. It's the fltiai production of the Theatre GuiW this season. A mildly diverting farce, it figures to have a; modest engagement, for While it delivers laughs there'j tt>o much politics to. the episodic sequences. That waS;S0, too. of oiie or two earlier Guild, at- tractions since last Labor Day. Guild announces it presents the Actors. Repertory in 'Jitters.' Latter group was first, formed, during ,'Let Freedom - Ring' two seasbps back/ then attracted some attention by •Bury the Dead.' There has been plenty of tinkering with the play, but when it .reached reasonable form, the Guild became interested, but mostly to complete its guaran- teed htimber of shows for the sub- scribers,, having been one:short last season. Originally proposed to present 'Jit- tej's' for ;the subscribers, only^ but when the' play looked fairly prom- ising in rehearsal there was a change. However, showings hati beeri given for about three weeks before the public debut.' Reason for the large number of so-called previews is not clear and it's sts(ted that there is still a percentage' of subscribers yet to see the show. Actors Rcpi-is an organization of younger players, and for that reason half a dozen older actors were en- gaged, since the.'play has much to.do with senators and repriisentatives. Pt iniarily, it's a man's play. Basic idea in 'Jitters' was used not long ago in 'Help Yourself,' a WPA fsfce from foreign original. Walter Hal t, who's credited with the adap talion with John: Boruff, was for- mci:|y with WPA... A mou.sey little sign painter from Zaiicsville, O., working in Washing- ton,'is mistaken for the co-ordinator of one of the capital's alphabetical bureaus^ He's accepted by the bu- reau's head as having been appointed by 'the fireside,' an alliision to the White House, Actually, he's the ere ation of Harvey Upp, a political col umnist, who frequently.giSes on the radio and makes the original error ot tliinkinig Henry Hogg is a new, fearless official. He' comes upon Henry expressing dcllnite ideas about Washington and its politicians, but before being made a big shot, such outbursts are only spasmodic. A- girl from home, whom he yearns for, is the bureau head's stcnog and she spurs the little guy. , Comes the time when an administration bill is up for con- sideration. Both opposition and the adinlnistr.ntioh. leaders corral Henry into promising to speak against aiid for the bill! He docs neither, spills the beans on the air. and tells' the people it's their fault if anything is the matter' in Washington. In the iiiteriiii. Henry has gained fame and roy;iltles through a ghost-wfiltcn book about the recession. Mo.st likeable characters are Henry and his girl, played by Fred Stewart and Helen Shields, of the Rep, IIo\v- evar. Frank Shannon nearly , takes top honors as Mehafte'rly, the ad- minlstratioo whip. Shannon has been in commercial pictures and - is h.ivin<{ an interlude On the stage. Will Gccr, who has appeai'cd in sev- eral shows this season, is also of tha RiPi He plays a grizzled opposition senator with a; peculiar drawlini; voice. At times he gives an imnrcs- sioii of Fred Allen, which didn't au- p»:ir to be so when he was ih 'Of Mice ahd Men.' Others identified in a rolhcr large cast are Anthony Ro.ss as the columnist; Bertram: Thori.v. as ■ lUizilinS rcpresantative, alid For- rest Orr ■ lid Francis Pierlot a.s sen- ators. Ilice. Having establisl.ed with three': novelties, theatre offers as its f6urth play a cOiiyentional production of George Bernard Shaw's 'Heartbreak House.' In general,' it's a meritorious }ob and should add some lustre to the Merk ctiat-of-arms. To be presented in repertory with Jui'ius 'Caesar,' the liew offering should have reasonable success. However, this pliy about the discus- sions of a group, of troubled intellec- tuals seems unlikely to equal the 'Caesar' record. It won't arouse as much discussion and it isn't as vivid a show. 'Heartbreak House,' .begun' by. Shaw in 1913 and finished in 1916, was produced IB years ago by the Theatre Guild. Erskine Sanfprd, the .visionary of the originarcast, repeats his role in the current production, the only holdover. Despite the holo- caust the .world has undergone in the meantime, 'Heartbreak' remains a mettlesome drama, virtually isis topi- cal as .today's headlines. AUhoush 'Heartbreak' reveals Shaw at his angriest and most scin- tillating, it's confoundedly long^ winded. Not only does it talk the spectator into a stupor at times, but it frequently obstiures its meaning behind a heavy fog of involved words; iFpr that reason, 'Heartbreak' of- fered a difficult production assign- ment tor the Orson Welles-John Hoiiseman combo. It's an assign- ineht they haven't entirely met. Shaw's method is to tickle an au- dience'^ funhybone with his clever fooling and, having captured atten- tion, to preach j ; long sermon. Then, jUst as the audience is'-about to. be crushed by the weight of words, Shaw skips back to his effervescent, drollery, impaling his audience with his sharpest barbs. Thi^ Hrlcrk production ■. doesn't al- ways bring out the best in Shaw. Occasionally even the lighter r por- tions are' ponderously presented. And the weighty preaching, is scarce- ly ever stirred into! crackling life. As the half-mad (and completely sane) Capt. Shotover, director Welles is for the most part satisfying. He conveys the rugged power of the man and something of his explosive personality. But he has not been able to overcome certain physical unsuit abilities. 'Neither his fine, resonant voice nor his husky young frame suggest the 80-bdd-years old man he is playihg. And his makeup,is so thick that he almost seems to be wearing a mask. , Mady Chriiitians, returning to legit from several jseasons ih films, is not only a persusfsive Hesione.Hushabye, but she's thW only member of the cast with the-sMptivating personal flair that turns tft&-pl9yhouse into a theatre. Phyllis Joyce is reasonably convincing as Lady Utterword, As Hector Hushabye, Vincent Price is at times completely credible and at others almost impossible. He occasionally camouflages the part by overacting. Brenda Forbes is splen^ did as the maid. Geraldine Fitzger- ald, as the guileful Ellie Dunn, pretty.enough to be a film prospect III his earlier-scenes George Cbu< louris makes the mistake of bur- lesquing Boss Mangan. Sir\ce in writ ing the character Shaw already bur- lesqued the business man, the effect i.s all wion.g. Later, when the part .srows-more explosive, that approach is olTcctivc, but then the contrast is niillili . Ei'skiiie Sanford is . excellent as idealistic M'a7.7,ini Diinn. And as the btU'glar. Eiislace Wyatt is effective except that his makeiip is so-heavy it suagesls a-small boy on Hallowe'en night. .lohiv Kocnifi'.'; two .settings are ad mirable. Notably the one for the fifst two acts. admirably presenting the inside of the captain's bleak home,'setting (he mood "for Ine play. Hobe, at Shouldn't Happeb to a Dog,! comedy about Jewish life, by Sidney Lieberman, has been bought by Ed- ward P. Dimond for fall production. Audrey Wood handled ;the deal. Producer was stage mianager of .the Maurice Evans 'Richard 11' produc- tion. 'Shouldn't Happen' is Licber- man's first play; Retired Lej{;iters Siee 'Can't Take It' Matinee iladclphia, May 3 Vot ln;(itcrs at the EdWin Forrest Hon«! for Retired Actors were ' en tertained last Wednesday ' (27) ;at matinee of 'You Can't Take It ith Vou,' at the Locust theatre. an agemeivt played host. They were aClerwards guagts of Mai'uat-cl Culliihan, of the cast,'at diniier at tiie Sylvania hotel. Add Strawhats tevioMsXu P)Ai(ted) idgefleld Players, Conn. Banc! Box theatre, Suffield, Conn. June. Washington Irvi . Ossining, N. Y.,. ei June. Alan Fishburn. Green Mansions, burg, N. Y., May 29. ■ (ihase Barn P la y h o li s e, Whitefield, N. H.,, July 12. Eight weeks.' Hedgerow Rose Valley, Jasper Deeter. Tlieatre-by-the-Sea, nuck,' R, I., June 28. 10 weeks. Mrs. Leonard S.. Taylor. . IVpryton .'Playhouse, IvorytOn, Conn. Milton Stiefcl. Lake Whalom theatre. Fitch- burg, Mass., June 20. 12 weeks. Guy Palmerton. Rollins Studio of Acting, (brew theatre). East Hampton, L^ I., July 15. Leighton Rollins. Tamarack Playhouse,. Ijake Pleasant, N. Y., July 15; Mal- colm Atterbury; Fotoi-e Play Nitery Review (Continued from page 50) adagio, they steam the customers iiito a .fury. Frank Hall nicely m.c.'s, puncbr ing over three ballads' in his ov!n spot, last being 'Stout Hearted Men' from 'New Moon,' in whith he an- nounces he once appeared. Only coniedy' comes from the 2 Georges, ilaying a return here, who do some tnockabout stiiff before going into their familiar but effective. French wooden . soldi pantomime clog. Jean Lahdis, a tall, statuesque blonde, is unusually agile in a high- kicking acrobatics, and Cat-lisle Sis- ters are. cute lookers of medium hoofing ability. Angelo Di-. Palma; operatic tenor, still a - fixture after more than two. and a half years at this spot. Music's by Fran Eichler's. orchesr- tra; subbing : while Herman-. Mid- dleman's outfit is cruising. Local lad- has developed a sweet outfit, both for tCrp. and show; with'a sock tenor in Bob' Carter, who's on radio here also under' name of Jack Sherwood; Cohen. WHIRLING TOP, N. Y. Eddie, Wittmer; who now man- ages - this East Side spot, has conr centrated on.the element of swing to pep up things in this sedate estab-' isnment, Wittmer came Pvcr here a few months ago after having closed his Hannibal on West 46th, operated by him lor many years. The George Morris orchestta is a five-piece swing outfit of merit, while another musical group, indulg- ing in Irish songs, is McNamara's Ensemble. Wjth the swing quintet, Marta Cerhy's takeoR ' on 'Snow White' ils a highlight specialty. Other vocal specialists include Edna Sourcy. and Irene Stanley, both on the swi'ngo side ahd oke. Chor. SPIRQCHEtE icagp, ril 30. Dmma in two nrU rind proloff (10 ncenoH) \\y Ainulil SundKuurd: iiveiienlcir by. the l.lvlni; Newspaper of tho Federal ItieaLre I'rojeci: produced-by 1 lurry Mlnturn. Dl- roricid by Addlnoir Pllt. SotlthKH. Cllve UJcknliBiicb; nVuRlc. David Shelnfold. At the Blackdtonr. ChlcaRo, April: Cast: L<*6n lOdKnr. Bench. .T<e!(1le Sponrs. Mildred KoaMr, Thoninu McDermott, Chni'lon <:nrtllnlcr, llulicrt- Stumpf. Jantod . Dlohl* Willfam Ludke, Stunrd Langlcy. I^ntnr rodowell, )lnrliar'a Hiir.ruuH,. Anne llaf- pcrln. Car! RfKlRcra. Hurt Mumy. Kloronrie (riovanRelu. ' Alk'C TrIaiitPH, Hnloh tlross- man. Herbert .Slad'c. Tat Dovlln.. Jack Ifcrman, Gllbrrt Duu^laH, Roy Mouhcr, T 'hnrlcs Conlclin, Mnl^k Sullivan. Norman Hllyard. tiablno. Banfrel.. lioBemury Shawn. William C^ourneeh, uenrRe 'Hoskyn* Hllaa l^helpH, John Allmnn.. William Joy. Albert Ston-h. Carl . AdamHoiK mmore Galley, ^flMo,n Pollock; Willlnni nohor\tion, MIflhiicl Kingston. Jamea . Ice.- Thomas Brown^ Don Koehler. CharlcH Lum, .Mart^aret Joyre, rarlotl Pacelll. Alfi-ed t'lnrko. Orant Foreninii, Porreat .Smilli, Waller Krouse.' ChcKter fjcaru: GuorKe Day Ion. John Connor, A'iolet Le Clalro. Myrllo Drla- roll. .llu/.el TldHlam; ■ nallan Tykr: Cl^n llevorldRA, Chftrles Healy.' Otis tJordlplpr. JamcM Rlre^ Jack rii^mlnir, l^dna SoKten, John. Taafe. Duke Wat. n. Strawhats Long but, good dissertatioh on syphilis, dramatizing the apocalyptic beginnings of the disease and tracing its spread throughout the world while researchers seek, to And its cause and cure. It's an obvious preaichment for the most part, but it comes through as good, solid theatre on the'istrength of fine production and careful staging under the supervision .of Harry Minturn; In 'Spirochete' the Federal Theatre finds its best argii- ment for its existence; delivering a play of real.social importance. Prolog sets the purpose of the play; takings pla^e at the Marriage Lice'nse Bureau, where a couple ob- jects to the new. law, which insists oh'examination for. venereal disease before a license can be issued. Radio cbmmentator tells them the story behind, the hew law. and fadiss into a 15-scene history of syphilis, start- ing with its supposed importation to Europe by sailors of the Colum- bus expedition to'^ America; Next scenes trace its spread. The victims ai'e , symbolized .by 'The Patient,' ■played with excellent bitterness by William Courncen, a striking figure, that stalks Jhrough the SOO-ycar spread of the story. Occasionally the .play breaks to short shorts dealing with the effect of the plague on individuals. It tells the story- of a' young syphilitic in the, 19th century who commits sui- cide rather-than marry an innocent girl. In the .20th. tho short short descrl s a syphilitic and his final restoration when medicine comes to his aid. Rest, of the scenes are devoted to the pioneer researchers for the cause and cure of the disease describing the work of Girolamo FracaStoroj John, Hunter, Phillipe Ricorde. Fritz Sdhaudinn. Elie Metchnikoff. Jules ■Bordet, Wasserman,- Paul Ehrlich and S. Hata, Winds up in the Illinois stale legislature, with the pro-examinati->n faction finally win- ning its fight for such a law in 1937. In the final legislature scene the speaker brings the' curtain down with a dire'ct speech to the audience, stating that the eradication of syphilis depends on the cooperation of the public. Cast of nearly 100 handles the job well, with effective production and; lighting. Scene.s played on upper and lower stages, in addition to (lash scenes on both sides ot the stage. Entire nroduction moves fast. Standouts are Edgar Beach, as the judge in the prolog; Don Koehler, as the you,ng man in the 19th century George Dayton,' as Metchnikoff Charles- Healy. as the 20th century sufferer, and Courheen as the svm bolic patient. Gold. (Continued from page 55) fice. will operate this summer in cojijunction with his Carmel, N. Y„ strawhat. Others on;the local.staff ■win be Hilda Spong, Jacques Carticr, Emily Harford Avery, Robert Cham- plain, Kathryn Collier and Jay Jostyn. Goodhue will continue his literary agentirtg for the Morris office by day and commute to Carmel after sun down. All new plays will be pro- duced. . ^ . Moral Tryoutu' Richard Maibaum's play,.'A Moral Entertainment,' taken by the Fedtiral Theatre Circuit, opened, at Roslyn's Theatre of the'Four Seasons last.Sat- urday (30). It will play at Salem and several other strawhals during the-summer. Mahonac's Summerite Hill-Top players, under the direc lion of David G. Fischer, ^^i^ have a lOryveck strawKal .season bcRiiVning June 27 at- the -Mahopac theatre, Lake Mahopac. N. Y.. Fischer will pi-csent two plays ot his .own and perhRps rioiher tryout, besides a nuinber ,of - roadway, suc- cesses., b.pcnihg bill, will be 'Yes, y Darling Datighler.' The humor. It's, the Story; of a garment wbrker who.deserts his shop to.opeci a delicatessen eatery, where he in-' tends featuring dancing. But li needs capital. This, his relatives sup- ply, after considerable emotional per- suasion, during which the worker's wife threatens violent suicide unless the relatives subscribe. After opening, a series 6( discour- aging events, including a burglary and demands made upon him by racketeers, leave him straddled. Even his relatives, rather than be partners, are his creditors. He seeks aid troi.n ' public groups, all Of which appear Xo be peculiarly unacquainted with the conditions; they endeavor to correct. Finally, the garihent . worker has no out, and in his despalr winds up again at the old workshop. .Presumably ha has.found bis level. 'That's the tnoral. Chaim Shneyer, -who plays the. leading role, gives a good perform- ance. Nearly; all the others are okay, too. Settings, costumes and incidental music get by. ' Shan. Play Out of Town LADY AT LARGE New, Haven, April 30. ComcJy.-mf^lorlrainn- In tliveo' ft(-l!», . .mIk HTonex, bv ]*lillli»* GnortmAti;. ttresuiiled liy MIlKiil Shiil>)>rt. iSlitKoil !>>' John Hu>ilc.|i. ScLllnes. Wril!ff>n Btti-ratt.- 1>'i>tiiurcH Mi-ir* Kot GrHhante linil Jmiiex . e.itiili*.. At. IliA .<*ubort, New Huvcn. -Xiii-ll JD-' '33; ♦:!;W Tailor Becomes , a Storekeeper (IN YIDDISH) Swtlr*, tn 3 flcl!* fT sccnr-H^ hy D.TVitl PJn- Vvt*^'^\i\»\\ My Keili'i-:il '11ii'Blr.» I'fojeot. StHiroil by M'irKii WolTsim; pcIIItirh. Pniit tjir/.'molT; miiifiL-, Mniii-1<-A -Bniicli; ct^tumcjv, 11. U. Knplonr. At nly'i), N. Y., Api-ll 13, ■S.-t: »l.in K.ii. CnKl: t'lirilni Slirioyf.r. Miirrlc WelPHmnn llHruM. 'St;liiil/.i)>iiii. .Moi-i-lH Uiirf,- . l-Mille I.'aMr.-il,-Mitrris .(>i-,>.<!4, Ixltlur*.' hIt:. Ilnrmnn Kui-Uiiirhll.. Niillirin' M:ill.'lii. .':<in Sllcri- luiyli. Ari'liio Ar(>iiiiwtt7., .Mlimic <lllralnlrlc, !:nr:ill Kin,linnn,''/.,<lilii hurbln. Tllllc Il.icli- IKifr. -.Ii'iinlf. , Urtff. Uiwo Sohizo. >,tft(-i:l!» nilnv.iky. 'Killing Aillor. Itobn-l ^chuin. NItt ■ )^>soni,l.-ui. ■ i;ul,[n Diiclrtr. ...T.,ouls >^i-hnl^r I.rmlj* Criipor.vinllh. M:ix >r.illnnr. s-iiy. (J.-inn l^'liil.'fIslMlit. rtslbpr Aillor, .On.ssin Kiirp.. M:i SIi(:ii^r. -i'l-l.ta Sf-blpncnlil. 'M.nri'l4 PUbpi-.'»l<*in. l-'Inbt^l, K-AnnpnlT. '('Inrii T.iolicr- ninii. - r.'.nrl WliHci-:*; l).nvlil ^ Mcyrovvltz, l-';intiy )r.)is\>n<<lr.|n. Srtiilti MlHltni,' J:(clc' T.mmiy, .l.'.l CiiKfif H;iny Mlll,.(. Ili-ni-j nhliii. |}«li1r,rA V»»i*»i(-k.. Anniri. Onlttliliiin* Aai-;t X;ic','i-. Mlri:i|t) CIl-'it^.-^mAii. VvWx Ulinlio. noi-l liu K i'oW..<l>i>ri;. Ucrl Trite. This problem play by David Pin .ski, nrescntcd .bv the Federal 'Then tre Project Of the Works Progre.'!'! Adniinislralion, i.s a philbsoohicnl work and doesn't pos.tcss sufficient attributes tor commercial showir.-' Acting and staging, however, are good. It's an emotional drarna, biit .sin- guWrlv lackinI^ iti popular; romantic anneal, Pinski has como.nsed. a so- cial satire. And in its obvioiis, sa- tirical It possesses natural loi>. 'riie I.ftily .■ , 'I'he '(.Imilli'intin: .- Hdteikceitcr Walter. Thomptiun AlcxI.H JnHuet-trtr. airM. DUly........ Stcnograiilicr....'. ^(llrK')t GrtihnmA. .-..;. .j!«uieH ' Ktitnle .Vnliiir L^ohiililsitii ........ A If rcj A. llpiiHO, .'OuUl(^y;<;ienionla Tlioiiia.**. l^^lHltor . ..Wllll.lin ]■•. Scllopller ..MiliCl I'iilse ..'... i Murcellu !5n'an3oii 'Lady at Large' is fairly incoher- ent for a couple .ot acts, but uriraveUi into something intelligible ih the' final stanza; Play carries a cops-and- robbers, theme, and early moments attempt to baffie the audience as ta just - who's the detective and wlvo*s the crook.- Baffling goes so Xar that nobody can tell just'what it's all. about until well into the second act. Plot has been' done: repeatedly, particularly ;on the screen. ' It con- cerns an American femme advett- ture-seeker, who teams with a for- eign crook. She's being trailed by" an American detective, who; catches up with.her in a small town in Swit-^ zerland. , THcy go for each other ro- mantically, and it looks like some- thing may come of it, buf^ the; girl slips ah overdose'Of .sleeping potioii in the wine of the detective's part- ner and he dies froM its efTects, In order to save the girl from « murder charge, the detective trumps up .a deposition supposedly given; by the girl in which she.claims the vic- tim took the powders himself to ease a Tieart ailment. The girl refuses t3 sign the document, believing she can square sbme of her-former crimes by confessing to this one, and heads lor the local jail to surrender hersiflF. But the gumshoe beats her to it by forging her name to the paper; leav- ing her free to clear out. They de- cide that a marriage will only ruin., the man's life and; that's the way it's left at the llnale—a permanent part- ing of the pair. Despite its lack of novelty, the play can be built into a modtirateiy successful offering with proper doc- toring. As it staiids, it h^s touches of comedy, romance and suspeiise, but not enough ot each. Play runs less than two hours. Which includes several scenes that deaden the tempo considerably. Margot Grahame's American stage debut, is marked b,v good pertornV-^ <Vnce,; but' she could probably go much'farther with something better. James Rennie opens indill;erently as the pijrsuing detective, but warms ui) as the play moves along. Diidley Clement-:, as Ronnie's partner, lends what little comedy there is, and Wil- liam F. Schoeller is pood as a SWisa Dpi ice inspector. Thomas Fisher's. Icriiatibnal crook is okay. Watson Barratt's setting of . a bed- room.in a'Swiss hotel, said to be'a reolica of the origihal, is decorative, John Havden's staging leaves sorne- thing to be desired, during the leadr weiBhlcd first half: nunchv-trioments iii latter half handled better.. Elem. KANIN'S REWRITE Meyer. Kanin, who has gone to the Coast, has taken with him the script of 'We the Willou,!;hby; the play: he co-aulhpred with Harry Itigrani. Script. has been bought by Jblm Goltien, ' Kanin is working on Availabia for Reliable SUMMER STOCK