Variety (Oct 1938)

50 VAHIETY IiEGITIMATE Wednesday, October 12, 1938 Yiddish Plays THREE CITIES Diaina In two acts (23 scones) by Man- rice Schwartz, adapted from the novel of tho same name by Sholem Asch; presented by Schwartz. Staged by Scbwiutz. Sct- tinga. Samuel Levc. Music. Sholem Sc- randa. At the Yiddish Art theatre, N. \., openrnff Oct, 10. '38; $3.30 top. ■ , . David Molselevltch Rubin Wendorf Boris Halmovltch "Wolfe GoldCadeij Kaum Grlgorovltch David PoPPer Olga Mlchallovna CJnln Schlitt The Countess t'Iza Sllbert Sophia Abramovha Sonla Itudlna Jacob Goldstein ovrls ytrassberp Zhchary Mlrkln :,Tacob Ben-Ami Solomon Osslpovltch Halperln Samuel Qoldenburg Nina ,...Luba Kadlson Madnnie Kvasnlerova iJertha Hurt Vasslly Alexandrovltch Albert Is-liir Chomsky Julius Adler Pcrellche Anna Apple Hachel-Loha Hui-vltz Bertha Gersten Gabriel Mlrkln Ben-f5vee Baraitoft Natalia Ina GoId.9teln Rcrdner Isaac Gladstone David Hurvltz Miclmel Goldstein Zushu (later Comrade Sofia)......,.-.. Mania Schlossbers Helcne .Tudlth Aliarbnnpll phlolme Hurvltz Maijrlce Schwnr.z Shachliner (Weinberg).....,..Izldor Cnsher Pan ICvlntkovskI orris Sllberl-nsteh Kocnlgsteln; Lnz.ir Freed Gurevitch Aaron Sternberg Nute Leib • .Zvee-Sooolcr- Anr.tol Abraham ToltelbaMm Sergei Koropotkfn Albert Klar Mlshka 'Molodyetz* Zvee Scooler Kyshkov Julius Adler Puchanln ,.. .Ben-D.ivid Comrade Ismallovna Sonla GursUy Markovltch , Morris Sllbcrknsten Officer. Aaron Sternberg Mlsha Arthur "Winters p«->n-fl romTnls'nr "Wolfe Goldfaden The Power of 'Revolution' Michael Gold«-*'^'n The Power of '"War'....... Albert IClnr Chuyele Eleanor Hausman Maurice Schwartz has taken the ponderous novel of Sholem Asch and given it one of the most lavish pro- ductions ever to unfold in the Yid- dish theatre. But Three Cities' as a novel is a far more exciting tome than is Schwartz's dramatization. There are some ingredients of ex- cellent theatre in 'Cities,' but Asch's novel, one of the finer works by a Yiddish writer on a historical theine. is much too eventful for proper tran- sition from book-form,to the stage. There are three hours and 50 min- utes of drama here, more or less paced well, but it begins to lose in- terest after a couple of hours. Three epochal periods in Russian history, which were sharply etched' in the Asch novel, have been only sketched in the drama, which deals •with the class struggle prior and during the Russian revolution. Weighted down by two acts and 25 scenes, which are paced by means of a revolving stage, the play takes place first in St. Petersburg during the period of indtistrial expansion; Warsaw during the hectic days prior to the World War, and Moscow dur- ing and after the revolution. Crux in the wheel of the story is 'Jacob Ben-Ami, as Zachary Zirkin, the moody, sensitive son of a wealthy railroad builder, latter played by Ben-Zvee BaratofE. Through the three periods, Ben-Ami is the dom- inating forc6 with an excellent per- formance that first borders on- un- certainty. Zachary's love for his fiancee's mother, his disgrace and disownment by his father, and his subsequent flight to Warsaw, where he sows the seeds of class consciousness, form the root of the story. It is in the second part that the^ changiiig of the social scene - takesplace, with Ben-Ami making capital of his role. Samuel Leve's settings show con- siderable thought, while the cast, headed by Ben-Ami, Samuel Golde- burg, Berta Gersten, Ben-Zvee Bara- tofl, Anna Appel and Schwartz, who has a comparatively minor role^ contribute excellently. The score bv Sholom Secunda is briskly in pace with the story. THE WISE FOOL Operetta In two acU (8 scenes) by Louis Frelman; presented by Menasha Skulnlk. Stars Skulnlk and Menachem Rubin. Staged' by Irving Honlgraan. Setting."!, Michael Saltzman; music, Joseph Rum- ■hinsky; lyrles, Chalm Tauber; dances, Reglna Russlkott. At Public, N. T., open- ing Oct. n, MS; $2.20 top. Solomon Sadovsky........Menachem Rubin Joseph Jack Rechtzelt I'Hlie. Gertie Bulnian SImcne Irving Honlgman yrolde Rose Gremfleld Mtrele Ola Rhllfko Shlolme Meleoh... Menasha Skulnlk Shimon Jacob Wesler Maria intc Rablnowltz ^ony V .I.oon Gold Maid Bnnhe TafCe Bills Island Offlc'.al Michael Wllensky For Menasha Skulnik's latest ve- hicle, Louis Fireiman has penned an operetta "vvhose comedy is ide?.lly suited to th^ comedian's talents. 'The Wise Fool' is a merry romp for the star, despite the fact that it runs far overboard dus to the numerous en- cores required of the princfpals fol- lowing each number. Skulnik did an excellent job of staging, while settings and costum- ing, particularly the latter, have achieved a Broadway touch that's hitherto been lacking on Second avenue. Story is off the beaten track, deal- ing with a couple of 'eternal' tri- angles that manage to gain some pathos. There's Solomon Sadovsky (Menachem Rubin), a wealthy widower, who brings a young wife (Ola Shlifko) into his household, v/ho falls for his son (Jack Recht- zeit) and he jr her. Then, too, to further complicate the plot, against parental disapproval, Rubin's daugh- ter falls for an Italian pug (Leon Gold). • Sifting through all this is Skulnik, as an American immigrant, whose ignorance of Yankee customs and the language provide some merry moments. But it remains for him to provide the solution to all the problems ^hro igh some ingenious plotting, which gains for him the daughter for his wife and places the young wife in the arms of the son, with the father apparently reconv- ened to the idea. ' .Music by Joseph Rumshinsky is adequate enough, though the lyrics of Chaim Tauber, with which Skul- nik makes holiday, are capital. Cir.sting^is excellent, with Rubin, who's co-starred with Skulnik, turn- ing in a splendid performance. Miss Bulman is best of the women singers, while Gold, who has a minor role, contributes a lilting tenor occasion- ally. Miss Shlifko, Rechtzeit, Tillie Rabinowitz and Jacob Wexler, among others, are also outstanding. Lunts' 'Amphitryon' Solo Pittsburgh, Oct. 11. To eliminate confusion for ATS series seatholders, Lunts have de- cided to do only 'Amphitryon 38' in one-week stands this season. Qrigi- nally the Nixon announced they would split six days between an- cient farce and 'Sea Gull' here week of Nov. 14 but announcement last week first brought word of more re- cent decision. Probable that Lunts will come back later in year for a week in 'Sea Gull,' although not under subscrip- tion auspices, since series of six plays has already been set. Will include 'Of Mice and Men' neX|t Monday (17), then. 'Amphitryon/ 'Golden Boy' (Dec. 5), 'Our ToWn,' 'Five Kings' and a new Theatre Guild play to be announced. Australlatf and Mew Zealand Tlieu- tr$H, Ltd., Managing Directors' FriinU S. Talt. S. S. Crick, G. B. Dean, Pj^dent:— VIOLET CARLSON nH the Star o? "Rose:marie" ROy.'^L THEATRE SYDNEY, AVSTRAnA. Future Plays "Twas the Night Before Christ- mas,' new play by Charles Angoff and Louis Weitzenkorn, has been designated as the initial offering of the newly organized firm of Seven Productions, Ltd., headed by Massard Kure-Zhene. Prior to a mid-Decem- ber opening, play will have a one- week road tryout. 'The Orchid,' musical dramatization of the Robert Nathan short story of the same nam's and possessing a score by Vemoh Duke, is skedded for a December unveiling by the brothers Krimsky of American Music Hall.' 'Everywhere I Roam/ strawhat try- out at the Barter theatre, Abingdon, Va., last summer, is the second opus on Marc Connelly and Bela Blau's schedule. Play, a comedy by Arnold Sundgaard with choral accompani- ment by Fred Stewart, has its setting in the farming belt of the w6st. 'September' Out Another show among the recent crop of Broadway openings will end after a brief stay, '30 Days Hath September' stopping at The Hudson Thursday (13), at which time it will have completed two weeks. Attrac- tion was in on a rental for that pe- riod. After a bad press, very little business was registered, takings last week being arouhd $1,000. Two other plays which opened doubtfully, also may be suddenly yanked. Shows in Rehearsal 'Boys from Syracuse'—George Abbott. - •The Flying Ginsbergs*—^Vin- ton Freedley. 'Run Sheep Run' — Donald Blackwell & Raymond Curtis. 'Of Mice and Men' (road)— Sam H. Harris. 'Leave It to Me' ('First in the Hearts,' 'Clear All Wires,^ etc.) —Vinton Freedley. •Yankee Fable' ('Generals Need Beds')—Cheryl Crawford. 'Herod and Mariamne'—Kath- arine Cornell. 'Kniffhts of Song' — Laurence Schwab. 'Waltz in Goose Step'—Julien St. Charles Chaqueneau. 'Great Lady' —Dwight Deere Wiman. 'Case History'—Louis S. Bar- doly. 'Window Shopping:' — Thomas Kilpatrick. 'Danton's Death'—Mercury. 'KISS THE BOYS' MAY MIRROR FOR CHICAGO A Chiccfgo company of 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye'may be cast for show- ing there around the first of the year. Comedy, clicking at the Miller, N. Y., is presented by Brock Pember- ton. Manager * figures the show should become established firmly be- fore considering a road company. 'Kiss the Boys' is the first of the season's attractions regarded as suit- able for duplication. Meredith 3d V.P. of Equity Burgess Meredith was yesterday (Tuesday) elected third vice-presi- dent of Actors Equity Assn. at a meeting of the council. He was named to fill the vacancy created when Arthur Byron was elected president. He will serve until the regular annual election next spring. William Gaxton was runner-up, Meredith, who last season served as acting president of the association aftei" Frank Gillmore resigned, is now on the Coast filling a Metro commitment. 30 DAYS HATH SEPTEMBER Opened Sept. 30, '38. Critics didn't like this Alison Skip- worth starrer. Richard Lock- ridge (Sun) said it was 'as dully preposterous a theatrical ex- hibit as this young season has disclosed.' Atkinson (Times) said, 'To tell the truth it is not very good.' All, however, gave Miss Skipworth credit for a good performance. B^way Pic Coin (Continued from page 47) agers who have maintained a stand- off- attitude waiting for Hollywood to proffer the olive branch would be discarded, so far as taking part in discussion is concerned. Hollywood is reminded that it has been holding off too long in estab- lishing legit stock companies and thereby use players who are under contract, but idle. Such spots would be used, too, for the training of tal- ent, also show cases for their stars to appear in the flesh. Casting prob- lems of the studios are bound to mount if the talent supply 'is not refreshed a great deal more than'at the present pace. Theatre Angle When. the hoped for operating board goes into action, the picture end will be asked to call in exhibi- tors, if necessary, to. open up terri- tory. Shows cannot be toured if there are no available theatres. Pointed out that film houses could easily set aside one or' two days per week for the showing of traveling attractions. If that be done, old the- atres would not be pressed into use and < the playgoer would have the conveniences of the modern type of house. The playwrights are mostly sitting back, too, waiting for the film end and managers to do something about it. One observer, who is hot for amity between the two coasts, de- scribed the dramatists as 'running wild.' Whatever develops in the situation, the dramatists will be an important factor, but it is expected that on a showdown they will listen to the arguments of those represent- ing the other elements. It is believed that the Hollywood end has held back in encouraging contacts with Broadway for resump- tion of backing arrangement because of its difficulties with the Screen Writers Guild. SAG is of the Au- thors. League of America and so is the Dramatists Guild, which is said to explain the Coast producers' atti- tude up to now. From all appear- ances, they don't want to encourage the writers. (Continued from page 49) tion of groups as the Playwrights, Group, Mercury Theatre and others is beneficial to the business, in gen- eral, he believes. Success of the Playwrights group depends on getting hit plays, he says, just the same as a commercial man- ager's success does. Much will de- pend on the first couple of plays, but in any case the five members are active workers and should over a stretch of seasons ^e able to turn out click material. They will meet unforeseen difficulties, but will learn to handle them just as commercial managers have had to do. Their chief problem, Hopkins feels, will be their close friendship and the emo- tional angle in trying to criticise each others' works objectively. Hopkins asserts, however, that there still is and always will be a place in the theatre for the commer- cial manager who has something be- sides promotion of money to con- tribute to production, but he sees the day of commercial managers waning. Theresa Helburn's Angles Theresa Helburn, a member of the Theatre Guild board of directors, thinks the five playwrights will suc- ceed with their producing venture, but she also expects them to have difficulty in satisfactorily criticizing their work. It has "been her ex- perience that few playwrights are both able and willing to criticize each other's work, just as few di- rectors are valuable to comment on the staging of others. She has found directors are the best critics of play- wrights, and vice versa. As evidence that playwrights do not make the best judges of their own work. Miss Helburn poinfs to the Guild's 1937-38 season. Although the production schedule included works by several of the leading American dramatists, the only suc- cessful one was an adaptation with the Lunts. The others might have been profitable, she believes, if the Guild management hadn't left much of the final decision as to script and direction to the playwrights. Few scripts submitted are ready for pro- duction, she explains, but require the objective viewpoint of an out- sider. No Profit in Production As for the possibility of the dramatists taking over the function of commercial managers. Miss Hel- burn thinks that would be an ideal arrangement—for the managers. 'As it is now the manager assumes the major share of responsibility, takes most of the risk and gets little of the profit,' she says. 'There's no money in production any more; the money's in authorship, 'I'd certainly favor their taking Over production, then we could ^^^ork for them, they'd take the risks and we could get a straight per- centage. I'd like to work for the playwrights on a 10% arrangement. We'd have all the satisfaction of working in the theatre, pone of the risks and plenty of profit.' 'No Time- for Worrying' Guthrie McClintic, one of the pro- ducers expected to be affected by the activities of the Playwrights, said he was 'too busy to think about it.' He has the friendliest feelings toward the five dramatists, he in- dicated, but hasn't time to consider how their plans may affect him. Re- garding reports that he would have trouble finding suitable plays now that Anderson and Howard are pro- ducing their own works, McClintic pointed to the fact that both he and Katharine Cornell have the heaviest production schedules they've ever faced; He also pointed out that An- derson had wanted him to direct 'Knickerbocker Holiday' and offered him a share of the fyjancing. He expects other such offers and hopes to take.them if he has time. Aonor.^ing to Brock Pemberton, the Playwrights will probably suc- ceed in their producing venture. He says they can duplicate or buy most of the functions of the com- mercial producer. Like several other managers, however, he be- lieves they will have trouble edit- ing and criticizing their own works. He sees this not so much as an emo- tional or psychological problem, but rather thinks that no playwright can have as objective a viewpoint as an experienced commercial man- ager. No scrint submitted to him by a playwright was ever ready for pro- duction, Pemberton says. Not only must it be revised and rewritten, he explains, but in many cases such alterations must be made little more than a line at a time, over mva.'y weeks, simply because the author I cannot see his own work In its proper viewpoint and Insists on re- taining portions that are commer- cially unsuitable. He cites a case of a name playwright who some years ago had several plays pro- duced in a single season. The dramatist In question is notoriously reluctant to allow any cutting of his work, but did permit some deletions from one of his plays after the critics had lambasted his season's first for its long-winded writing. As a result, the revised play was the most successful oT'Wh Buffalo Breaks Out Little Theatre Rash Buffalo, Oct. 11. Buffalo is out again in a rash of local Little Theatre groups. Earl E. Reese, who operated the Green Lake strawhat near here this summer, has' taken over the Hotel Fillmore audi- torium, and opened season yesterday (filonday) with 'Apron Strings.* Ground, floor seating 600 is given over to tables with refreshments served. The Studio theatre will bow in the new season Oct. 26 with 'Tonight at 8:30.' , In addition, the Catholic Ac- tors Guild begins its now season this month with a new policy of sending out several casts for performances at school and institutional auditoriums. *Susan' Big $4,600 In One Omaha Night Omaha, Oct. 11. Legit - hungry Omahans pushed $4,600 into the Omaha Drama League's till to see Gertrude Law- rence in 'Susan and God' in a one- nighter (3) at the Paramount thea- tre. Attendance, was near 2,500 in a house seating 2,900. Show was season's opener for Omaha Drama League, which will sponsor its usual four or five legit shows during winter season. Admish is $3.30 top. FTP'S Plan (Continued from page 47) opposing the plan entirely, it will have the backing of other stage, unions within the Four A's, also the stage hands and musicians' unions. Latest to protest the commercial trend of FTP is the Coast branch of the American Guild of Musical Artists, a group within the Four A's. Communications from the Coast were to the effect that AGMA 'views with alarm' the WPA activities out there. Following the semi-commer- cial tie-up for 'Gettysburgh' in the Hollywood Bowl, will be 'The'Choc- olate Soldier,' under similar arrange- ments. 'Supper' Story In New York the protests of the players in 'Sing for Your Supper,' a mixed-cast revue that is reported having been rehearsing on and off for one year, reached first page mention In the Times Sunday (9). Paul Edwards, administrator in New York; George Kondolf, director, and others were quoted. Kondolf said the show was at least six weeks away from opening and that it would fol- low 'Nation' into the Adelphi. .Pre- viously the show was slated for the Lafayette. Harlem spot again being leased by WPA. Tentative opening date of Dec. 15 was mentioned by Kondolf. Story was to the effect that 'Sup- per' was in rehearsal for six months and, figuring the cost of production plus w^ges paid, it was estimated that the" cost thus far is $104,000. No such amount was known to have been expended for any previous re- lief show. 'Supper' has been reported having player trouble for a long time and it was claimed at one point that there was objection to the way whites and colored players were directed to in- termingle during performance. Pro- ject heads decried the complaints of the players, who principally object to the long delay, but early this week committees were called in to talk it over with Kondolf. The actors are paid whether they are appearing on the boards or not and the project heads cannot understand why they're objecting. Equity has been endeavoring to set a limit for rehearsals, but has been unable to pin the WPA down to a definite schedule. Some of the com- plaints are to the effect that, after rehearsing for months, there are cast changes and as a result the morale of the company is affected.