Variety (Jul 1939)

50 VARIETY SUMMER TRYOUTS Wednesday, July .26, 1909 You Can't Eat Goldfish Matutiuck, R. I., July 24. fhrncdy In tliiM now (1 w«ne) l»y ClaJys tiin«r and Maroclla Uurke; eturs Kuih ClirnUTl.m: slHK*"! Thorn Cunroy; lln^s, WlllMir R. Of ■■rue: liMHOntfrt by IhP- ,ir».iiv-ili.'-s.\a ai .\1:uunui-k. K. I., week or July -jl, ■;t:i. Ill Kln.-k. Jr. (C.ilM>y) <''iHrllUu BUI KInc'; . Ilimona I-'l;r.'k I'i'liin V.m kl;u-k .- X.:ik;\riifr .f H-M Kliic;sl>ur>-Cole.... .Ml.-key Ikivia N iii.-y l-'l:if': ViJKliil.l Flnilt (.'i-iiie r.oscv.^ W.-irrfn Mills . ..VlrnlniH Rellly .. .linn y Tlioiusnn . .Ruth Clmiierion John Mi'Kee ... .Clark Clie.incy KaUierIno Warren ..Michael Hiirvey Kulh Cilliert ....Shirley I'olier J,nn Musoly Ruth Chatterton has made a happy choice for her return to Broadway this fall in Marcella Burke's and Gladys Unger's delightfully sophis- ticated 'You Can't Eat Goldnsh.' However, its subtlety and refreshing frankness bar it from Hollywood con- sideration. Plot deals with the hilariously com- plex marital troubles or the Flack family, growing out of the father's (Barry Thomson) belief-in Hedonism, the mother's (Ruth Chatterton) ef- forts to curb him to the extent of providing the' necessities of life and the unpredictable antics of the three Flack yourigsters. Broken promises Anally force Ra- mona to obtain a divorce in Reno. Her uniexpected early retuyn catches her family unprepared and as she reminisces with her now divorced mate, the old flame is rekindled and they blithely resume marital rela- tions. Highhght of the comedy is the dilemma in which one of the daugh- ters And; herself upon learning of her parents' malfeasance. Ramona's renunciation next morn- ing of any obligation her actions bt the previous night may have im- plied turns her husband and another. iuitor, ZakarofT (Clark Chesney) rom her. Reconciliation with her lusband is Anally effected when Ra- niona realizes she has done all the things for .which she had previously condemned her husband. Authors have mingled heartbreak and comedy with a dexterity, that keeps the play moving tranquilly throughout. Miss Chatterton gives a flawless performance and Is given staunch support by an able cast. Malo. HERO COME HOME tastic nonsense a rakish comedy and possibly good Broadway fare. Play suggests, too, another possibility for Lunt-Fontanne-to display their vir- tuosity in the role of Odysseus and Penelope even though the entne mo- tif perhaps biJrders tremulously on 'Amphitryon.' . . In a mischievous spirit, the play- wright lias tossed aside the popular Hoifieric version of Penelope's long wait for the wandering Odysseus. In fact, no one is more terriflcd than Penny when her husband does re-, turn." with the result that she plots with Cassie, her maid, to make her son, Telemachu.s, and the'people of Ithaca rout him as a phoney. But the trick fails and the schem- ing wife is left to the mercy of her husband. Penelope beguiles him by playing delicately on his vanity, and she is restored to his arms. 'While reposing there, the curtains close with a coy line from Penelope. To wit: 'Odysseus, wheii are you going away again?' , . Cost makes this a deft and witty variant of the ancient plot which hin.^es on a husband's untimely re- turn. Madelon Markoflf, as Cassie, is impressive, while Tom McDermott, as Axanthus, is excellent as a friend of the family. Harold Douglas fal- ters, while Leon Drew, as Telem- achiis, is good. Equally impressive is Jack Meyer, as Delander, one of Penelope's suitors. The lone set and costumin.2 are ex cellent. Weber. It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog Long Beach, N. Y., July 24. Ooniedv In three arts (.'seven acenes) by Sidney Meberman: staecd, directed, and presented by l£ddla Uhnond. at the Long Beach (heutre. Iohk Bench, N. Y., one week, opihlni; July \H, '3'i. Mrs. Berlha HIminelfarb .Adelaide Klein Joseiih Hliiinieltarb Henry Schacht Ethel Hlmmeirarb Julia Lathrop Dr. Mar HlinineKarb Alexander Scourby Mm. CJuldwaaser.. fanny Thomashefaky Mrs. Shapiro ..Ann Brody Mr«. Leonard Jesao Dimond Mrs. Nordstrom Rita RhonI Claire Oersiiiann itlta Slerllnic Dot Ullinann Ethel Colby Bob Ullinann Maury Tuckerman Youns Mother: Rita UhonI Little Bov Krankie Clarke ITounit Girl Paula HolllnBer YouoK Man George ijpelvin Mrs. Plolkin .*nn Brody Little Girl Iris Gnldhagen Charley . .Rbya Williams Not For Children stony Creek, Conn., July 24. Comedy In threo ooti tJour siuneo) by I'eslcy Towner, lia-tod on a aorlin by I.ud- Ig vHlrsohiluliI: slum Ellen .sghwaiincke: aged and piv.sentcd liy Wllllani COHile: aeitlnga, yrancls Y. Jonnm-'t; at lh» Slony Creek theatre, .'^tony I'ri-ok, Coini,, one eok beginning July J», 'W. Mayflower dobbs nia let in Dennis Diana ^. Peter Rosa Idge - Inisle Dcsale rover arage Man. Vegetable Man........ lat Process Server.... lind Process Server... Rwlthers 3Valter George Petrlo lolet aurel .>4ic|i|>ard bung Maid .' EHiior' prnut?; ardner'a Boy Yale Burgs :ila. Judith Simmon!! Irl Brn.ik Biirwell Ka.mp ...Mien Nourse elghborlng Servants Mr. VanderhofC.. I .Viin Morath Warren Young \ Jason Rlindea Policemen I Erik Young Ocpnomowoc, Wis., July 22. Ratlrlcil comedy In two act.i and one scene by Durolhy Minerva Dow; staged by 'Walter R. Volb.irh; settings. 'Robert Hughea; coa- tum>.a. Ruth Schoewe; aong. Lillian Bogus- liiA'ski; presented by the Coach House Players. July ID. '39, at the Coach House theatre. Oconomowoc, "Wis. Penylop.e .....................Margaret 'Wftller riillo ..Dolph Nelson Axanthus Tom McDermott f'assie .......\ Madelon Markorr ^'elemachtis • Leon Drew Delander- Jack Meyer Peasant David H. Teddeau Odyssfus Harold Douglas ti-r-ir-i -..Florence LaCour Eimiaus Hal Stuart As the initial play oF-^i season, the Coach House Players are presenting 'Hero Come Honle.' Dor- othy Minerva Dow's effervescent comedy is in the same tempo as the Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne ren> dition of 'Amphitryon '38,' wjth Mar- garet Waller's interpretation of Pen- elope being strikingly similar to Miss Fontanne's Alkmena in 'Ajmphitryon.' In 'Hero Come Home' Miss Waller dominates pleasantly almost the en- tire nlay. She helps make this fan- HILDEGARDE Appearing w'rth George Ross of Worjd-Telegram NBC-TELEVISION WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 Decca Records Per. Mgr.—AMNA SOSENKO Ex. Rep<-^ACK BERTELL Anstrnllao and V»tr Zealand Tlie- atrcM, I.til. PreMnta VIOLET CARLSON As THE STAR »{ Its Newest Sensational Hit Show ' Th« Panioua I.ON'I»ON C.taiNO REVCE Now I'lnylnK HIa Mnjmtr'a Tlientr*. MelbounM, AiutralUk Here is a play that possesses nearly all of the ingredients necessary to a successful Broadway run—interesting characters, local setting, emotional conflict and excellent dialog—but it requires a careful trimming, perhaps a rewritten last act and the bolstering of several weak spots. The story is told in two sets and two-and-a-half hours and revolves around the household of Dr. Max Himmelfarb (Alexander Scourby), personable young Bronx medico with a yen for matrimony and a family. The chief obstacle to his desire is not the beautiful Claire Bergmann (Rita Sterling), with wh om he is in love;—btrt—hrsT'dominatin'g'"- rhother (Adelaide Klein), who rules the home with an iron, albeit kindly, will. Long before Max was born, Mrs, Himmelfarb had a passion for doc- tors, all of her male ancestors seem- ingly having been physicians. In fact she fell in love with the easy-goinf Joseph Himmelfarb (Henry Schacht because, when she flrst saw him, he was dressed in white and carryini a little black bag. Later, It turnei out that he was a barber on his way to work with his lunch. Originally Max had wanted to be musician, but his mother's dcterm nation resulted in the study of medi- cine and his comfortably busy medi- cal practice. Another who shares the mother's views is Ethel Himmel- farb (Julia Lathrop). Max's 30-year old spinsterish sister,'who always has longed for, but never has met, a handsome blonde with whom she could And romance. Both women be- lieve that they have sacriflced them' selves to make a great scientist of the young doctor and they resent any in- terest that might upset the routine of their lives. Author Sidney Lieberman plants this story with sparkling wit and. a light touch. In addition, he weaves Into his yarn bright characteriza- tions by minor players. The opening scene, in which a number of Bronx dtalectitians are seen and heard in- formally in the medico's reception room, evokes numerous bellylaughs. Most of the dialog, is handled by Miss Klein, who inte.rprets each new situation in terms of some film she has seen. Also, she gets most of the meaty lines, of which there Is a , generous supply, as when she says to I her daughter: 'You're not yourself to- , day—and still there's no improve- I ment!' Rita Rhoni (Mrs. Tony Can- I zoneri) is attractive in several small I parts and Mauvy Tuckerman, Ethel Colby and Rhys Williams are effec-i tlve in supporting roles. Aside from a choppy action, there are only two spots in which there is a defliiite letdown. These oi:cur in the opening scene of the second act ahd in the second and closing scene of the last act.. The latter is too dra\vn out. Howevei-s careful doctor- ing should cure the ills. The outstanding inilividual per- formance v/as that of Ann Brody (the Jewish mother in the original 'Abie's Irish Rose'). A sure show stealer, she scores numerous solid laughs in her two small parts. Gilb. Martin Miller llari-y Sot hern Mary lloth ..Klizabeth Itlnsniore Alexander Cross DolaiH Byron Mnurli-e Hunt , ...ICtlen :^chwtfnMeke .Jamas Von liohcland ....Dorothy O'Hanloii ., Warren Young nurlce Hunt ..... Erik Young George, Polli C. Stewart Aggett ..KUen Noiir*o f Erik Young C. Stewart .Kggett 'Not for Children,' the first tryout hit the southern Connecticut strawhat front this seasoq, serves as capable vehicle to introduce Ellen Schwanneke to an American audi- ence. Play itself is not outstanding, being more or less formula in plot, but written as it is around the young German actress, it olTers her a chance to display some unusual tal- ent. Miss Schwanneke has a string of European successes to her credit, haying done plays in Germany, Aus- tria and Switzerland,. Judging from the topnotch performance she gave here, she's due to continue this list on this side of the pond. Present role is made to her measure, call- ing for her to blossom from an adolescent into young womanhood However, the impression is con- veyed that she could go to town in a more mature role. Theme is about the younger sister who captivates the wealthy juvenile for whom her older sister has set her hooks. Father of the family, an architect who always wanted to write music, is hounded by creditors and In desperation ships off, leav- ing household in charge of adoles-. cent Midge (Miss Schwanneke) Child attempts to straighten things out by selling paintings ahd tapes- tries but gets in a jam over it. When mortgage is about to be foreclosed, Midge arranges to borrow some money from Peter,, sister Diana's in- tended. Diana finds the two in Peter's . apartment,, .where the tran saction takes place, and mistakes Midge's motives. Blowup has. Diana marrying a stuffed shirt and Peter and Miclge swearing vows. . Play's present condition is spotty, leaning on the lightweight side. There's an entertaininf scene be tween Midge and a girl playmate that represents the top comedy angle of the play. A supper sequence in Peter's-apartment is well done for comedy and straight dramatics. Show Is being revamped for early Broadway try. On basis of its pres- ent setup, play's only New York chance lies in shooting it in quickly before playgoers and crix get too tough. Dorothy O'Hanlon turns in a swell kid performance and Martin Miller, Harry Sothern, Delma Byron, Maur- ice Hunt and George Petrie do well in support. A living room set fits nicely and William Castle's direction is adequate. Bone. of B world peace movement, and Oscar Briggs (Don Lee), Powers' milquetoast partner in the munitions game. First act introduces Susan's peace furthering activities, Powers' lust for power, and the love they both hold for the boy at college. First act opens slowly and a group of neigh- borhood children doing a recital dance is apparently dragged In to show Susan's uprighteous standing in the community. Scene apparent- ly has no other connection and is superfluous. - Failure i^f the munitions business because of an apparently peace- loving world has Powers starting a one-man campaign tt^ get the nations of the world into another World War. His oeak of power is reached when he pulls the strings and gets the United States to declare war against a mythical country, Fi'eeland, to keeo the world safe for democ- racy. Powers keeps the war going by supplying both countries with munitions. Powers' downfall is presaged by his son's enlistment, loss of control of his munitions factory w.hen his milquetoast partner asserts a new- found personality, and eventual death of tiis son at the front, which leaves Powers a heartbroken, tor- tured man. Some flne comedy relief Is offered by the milquetoast partner (Don Lee), but the switch from melo- drama to comedy is too shar- Group does a nice job in its pres- entation of the curtain scene, when Powers, alone i the dark. Is ac- costed by his conscience and the words of his friends. Reasonably good, interpretations given by the cast, thouch a better knowledge of their lines might have helped it along. ' ' Mtflo.. Ghost Town Gloucester, Mass., July 24. Drama by Gens Kern; aiage-J by It^gf. nald Lawrence: settings, Rric Barger; pre- sented by the Baas Rocks Theatre, at th» Bass Rocks thcati-e, Gloucester, Mass on* week, opening July 24, '3V. MMmel Pelrov William MacDoiiuld, Ann^ Petrov.... Sonia Pctrov Edward Kamey. laador Rosen..., recey Rascn.... James Craig.... Peter Petrov..., Leon I*ptrov.... Philip Davia Robert Readlrlc .'<nt Hums Ko3omai->- Curxer ...Marie Louise F.lklna .Ulnke Jnhnsiin Robert Harris Shcrmrd Pollard - I'hilllp McKoniia • JnniPs Toila ..I'tone Keni William- Mowry 'Ghost Tov.'n' is a has-been mining center inhabited by old men num- bered by their hopes of striking gold and a few young persons itching to scram for moi-e lively scenes.. A con- servative guess is that the opening- night audience found the latter uvga contagious b<;fore the flnal curtain. Young Leon Pelrov comes back to Goldfleld, Nev., after doing a 10-year stretch in stir, bearing a murderous grudge against his father, whose ut- ter honesty had compelled him to testify against Leon for stealing gold. With the liberated con comes a fel- low alumnus who \falls in love Avith Leon's sister. So. Instead of murder- ing his father for revenge, young Petrov pops oft a kindly, philosophis- ing storekeeper and robs him to stake his pardner, the sister and a young brother in order that they rriight make a getaway for a new lire. Leon gets the gallows and the old men go back to their checkers and hopes of a gold-strike. Author' Gene Kern, in the lead, acts more convincingly than his fel- low performers. Fox. Yeomen of the Guard (REVIVAL) Central City, Colo., July 22. Gilbert and Sullivan opera In two acts and threo scenes; presented by Central City Oper.x >louso Assn.: produced by Frank St. Lcgcr; staged by Felix Brentano; Rlch- nrd Aldrlch. associate producer: Central City Open House. July L't-'iO, '.'II>. Opening nlgilit $3.30 end $^: top otherwise $.1.00. Sir Richard Cholmondeloy...-Clair Kramer Colonel Fairfax Charles Kullman Sergeant Meryll Arthur Anderson Leoncrd Meryll John Jameson Jack Point Richard Hale Wllfrod .Shadboll Mark Daniels Elsie Maynard Hilda Burke Phoebe Meryll Xatnlle Hall Dante Can-uthers Vnna Kaskas ivate (her niece)..'..^ Marie Mauro 3 Conn. Barns (Continued from page 48) BOOMERANG Cumberland, R. I July 19. Melodrama In three acts (-1 scenes) b: violet Benton -McClure; presented by The LIppltc Players. Staged by Ueorge Rich- ardson. Setting, Dick Burgess. At the Lippitt theatre, Cumberland, K. I., week of July 18, 'ilO. Perkins ..Don McKeraghan Susan Powers Alice Hepburn Mr. Hawkins Nelson Fontiieau Georgia Pine ..i..\1beri Cite Mary Clark Morion Thompson Sadie HIgglnbuttom... Eve Rene Oscar BrIggs Dun Leo John Powers Dick Burgess Tony Cerlo Edward llamel Colonel Adams George Itlchard^fon Ivan Koronski .' Frank Mosler Mr. Livingston Lauren ^Yood3 Mr. Mulvey Nelson Fontneau Mrs. Browne Mrs. -Curtis Millar aian Cary. Frank Boyce Marvin Brown Ki-ank Rlnge Howard Eurle Donald Coniell Hans Wagoner... ^........ .Fred Carpenter John Margot William Flynn Fred Cerlo ,- Mnur'ce Murphy Henry Johnson.....' Lauren Woods Hetty Scroggs ; ...Virginia Fair Wilma Virtue Alice Puquotte Ruth Carson ; ,\lblna CImtnl June Baker Madelon Furlong Jano Rickey ; Duroihy Kundall .Margsret Lclnnd Beatrice Pctlale I>orolhy .Sawyer Rosemary Thomason Jana Siller Gloria Carpenter This is the eighth annual play festi- val in this 61-year-old theatre, with its intimate seating—750—and old- style hickory chairs of the kitchen type, many of which saw service when the house was built. The oricjinal friezes on both walls re- main, although retouched and re- stored; the original crystal chande- lier still hangs—and makes ong won- der if the old mining city was as far from civilization as people in the east thought in 1878. Musicals have predominated at the yearly festivals and have proven most successful. With 'Yeomen of the Guard' or The Merryman and His Maid,' the house is doing sellout trade during its two-week reopen- ing. Production leaves little to be de- sired, either by the critical or those less so. The cast enthusiastically puts the opera across, and the direc-' tion of Frank St. Legcr is firm and demanding. The ovation at the close of the opening show had the audience tossing flowers by the hun- dreds on the stage. They were passed out by girls between the two acts. No expense was spared In bring- ing in a top cast or . in producing set- tings. The organization sponsoring the festivals is non-proAt, and if any losses are incurred they are paid by Denver merchants ami others. Na talie Hall, back for her second yearl^ having appeared in 'Merry Widow' here, has a heavy part antl does it ju.<;tice. Hilda Burke and Richard Hale, the jester and strolling songster, put zest in two important roles. Anna Kaskas and Mark Daniels do two of the unpopular parts in a way to boost their own popularity with the audience. Charles Kullman is a convincing Colonel Fairfax, and Clair Kramer, Arthur Anderson and John Jameson deliver well. The chorus, mostly localltes. are well trained. Many of thein have been rehearsing for months, and the results show it. Country playhouse, Weslport, Conn. He has appeared there regularly since 1932. Ml. KIsco B. O. Holds Up Westchester playhouse, Mt. Kisco, N. Y., which had a hefty previous vireek with Edward Everett Horton in 'Springtime for Henry,' continued Ha profltable business last week with Eddie Dowling in 'Our Town.' Audi- ences praised the production of thja. Thornton Wilder play and enthused over the supporting cast, but there was some criticism of Dowling's per- formance in the lead part created on Broadway by Frank Craven. Dowling played it much too broad- ly and his occasional outright mug- ging also displeased the purists. Tha actor's frequent interpolations were thought to have marred rather than improved the play. However, his third act, which he played fairly straight, was better. Sylvia Weld merited praise for her ingenue per- formance, particularly in the mof« adult portion in the third act, whila William Rorick, Boyd Davis, Katha- rine Raht and Mildred Dumiock were also liked. 'Boomerang' will .impl" boomer- ang in its present form, but it does present possibilities which could be enlarged and turned to advantage, Hollywood may And the plot to its liking, since it deals with the current world-wide war scare and an expose of munition manufacturers' methods Broadway, however, will demand a stepping up of pace, pruning of ap- parently superfluous situations and a bolstering of the entire piece. - Its main drawback is tlie obviousness of its climax. Presentation was also hurt by drafting of local talent. Principals are an ambitious muni- tions manufacturer, John Powers (Dick Burgess), whose only Interest is a son at college; his sister, Susan Powers (Alice Hepburn), president Symph Needs 14G More Cleveland, Jiily 25. Although $75,000 has been col- lected or pledged for maintenance of the Cleveland Symph next season, fund is still $35,000 short of figure set. Goal of $110,0()0, however', as sured of being reached through cam- paign by 'Thomas L. Sidlo, head of sponsors, who so far has lined up 2,383 backers, nearly 10 times more than last two previous years. Symphony also showed profit for last season, during which it played 123 concerts, 91 of them in Severance Hall here and 32 on tour. Total draw of 181,147 was registered for i937-'38, according tti annual state ment released by C. J. Vosb'urgh, manager of orchestra. B'way Legit Foflowup 'No Time For Comedy' Francis Lederer, who this week followed Laurence Olivier in the male lead of 'No Time For Comedy,' at the Ethel Barrymore, N. Y., in some wgys improves the general perfbrmSuiCw—The presence of a newcomer seems to put the other players on their toes, and, as a re- sult, the S. N. Behrman comedy has i keener edge than it has had for weeks. Lederer isn't as smooth as Olivier in the part and he lad r some of the latter's footlight personality, but his performance is clear and direct, in contrast to the obvious theatrical tricks that had crept into Olivier's playing. His light comedy isn't as deft as Olivier's, but his fits of tom-. per are better handled. And if he has trouble with' his accent, he keeps it from becoming intrusive. All in all, his performance probably isn't as skillful as Olivier's was at the Opening, but it's belter than Olivier's had become. Katharine Cornell, whose playing has aroused sharp difTereiices of opinion among theatrical people, is vastly better than at the opening. In fact, to the spectator who has seen the play several times, her per- formance is ,steadily growing more relaxed, more expansive, lighter and yet deeper in uiiderstancling. Her third act, which was always' her best, is better than ever, while her earlier scenes now have confidence and conviction. Hers isp't a comedy performance, but it has humor, sin- cerity and eloquent tenderness. John Williams is excellent in a supporting role, Margalo Gillmore italicizes the shallowness of the 'other woman,' while Robert Flem- yng scores a delicious bullseye in a brilliantly-written comedy bit. Un- like most hits, 'No Time For Com- edy* seems to improve the longer ii runs. Hobe.