Variety (Nov 1939)

42 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednesdaj, November 29, 1939 Plays on Broadway KEY LARGO Prania In two nrtH' nii^l prol.^p l>v ■we)l Aiiilersnii. ProaciilcJ nl ilip Barryinorr. N'. Y.. Nov. ST. 'Sii. PlaywrlRhts' Oo. I'oul Muni stmiril «tac«<1 l>»" Outhrlit MfCllnllc: wttlnKd . Jn MIelzincr; Sri.KO oiienlnR; MiSfi loi>. dery as a gangster are players who stand out. "Kcv Larfio' may arouse a dirtcr- Kiiii-i ence ot opinion, but it has plenty of ' drama and theatre, even if not miich anirnation. Ibce. M:iN- victor d'Alc;ill. Nimmo J*»rry Monto KlnB Mi-C'Inud RhcrlfT a.-i-li D'AICHln Alter* d'Alcsln... <:np<» r.'>rUv Murlllo Itunk , Prlncllla Klllarncy. Mrs. AaronMon..., Mr. Anronsftn Mrj, Whfolfr Mr. Whpeler.. ..love FPi-n-r Ch.irlps KU'^ .. . ..Irnnp."* Cro.udry ...Alfrfil Ktrhcvciry Vnn\ M\ml Rnlph Thcoilniv . ...Itnrol.l Joliiisiuil I't.i IFnpon .... .^'rih-ini. n ^Mnn nichnrO Ciiiv.lprv .Fi-ertorlc To-<erp ........ .('nrl M.TlfIrn V.vr Abliori nulli Mnrrli Oolillc Ilnmuslin Ulclutrd Bi.-^hoi) El^(•l JrlcU'on .IJIclnnl nnr!>pp O.ipMlii Horn ■\Vllllam ClinllPp PlMl Man Tourist .Tnlin Fonrnlcy FIrsI Womnn Tourist ;N'ornu Mlllav .SKond Woman Tourist Uelfn Carroll J.)lin Horn Wtrell IlTrrls Sam Hdson Shotttcll PINS AND NEEDLES (THIRD EDITION) ll.'\'in» 111 two nrlH. I" Hceno?, pn'uiMtlcd h\* tin- I.:tlKii- SlaKf. Willi iiicinbora oC InU-r- iililiiiniil l.adli'S linrnicnt Workers i;nlon: ni-iuiniiiiv o|H'ii<*tl .N'ov. L'T. 11)37: music .nnU Ivriin. Hniold .1. Koine: okeiclies l>y J<iSi>i)li .*<i-lir.inl<: plowed l>v llnhprt H. Cordon: de- aiKMcJ liy Syi'J:iln; ilili'd cdltluii forinally oprncd Nov. '-'."i. '31': SI.CS top. iMsi: Alliin liixo. lOlla Gerl>er. nntl\ Uu- l.iifslcln. .fean Xiiltii, Fred Schmidt. An- lliony l''axio, Moe Sclirelcr. Alma Chunnat, Al liovv. I'nut Soymour. lly <tnrdnor. Mur- iMV »liidlrk. Uernl Could, S'ol Israel, Al Ivl.i-ii. llnrry r-||irk. Milllf Weltz, Hulh Kl- Ii;m)iii, Uosv Kntifinnn, Dorothy Harrison, Nina lliiiaiy. Ida M.-\iirt(l, Ilandolph Saw- yer. Jean NIclla. AIke Sanda, Dorothy 'I'liriier. Season's most serious play to date drew a turnout of notables, who wit- nessed a splendid performance, and the Impression is that 'Key Largo' will be among the season's successes. It took the unusual to bring Paul Muni back from Hollywood after a lapse of seven years, and the meter ot Maxwell Anderson's lines turned the trick. Muni dominates the per- formance and, while there is perhaps too much declamatory philosophy during' the play's later stretches, it is the strength of his acting that should niake It click, even in times when the average playgoer gives preference to comedy, rather than dramatics. Essentially. 'Key Largo' Is tragedy. It has a strong, content of melodra- matlcs, yet there is something of a message gleaned from the comments on tlie evil in the world, particularly the creatures who have turned Eu- rope into-a nightmare. There, too, is considerable about the conduct of men and women who think deeply, the author indicating that life is empty In the world of today. Ander- son also gives a fairly clear insi.Qht on what happened in Spain, and his characters say that, if the country suffered before Franco, it could be nothing but worse under his rule. Rather lengthy, but gripping pro- log, Is a hilltop in Spain, 1939. There a band ot five American lads, led by King MnCloud. have been defenders on the loyalist side. !>ing returns from a food foray with the informa- tion that the war is virtually over and that the lines are falling back. That means they are to be wiped out, having had no orders to retreat. King wants to lead his comrades to safety, but they refuse, when Victor D'Al- cala, whose people' had been proud, wealthy Spaniards before going to America, resolves to remain on post. King goes alone, and the others are killed. Returning to America, he is -a-tortttred-soulr%onder-ing-^hether he, too, should not have remained to face the insurgents. He finally reaches the poor home of Victor's father, who had been blinded over there- during Rivera's regime. The house is near a wharf on Key Largo, Florida, D'Alcala having only his fine, sensitive daughter, Alegre, to take care of him. Though he had hoped to ^et some measure of assurance that his action In leaving Victor and the others was not wholly wrong, father and daugh ler bitterly resent King. But they have him stay, for the girl has loved him from afar. Their later discus sions and declarations on life, worn anhood and courage constitute not a few very quiet scenes, but flrst- nlghters remained patient until the end. Melodramatic thread of the story has to do with sure-thing hoodlums who rent a cabin and use the wharf for fixed gambling. Murillo, the head thug, has designs on the girl but the old man knows the fellow had killed a road foreman the night before and sunk the body. Having befriended two Indians, he gets them to float the corpse, and a situation arises. Sheriff, who has been greased by Murillo, seeks an arrest, and the In- dians arc brought in. King upsets that plan by declaring that he was the assassin With gun in the belly of Murillo, he forces the gambler backward towards the door, figurine that one of the other thugs would shoot, and both are so killed. Ro- mance can have little part in so dire a story, but the love of the girl for King is definite. Shi* had decided that for him life would be but a living hell. Muni's performance has stimething of magic about it, so finished i.s his playing. Onstage nearly all the way, he commands attention every time he speaks. There are a number of other excellent performances also, with Uta Hagen, a young actress who has come along rapidly, turning in a fine showing as Alegre. only femme lead In the large cast. Harold Johns- rud as the blind father, Frederic To- zere as Murillo, Ralph Theodore as the SherilT, Jose Ferrer and Charles EUIj as soldiers, and Richard Cowr 'Prns and Needles' has been mak- ing revisions here and there for the past year, and now for the second time it has officially adopted the new edition' billing. Actually, only nine of the 17. scenes, sketches and musical bits are brand new, and how much bigger and better it is than the original version is naturally open to debate, but it remains the finest show of its type since the first 'Little Show' and the original 'Americana.' It has biting satire and broad com- edy, good music and, above all. astonishingly fine performances all rolled in one. That it'.s a smash can't be ques- tioned now. but it can be prognosti- cated that it will be around for more editions. Especially it the $1.G5 top price scale is maintained and Har- old J. Rome (songs and lyrics) and Joseph Schrank (sketches) continue to feed the ILGWU workers the kind of material that this "new' edition unfolds. Of the eight new bits and songs, four are of smash calibre; (1) 'The Harmony Boys,' a caustic, broad and belly-laugh takeoff on Fritz Kuhn.. Father Coughlin and Senator Robert Reynolds of North Carolina; (2) 'Mene. Mcne, Tekel,' as sung by col- ored Dorothy Harrison with rhyth- mic choral.backgrounding; (3) 'Para- dise Mislaid,' satirical study of sev- eral ClilTord Odets plays in one; (4) Bertha the Sewing Machine Girl' or 'It's Better With a Union Man.' which pokes- fun at the old 10-20-thirt mel- lers. A close runner-up is 'Oh. Give Me the Good Old Pays,' which is sung by Millie Weitz 'in one.' In comparison with the al>ove, though still alright, such new sketches as 'Cream of Mush,' which Dokes fun at commercial radio, and 'What This Party Needs.' a rib on Republicans, appear to suffer. Some of the older material has been brought up to date, notably the 'Five Little Angels of Peace' scene. For- merly it was four, but now Stalin has ijeen added to Hirohito, Cham- berlain, Hitler and Mussolini, with TTe is a comedy without laughter except (or a fleeting Ccw moment-s. Story is Ihc love match between Sandra Page, a pretty, rich girl, (lud Karl Hcdstruin, an arlisl whose .';tu- dio is on the fringe ot Greenwich Village. They meet in uii art guUoiy where his works are on exhibition. She likes his paintings, but is seek- ing an old master as a ttrcseiit to hci- aunt and uncle. Proprietor of the shop ofrci-.<i him a goodly sum lo copy a rare pninliiig known lo a tew experts to have been destro.vcd. Karl first refuse;, being an ex- ponencnt of the modern art, but to raise funds that lie may buy things lor Sandra, he finally accepts, not knowing that the 'copy is for her. She has been in his studio and takes les.<ions in .sketching. Her finance, a young bankoi-. gets .into a dispute with Karl, whose fit ot teinperaincnt offends Sandra. Banker had called to jud.ge a large statue called 'Miss Special Delivery' whith a sculptor, who share."! the ."studio, made for Upper Sandusky. The statue, by the way. was done by Westbrook Pegler, the Scripps-Howard syndicated col- umnist. Looked okay, as did the paintings in the gallery. The young artist, on' learning of the trick to gyp a patron, makes the art dealer kick in with most of the coin he got. Karl invades Sandra's classy home with a grip containini; all the money in banknote.'!, which he spills on the floor. When the truth comes out he is chagrined, she in tears, but there is the inevitable clinch. John Bcal. as Karl, and Helen Claire, as Sandra, arc the leads. He has the much better chance and turns in a good performance. Miss Claire is most attractive as the girl, but the assignment is « far cry from her 'honey chile' showing in 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye' last season. Haila Stoddard is a standout a.<; a model who strips with ease. Otiiei's are so-so. Ibcc. ARIES IS RISING Comedy In three arl< (Ave Bcenos) liy Caroline Norlli and l-;arl IJiaekwell; di- rected by Kobert Uosk: aettlncA by Yei- ienll. . I'rescntcd by L4.'irry U. IrvIiiR and Michael Doinn at .lohn OolJen, N'. V., .Sov. 21. 'SO: $3.30 top (fl.lO openlnu'). Aunt r.ou l''i-,incea Smith' Pellvery Man Xrlliur Weot Madame Uernardl C'analaiit'C Cnlllnr Martha Wood Hauuli Ulanelio Sweet nblond Harris John Craven Mattle Kate BniiKii .Mary .Maaoit CIndys Clay Hernadlne Hayea Truce Prince CSeorKO Carleton Sammy.... I::dniunrt ljor.iay Miss Pritohard Victoria Home .Maxlne I::velyn liarrow.i Drnlse.. ^...' Arlane .Mien Nick Mikatna Charles I.a Torro >Trs. Haxler .Mleen Poo Shirley Baxter Carmlna. Causlno Reporter Cledgo Roberla Another Kcporler l-'rederlck Howard Photofrrapher I.'itlirop Mitchell Another pholOKiaHiei-.... Kdinond T.e Cointe Walter Sam Kilwrton Jarry Walker Ruth Holden Jake Cllft Ounstau Just shrug this oft as one ot Broad- way's embarrassing monients. Piece is a little something about a southern gal who cashes in on a sen- sational newspaper story and, with the help of an astrologer and a re- porter, gets to Hollywood. There she abandons a career to marry the reporter, while her mother is all set aria~CgmmTOfe t dU - tai ijrs^ strictly featherweifcht. Nazi knocking each other out at the finish. Besides having more playing pol- ish; this new 'Pins' is also plenty earthy. There's more than double entendre in Rome's song, 'Dear Bea- trice Fairfax.' sung by Miss Weitz. Mimics ot Kuhn. Coughlin and Rey- nolds also CO to town, and 'Bertha' is about an old-fashioned girl fighting off the boss' roue son. On the acting side, Al Eben, who plays and looks like Kuhn. is a standout PS future Broadway ma terial. He's a sterling comic. Close behind him in-laugh-getting ability is Harry Clark, who's the Lord High Executioner in the older, but still verv excellent, "Tlie Red Mikado,* a ''lick added tor the second edition. Mi.ss Harrison does a bangup job with 'Mene. Mene. Tekel,' and thi.s tune anneai-s destined for the hit class. She al.so sings the new, patri- otic 'Stay Out. Sammy.' Miss Weitz is another swell deliverer in a fine aggregation of players, her big click coiafne via 'Beatrice Fairfax.' There's no better entertainment buy nn Broadway than this group of ne'idleworkers with the Home Schrank material. Scho. I KNOW WHAT I LIKE Comedy In three acts, presented at Ihe Hudson, N. Y., Nov. VJ, 'Sil. by T. Edward Hamljleton and Itlchnrd Skinner; written by Justin Sturm; letllncs by Donald Oen- alaser; staged by Aurol Lee: $3..^0 top. Thuraton Doe Doe Green MIsa Steel VIrslnIa Chauvenet Mr. Holden. Ga;:o Clarke Sir .\rthnr Keswick Keynolds E7vana Karl Hedstrom.. John Deal .^nndra ra!;e Helen Claire llemlnK: V'rank Rrown T.arner .William Hansen ■nila Halla Stoddard Harvey Van Inectt l=;dinund Georf^e Charles Edward Broadiey The Westchester and Connecticut set turned out for this premiere, as the producers are known up in that region tor their summer theatre ac- tivities. First-nighters were politely responsive, but that won't help this newc;-i in-betweener. There arc some pretty good actors and somo \(.-ry nice scener.v on the credit siu>'. 'i i' the .^'"'-t ';•", getting nowi ' .:%' ■ ro'iiaii."? '>'. ' Only thing that dignifies the effort is the presence ot Constance Collier and Blanche Sweet in leading parts. But like the rest ot the cast, they're helpless. Understood co-producer Michael Dolan is actually a fictitious person—apparently on the plausible theory that no one individual should have to take all the blame. As one ot the characters said in the third act. *I feel like running away and hiding somewhere.' That sentiment seemed to be pretty gen- eral on both sides of the footlights opening night. Hol>e. RING TWO ComiMljr In Ihrpp n.^ls by (iladyii Hiirl- hiit; [iresriiiod by (Jeoi-Rft AIiIki'.i: Hi;i>;t».I by Ablwiii; yoi.tliii:. Jnbii UonI: al Mi't Honry Miller. N. V,, opcnlite Nov. -JS. Plays Out of Town THREE AFTER THREE Now Haven, Nov. 24. ^(nsl,^^l roineOy In two nets (eight scones) by Ciiy Ilitlliin. I'arke r.i-vy and Alan I.ip- 'srotl ri-nni a play Ity llolinn; alilKCd Ity KtU ward Clririio l.llley: a'.ai-.-* .^Imnno Simon. MilKl Creen. Mary llrluii; feiilure.s T-'ranceH Williams. Art .larroU. .Mnrly ftlay. .Karl Oxford, stepin retchll.'Dudley mid llostnck. Iha >lnrliiia; lyi-lc-i. Jnhiiity Mi-rrer:. music, li.iaKy t'armU-iiapl: dam-'^s. Unola McKen- nn; '.NCtllngH, Writfinii Kacrall; .roHliiinen. r.uelnda Dallai-d: vui-aj oraniKOmeiil:!. Hugl) Martin: oiThestralloMH. Don Walker. Joe Dnbln. .\rilen Cornwcli. Vri»d Van Fpiis, I'.ncit Warnick: orchestra cnniliicteil by John Mr.Mnniis: preaenteil by Until .Selwyn In ns^oclajlon with the Shvilterts; .at Ihe Shiibcrt.. New lluven. opening .Vbv. 'H, '3D; K.'.'.n Inp. I'liesterilelrt. f'arrle Cilisnit Ithoi^n Cib.^im VIvl liibsnn. Hviii-.v TrowlM-btKO... SaleMladles Steven llarrliiKinn.. Wins n'Halil villa... I'olly Vnn '/.lie Conrad Harrington.. House Detective Ilellliov Waller .*^timrt ItnliKon Jano Parker Stepin Fetehll Mary llrinn .... Mitnl Oreen Simnno Simon linger Converae 5 Jo Jean Kogera 1 Phyllis Ho.'jers Art Jarrett Karl Oxford . ..Krancca Wllllnmii .\liirly May' ..,. arrle O'Danlela Ted Oary IIUKli Mnrlln Ralph niane Gvelyn Daw 'Own. $3.!ll) top. Maggie llr Crant Nellie Mary Carr.. Michael Cm ...K.llth Van Cipve . .Wllllnin Swell'in l Miixliia Stuart June Wnll;er ...Paul McOruth Peggy Can- Gene Tle'rncy Durward Xcsbltt..., Tom I'ov.-ei-a Rosa Ilomei-u I2elty Field White Richard Cregg Kmma Marietta Canty Rutch Marllti James Corner Dopey Clark Vllllam Bloea Julian 'Louin Smith ( William Slopleion .1 W ' Two Chocolate Di-opn.l \Vllllatna» Slapleton George Abbott is in high esteem with playgoers because ot his flair for presenting plays that provoke mirth. Up to date the manager's efforts have been distinctly success- ful but 'Ring Two' is considerably below standard. Won't last long. The play's happenings are feasible, but that does not go towards mak- ing the story diverting enough. There are good players in action but soniehow they seem to miss fire most ot the time. Story is localled in Mary Carr's home in the Connecticut hills, she having retired from the stage. When her colored couple, who are engaged, are visited by their son and his pickaninnies, the result is certainly not as funny as anticipated. At the suggestion ot Durward Nesbitt, her former leading man, Mary is inclined to return to the footlights, and it's likely they- v^iU (Continued on page 44) Whether this new Selwyn-Shubcrt musical becomes a job for the under.- taker or just the doctor is entirely up lo its producers. The foundation there, but It's .going to require skill and plugging to build a hit .show on it. A wise move would be to hold the show out of New York for several weeks of molding. Mu- sical has some exceptionally bright highlights .nnd al.so plenty of dud mornents. The trick will be to close the numerous ennui. gaps. Debut here was spotty and drew mixed audience and press comment. . Althou.gh the book has several punchy bil.s, it lacks sustained com- edy, the fault lying mainly in the dull lines. Story sticks closely to theme originally seen as the 20th- Fox 'Three Blind Mice' film, and in London as a play. Fact that story had been done previously as a pic- ture apparently escaped the majority who saw opening last weekend. Show is done in the intimate, rather than the extravagant man- ner, which accounts for lack of pro- duction on . several numbers and makes the songs and dances some- what incidental. Score is not out- standing, but fills the bill adequately, while a couple of the better tunes are at a disadvantage due to inferior rendition. Tendency of the lyrios is toward a . mere rhyming of lines rather than inspired wordage. Or- chestrations at opener were not all they might have been. Best tune nossibilities look to be 'Ooh, What You Said,' 'Way Back in 1939. A. D.,' and 'Everything Happens to Me.' 'The Rhumba Jump.s' is a hot click, and 'Darn Clever These Chinese' is fair enough for comedy. Numbers that register better inslrumentally than vocally are 'Wait Till You See Me in the Morning' and 'How Nice for Me.' The Martins, ace mixed jmantet-aid-malgiiLally i n sAllinp ggv- eral songs. ' Show uses only eight girls tor en- sembles, best routine being the rhumba number. In an earlier straight tap, line Is too long, with little variation in steps. Mary Brian and tour boys give second act a pleasing sendofT with some liglit stepping, and Ted Gary is in for a couple of good tap bits, one of them with Mitzi Green to good results. Dance specialties that click are two routines by Dudley and Bostock, who travesty Chinese and Cuban dances ii\ a manner similar to that ot the Hartmans. Opening performanc- belonged to Miss Green and Frances Williams, primarily the former, with a third generous share being copped by Stepin Fctchit. Latter, part, not in original version, was written in for tlie sepian draivlcr and he went to town on ever.v appearance. It's his first crack at this type of work and rates him well for musicals. Miss Greeh has been given the choicest lines and tunes and she certainly knows what to do with them. She goes over in every department and halts proceedings with takeoffs oa Garbo. Hepburn and Fanny Brice. Miss Williams scores with repartee as a four-time grass widow and puts over two highly satisfactory ditties, one ot them the rhumba standout. ToD-billed is Simone Simon, but th : French miss fails to land as ex- pected. Aside from a plea.sing per- sonality, Miss Simon offered little at the opening show, both her speaking anj singing being too weak to regis- ter. An attempt to bolster her vocal of a torch song by use ot a hidden mike and amplifiers flopped so badly it resultec" in the number being sub- sequently yanked. Perhaps it's a mistake giving Miss Simon so much prominence in billing and advance publicity, her appearance being con- siderable ot a letdown from the an- ticipation. She has charm, but pres- ent role requires more than that. Miss Brian pleases as the demure, home-loving member ot the trium- virate, giving an assured perform- ance throughout. In supporting roles are Art Jarrett, W'ho clicks his- li'loniijally as well as vocally; Marty Mav. who puts pep in punch lines as a middleaged rake; Earl Oxford, love interest opposite Mt.ss Simon: Barri^ O'DanieKs, who wrings a flock ot laughs from a house-deleetive bit and Roger Converse, suitor to Miss Brian. Plot tells of three Gibson girls— Vivi, Rhoda and Carrie—who oper- ate a chicken farm in New Hamp- shire. Left a small legacy, they pool their resources and break out iit Palm Beach as a girl'of wealth, her maid and chaperone, respectively The idea is to snare a wealthy hus- band,. but things become garbled when Vivi goes for a penniless ad- venturer. Wing D Hautville. who ia being sUlked by Polly Van Zile four-time matrimonial loser. Wealthy Steve Harrington falls for Rhoda the maid sister, not knowing her true identity, but when tricked into Vivi's bedroom he offers to marrv latter to square things. Vivi really loves Wing, so she calls off the Harrington engagement by hopping a plane to Cuba to look for the former, who has taken a tuba-tooting job there. Steve follows and the whole thing is un- raveled by having Vivi marry Wing, Rhoda wed Steve, and Carrie hitch to Henry Trowbridge, struggling young lawyer from back home. Rating mention are the sets by Watson Barratt; quartet arrange- ments by Hugh Martin and costumes by Lucinda Ballard, who is said to have done the trick on very short notice. Edward Clarke Lilley's di- rection had opening running smoothly. Bone. ■ Herself, Mrs. Patrick Crowley Wilmington, Nov. 2S. Comeda-drn'mH In three acta (111 m-enea) by Derail Hurley. Adapted from hi.-, novel; presented by Itull Shelioii: atugfiV by Itob- en MIlLon; aettlnga, Kiigener Diiiilvte: al ih> Playhouse. Wilmington, opening Nov. 25, •;iii: f-^.-M top. Maria ICIIloi-nn Molly Pierson Mni-y Kllen Shay Ceurgin Harvey Mrs. Pnlrii-k Crowley .Itiiih Amiii Aggie Kelly Vny (-unneniv Mr. Cone .Mvrlliner Weldun Jake- Rablnuwit/. I.ce Kolmar John Ivllloraii John .Vdair I'll* Woman Olive P.eevfta-Sinllli Sister Porire.ss Dorothy Kinory Iternadeltft O'Rrlen. Wyn Cahoou Mother b-t. Ulidget o( Ireland, lleni'iclln Ci'osmon Sainmy Klolz Mirhuel Wlilena l.eeky klolz.... Jennie Moscovrilv I'ed Adams. rhillp Huston l.nrry 1-owler ..Uernnrd Hughes Saul Barron David Leonard Anton '.Allierl del^and Night Club Singer Charles Mi'Carlhy Policeman tlilbert Katea Doran Hurley's laudable intentions in promoting tolerance and lancing at racial prejudice have not served to transmute his pleasant novel into theatrical material ot any particular effectiveness. Confused and tedious narrative, which often lapses into laughably corny theatre, reaches oc- casional points of warm humor, but the effect is never more than artifi- cial. It's difficult to see any chance for it. Most-regre ttabl e , at t his-time-par— ticularly, is that a play which so rarnesttv underscores the blighting effect ot religious intolerance must be so clumsily handled fro.m every aspect. An evening with Hurley's effort serves only to point up how woefully the theatre currently needs a play to express his ideas. Thematic element of religious tol- erance is presented through the cen- tral character, Mrs. Crowley, a de- vout Catholic widow, played by Ruth Amos. Her friend ot long standing, Jake Rabinowitz, a Jewish tailor, portrayed well by Lee Kolmar, helps her outwit a New York syndicate by bargaining in her behalf when she sells a ticket she has drawn on the favorite in the Irish sweepstakes. Kolmar, In the bargaining .scene, pro- vokes nearly all ot the play's laughs, but unfortunately fails to appear after the first act. A trip to N. Y., during which Mrs. Crowley persuades a young wealthy woman not to mortgage her son's future to scandal by deceiving her husband, subsequently develops into the revelation that tlie woman is the daughter of the magnate responsible for the spoiled beef which killed Mrs. Crowley's husband in the Spanish- American war. Thus, the first of several oppoi:tunitics is offered tor a testimonial to tolerance by Mrs, Crowley. .. Henrietta Crosman has a role that's not commensurate with her ability. As the Mother Superior, she gives a quiet, charming performance that's. Utterly wasted. Jennie Moseowitz, ably supported by Michael Willens, gives a satisfy- ing performance. Dorothy Emory, as a nun whose only English is a cute 'okay,' is ingratiating. Fay Courte- nay brings a wealth ot experience to a miserable role, as a friend of Mr.s. Crowley. Others in the cast are not given much opportunity, except for Miss Amos, whose painstaking atten- tion to the character of Mrs. Crow- ley endows it with some life. Plain and cheap settings, except for a well-built jncknifc. the convent reception room. Robert Milton can- not be proud of his direction this time, but the .script is actually what checked his hand. Curt.