Variety (Dec 1939)

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50 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wedursday, December. 6, 1939 Plays on Broadway SWINGIN' THE DREAM Kiik ('liarell production la two ftctii, tlirifa flOenes, (la adaoclatlon with Jfan ]^) Iney;, aOupted by Gilbert Scldos and Ohiivell. based on ShakeapeRre'a 'A Mldsum- ni.-'' NiRlit'a Dream,: atafied hy Charell: f,*»turini; lleiiny Goodnuin, Louis Armstrong and Maxine Sullivan; aongs, Jimmy Van tit»u.ien. Kddlo Ucl<anff«: scenery after car- t-tons l>y Walt Ulaney, designed by Herbert Andrews and Walter Jagemnnn; dlatos, l*hlhii Loeb: dances. Agnes deMllle; cos- Iiune^, Merberl Andrews; Lyn Murray's 2>vvinFr Choir; Herbert White's Jitterbugs; ntu^io.nt aupervlslon, Benny Goodman and IMn ^'oorbei^s; muslctil director. Don \'oor- hee .iponed at Center, N. V., Nov. 29, '3il; I'J.'-'ll lou. t'.m: Hennnn Green, Joseph Holland, nuili Ford, caiheryn L.tughlln, George I,*- S.iir. Kleanor I.ynn, Thonms Coley, Boyd fi;i\vfrtiJ. l>Mrolhy McOulre. NIcodcn\us, Jii'kio Mabley. Gerald da la Fontaine, Q'nty 15:.^wn. t^scnr Polk, Louis Armstrong, Allterl ]*erkins, itutterfly Mctjucen, Dand- r-Ji;i' (3), Maxlna Sullivan. Sunny >'.i>n,>. .lunn Hern.indei:. Bill Bailey. Benny Gthi>lni:in Sexiei. Bud Kreeinan and Sununa Cum l.auile otvh (7), The Khylhemclteri (Allierui Pcrltln:', Cora Parks, .^nna Mnn >^ltr.l. Deep River Boys (4). 21 Singers, 17 D.meers. Jtf Jitterbugs, lU Chlldron. 'Swingin* the Dream' is more Cot- ton Club than the Bard. This hybrid Shakespearean shageroo therefore shapes up as an indecisive affair There were moments when the staid tlrstnigliters, at the decorous Center in Ratiio City, expected to see the jitterbugs rugcutting in the aisles, and there were others when even the conservatives ielt that the . Bard of Avon interfered with these Jehovahs of Jive—Maxine Sullivan, Louis Armstrong and Benny .Good- man. Certainly the most enjoyable por- tions are when they get in their hot licks, and the prime reason that Goodman's sessions go for such ex- tra-heavy returns is because he, un- ■like tl\e other two, is untrammeled and unhampered by book, lines or libretto. He creeps . into the pro- ceedings quietly and unostentatious- ly, via the left side box, and.whams 'em every time. Once he tied it up completely at the opening. Alternating, across the proscenium arch, in the right-hand stage box, ■ Bud Freeman and his Summe Cum .Laude killer-dillers bounce 'em back into their seats during the entr'actes. Don Hoorhees. in the pit Armstrong with his horn, and Miss Sullivan with her pleasant swing-sing style, complete the. jive niceties. Thus swing has at last grown up into legit proportions, with Shakespeare to touch it all off, no less. Backgrounded by a highly imagi- native and sumptuous production that's a credit to all concerned, save for ■ that cumbersome. libretto, this swing version of Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is cer- tainly fetching fare, at the 55c. to $2.20 scale. That alone may pro- long it for a moderate run, but the fulsomeness of the production mili- tates against any clickful run or eco- nomic success. Still, the legit theatre-goer and the 52d street alligators will And plenty in 'Dream' to insure a fair money's worth, around the $1.10 brackets. The composite whole will disappoint but there's enough Goodman and Arm strong, and enough spec and flash in the production to satiate the ear and eye appeal alone. Charell and Gilbert Seldes' adap- tation shifts Shakespeare to New Orleans about 1890 (identified as 'at the birth of swing') with the gov- ernor's summer residence the major setting and a nearby voodoo wood to background the Negro pranks of Puck, Oberon and assorted pixies. Slowing up this mixed cast presen- tation are chiefly those moments when the ofays get verbose in the libretto. Also, that second act ouera- within-?n-opera, presenting 'Pyra- mus and Tliiisbe,' completely .retards It. Since the opening, more of the hepcat stulT and. less of Shakespeare obtained, the book being cut par- ticularly. Of the colored cast prominents. be- sides Armstrong and Miss Sullivan, there are Butterfly McQueen as Puck, Juan Hernandez , as Oberon, Bill Bailey's socko dance specialties, the zanyisms of Troy Brown, Oscar Polk. Jackie Mabley, Nicodemus, Gerald de la Fontaine, the Dandridge Sisters (with their vocal specialties) and Sunny Payne. Among the palefaces, Eleanor Lynn, on loanout from the Group Theatre. Is very effective (and sug- gests Hollywood potentialities) as the femme lead, with Joseph Hoi ranging that med.'ey of pop parodies in the last act. 'Darn That Dream,' of the original songs by Jimmy Van Heiisen and Eddie dc Lange, Is the best, and 'Love's a Riddle' (arranged by Alec Wilder), is susUined by Miss Sullivan and the three Dandridge Sisters. The title song.is the least' likely. Lyn Murray, who spotted the choir herein, did the vocal arrange- ments, and Phil Wall, Herb Guigley, Ardon Cornwell and Fletcher Hen- derson t latter Goodman's orchestra- tor), are credited for the show's dandy orchestrations. Dialog is replete with such mod- ernisms as 'Peace, Brother" (also one of the songsl; mikes that Insinuate themselves atmospherically into, the woodland and voodoo forest back- grounds by risins from the fools in the forms of snakes or camouflaged tjora and fauna; ukes and hats that look like watermelons: one of those World's Fair electrical wheelchairs, and kiiidred stuff are also in evi- dence. Certain an Interesting experiment to say the least. However, unlike the more wieldy swing versions of Gilbert and Sullivan's .'Mikado,' this appear!! too cumbersome for ultimate retrieving on the road. Abel. FARM OF 3 ECHOES Mi'lodrunia In tlire<> nets (dve scenes) by Noel I-anslsy: slirs Ktliel Barrymore; (cat- nrcs Dean .lacser. Mclvay Morris; staged bv Arlliur Hopkins; selling. CIrker & nob- bins; pre.ionied by Vlvlor Payne-JennlnBs. In an^ocinilon with Arthur Hopkins, nt tort. N. Y.. opening Nov. 28, '30, »t 13.30 top ($1.40 opening). Ouma Ciora 11 El liel Barrymore r.lsha Gemri ..Ann Dere Jan Geran Dean Jngger Isjiac Gerart McKay Morris Saul Porlenaar Uduard Kr,inz Logenhoorrn Victor Esker .VaomI deMeer Prlsclllx .Newton Oylte Hesse :. .AJohn Griggs Marie lLes9e...: Nancy- Sheridan Tobncco Road' and 'Beyond the (another looker). George LeSoir Horizon', but it grips attention, and Ethel Barrymore, last seen on Broadway two seasons ago as the tyrannical crone in 'Whiteoaks," re- turns as a 97-year-old grandmother in 'Farm of Three Echoes,' at the Cort. Melodrama is a psychological thriller by Noel Langley, presented by Victor Payne-Jennings, in asso- ciation with Arthiur Hopkins. Once more the star chuckles through a savory performance to inject dra- matic interest and boxoffice life into an obvious theatrical contrivance. As the matriarch of a farming family on the South African veldt, Misa Barrymore confuses the long- past and the present, jabbering about the time she was - taken to meet the great Oom Paul and he was sit- ting on a gray horse, of how eight of her sons were killed in the Boer war. not counting the two dead at birth, of how she naps in the after- noons in her silk-lined coffin in the attic and of her gray shawl and chair by the fire. " She's onstage through most of the play, which is just as well, for it falters painfully when she's not there to give it a nudge. As the yarn works through the second and third acts, with son Isaac coming to a vio- lent end and grandson Jan married to Ihe timid girl from a neighboring farm, it appears that tft« demons that hive been riding the Gerart men relentlessly through the generations are going to bring back still another harvest of tragedy and hate. But the ancient Oiima. after frightening the young bride into hysteria and the audience half nut of its wits, takes a shotgun off the wall and ties UD the plot-ends into a satisfying climax. Looking even more like her brother Lionel than ever. Miss Barrymore Dlays the indomitable Ouma with enormous relish, gusto and convic- tion—tottering across the stage and up and down the stairs, .shaking her head, hustlins a laggard moment, oausins to noint a line and always bolstering the whole play into fasci- nating thentrc. Dean Jaggcr plays the inarticulate. emotion-twisted crandson wjth forceful, reticent sin ceritv. while Priscilla Newton Is skillfully believable as the shy, in tense youns wife. Ann Dere. as a bitter daushter-in-law, and McKay Morris, as her sadistic husbnnd. arc effective. Arthur Hopkins' direction is sensitive, with obvious feeling for oictorial values, and the Cirker Si Robbins setting lends proper atmos- phere. 'FDrm' is hardl.v pleasant entertain- ment, for it's a sort of-(ombination with 'On Borrowed Time' for Dwight Deere Wiman and repeats with 'Morning's at Seven.' New play has not the dramatic element of first named, but is diverting and should be at least moderately succe.ssful. • Author, who sees no tragedy in age, has peopled his play with hu- man characters. The script should have been more compact, for a short- er running time would liave en- hanced the play's chances. Locale is a small town, story un- folding in the bnckyaitis of Theodore and Cora Swanson, and Carl and Ida Bolton, whose homes adjoin. The old girls are sisters. Aaronetta Gibb.s. a spinster sister, resides with ■ the Swansons, while down the street dwells a fourth former Gibbs, Esther Crampton, whose husband David had been a college professor. Old boy Crampton forbids Esther to visit her kin; saying they are morons. That may classify the peo- ple of the play, but it doesn't dis- qualify them from being amusing stage folk. David resigned from the college because, he said, its president was a moron, too. Esther, who seems more level-headed than the others, pays no attention to David's orders, though he declares that she will have to live on the second floor of their house, he retiring to the first floor, if she ignores his command. ■ There is a lot of talk about an- other house 'uu on Sycamore street,' which Carl built for his big lunk of a son, Homer, who has been engaged to lame-brain Myrtle for iteven years. The comparatively young couple, verging on 40, supply the love inter- est in a funny way. An affair be- tween them would seem almost im- possible from their actions, but when it is known that she is to have a baby, a laughable curtain line is the result. Another situation and laugh line close to the finale is rather a howl. For a time the marriage between Homer and Myrtle seems to be oft and Cora gets a lease on the Syca- more street place, wishing to move there so she can get rid of Arrie, who has been living with them for 40 years. The Swansons have been wed SO years. It seorhs that when she was in the hospital I many years before there had been c(ne indiscre- tion between Arrie and 'Dore,' though never repeated. The family secret is known more or less to all but Cora, but is regarded as trivial what with the passing of time. There is exceptional playing strength In 'Seven,' with Eftie Shan- non a delight as Esther, and Dorothy Gish also effective as Arrie. Comedy in the first act plants several char- acters. That goes for Russell Collins as Carl, who has done well enough as a builder, but the fact that he didn't become a dentist is a lifelong regret. ' . Carl is given to 'spells,' a type of sulking. At such times he plants his forehead against a wall or tree. It's really laughable. Jean Adair and Kate McComb are well chosen as the old girls who live next door to each other. Thomas Chalmers and Herbert Yost, as the other husbands, ditto. John Alexander, the bashful Homer, and Enid Markey, of silent films, as Myrtle, help considerably in the comic going. There seem to be no cast weaknesses. 'Seven' is hooked up with the The- atre Guild subscription system and this will help. Word of mouth rather than first-night concensus figures to favor the new entry. Ibee. Inside Stuff-Legit There are some eight or nine set pseudo-ad libs in John Barryrnore's play, 'My Dear .Children,' which the authors, Jerry Horwin.and Catherine Turney, put into the script as regular libretto laughs. However, thesa are all regarded—along with a few that really are extemporaneous Barry, moreisms—as on-the-spur stuff. The gags usually quoted in the sundry layouts and publicity which fiarrymore has gotten with the. play out-of-town are the ones pre- scripted. Now in Its 28th Chicago week, it comes into New York Jan. 6. The house may be the Belasco. After this month, Elaine Barrie, estranged wife of Barrymore, will no longer receive coin from 'Children'. Her contract, which expires Dei:. 31, calls for $500, play or pay, and as she left the cast at Barrymore'a Insistence, her salary is payable for the term of the agreement. Star's contract stipulates that Miss Barrie's salary is deductablc from his share of the takings. Understood that Barrymore had a guarantee of $1,000 weekly, plus a percentage of the profits, while ah arrangement was made whereby the management assumed the payments to Miss Barrie. Last week Barrymore became rca'cquainted with his daughter, Diana, whose mother was Michael Strange. Young actress, who is 18, had not seen her father since she was a tot. She is appearing in 'Outward Bound,' quartered in the Harris, twin theatre to the Selwyn. Chicago Tribune In Sunday's (3) issue carried an ad announcing tha appearance of Katharine Cornell in 'No Time For Comedy' at the David- soni Milwaiikee, the next first half (11-13) next week. Attraction played tha Loop recently to turnaway business and the announcement was to the effect that those who desire to see the performance could do so by sending orders to the Davidson. Miss Cornell's tour was slated to end Feb. 10, but at least another four weeks have.been added. Possible that 'Comedy' will play a repeat dale in Chicago in March. Capacity .of the Barrymore, N. Y., for the engagemtint of 'Key Largo' is somewhat less than when the house had 'The Women.' Front row was removed because an orchestra is used in the pit and there is a difference in the balcony ticket scale. When it was selling out 'Women' got more than $22,000 weekly, whila top coin for 'Largo' would be slightly over $21,000. Niew play with Paul Muni sold oiit at night during the first Week, with the matinees around 85% capacity. Arch Selwyn, who has been in New York preparing Frederick Lonsr dale's 'Foreigners,' marking his return to legit, goes west this week after the premiere of the p\ay at the Belasco. Presentation is in association with J. J. Shubert. iShowman will attend the debut of 'The Red Bumble Bee,' which brings Leo Carrillo back to the stage. 'Bee,' after a tryout at Santa Barbara, opened at the Curran, San Francisco, Monday (4). Homer Curran and Luther Greene are associated with Selwyn in the production. Play is re- view d in this issue. As 79th birthday token to George D. Pyper, manager for 25 years of ll)« old Salt Lake theatre, friends gave him a copy of his book 'The Romanca of an Old Playhouse,' with special covers made of wood taken from tita floor joists when the theatre was torn down, Utah house dating from 1862 was where Maiide Adams first trod. Large portrait in the center of the backwall in the set of 'I Know What I Like,' which closed Saturday (2) at the Hudson, N. Y., was of Renee Car- roll, hatcheck girl at Sardi's and known in theatrical circles. Painting was the work of Don Freeman. Locale of the play was a 57th street art gallery. grips its actio'i keen."! moving on a plan*? of steadily ris'ng excitement. It could be adapted into a chill'P" pic- ture. Hote. Thomas Coley, Boyd Crawford and Dorothy McGuire figuring impor- ■ tantly. Coley and Crawford, with Miss Lynn, dominate. The 3win<;ology, dances, vocaliza- tions and the basic spec entertain- . ment are 100% performed by the i MORNING'S AT SEVEN Negro talent, all of it peppery and . -- Comedy In three n'^la by Paul Oaborn; presented by. Dwlght l>ccre Wiman; staged by Jnsliuu l.o}tnn; setting. Jo Mlel7.1ner; at the r.oniiicre, N. Y., opening Nov. 30, '30; U.3II f>p. TJirtiulnre Pwnnson Thomas Cttalmers CuVa Swansiin ; Jean Adair Anronetta Glblis Dorothy Glsh Ida Bollnn .....Kate McCnmb Carl IJolton .Ttusscll Colllna ITomer Itolton ....John AleKnnder Myrtle nrnwn Knid Markey Kslher C'ramptf^ii Rffle .Shannon David Crnmplon Herbert Toul arresting,' notably as regards the Agnes de Mille dance staging. The Herbert Andrews-Walter Jagemann decor rates No. 1 high-'ighting on production values. -Tbe Walt Disney scener.v. based on his cartoons, was designed by the above pair, and An- drews also did a standout job with the costumes. Musically, Goodman and Voorhees, latter also conducting the entire pro- duction from the pit contributed a Waniers, Abbott Lease Adelpliia for 1 Year; 'Lawyer • in At $1 Top Warners and George Abbott have entered into a leasing arrangement for the Adelphi, N. Y.. where 'See My Lawyer,' in which they are jointly interested, was moved from the Biltmore Monday (41. Latter house is owned by them, Abbott said to have a quarter Interest. Adelphi deal Is tentatively lor one year, but carries provision for cancellation aft^r a four-week period. tJpon moving the scale for 'Law- yer' was dropped from S3.30 to $1.10. It is the second attraction to simi- larly move into the same spot this fall and re-establish the top at one dollar. First to do that stunt was the number two 'Abe Lincoln of Il- linois.' For a time 'Abe' did very well there, but takings were com- paratively moderate and operating costs too high for an extentied stay at that scale. When the show moved It was announced that the attraction might be the fore-runner of a string of shows at the same pop scale. 'Lawyer' is not costly to operate and the comedy is expected to stick until well past the first of', the year. Number of parties have been . ar- ranged through Dccembtr. Milton Bcrle heads the cast. nice supervising Job, from swinging 1 Paul Osborn has a flair for writing ManrtolsRohn'a 'Snrlnff Sons' to ar- humorously about a.k.s. He did it Preminger Soes Ruth Selwyn for $7,830 Due A suit by Otto L. Preminger, cur- rently in 'No Margin for Error,' on Broadway, for $7,830 against Ruth Selwyn was revealed in N. Y. su- preme court by an application to ex- amine her before trial. He claims breach of contract whereby he was hired Jan. 29. 1938, to act as director of the play, 'The King With the Um- brella.' He was to be paid $5,000, of which $2,500 was to be given him when the play started its New York rehearsals, and the balance after the first night. He claims that on re- quest of Miss Selwyn he secured Francis Lcderer to play the lead and expended $2,830 doing so. The play never went into rehearsal, and it is alleged that the defendant never had the money to produce it and was aware of ttiat fact when she hired him. A general denial is Miss Sclwyn's reply, and for an affirmative defense .she claims the contract of employ- ment was assigned to the incorpo- rated play, which is still in existence. They are responsible, not she, is the claim. Marg, Tallichet Plus Ama Dallas. Dec. 5. Margaret Tallichet, HoUywoodite has returned to home pastures here to take part ' In the Dallas Little Theatre's 'Accent on Youth.' Local ams make up balance of the cast. Xruise'Baits Ex-Champ Bob Olin to Come Along 'Carribean Cruise,' a mixed cast musical which has been in rehearsal for some weeks, has propositioned Bob Olin, former light-heavyweight boxing champ, to join the cast. Idea was inspired by the Coast studio and night club appearances of Maxie Rosenbloom. Latter dropped the title to Olin by means of a quesr tioned decision, '. but the latter did not keep the crown long. Olin is something of a hoofer and is said to have a college eduction. He is apparently through with the the fistic profession and has been representing a whiskey concern, making promotional visits to mid- town grills and taking orders. 'Cruise' is under the direction of Donald Heywood. Money to guar- antee salaries of the ensemble is on B'WAY B.O. MEN WIN $5 BOOST IN SALARIES ' After > series of huddles, tha Broadway managers have signed a two years' agreement with tha treasurers. Boxoffice people are to get salary increases, though Bome- what under their expectations. A compromise was reached in the. League of New York Theatres of- fice Friday (1), when it was agreed that both treasurers and assistants are to receive $5 more this season -and another $5 boost next season. New scales now are $80 for 'treasurers and $55 for assistanUs, while next season the pay will be $85 and $G0, respectively. Ticket people sought an increase of $15 weekly for both. Managers coun- tered with a proposal that last' sea- son's pay of $75 and $50 be con- tinued this season and a 10% boost apply for 1940-41. Treasurers re- jected the idea. Producer-members of the League did not oppose pay- ing more to the boxoffice people, but tho.se operating theatres were hesi- tant since the increases are paid by them. James J. Brennan, a v.p. of the International Alliance of The- atrical Stage Employees, sat in when the agreement was finally completed. Boxoffice men were of the The- atrical Managers, Agents and Treas- urers union, but withdrew last sum- mer and obtained a charter from lA, figuring they would stand a better chance to get pay increases with stagehands' backing, TMAT pro- tested to the American Federation of Labor that lA had invaded its jurisdiction, but this matter has not been disposed of. TMAT negotiated a three-year agreement with tha managers and may not press the is- sue, as there is a feeling among the general membership that because of the diverse aims of the several groups In the union, the setup could hardly be beneficial to all. for the cast Is reported to hava been given the association. Olsen and Johnson were said to have taken an Interest, but the comics" say that, other than a small loan to the management, they are in deposit at Equity, but no protection no way concerned with the show.