Variety (Oct 1940)

50 XEOITIMATE- Wednesdayt October 9, 19i0 flays on Broai^ ■ \ ■ Boys: and GiHs Together '■- .EiV . Wynn proilui'tlon stnrrlnif- hlihsuif; %ltli the DcMnrooH, .Tane l^lelosiij). Biwe AiioHbn fcaturort: opentnR'dot. 1, IWd, ht. »T,70. top; .roKiilar Bcqile,, $4.40 top. . Lytlpai.- .\Jm;k Yelleh. ■ ohd ' Irvliig. ICalmT; ■ riiuslr,, Smnitiy J'Uih; tilaloff, AVyhn and PiU , <'.. Flick; costumes, Irene Shiivuff,'. execfutej by, Veronlcu;-. settliie.s, . OOpiv ■Wiilli^r;-. iJaiu-cs, AIbertlnre- Bn'sch; mualciirtllrec'tor,' John Mi'- • Wanqs; orchestrntlons); Hnris PiilcI-.t K. , Rus- ■ sell Belinett Viind- U.i.iiv: AVa-Ilter;- entire, f i'o-■ duoUoii striscd by WS-nn., . -Pripclpalii ■ Jjeeldes' the. Rliovo"-fouturpdi. Mnrjorle Knaiip,- Al Bai-oh,. Pi\vil- hnd Krunlc LniVarrp, Walter ' LoriB, b3dn;» . SedgxvlcU,, Jack'Connovor,.. Jerry COoper... Sally Cru.vcnf ■ Ftoronce- Foster, Dot and Pick netny, ■Lu-' clphne & .Aflhour, 0. Wlllysi 10 pohlijf), .8 .ali'owglrls. 8 boyjs; . . Ed Wynri's 'Boys arid Girls To- gether' is : a pretty good but:< hot ■ great ■ revue-—certainly' not ^>as socHc) ■ as the fulsome: press- accorded, it by;> ' tlie New York critics. Their, post-';: premiere .enthusiasm in' the pviblic i prints . has ' the Broadway; bunch ! wondering whether' the critics . haVe decided, for some peculiar reason; to soften, up and give Broadway its fullest chance/ for a cbmeback, or; maybe the.kiddies are just mellowih& . . It started with, the raves for Jol- son's ihusical which, -apart from the : fact -oh6 is. a; book show, and Wynn's is a revue, impresses as better enter- ' V taihment. Not that .Wyriri hasn't many fine things in 'his bag of tricks. But,, in line with this, -perhaps Xelcey : . Allen's opening night observation has something to do .With this .nosr tfiilgic . inclination. The veteran critic . on Woman's Wejir theorized, 'You know, Suppose a guy Were in jail for 10 or years, and he suddenly got out arid 6ame to Broadway and saw Jolsori and Wynn, Joe Cook and Bert Lahr, Olsen and. Johnson and other veterans in lights, lie'd say,, 'My, but the boys are enjoying a long ruii'.'^^ Wynn, the self-styled 'perfect fool,' certainly manifests anew! his talents as a fbrehiost Amefidani comedian, on . .his yeoman wbi"k alone. In 'Boys arid j Girls Together* he has assembled a substantial array of talents and if perhaps, some of it is already faii^iliar to nitery, radid : and vaudeville patrons, it seemingly is new to the . legit.customer's.: The DeMarcos. Were re-discovei^ed all over again seemingly and their more than genemus foUr different sets of routines,- which keep themi working hard throughout the show, never threaten to pall. Jatie Pickens, nee of the Pickens Sisters, familiar on the air, disks and. in class night spots, was seemingly a new lace with' her fine-range coloratura soprano. And Dav& Apbllon who has been vodka-dialecting and m a n d o 1 i ri- twahging for seasons, at 40c iri the vaudfilmers, came on at ll',20 (premiere night) and in one terri^c buildup spot wowed 'em With his oh-chi-chorni style of plucking the picks. Certainly a virtuoso of his mstrument, his manner of interpret- ing 'Two Guitars' gave him a Stokow- ski spotlighting under Wynn's show- manly salesmanship. So much lor the features. .'Ed Wynn as the star, producer and c6- author, is the omnipotent obni of the "evening. Omnipresent from curtain- to-durtain, the show-wise : may wonder how that reacts With the .other players' yen for solo spot- . lighting, yet his very presence ttaoiighout bolsters: the sum total: "S^ almost a one-man show, perforce. -The manner in Which Wynn sets the general motif of his rievue is ; something.. The energetic style of his well.poised asides (would Katharine . Cornell do this?' as he lays a carpet), .and. his fluttering m a n he r of Alphonsebergmg the models, as he qrapes a costume about them, along With his traditiohaiy bizarre props - - - ispmejhing ouf of Joe Cook and Hube • GoldbergT" TeesfablTsK" "the comedian as a welcome-back to Broadway. It certainly reneWs faith nva tradition heretofore ascribed to America's JNitlnetlv* Bntortatner. Mdt.1 WM. KENT 1779 B'waW Ntw York the British .public, to wit, that they alone retnain loyal to their staves, no matter What. It may be true in Hollywood that you're as good, as your last picture; but the Broadway memory . . Seemingiy ' longer' and more sympathetic—arid it doesn't .'mean the. Billy Rose' technique of ye.sterj'ear nostalgia! .;. . : Wynn's show: is lush yet ftot . lavish,'. although looking niore ex- pensive .than -its actual production :nut. His. eight showgirls, are per- haps the top sjissortrhcnt of beaUts on any. Broadway rostrum, -and his 16 in the line aire like sbmetbiDg out of: the .I^bwers aiid Gohovpr model iigencie.s. Th(e igirl-appeal is nb small asset. There- are als6 eight bpyS; . The lesser principals,Vard seasonied: arid 'punchy, Jeirry Cobper, .chiefly a niike singer, with .a touch of. cafe :trainin'g, is well poised on What:] Wynn .calls his stage debiit. He's, a ■ good juve opposite. Miss Pickens. •Walter 'Long and Edna Sedgwick take care of- the dancinj^ diyisiojv;: Lucierine and Ashour., whom .Glif-. ford. C. Fischer first brbught .over for ,,the French: Casino shbws on Hroadway. again register with their feverserEnglish apache rpiitine.. The 6 Willys with their -hoops, cllxbs and teetering ladders are .sock vaude- vile. as are Paul and 'Fraiik LaVarre With: their. nonsense. acrobatics, especially' When Wynn . gets tangledf; up with then:!. Also vaude recruits are Dick and ■ Dot Riemy, brother- sister team, . latter , mbre-than-200- bound acrb-comediehne : in re- hearsal-hall; specialty. "That's thie setting for the Ltibienne arid Ashour routine arid also Sally Craveh- .I'lbrence Foster With their terp in- terludes. This leads into a Mexi- conga finale.. >; Wynn's versatility, per • alWays-r and that dates back- sbme 30 yearsTr- runs: the gainut, Hi^ comedy props are funny and: iniagiriative. That piano mounted on. the tricycle, which Wynn .manipulates . while Jane Pickens, is. perched on the .upright for 'Catsup . on the Moon,' is one of the show's, comedy ..highlights. This caps the costume-draping routine i vi^hereih ;Drucilla Strain,..Kay Paul^ sen, Mira Steohens and Lynn Law- rence, four of Wynn's chanip octet of lookers, are the models for the comedian's business with the fabrics, . Number-lieading 'Liable to Catch d!n' and 'Times Square Dance' is a: new irick of an ingenue, appearing quite yburigish, Marjorie Kriapp. For all her meagre years, however, she is a capable song-andrdance. potenial- ify. 'Liable' is done by Miss Knaob, Walter Long, arid Edna Sedgwick, and they team again for the -Times Square Dance,' along With Sally Craven, Flbrerice Foster and the en^- rtire troiipe; Thi$: BroadWay square- dancie rbutine didn't iquite measure Up. to its pretentious spotting. ., The' Wynn f evue'is a paradox on its. back-of-the-sceneS ingredients. Iridividually many components don't stack., up well; in ensemble it's a better impression. The. dancies, for example, have none of . the 1940; zing that recent. stage . chorebgranhy has become ; ^identified With. . The cos- tumes arid decor are spotty, ; the Irene Sharaff desighs in . some respects disappointing arid in others scintillating.. . .The songs,: Which are restricted to seven big: vbcal numbers, ^ may assert themselves with plugging, but. haven't that spark. Shbw btoke ■. arbuhd midnight at the opening; and can stiand. cutting. ■Boys and Girls Together', is a Wyriner so long as the star is on the scene. Without Ed Wynn, it's somcr thine; for the Rbxy or: Radio' City Music Hali; _;:V^ ;_. ^ _^ : Abel/ Journey to Jerusalem • r)r.mn;i: In throe- defy tire.icntisd Oct. R, •ii), by the PluywriElils Go, at the National, N. y.,; written - .by Jfaxwell Andevaon, Biased by IClmer Rice; scehciy by Jo Miel- 'zlner; f0.30 top. . Marlus.:.........;..... Arthur ti .Sach.s •Oreck WoMiim,., i........... .Iffty jBaker iHerodv,. ■...-...;...Frcderl<! .Tbzorp The Sbothi^aytr..;,,.,Joseph V, De fSuntls Mliu. ■ " Joseph..,.;...;,; ,Tacob,... Miriam..-.:; .. ... Jeshua. Shndraeh';; .\ .;;.:. Ca,*!sla.ii.,.. Reba. ;.:.,; Jesse i: Zebulon; i.,,.;,.. Onturion...... . ... lalimaei;.. ,.. .; Robber;,...;.....;, Scribe...;., ; •.,.;. Porter.,;.....;..:; yerihestdretli..;;.. Malftchl....,., i., Abbaa.;..;;',... Chorazliiii, Hannn.. . , ., .. ;.., Dove Wohiflii^,. than console onlookers. 'Jerusaleim is a bdautiful work in some directions. It employs a cast of 31 players, much of the acting being' of high order. Effectiveness , of the settings, which; are along!'simple lines, is heightened by masterly lightinig. ShoW is prob- ably nbt'as costly as it looks, but on operation ^alone the hew enti'ant .Will require more than average gross.es to survive.. Maxwell. Aridersorti' ,whose ; play- \yrighting. is pilenty variedy .^erids Some isort of a message which may particularly appeal to Jews, Jeshua is the JeSus of the play, a 12-ycar- old who towards the end says: ^We are the chosen race'—<;hoSen, the wise yoiith believes, to' go . through tribulations in ieixpiatibii of the: sins of other .peoples; Sidney Lumet, the kid- actbr: whb Stepped, forth in 'My Heart's ih/the Highlands'., and : 'The Eternal Road,/ virtually, runs: aWay with the play as. Jeshua. He. is a fine-lbokirig lad 'and ■lends, ah earnestues.<! to the part that seems inspiredV: while his modulated voice is not the least of a fine per^ formance. Boy has reacted ailmbst berfectly to the: direction of Elmer Ri6o,.''-'-.:.: ^■:. ;■-,>. : ..-■;■..■.■ : Story bias a, - compldtely reveir.'je conception, of the New Testamerit^s version of the genesis' of Jesus; .: He is the nprhial son of Joseph and Miriam; hot emanating from immacu- late cpnceptibn. ;: 'Faiiiily Pbrtrait' had a • somewhat similar idea of the home sUrfoundirigs of:Christus' famr ily. Throughout the drama th§^ char- acters ;talk: of ; idehtifyirig. the boy who is to .be the Savioiir of the jews. Miriam flnaliy tells Jeshua that she had vision that he is to be that mah:'.. ~ . '--■;■■■■:-. ■ Before theri, Ishmael./ia robber, had riecognized Jeshua as the "Saviour; It. Was bieliev^d by Herod that Jesus Was 12 years of age andV fearing the thirigs to come,; endeavored to do away with, all boys of that ajge. It is Ishmael;, who: bonceals . the agie of Jeshua Wheri the family and oth^r: Jews enter Jerusalem to: celebrate the Passover.; Believing that Herod's men will slay Jeshua anyway, Ish- mael kills one oif Herod's soldiers and is slain in retunv bn thie iteps of the temple. ; ' - Character of. Ishmael is acceptable to the .others. because he is one of those ; who rebelled ■ 'against ■ the Romans and hid in the hills along With. CO-religionists.. The-scenes are the! couirt in the temple at J6rusalem, i-obf. of . Herbd'sj, palace,. Joseph's home at Nazareth, a desert spot be- low Jericho, and the gates before Jerusalem.. In: a - temple Scene, Jeshua gives sage answers to the wise men of the Sanhedrin, one of the points made, to indicate that the boy is the gifted one, V In the generoiis cast, ;players Who stand out include Horace Braham as Joseph; Arlene. Francis ias Miriam: Arnold Moss (who quit the hit.'Hold On To Your Hats' to take this as- si.Riim'ent) as Ishmael. giving an ex- cellent reading: Charles De;Sheim as the rebellious Shadrach: "Joseph Krariini as Malachi: Frederic 'Tozere. as Hei:od, and Alice Reirihart . as Mira. • Ibec. ' flays Out of Tb^ ■<.; Alice Rpirih'eart .,. .',:,Hora<'e- Bralidm ; ; .■.•.Ronrijr .I^lss ;. ■„.AHone' ■Fninifig ;.',.... .Sidney .Iiuniei -;.. Charles Jje Slielm .-,.'..... .Terry Harris . :. . Jaannfitte . Chinley ...i....;;Edwin .Vnll .Alan Sltihson . /. ',, .;, J.;Karl Mdldeh .:i.........Arnold Moss ..........Paul Gciige ,....... .Henry haacoc. ..'. .' Walter Kapp ■. . ., >;. .'David. Lieonard . .1,.. .Joseph- Kranirtv .OJmrles. Ellis ...,, . Georer? Falrchlld iBy Port MdOrath ^. ■,.. J'ullet Talbot First MoneJ-. thariff<?r,..,,.; Arnort Ben-Ami Second ?4oncy Chaniceif'.., ;Joseph; Wiseman Pharisee...;,. ..; . ,,.. , .Henry; Walden J ruJt .Seller.., ;•.;;■..; ., ;, ,<•,:, Joseph Blanton' .Mtttzoh Seller,....,..:. ,i,,Kfttherlne Cody Featus...,,,..';,.,; ; .-, .. ;Jamf8 . Gregory ^ In th^Se ; times ol disaster, When the world is writhing over stories ot bairbarism iabrbad, th« Play- wrights evidently believe that a play of Biblical characters^ with Jesus as a boy, would be soothing stagi fare. It is.. But the theory that the new drama wotild draw the multitudes is probably faulty. 'Jour- ney to Jerusalem' ig doubtful ^box- office.-;' ■ ■ ■ Soi quiet Is the new play that It is I fnbrt liable to induce slumber rather ■ ;*Th« Time of Your lifeV^ After a . five-and-a-half months' layo'll* 'William Sarbyan's ; Pulitzer and Critics'. Circle prize play is still ah absbrbihg, provocative comedy, by turns touching and infantile, but nearly alwayii beguiling; Reopened at. the Guild theatre, N. Y,, recently, it is unevenly played and raggedly stage-managed. If it is to go on the road some" of the performances should be restrained and the whole prbductibn given carefi^l direction :ahdiriteiisiyerehearsab^itrnow Iflek-s. cohesion arid-pace. Number of cast changes have been made ; since the show closed last April, but most of the ; important part* are still played by the original actbrs; Eddie . Dowling is much as he was during the earlier run and Julie Hay don; though painfully mis- cast;; has; eliminated sbm_e. of her for- mer mannerisms . and nb.w seems more direct and plausible. Leo Chalzel. is a ;harder--bitten -faarteiider than; Charles De Sheim, and lacks the latter's warmth. \ Arthur, HUnnicutt transforms the character of the fabulous Kit Carson, but it ,is still vividly effective; Marylin Monk is nibre believable as -the disillusioned' young nurse, though some of the embarrassing over-^bit- terness has been written out of the part. Ross Bagdasarian lacks the ex- perience to handle the part of the pinball player the way Will Lee did, while. Henry Jones and Fred Kelly give paler portrayals- of the girl- crazy youth and the dahcei*, re- spectively. Edward Andrews, Gro- ver Burgess, Houseley Stevens, Sr., Celeste'Holm, Tbm TuUy, Eva: Leon- ard Boyne and Ainsworth Arnold retain a surprising degree of their original'edge." There has been some script re-, vision here arid there, notably , in the third act, . Roosevelt-supporter Sar- oyan's new gag line about a Willkie button drew laughter and applause at th^e reopenhig, but may bring varied receptibn thereafter. With opening night's weather unseason- ably, warm, the management shbuld have had the. theatre's cooling. sys- tem in operation. The house be- came uncojjfifortabiy humid. Kobe. PANAMA HATTIE - New Haven, Oct. 5. - : MuhIooI coinody in two ftctaV 13 iicenef. piooK by Herbert Flolds and B; O, DoSylvo;; m'oro, Colo - I'ortor;. laancoB, Robei't Alton; co.stumes and scenery, Knoul Pfine DuBolB; book BlifKoil by Kduair iMacaregor;. orches- tral hrranBeinonts, Ituwell Bonhett, Hand .SpluleU nnd -J')'"!: Wiilkcr; vociil nrraiige- ■menL«!; Lynn Murray! .orcihcstra. conducted bv Gene SaUcir;. 8tuv.«» .Ktbol Merman; fea- tures Arthur Troacher,: I'hylUs Brooks,: Butty lluttbn/ Joan iJurroU, V James punn, UaBs RaBlnnd. . Pre.'onted by B. G..> X)e- .Syiva at th^ Shiiberl, i{ew. Haven,.; Oct.-3-5, ■iOi ?!t.;)() top, •;■;■•■,■ Mr.s; Cionzalos, ,. i,.,.,,.;.;.... . i .Conohlta Mao.:,, ..,;,; .;; ,..,.. ..Eppy . Pfearson Sallora:—. . ^ . -'s ■ ■ . Skfit ,BvIprB.<i......Pat Havrln(j(ori "Windy l),ooi!:iin...;......;,;. .I'Vunk HyecS; ,T\-oo7.y HoKati .". <; .-; v;. . iltng^ Raiilttiid Fruit' I'eddler,;...;;.. /Linda Grlltlth b'oIillcrH:—.- Tin*......, i...... ...... .PwOgcr; Gerry Tom,..;...,.. i .'. ... ,Hoy Blaine Ted...... i... .....< ,;... . tiifi: -Danlcl.l Ty. ;..;.'..;.., . .:;;. ;,l.ipmun Duckat HiCitle Malo ' '.....;..;;. v. iV.KthM Mormnn l>Ua Tree; ....... .Tlvyilis- Brooks Kiti.y Bcllo JiiiniUiliili.'.-.Ann Gi'uhatn Nick BuUe-tt,, •. .;....;.. ..v... James Dunn FloirJe..; ::;.... ;v.,;..., ,.Bolty . Hutton Uer'aldlhe; 'BuUett..;.-,.-; ; ;-.0()un .Carroll Vivian; Buddv,..;;..-,,.. . Arthur Treacher Pett>. i.....;......;...-...;;..... Al . Downlnu. First 5)tranger.;..i....;..... .'.HivV Gonklln .Second'- ISlriinecr ;.;...;;... I'"i:«nk DeUps.s Mike.........,;........:.... -. .Jack Donahue WhUncy Randolph.. ..; ..•. James Kelgo When 'Panama;, Hattie' .hits - "NeWj .York' late. this month, Buddy De- Sylva will probably establish some kind.. of record by having three smash musicals - : Broadway simultane- ously. Having unfolded in this town his ;tw6. hits of last season, *DuBarry' and 'Louisiana Purchase,' DeSylva temjpts the three-on-a-^rriatch ideai and gets away with it; His current venture shoiild step, right along >vith its predecessors in. the front ranks of the hit parade. ; Show is salty, in fact several spots, are imneciessarily rough;; they don't balance' on the borderline ; of good taste, they topple right over. Like 'DuBarry/ the present production employs a glorified bin ley technique. But it catches on and it will probaoly record DeSylva in show biz history as the producer Who ; was smart enbilgh to sec that $1 burlesque could be dressed Up with. expensive cos- tumes and sets, a. few names: and 'a reasonably plausible story to garner $4;40 per ducat for the result.: Althbugh show has its risque moments, the product is by no means confined to double entendre. There is some very sentimental, human interest material betWeen Ethel Mer- man/ in : the lead, and Joan Carroll, film moppet handling the role origi- nally "intended for Shirley Temple, Yoimgster is a natural, both on stage presence and ability to. project a lovable' personality across the foots. Her 'What Say, Let's Be Buddies' routine With Miss Merman is a lulu. Child is being brought along under wiraps, with all vocal and terp efforts nixed due to New York child labor .stymie. . • . Show is replete With fat parts lor- a number; of cast members, notably Miss: Merman, who gets (and han- dles outstandingly) a' swell oppor- timity to sing, dance and act; Rags Ragland, who^MPPS a flbck of belly laughs in his first, sortie into the musical comedy field from burlesque; and Betty Hutton, who biiilds a screwball ' song-and-dance delivery into show stopping vdliiiSs^ With less material on their hands, James Dunn and Phyllis Brooks regi-ster in straight parts, and Arthur Treacher clicks in his typical butler takepff. Dunn's vocal attempts are ineffectual, "but he- pleases- ftom the;, thesp_ angle, Treacher sets well with the audience in his charabteristic servant role, but his solo, 'Americans Drink Coffee,' is a weak sister. In for a ■; goodly, share of . terp honors is Nadine Gae, who gets sev- eral choice spots along with Louis' and Robert High tower. Trio strikes a novelty chord in an adagio routine and also registers in ballet, On comiedy, Ragland is ably assisted by Pat Harrington and Frank Hyers, N. Y. Club 18 fugitives doing legit duty. The three, as gobs on shore leave, put over some knockabout stuff tb hearty laughter. : DeSylVa and Fields collabbed on the book and Wilkie Mahoney,. al- though uncredited, has gagged it up. Stbry has a Panama locale, in- cluding Panama City and the Canal Zone. Hattie (Miss Merman) is a ; night club .singer set to marry Canal operator Nick : (Dunn), whose i^mall daughter Jerry (Joan Carroll) has been living with her grandmother in Philiy since the death of the child's mother. When propei: little Jerry gets a look at Hattle's .ja^zy attire, the ensuing laiigh plants a gulf be-; tween them that threatens to nijc proceedings. However, Nick sells the child the idea that It's what's ihside the showy garments that counts and Jerry and Hattie become friends. Leila Tree (Miss Brooks) is making ai play for Nick and she puts over a stunt that gets, Nick in bad with his Canal Zone boss through a faux pas on Hattle's part. Nick is given his choice between Hattie and his job and just when he is going to sacrifice everything for her, Hattie saves the day by foiling an attempt to blow up the Canal. Story is believable and timely; and furnishes good material on which to hang the balance of the production^ : Cole Porter's score contains at least two sockeroos that will be heard glenty. They are 'What Say, Let's Be tuddics^ and 'My Mother Would Love, You.' Also on the click list are 'Visit Panama,' which gets the show off to ah early punch, and 'Who Would Have Dreamed,' For torch there's 'Make It Another Old Fashioned Please' arid for. laughs there are 'God Bless the Women' aind 'You said, It,' this; last reminis- cent in technique of the 'DliBarry' ditty 'Friendship.* Betty; Huttoii's three novelty tunes are 'Fresh as a. Daisy,* 'They Ain't Done Right by Our Nell' and 'AH I Gotta Get Is My Man,' all good ■ for ace receptions. Score as a whole starid.<! tip well. ; ' On terps, Robert. Alton has taken a fresh looking: crew of youngsters and built several distinctive routines . with them, ; His ■ skill in tying ;ih effective, dance steps with outstand- ing, costuming iS apparent. Raoul DuBois' dress ; arid scenic creations" give^eVidence of his position among the topnotchers in this field. Panama locale gives bpportunities for color* riot arid DuBois doesn't miss. Set- tings are sumptuous, and. a novel effect is attained in a treadmill scene Where the child is : shown walking across country: to the accompaniment of . moving scenery. DeSylva ap- • parentiy gave his designers carte : blanche on this productiori and the result'cei-tairiiy looks it. - Edgai* Mac- . Gregor's staging is nbteworthy, as. . also is .Gene - Salzcr's baton-waving; "Vocal,arid orchestral arrangements . add materially to the- score's value,' • : In - addition to its hit .stage as- surance, 'Hattie' ialso lends itself to fertile adaptation as a filmusical. • ■ '■- ■ '■■ . '■ Bon«. SECONp^HELPINa ■ -.•• -' Niew^Haven, ■ Oct. 7. Coniedy.'^Ih" 'three.:, acts, ?tonr-.scenofl,. by . David-.Car.ey; .. Staged by.Nat Burns;-.'floi-' tlrier. Tom Adrlah'Ci'aoi'aft; pioSented'liy Montei ■Prbae.r eirid W'alter Butcliolor-- a( .tl»» Shubcrt, N6\y Haven,,.Oct, T-0, ■'•!(>; :fJ.'.:0 top. . ■ Jlmmy Adama. ...; ;.. ;. .Billy -Be<inol(l Bessie Aduma...,,......., .Uvolyn Vnrden : Ted Adamsv..,;.....'..;...;, . .Kent Adaliis. Benjamin Williams.. .. .Jb.<i(iph ywoi'npy Elizabeth Ann Adaine;...,.. .MurJorle .Lovd . Marparot .'V\rilllams..;. i.Piio(<be' Fosior VlriBlnlft Snuiiders..........vDbrothea: KllnC Joseph Bates..... , '. ;;. .:. ;... .11. K. Gurriei'. Jerrj' Davis... ...;,....; .WlUlam II. Terry Alan Spraguo.;.,,,... .....;;;,,. .Bon Smilh : This one was given a strawhat try-, out at Stamford last summer. At the time it was in its fbugh stages and it's- still not ready for Broadway. Play has foundation pbssibilities and indicates a chance ,bf moderate suc- cess only if held out of town long enough to. bring but . its potentiali- ties. As caught at preem, the four scenes add up to mild amusement arid would probably bring on a criti-. cal blitz if presented- on-Broadway ■ in its present state. , . ■ Show has a good third act^ but it's the old story of taking too long to get around to it. Humor. is of the easy going variety rather than the; - hilarious type, and laugh lines coriie mainly from a cynical male charac- ter who spouts epigrams by the gross. Background, of the , play is family life iri the nutty manner of •You Cah't Take It with You.' Locale is a smair town in Mass., . where Margaret Williams has the best job in the town bank and thus becomes the main support of her widowed sister arid her three chil- dren. Some years pribr tb play's opening Margaret had had a roman- tic yeri" for Alan Sprague, but he: left town under a cloud and, she then fbbknbri.Jbe-BateSr^teady-gomg-prQ.- i)rietor of the town Emporium. Bates :■ cept company with her for 16 years, but never got around ,to the point of marryirig. her ;because..he was tied to his mother's apron strings. Even- tually Sprague returns to town to settle his father's estate arid Mar- garet decides tb claim the romance that she has been passing up all; these years. She goes off with Sprague to; New. York and holidays With him for a,couple of weeks. She returns homey letting her family wonder if she is still a 'good' woman, only tb find that. Bates has married ; the widowed sister in the meantime. It's okay with Margaret, though, be- cause a phone call from N. Y. brings Word from Sprague that his wife, from whbm he has been separated, is getting a divorce leaving hiin free to marry Margaret. ; ; . Prbser and Batchelor have given this Shbw a nice production from every arigle. Casting is okay, with. exception ,6i ■ the cynical uncle role played by Joseph Sweeney who doesn't fit the part. Phoebe Foster is sincere in the Margaret character and Evelyn Varden and HI E. Cur- rier tiirn in good work as the Widowed sister and Bates. Marjorie Lord and William H. Terry are in for some good moments as: the pve?- theatridal daughter of the family and her good-natured swain. Ben Smith's brief period on stage is' well done in the Sprague role, and Kent Adam.< Billy Redfield and Dorothea Eller fit as youthful members of the troupc; • Nat Burns^ staging produced a smooth • opening performance .and Tom Cracraft's settirig is a fine piece of designing. : . Bone.