Variety (Dec 1940)

so tEG^^ W^ednesd«y» December 18, 1940 PlaysOulrf FLIGHT TO THE WJEST '.Princeton, N^Jv^ P14y*rlBhl!t Co. prasentH new.. \\Iayia', VAxner Rtcp, with Betty Flejd. Arnolri Mo»h, P.iul liernrlpU mul .Hugh. Miu-Iowe: fealureU, SiHK'ed by tlic jiuUrt)!-, with ..settlnKB. IVy ilo Mlelilner. I'rpspnlei'l.'tor-rtrst. ,l|in'! ».i Mi;-. Caiieiv,, Urincoloii, N.'. J., Nov. 14;, '111, top, Robert" Blanqul..;;......... .Arvin PniiKson Richard Biinnlni?..:....,.. .Kevin MoCnrthy l»l PortufhK'sii' M(>elinnlc....,.^..Inhn 'fVl;:)?B 2d Portgguesei Mechftnlc.lioriild Oyrenfnril) Aiieuat lIlmmerroloh;..;....iRvi<lolf- WpIss. Thomas Hlckei;.,..... ...... • >. Pji».l'. Mi>n>v Rilmund Dlpkensen..'.»■.-.........P.pri ?sevln» jmaria DlckenaeiiMly. »rontnnt) Maette DIcfcbnspn..;v...;...;. ;:Helt•I^ Ilfnee Loula* Krayne..-,r.....'...Const-anre MrKny Colonel Archibald Cage.^ . ..Tjiiiips ..'J('o>y. Count A-ronbrt.......-Uorl."! Mnrslmlnv fection . 6t." the Fascist State will eventually destroy, itself.' Miss. Field portrays het .rile with understanding, creating a tiprmar and pleasant girl .-at grips with life,. Arnold Moss is excellent in ;the rol6 of Ihgraham, 'the liberal, .who ex- pounds his beliefs' with feeling. Hugh. Marlowe: as Nathan, Paul ^ Hiernried as l3r. Hermann Walther, the Nazi agent, ^dris - Marshalov as Count VronofT;- Constance McKay, aS the,' rye-imbibing . columnist, rand /James Seeley, as-. Colonel Gag^,. the capi- talist; 'all coritributc:: superior per.--, fb.rmances. ■ ■ Play :was ; given ■ an ovation at , preem: hssre, with many, tiotalstles in [ audience, incliiding Albert Einistein, sliddenly' goes In for his terrific acrobatics, X.eila-Erh^t Is charming as Linda ;(the ingenue). Jean Casto has one gorgeous scene as a. blase woman reporter which she. follows with a mock strip-tease, that's a wow/ The. chdrus is 'Ohly. introduced when plot callis -for night-club rehearsalis, or routines which add to naituralness of show. Danpes b^y Robert Alton and Jo. Mielzi'ner'S.'sderiery; alsti rate bbws.:-■■ '■ ■•■'. ■. ■".■. IVotcrs.-:, PAPA IS ALL Frau Clara RosenthaV.Eleanpra Mendelsohn [ Thbhias and Erlka Matin, Sylvia Sid ■Dr. Hern,ann .A\aith^r., i...^VX^a^uZ. ■ 5Ley -r and',. Luther <Adler,. .Beatrice H owa rltt. Ingr'nha hi, Hop* TaJcoti .Nhlhffft- Gliarlt9.<(. Nathiih; Captain Mi'Nab;........ CHptatri.' Hawkea.. .■..... l«t Britlah Corporal..*;. Sd .British'Coriioral...-.. iljetiy--ipi(>i«i^i^aufmah a^^ Huch ..M.-'Vlowp ...;..Krtri:Miil<lpn ; ,<?riiind<in .:.Rhoi!e.s': .■.V....;J.'>hn Trl!!'.:s Haral* Dyrenfqrlli: For. years" Elmer. • Hice . has felt strongly on the subject of Hitler and the curse of .Nazism. Back iti *Judg- ment Pay' he lashed out against the persecution of Jewis in Qermany • with a proper . display : of emotion: apd Violence as h«i • denounced Der Fuehrer and his followers: Con- tihuihg on the subject. in .■Flight, to the West.:- originally .called . 'Trans- atlantic/ Rice Uses a more rational, and intellectual plan? to sho.w the tremendous advahte of . the tbtali- tariah vstate in its threat to world ■destruction.;' "■•'.■,•■•■■ Rosen. ; Mnihurn, N. J„; Dec. 10., . Folk 'conied)< In three acttt,, tbur'aopnea,' by . Patt«r;aon 'Gcoene; «t8Ked Uyr Pr»hlt OarrlhRton and Ajm^a. -'MorRan; gettlnRa. and costumea'.by KmeUnei .Olnrk.. itor.he;.' jeaalv .■Royde • Tjiindlii: and ..McKay Morrla Maturedt''Pr«B<inted bj^'Pa-per Mill Play.- hbuse ■ FroiVuctlons; lnc>, of rft'iier Mill ■Plfvyhotfae. MtUbjirn, N. J.. Dec.- 10,. '40: ■»i;G6 'top.'- . Mania.. ........ ,■;.. . . . Jiiaste Royco T.andlS' Joike^ .... .■,';..... /.'. i v.rainrHftt .Rogers Sta'te.^,Tr6op*p .Brohdli9,. r; .^..Itobert .Allert *:mn>n.^^„I,-;i-... —^^Ul Jlii'.lj.'n w.ny jKnle Mrs, .Tode'r.v..,.,.........; .Frieda AHman Papa..I. .s .....; ..McKa^y.. Morris PALJOEY . / Philadelphia, Pec; 12.' . Moslrat: comedy lii :t'wo iicta .'.12 scenes).; Book'.by . 'John- O'HKra; inu.mc':by Il|<;hard. Ro'dgpfs; lyrics'.tir' Lor«)iz H«irt;"danc«s:by' Hoberi .Mloh;'directed, by . George Abbott;, soenery and llghtlDg l>y Jo Mlc)zlner;/voB- tiiiies by John 'K<ienlK:.0rchasCiu conducted -by. Harry Levahtr orchestration by Hails SnlalPk; nreliented.-by. Qaorge'Abbott'at't|ie Forre.st; Phlladelpbia, Dec. H, '40. . Cast: Gehe^ Kelly,,.,Robert.. J. -Mulllgttn;^ June.' Havoc,'Diane. Sinclair. Sondra .Bar- rett.. I>et1a. Ernst, .AinarlUa .MorrIa, Stanley Donehv 'Vlvlisnne .Secal,. Jane Praser,' Van' Johnson. John .Clarke, Averell .Harriet .Nel- son Rap^. Jean Castb, Jack.Burant,. Vincent York, Jaines LwVi Ctlft- Dlinstan.. IT "(Iris, ntn,e boys, :■. Philly hadn't had a' legit pr^eem Btit despite the authoir's cpurageons • ^i^f.^ one year;ago, when the wnsuc^ Intentiohs,^. this does not size up as. THE anti-lNfazi play that has been long overdue on Broadways. At all times. it jreihaihs more of a treatise than good theatre. It lacks the eitio- tiohal .tension,^ the proper suspense .«nd the dramatic form., that are refltiisites- for a r»ai play. Never- theless, 'Flight' has «uflicxent inerits to warrant moderate siiccess; Chief among the .play's assists are. a imiformly splendid cast, headed by Betty Field, back from films; a flaw- less productiotv under Playwrights' aegis; superior staging, and a Mielzi- ner getting of a transcontinental clipper in motion that will go down as one of .the most strikin| and hovel affairs tKe Stage hias witnessed, in years; , ' . Rice , loses no time in plunging into his subject. Entire, cast assembles on clipper as rise of etirtain finds it ready to deoart from Lisbon, and in less than five minutes the back- _ ^ ^ ground of the .assorted characters is the'isecond"act'when» 'Blter a~w ago cessful 'John Henry' with. Paul Robeson ifowed it. ' the . Erlanger, until George Abbott preisented 'Pal Joey.' .tlie. occasion was . .made', doubly felicitious when' thfe. ftrstr night mob came to the full realiza- tion that it. was seeing one of the smartest, liveliest and most original tune pieces that.'have shown here- abouts in a. biue: inoon. ' With first-rate coliaboratioh by Producer George Abbott and song- writers Rodgers and Hart/ John O'Hara has come up. with, a corking musical, book of his own 'Pal Joey' storiis that appeared first in ' the New Yorker, and. have now been gathered together in book form. Whether it will remain in its present formi when Tal Joey'^ reaches Broadway IS: a question. Despite . generally rave , reception here there are some who think the show goes a little overboard on 'book.' Hiat applied particularly to disposed of. Last on board are the- Nathans, a young and recently. wed, couple who rate the bridal suite be- cause of Itope Nathan's (Betty Field) father's diplomatic comiec- tions. After 10; years of nerve- >yracking flight from country to country necesisitated by her "father's constant change of posts diie -to ftirther war .encroachments,, this westward clipper flight and security of America is realization of. Hope'.s life-Iohg dream. She's ecstiatic in heir happiness, but the tragedies, in- ner-turbulence and convictions of her fellow passengers convince her that there is no escape to security. Although' her . husband is a Jew, neither have given thought to any rabial distinction, A diplomatic disciple of the Third Reichi en route to Washington, in- sults the young Jew, Wathan, and brihgs^ problem to fOre. The story of Frau flosenthal, a Jewish refugee, and her fervent plea not to inflict the tortures-of life by bringing into the world another Jew, shock Hope Into deeper awakening. A; lifelong friend of Hope's,. Howard Ingraham, who has dedicated his life and intel- lectual writings to an espousal of. liberalism, also ilhdS' himself in this, uhcertairi realm of confusion, his convictions and ideals knocked awry .ivhen' his ex-Heidelberg -colleagues lend, support to Hitler's destruction arid hate.: Also on board the clipner is a Count Vrohoff, who is- recog- nized by Hope as ait. expatriated British stibject ■ tossed out - of Pisles- tine Ave .years previous. Hope tells Louise .Frayne of this disOovery;;. and wind song-and-darice start.. temjK) changes conipMely arid story as* sumes straight dramatic aspects-that recall 'Rurlesque' and 'Broadway.' ('Pal Joey' is almost certain to be tabbed as 'Broadway' with musical trimmings').'.' . Abbott will undoubtedly speed up parts of that second act,, but there is no reason why he should eliminate the dramatic elements. . They are what -help make 'Pal : Joey' some- thing ne.w in the musical comedy line. They're imconventional just as the character of Joey Evans is un- conventional, : For. the most part, 'Pal Joey' ad- heres closely to the magazine stories. There's: the. gangster-agent, Ludlow r^pwell, the little girl Joey meets in front' of the pet-shop, the harrassed night club .rhanager, doublje-crossing Agnes and aU the rest. SUmmed up they represent a ylvld cross-slice of night club atmosphere. • With this book pattern as a back- ground, Rodgersaiid. Hart have come up with a whale of a score. Rodgers' music, may riot have any single", positive sensation, but it's a real job throughout, with 'I Could 'V\^rite a Book' and 'Bewitched, Bothered arid, i Bewildered' as . top ,pi:ospe.cts arid: without a single riumber that doesn't carry a lilt. ■ Hart seems, especially happy working . along the O'Hara lines. ' His lyrics ring the bell re- peatedly with 'In OUr Little . Den,' 'Flower .Ca'rden 6t My: Heart' arid the aforemeritioried ;tunes.. Il.bwever, thev 'aren't fbr piirists.' '': The cast, for the most part, is made ujp of ybungstiers:' Everybody • Tapa..Is Air by. Patterson Grieerie. third stock offering at imartly rustic Paber Mill Playhouse, , is." sbmeWhat slight but unpretentious and pteas^ ant new comedy in which not one but three worms turn. . .Okiy for the stocks, but not for Broadway or films. ^ Action: takes- place in kitchen, of Aukamp- itarmhouse ^nd throughout piece considerable' chuckling is pro- vided by screwy inversions Of Penn- sylvania Dutch lirigo. V Title of piece has double nieanirig. In everyday English ''Papa is all'-Tc- ileqts fact that head • oit Aukariip household is - family's orivate Hi^er. In Pennsylvania Diitch •. it - means 'Papa is dead.' Mistaken announce ment in ,course of second act :that 'Papti .fe air provokes comedy not tinged With slightest regret, for his supposed demise—no mean feat for playwright.;. -Jl' ' ■•'•• ■ .McKay Morris^ makes Papa thor- ough- old nieanie. portraying Meh; rionite farmer who justifies own iron-willed wishes as guided by strict teachings of- church. Opening night customers greeted his retturri. froni the dead with hissing , which momien tarlly reduced him to- status- of ho Icimi villain, but okay liries and play- ing promptly restbrcd-realistic mood of play; Handling of plot eliniinates any reflection ori Menrionite sect, leaving ^principal.' male character merely as typical of such pater?. • Role of Mama pets charming del- ineation by Jessie Royce Landis, who evokes laughs on of^casinn sitrinly with a wry twist of her lips, a shy !5hrug, or a. cautiously -pert glance; Although; the point is not ..empha- sized, she carries over with subtlety the. Idea that Papa has. his. riiomerits when they !»re alone. • Emmett Rogers; prograriuned as member of perriianent- company, turns m .promising performance':^ias iTake, cowed son. of: family. He is supposed to do oifstage job of soc'k- irig l?apa over head with monkey wrefnch, dumpirig,, him in freight train, and faking, coverup accident to stop Papa from ^shooting surveyor who -dared takO' his daughter to 'Godless movies.' ' Part of daughter Emma; played adequately enoueh by Hathaway Kale, suffers a bit In; the Writing. Drawn as better educated thari the others; her freduent lapses into plain English sometimes put her. out of key with djalect-spoutirig characters! Frieda Altman makes the most of Mrs. Yoder, who,<w> .»rarrulou^riess un wittingly tips off Papa to his daugh ter's esdapade. Robert Allen merely walks through minor part of State Trooper Breridle; ' Frank Carringtbn and Agnes Mor gan have dope good iob of staging comedy. ' Emelirie Clark Roche's costumes and single setting are simply effefetivie. Kent. project to paint a miiral in the post- office, she uhmedtately objecti to hi? 'socially significant' drawing?. She wants nim to . glorify only, the lead- ing citizens, not the brawny laborers who miade Middletown a thriving elty. A refugee from a Giefman con- centration camp seeking freedom of iexpression, the boy-gets his dander iip -for a .iight. He is backed in it: by the ; dowager's; grand-daUghter; That doe.sn!t stop the femme tyrant. Who -. craftily, uses ' her.: force, iind wiles, to 'per;^uade an ex-AH-^merir fcari football • star to br^ak Into the postoffIce to destroy the mural. ^ She also incites the.. good burghers to Ijririg' their Klu Klux Klan's suits but of the. mothballs to .chase the radical but of. town. He dbes leave ---hut-with her grand-daughter. The romance: has fresh vitality, but 'it*s dbvibtful if the authbr can cut "Out all the chaff : to put the; sloW,. Wordy iiece jn. Oonditiori for an imriatient Broadway clientele. .. . ; Although it is liriequal to the ma- terial it. has to present, the Play : Suuse'y <?tjmriTOijity group -otracto , [ive it one. of their best .productions. Ruth Feather; cbnvieya :all the domi- natirig . qualities possessed by the In-, corislstent dowager, playing her with icy dignity and polite venom; - Sara Luce is; radiantly accurate, as her grand-idaughter. Henderson For- sythe seems, a bit juyeriile as/the painter, but Kirk Willis personates a drunkard with sharp detail. ■■ Pullen,-' . Miss; Frayne. a .;celebrated ..U.,S, i is going to-be watching Gene Kelly, newspaper^ colurrnist and:, perfect .who plays- Joey. He's: worth: watch-^ Dorothy Thompson j)rOtotype, e^^^^^ Part; requires . him to be a on by her intense hatred of -iitler, . hoofer, singer arid actor and Kelly starts V the cables hummin«J a-d" ef-- -, jrets away with the assignment. In fects his arrest in .Bermiiaa; j\r a . the .'scenes, with his-society matron Nazi espionage ..agent. .In .a..rather ; mistress. :partidiilarly when he. has' weak .and ; melodrarnatic (^Hmav, | to. eriiphasize the . fact • that he% young . Nathan IS shot in. his attempt , a heel, arid still' gets, a - certain to -frustrate Jhe assassination.of t^ ' number of- sympathetic: laughs, he Nalii :enwoy.by: a half:crazed Belgian , .dicks -solidly. Established trotiper, refugee, woman. . -yivienrie ': Sejal; Dlays the socialite in a lighter; veitii Rice introduces 1 arid: adds to the latirels she won in a. milliiDnaire oil man who embodies 'I Married, ari Angel.': , orice strictly all. the wealyiesses of a. fla.g-waYiri>»'! a v watbl^^ MisS Segal has now America arid ;b^trays " a kinship to : firmly established fact she is a deft comodierine " arid . also lascist ideology by; a. sole desire to.- preserve his ihdiyidiiai . wealth 'and superiority..;- Iri a vigbro.us opening abt; -Rice; acknowledges that the totalitarian goVernrcients . of today were brought on by tlie faults arid Weaknesses of democraicy, with; Its attendant unemploymenti disillusion- ment of youth and economic : ills. But as one dissertation brings on an- other, the final curtain ' finds; him' Wrapped in, mysticism, acknowledg- ing, tnfit - the :i;r.atiOnal impi'lrb em- bodied . f'e'TiooraGies. is real, arid ■ :'' 'V; ' -''{'e the hietb'^^--^^. . .— , an. actress tapable of straight draniatie scenes.; She has some of Hart's bl^verest. (and :b]uest): lyrics. and' doesn!t muff a line.; ;; . •;•.■■:' '.■' Another, Staridbut vis Junie Havoc, who-'Stopped the show twie^ bn the! Opening. . Heir dancing arid singing: .('Flbwer Qarden,'- 'That Terrific Rainbow''arid 'Do It The Hard. Way') .<!pell plenty of What it takes. Jack Durant also goves;overi being very cleverly sjiO.tted; \ :He's Low'ell, the MlDDtETOWN MORAL Cleveland, Dec. 6. .'Comedy-drama Ip. thrive acts by. Richard Matbaujn. Statred hy Frptlerfc : liltConnell and. presented at .l>lay. House: Glevela:ni 0-, .>tov. 28i '40. ' -; ' ., .. Casti Ruth, Feather. .Sara Luce, Hender •on Forsylhe; 'Kirk Willis; S .::. ; ■ ■■■ •;' (tN YIDDISH) .. ■ : Comedy.-In tvo asts (six scene.-*) by Jacob Roiltbauin, riuii'i: a: 3bolein .Atulohuiii siory or. the Bdnie naniB<;: preset) ted by the Ifld- dlsh: Art . Theatre ''(Maurice Scfiwortzc-: BtaKed , by - Ilothbaum.;. atars . :ijcbwurt>,-- mualc....-iihoiom '. Secunda; settlnK'ei'. ' Alex Chortov. .. ■ Itevlew'ed. at .: the' -Viddlah ' Art Ihe'a'trf (formerIy:,'rubllc), N..T,,.D6a.' 1, •40; .Sender Blank.... ^ .1. JNew York PlayJ KING LEAIt ■ ■ Revival of Shukespeai-e'a trbBcay, In .pro- lo(?'i>nd two aiita. DIreiited by Kdw'ln I'lsi caio'i-;' . Incidental- music by ' Henry Cowell; IlKhtliiK' by: Feder: sound; by. Hnlrpld Bur- i^ls-.\teyer. Presented by- Dramatic Work- ahoir oC 'New School .for..3oc(al Research,' at Studio Theatre, JM; Y:, Dec. 14,, '-lO: »2.1!<t toil.; •■ tfla>; Kliii or Britain, Ram Jaffe Gonerir 1 ...,'...;..... .'.Uachel : Adams Reican .'| Lear's dauKhtiars'Uarsaret Curtis MIrlarn.. •M'»rcu«.'.,',■;.',, Chaliii,....,.* Sonya.......v.vi ; Reveka - Zemel O^vslp .^eine].. Aiint. Ptibrlsh. ■Dr. . Kluxer.., FrdJJsfi,,,,,... Zclda. Clara.'..... ...'. . Reb .^hiaiiika: CSinKUilil.. Llzotrhka.;.';'...,.. .. Meyer' .ZltbeVjnan..-.'... Zalmen ' I'erirrttiiter.. ;.' 'Re>>—KKlmeh-JPfoken^,. 'Motel.'...,:.. Frof. ',K'lotz. .. .Maurlpe Schwarta ..'. ...'.I.ucy: .UelTrman. ..... ;.MUnl Serebrov' -' ,..'.'.'. .\-::, Leon'.'. Gold '■ . .ll^s^nnah: .Hollander ': .;.... I.iilia. Kadleon ,Anutol Wlno^radov I..'..;. .Ahtia Apjiel ,B«in-Zlon Slioenfeld '..Mark .Scbwdd ...i. ,.1'clla .Llptsiln. . .Golilte . .Lubrltzky'' ,.. .Mlaha;. Uehrinan • Judith Abarbanell ;Maurlne Krohner:.. ..;.Ml!<Ua- Flazohn . .l.Hliloi:e:j Caaher' Abraimm TcUelliauiri . .,..Lazar. Freed' Lyabeth Lynn ...Ilorbcrt Ranson- '. .%'.Rh,>is.: Matthew ...... Erford Qave .Honor- De' Koveh , .Ruiidolph Echols ...Gregory Morton. .....Conrad -Nblea' .Frank, Daly ..Herbert Uerghof- ,Lottie Goalar. and. .'Her Dance.Group .. ,■,.; i.......'... Hoyinonr. Mllbert ....;..:..'...:..-.John .."itarr Cooke ,.Colin L'ralg, Willis Gould, Frtd Graft .........i. .Drtvld Rlpver's V..... Jack nitlher .... Albert. Henderson :..... Colin CrilB .,....;,; ;. .John ' Brynrd „ Colin Craig, SeymoOr Mllbert. Dancers: Ida-Blldner, Doris Ontroff'.-.Betty Llnd, Ruth Rosen, Richard "Wyatt; Cordellaj . Earl of Kent.'...... Siirl of .Gloucester Bdgar.'.i............ Bdmund: ; ^. Duka. of ..Albany.;, Duke ,of Cornwall.'. Duke of JBurgimdy King o( Trance.,.'. Fool Fool's Mtinimers.. ; Knight . Oswald... Servants,, Old Man. Doctor Captain Herald . OtHcor:..; Prologue Touted , in adyance as 'An experi* riierital theatre stiriving to develop a fiinda'meriial art,' the Studio Theatre of the New School, for Social Re- : it's.been sbine seasons sinca Mauiric*.; Schwalrtz haa done comedy^ and hia ; ristUm. to; ;i type; of; portrayal':that' ;■ Once: knew hinni as one of its oiit- : standers seems to have been a wise ope; However, Schwartz's choice of A play is; not to bie linked in a similar ; vein; -Sender.-.Biank;;. whil^. it rh^i:■ \ some measure oif .ipmusement with Schw'artz' iri Ihe title role, is gen-: - erally; inferior to- the. abilities of the actor.-ririariagcr: and his Yiddish Art Theatre troupe, •-.- ;. Thia is Schwiartz's ■ second presen-;. tatibn of: the. season, arid the first . time in several seasons that he has . MndertaKcri a role.sufficienily promi-; : pent to warrant hiA sell-stardbrii; As the' rich,- Eiiropean . bakei^ whose: gourmet, proclivities forrii the basis for. this Jacob RothbauTri dramatiza- tion d'f an. original Sholctn .Aleichcm story, Schwartz, has . seldbiri been better, but. the siirifi arid siibistance of the. play, finds it tedioiis going in 'its hamstringing ,over;, the moire- than two*and-hal£-hour'iegit.rbiite. - ; Aleichfeiri's original idea of. :th* wealthy baker whose enormous ap- netite fells; him with; gastrlti^, and the humbrous outgrowth of that sit- uation when he believes, he's about iC > die of a niore serious riialady, has . considerable scope for the .comedy that. Schwartz lends to the lead char- acter,. The. focal, point is in the ex- , oectaripy by kjn and townfblk who anticipate his death: arid their sub- sequent benefiting b.y: his will. The main humbr rises oiit of his 'recov- ery/ Although the ' play is riiostly, Sciiwartz's to db as he will, there are fine perforntances bv other members of the. cast. These-. include Ltxcy Cehcinan, :3S Schwartz's wife; Leon Gold, : Luba Kadisoh. Anna': Appel,- Hannah ; Hollander, Mark Schweid, .Misha Gehrnian, Judith Abarbanell.' Miini Screbrov, in one of the lead Richard. Maibaunils -new "play: is Eairited around a good, timely idea. . ut contrary, to what: murals should bet his; 'Middleitown: Mural' is so crowded. with unesseritiai detail, diffuse and complex riiatfirial that the idea loses; ;too much ':bt its .drive. Author; of 'See My-Lawyer* had: this piece tried'out. last sumnrier at Iowa University by, his alrria'. mater's canipus players- but rewrote parts of It for Play House's prtieni. . In::trying to feel the-'pul e;. give the colbr of life in a.4yj)ical Ameris can sniall-town, -he ::does . get :an honest ' ring arid ;sbiTie amiising; satirical tbiichfes into several scenes, but they usually' are. b'iiried under ah avalanche of tiresome wbrds. > ; ' Americanism is. eniphasized; arid l^ilicious clubwomen are : given an uhmerciful panning by his piece;. : centering around . a.. dominatiijg small-town dowager arid her bitter feud with a - young,painter.; As the local president. Of the Daughters of American Revolution she lets noth- ing stahd in her: way. The D'.A.r; won't like it, biit she personifies the theory that misguided patriots sbnie-' times: can . be as giiilty of persecu- tion; and brutality as. tho; fascists, . Direction Jceefts the plav moving at a fairly brisk pacer-r-or at least as. fast !as. the many talkv-.situations will al- • low. Rbthbaum is credited with:that chore, though Schwartz's harid is apparent there... Alex Chertov's. set- ; tings of what he imagined to be an early 20th century, small-towri Rus- sian home fill the play's needs,. thoiieh the entire oroduction gen- erally is below the Yiddish Art The- atre's, par. While 'Esterke,' Schwartz's first presentation of . the season, -was by- far a greater artistic success—though a boxoffiee ilbp^he shotild have more success with - 'Sender Blank' due to its lighter theme. JCon. . blackmailing; gangSter-agent,- . and: [ nazis and other alien tyrannies r'":'s role straignt for some time, then I When the. artist; arrives ori a .WPA search opened its first production last Saturday, night (14),. revival j parts., is too conscious: of his thesp- Of 'King- Lear,' in -a new ver- i^g,. slon by Erwin Piscator, who. has been something of a tradition on the continental, stage. The show turned out to be. a diriectbr's debauch, an actor's pyrgatbry 'and a playgoer's nightmare. ..." Even, such an .explosive play as 'Lear' Is completely strangled and, in :f9.ct, buried by; what must un- doubtedly be the most pretentious, artificial and chabtic physical pro-. dUction seen - In New York within memory. With a three-level turn- table stage revolving like a ponder- ous : cofTecrgrinder, the dwarfed ac- tors crawl. up and. down the steps,' stumble in and out of portals in tne isides of the auditoriurii and even rant through the aisles. Through it all, the lighting tiurns: the place into a Wagnerian, storm scenie, while a rixUsical score, sound effects arid even; the actors' yoid.es boom from: loud speakers air over the house/ At one point, Lear's mournful wails go arotind and around the Auditorium, :ais . the sound is released . .through what seems to be a. circle of loud speakers plabed; aroUrid the ceiling ^nni.. '■'-■:';■: ■'...;■,■ '':■;..' :' ■■:. '{■; /':'■ ' All this has little or ;rio relation.to- the ;play, which cbrisequently fades into a reinote arid curio,iisly B;neriiic affair, about .a iilly .old man with a crown ori ; his gray-powdered head, and -a horde of bombastic people wearing, fuririy. clothes, arid carrymg prop weaporis; The.;Stage. is littered with .corpses Land : the roof echoes , with violent speeches, but the whole thing .reinain>. impersonal,'..tanie and pointless,' '';' :,.;.;." .":.■';::: ■■.:"•■ " . Under the circurtistarices; there's, no ,use' in heaving briclcbats at the : cast. Nobody: could - create illusiori against such a" bers'erk production. HoWeyer,; several of the' players at least .manage- tb. retain dignity ! andi in some cases, even achieve riiomerits of plausibility. Margaret durtis arid Lysbeth Lynn contrive some con-' yineing moments, while Herbi^rt. Rai)son . uses ; his excellent voice persuasively and Gregory T\Iorton is direct arid believable. The others are riegligible or downright bad. All are workirig gratis.' Show not only offers nothing for Broadway (unless it is a horrible exi ample); biit it wduld seerti;to indicate that Piscator and otheirs responsible could profitably take a ^ few lessor? frorii Broadway; ; . Hobe. : Nedd». Harrigan, currently in 'Charleyls-Aunt; at the Cort, N. Yv Will have. her 16-:year-old. daughter visiflrig her fronri Los Angeles. for the hblidays; Girl's father was.tHe late ..Walter (Connolly. Mary Mason :sufr,er^d a: ciit ' ear duririg laSt Wednesdiay's (11) .mati- nee of 'Gliarley's Auht,' MishSp 'bc-i. curred. wheri she: briished past a pin, projecting froin a piece of scenery. Actress.: gave a perfocriiance that liight;: with; he r. hair; 'rearrariiged to hide 'tiie: dressiriii.;': '. : . , - - Lee /Tracy, .Who clbsed last Wed- nesday night (11) after .thiree. per-, f ormarices. in . -Every Man .ior.Jliin-' self,', says he ; doesn't, want tb: even., hear, abotit another :piay for. at least six .months. -He's; goirig back; to the : coast iri a hur'ry, he assei^ted.-. ■ :-" deorge- Abbbti is interested -in 'The Great American family.' by Robert Prayne ;.Chapiri' and. Charles King. the.-Shuberts rebenlly held it. Sarn" • uei .Frenich ' . the agent. Mrs^ Jtoe Heidi, wife of the"Thea-. ' ;tre.. Gu ild' Ipia;, iri Medical Center, ^ Jer.«ey Crh\ With P