Variety (Jan 1942)

so LEGITIMATE Wednesday, January 28, I942 Plays on Broadway PORGY AND BESS (REVIVAL) MuhU'rI mcliMlmmii *ln ihrce nciR i>r«'»i*nic<l nt tlip M:<Jpt»tliv ,N. v.. Jnn. 22, Uy Cheryl Cr:nvfoi-<l; srore by Ccrtrsc (Jer«h- wln: linok by Pullni'*' Hcywniil; lyrlcii by Hoywiinl ftnil Irn (ioifhwln: ntncpd by Tlnb- orl no»s: fhornl fllniflnc dliccic*! by Bvn Jew«vo: conrtucior. Altxnndpr SinnUcnR; 'I'oM Dunrnti nn<l Anno llro*vn (•■iitiired: nPUlnKS by IlPrbcrt Andro.wo; S2.7ri top. !i(nrin Gpors'''t IHarvpy Lily Vclpn Diiw'ily AnnlV Olbprlno Ayorn Crnrn llnrrioU Jni-k^-n jnkp I'Mwiinl Miitlbcwii SlK>rtln' Mfo Av.m I<onJi MInRn Jimmy \VniPv.'< Hobblnp... Xonry D:ivlw Sprfnn Ruliy Klxy Jim Jarh Cnrr Voter n«bvn l=:cntn Porj:>* m Toild Punrnii Crown Wiirron Cnb'm.'m Bpbp An'*'' r.r-'wn lar Pollromrxn Wlllln-i Hb-binl-'on 2n<i Pollrcmnn ""il Dn I'ont DolOfllv "(llitis Ivnn.Hf* Vn<Ior[n»;or Jnbn fljirlb Krnzirr J. n<M»nmiiniI J-hifon NolBon ■William Prtwom Slrawliorrv Wrmnn Ili-lon IXnviIy Cn»b'Mitn Wllllnm "Wonlfnlk Coroner AI Wosl CAFE CROWN Ctun^tly in Ihr^c iicle, oiio Krene. by H. S. Krirt. pro«cnt<Hl by Cnrly WImrlon & Mnr- tin Onlwl nt Con. N. T.. Jnn. 23. '12. I'Vntuiv:* S:im .Tnffo nnd MoitIm CArnovuhyr mniie.l Uy EUn Knznn: wlUnK. nnrin Arnn- pon: ^4.40 o|»cnlng; W.ao Ihoronfd'r. CuMnmi»r Mcrvln WlUlnms AVnllPr John Drone Rubin Joil CoKut . Snm Jny Aillop K:i|ilnn AUrdil Wlillo >rcn'li-l rol.in Dnnlol Ocko .7nntb:*on Frnnk OouliI Mr.-, rorlnlnn Pnuln Mlllfr Tlyntio , Sam JnfTc Untiip Lou Potnn W.Tltrr . .WUIlnrr J^InroII nr-ciinr Solcn Hurry TiipIItz ^ RiliinTd Kninz I.pslpr r*r.'i'.) S.Tm Wnnnm.-^krr Nornii Colo ^liiry Mnwwi Ml I'olnn MII7.I Hijfin Piivlil C>Io MorrlB Cnninvj«kv flporc** nurlftn IGporcc Pplrl** T.Ijt'Mv Hobort T.ronnrrt yo\v,«p:inPr >T.ln Abr.ihnm J. 8'»Plvhi »'iTii f*olp '.>f'irjn\rol Wnllpr ''lorNl ^rirhnrl O^irrln McfcptiirPr Moy Tom Jorilnn Not until the orchestra struck up 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at the flnal curtain did the enthusiastic opening night audience desist ap- plauding the superlative performance of the George Gershwin musical melodrama, 'Porgy and Bess,' at the Majestic. The exhibition of appre- ciation was a rare flrst-night thrill, and that the revival will be among the season's best supported shows is clearly indicated. The revival comes seven years after the origins^l presentation by the Theatre Guild. It played the Alvin for 14 weeks, but tne engage- .ment'ended somewhat in the red be- cause of its then costly operation,' according to the Guild management. Weekly nut was fairly large so far as the cast went, but.the outlay for the men in the pit ran to big money. There were then 42 men in the or- chestra, whereas for the revival there are 27. . Original was the only show with colored artists that ever had a $4.40 top, and it was figured that the scale was too high. Orostes totaled $24,- 000 weekly for a time, but when the count dropped under $20,000 there was an operating loss. Top price now Is $2.75, but it is housed in the biggest legit hotise in the -Times Square district. Gershwin's melodies, which have become widely popular since the original production, furnish the strength of 'Porgy,' and the way the score Is played seems more impor- tant now than then. Alexander Smallens is again conductor, and to him largely goes, the credit for the currently fine presentation. He is not only the top name in the perform- ance, but also orchestrated the score and made possible the stirring renditions. Ordinarily he will not accept the baton unless the orchestra has at least 50 musicians. Music lovers acknowledged his repute and each time he entered the pit open- ing night he was applauded., Also a definite factor in 'Porgy's' new- found popularity has been the wide radio playing of the Gershwin tunes. Excellence in performance Is also accounted for by the reappearance of the leads and most of the' ottfers of the original cast, but there are two newcomers who rate highly" too. Todd Duncan an4 Anne Brown re- prise the title parts and well earn their featuring. His baritoning of . 'I've Got Plenty of Nuttin'' is a high- light Their dueling of 'Bess, You Is My Woman Now' and 'I Loves Vou, Porgy' also wins plaudits. Avon Long, the new Sportin' Life, originally played by Bubbles (Buck and), goes on high with 'It Ain't Necessarily So'' and, with Miss Brown, is excellent with 'There's a . Boat That's- Leavin' Soon for New ■York.' Harriet Jackson, also new, does very well with another favorite, •Summer-Time," while Warren Cole- man sturdily handles 'A Red Headed Woman." Ensemble singing is best In the third-act choral numbers, 'Clara, Don't Be Downhearted' and, for the stirring finale, 'I'm On My Way.' Eva Jessye directed the choral sing- ing, which figures in making 'Porgy' .more in the operatic form. Orig- inally it was billed as opera, but nearly 45 minutes have been deleted. The dullish interludes are absent and the performance moves forward steadily. Story of . the crippled Porgy of Catfish Row, who falls In love with and loses Bess, is interesting not so much for the outbursts that are cli- maxed by the two homicides but for the vividness of the characterizations and the principal setting. Simulation of tlie storm scene might have been better worked out, but the terror of the women is one of the' better bits of staging by Robert Ross. 'Porgy and Bess' should now be In general demand because of its mod- erate ticket prices. Immediate pub- lic reaction to the revival Is some- what a surprise, but there is little doubt that the snow is in for a run, tbee. Rnrelv has a strictly localized, dia- lectic play made good on Broadnwy. hut th is comedy count erpart of the Tjcw iorTC eas1si9e's"CaIe RoyaleTias" n fairly good chance to turn the trick. It's Inden with humor understandable to all. has a human quality that'.'; as warming as it is amusing, .and its characterizations of the Ifiddish the- atre's habitues are hardly exagger- ated. In evaluating it as an .entertain- ment, first consideration must be given to Sam Jaffe and Morris Car- novsky, whose magnificent perform- ances are its mainstay. They man- age to sustain the occasionally spotty script by H. S. Kraft, who appears to have concentrated more on gags than an entirely engrossing plot. Most of the humor, is inherent in the Jaffe and Carnovsky characterizations. JafTe, in possibly his best role and acting job to date, is unquestionably the show's standout. As Hymie, the busboy. he's a close copy of the Cafe Royale's own Herman, a fabulous character who is known to finance Yiddish shows and actors as a side- line to rushing the chopped liver. Carnovsky's role as David Cole is evidently a takeoff of the late Jacob Adler, 'Yiddish theatre, star, whose wives and children were legion, and it calls for much scenery-chewing and prolonged flowery speeches, which well illustrate the pseudo- geniuses who Inhabit the Second avenue Sardl's. Story hangs on a thin thread, con- cerning the efforts of the Yiddish theatre's standout name, David Cole, to get Hymie, the busboy. to-finance a modem Yiddish version of Shake- speare's 'King Lear.' Hymie has been burned before by Cole's Shake- spearean experiments, and won't tumble, even when Cole effects a reconciliation - -with his wife and daughter, both w.k. actresses, so that tliey will take leading roles along with a comparative , newcomer, played by Sam Wanamalier, In whom Cole sees starring possibilities. 'When Hymie balks in putting up the coin, the unexpected son by Cole's first and forgotten marriage furnishes the money. Opening night another com- plication sets in when Wanamaker gets an offer to go to Hollywood immediately. The boy' is In love with Cole's daughter and wants to stick, but Cole pulls a surprisingly generous gesture by stepping Into the role himself and freeing the juve for the cinema world. Cast Is very populous for a straight play, there being 22 players , in all, and most of them are capital. Wan- amaker and Mary Mason, as the ro- mantic pair, are good looking, capa- ble and rate attention from Holly- wood. Whitner Bissell is likewise excellent as the son who bounds into the strange-to-him Yiddish theatre world from Australia, and John Brone, as another Cafe Crown wait- er, has numerous comedy lines and delivers them well. Daniel Ocko, as a Yiddish drama critic, and Eduard Franz, a frustrated playwright who has just completed his 103d epic, are important, well-played cogs in the play. Ditto Mitzl Hajos, George Pe- tri, Paula Miller, Lou Polan, Mar- garet Waller and Robert Leonard. In spots the direction was hardly strong, although on the whole Ella Kazan did a good job. Setting by Boris Aronson Is fine, and evidences a close study of Cafe Royale itself. Scho. a moderate run, but Is unlikely to pay off the investment. Picture pros- pects are dubious. The play is understood to be a re-; written version of 'In My Opinion, which Raphaelson trietL-out two summers ago at thesBefkshire^^lsy- house, Stockbridee^'mBSirvLlke mosi professional playwrights, Raphaelson has long nursed a grudge against the critics and, according to those who recall 'In My Opinion,' It was an un- successful attempt to pillory, the aisle-sitters. Probably in the vari- ous revisions the authtfr's original theme has been pretty iViiich lost, for while 'Jason' aims a few barbs at the reviewers, it doesn't appear to have any pervading message or idea. A drawing room triangle, 'Jason' deals with a distinguished critic, .bis wife, and a super-egoist playwright. Despite some bright dialog and sev- eral amusing scenes, the play's chief interest for first-nighters seemed to be the question of the identity of the loading characters. There was no attempt to hide the fact thai the un- inhibited playwright represents Wil- liam Saroyan, with only mild exag- reration. Raphaelson is said to deny^ that any of ^he three critics were drawn from life, though first-nighters were inclined to identify the lead as an approximation of George Jean Nathan. , Other, two pritics were ■vaguely—femiHiseenr-^of- "Rlchjrrd Watts, Jr., and Burns Mantle, though in their cases any reseipblances were remote. Raphaelson's idea of how a critic lives and works is. satiric, whether he Intends it so or hot. Play's plot shows how a play- wright, disguised as a messenger- boy, gains entrance to a critic's home. Between writing a new script in the critic's library, starting a crap game, filling the place with nondescript neighbors and trying to seduce the critic's wife, he rudely shakes up the critic's life. At the end, the critic has nearly lost his wife, but appar- ently his outlook and his existence are clarified. The playwright, who started as an iKgratlathtgTKap,-turns oiit to be a heel, but Is conceded to be a brilliant writer. But the play, which started out amusingly, peters out. Author of 'Accent on Youth' and 'Skylark' again demonstrates his tal- ent for provocative situations and glittering dialog, but his newest play Is shallow, with a slick-paper mag glibness and showlness. A star name would help it at the boxoftice, but there isn't a star part In the script. Although producer George Abbott is recognized as a top director, Raphael himself has staged "Jason.' It's a competent. If fairly obvious. Job. Nicholas Conte, as the playwright, member of the triangle, resembles Saroyan In appearance and in his headlong manner. He also gives a convincingly gusty performance. As the critic-lead, Alexander Knox does extremely well with an unyielding part Although he must carry the action, he has to underplay through- out and the character haS only occa- sional moments of appeal. Helen Walker gives an unevenly, but gen- erally acceptable performance In the badly-written part of the critic's wife. Ellen Hall gives a competent por- trayal of a secretary, while Ray-' mond Greenleaf and William Miles seem believably untheatrlcal as crit- ics. E. G. Marshall, Eulabelle Moore, Knox Stevens, Tom TuUy and Edna West are plausible in supporting parts. Incidentally, Miles, who oper- ates the Stockbrldge strawhat where Raphaelson tried out the original script is making his first stage ap- pearance In a number of years. - John Root's single setting Is both handsome and practical. Hobe. LILY OF THE VALLEY Mclo<)rAina In Ihrcc ncu presented nt the WlnilMr. N. T., Jan. 2«. '-41, by Gilbert Miller: written and Htagcd by Ben Hocht; ftlcgfrled numann and Nf}*ron McCormtck featured: setting by Hnrry Horner; (.',.30 top. Sinaley Kdmund Dorecy Butch David Kerman Beltlor Charles Mendlck Andy Miller Joseph Pcvney Joe will Lee Man l*nul R, I.lpson Lieutenant Bulboa Clay Clement Hum John Phllllber l^mma Jolonlck Minnie Dupree Mqk Alison. Sklpworth BIhkle Uastn ' Richard Tabor Trances Katharine Bard .Shorty Myron MrComiIck Willie (the Miser),. David Hortman Annie Crania O'Mnlloy .Mr. Whittlepon Rugeno Keith Itev. Svon Houseman Slecfrled Rumonn MIko.. John Shellle There has been little mention of 'one big union' among actors receniir and the Idea appears to have been shelved permanently. Principal ^on why the plan will probably not eventuate Is the strong financial i^* ■ jtion of Equity as compared to other talent unions within the Associa^ Actors and Artistes of America. . Most Equltyites appear to feel that It would be leading with their chins to enter Into a single-union arrangement since the plan would doubtlessly call for Equity to turn over its surplus to the general fund. When the one-union Idea cropped up there were many squawks In Equity over the requirement to pay dues In the radio union or Screen Actors Guild when moving from one field to another. Equity leaders say that when actors leave the stage for radio or picture jobs they do so to increase their earnings and, therefore, should not object to paying dues to the other unions. When such switches are made Equity gets the worst of it because members are required to pay but one-half the dues ($9) an- nually. They also have the privilege of getting withdrawal cards, thereby ■ paying no Equity dues for the time they're not on the stage. Some of the other Four A's unions have sllding-scale dues, including SAG and Amer- ican Federation of Radio Artists. Dues in the latter can reach $60 per year, while In the picture union the aniounts often run much higher. , . Charles G. Stewart who was general manager for Rowland Stebblnj during the Ipng run of 'The Green Pastures' at the Mansfield, N. Y:, has the same post for 'Porgy and Bess,' which was revived to acclaim by Cheryl Crawford and. John Wlldberg at the Majestic last week. Clarence J acqbsqn, w ho was back with 'Pastures' on th e road, is co mpany, manager of'Pastures,' while "William'Goiaheart, who was treasurer oflhe ManiSdil during the 'Pastures' engagement is In the Majestic boxoffice, switched from the ^arrest vfhen long lines of ticket buyers appeared. Goldheart was also treasurer at Maplewood, operated by Miss Crawford and Wlld- berg as a summer stock and tryout spot Avon Long, one of the few players not in the original company, attracted attention during 'Porgy's' showing in Boston. A night club operator of- fered to pay him $500 for a week's appearance, that being plenty more than his stage salary. He was unable to accept Porgy' Is not being billed this time as operai but the program details the story of the play scene by scene, somewhat In\the operatic manner. JASON Comedy In Ihreo acts by Samson Raphael- son, singed by the author: anting by John Root: presented by George Ab1>ott, at Hud- son theatre. N. T.i Jan. 21, '42; (3.30 lop ($-4.40 opening). Mies Crone mien Hall Violet Eulabelle Moore Messenger Nicholas Conte Jason Otis Alexander Knox Lisa Otis Helen Walker Georgo Bronson Raymond Greenleaf nill Squibb William NIlea Humphrey Crocker E. 0. Manfhall Nick Wiggins KnoT Stevens Kennedy Tom Tully Mrs. Kennedy .<..,-. Edna West If Samson Raphaelson was trying to put-across any particular idea in 'Jason' he didn't succeed In express- ing it clearly enough: Comedy is occasionally diverting, but apparently too tlUm ^or 3x9^(}way.. Jt may lj9ve Some surprising plays turn up on Broadway, but when a name author and manager combine to offer such a grisly drama as 'Lily of the 'Valley' it is doubly disappointing. One of the derelicts in the play is given to quoting betting odds, but not with a wide enough spread that the play has a chance. Beit Hecht has figured In at least one exciting success on the stage and stands high in Hollywood. That makes his selection of material for 'Lily' the less understandable. Pos- sible that he got the idea after doing pieces for PM and it Is probably the first time a mortuary has been se- lected for theatrical fare. Play is enacted in the office of police lleuteniant-Balboa in the New York county morgue, who regards his duty of trying to identify the name- less dead to. be important. He is bf- hside Stuff-Legit They'll hock the mortgage around the Oscar Serlin office to lay odds that a Pittsburgh report mentioning the number one 'Life with Father' playing that town this summer Is sour. Word from there fixes the start- ing date as May n.,..but ti^keis.ar.e J!n_sale at the Empire, JJ. Y., nearly up (o that time. They "don't have to be coaxed much to bet Tather' wiU'run' through the third year on Broadway. - It is now in its 116th week. There are two companies on the road, but Serlin knows nothing of a plan to try for a .summer run at the Nixon, Pittsburgh. One of the touring out* fits played the Senator, a picture house there, for two weeks last Novem- ber to big money, and local show people think that 'Father' can repeat for a longer period. Nixon has not been lighted during summer since 1921, when Harry Bannister and Ann Harding headed a stock company in the house. . When Equity's council reversed itself last week and issued a legit casting permit to Myron Selznick, It took a bit of convincing. Committee which favored Selznick had no Idea that the recommendation would be turned down, which was the reason the application was brought up again so promptly. There were around 30 letters from Equity members 'now on the Coast favoring the Selznick permit, and some were read to the council. Most of the communications were signed by picture names, those players saying that if they returned to the stage they preferred to be represented by the Coast caster, rather than by New York agents whom they hardly know, Selznick has had a N. Y. office for four years and said he was not Inter- ested-'in getting stage jobs for his clients, unless authorized by Equity. At the request of Annabella herself, 20th-Fox has called o^ Its'ex- ploiteers assigned to see that she received over-all press coverage in cities, where Chi company of 'Blithe Spirit' was playing. Understood that in Pittsburgh last week, where No. 2 company of Noel Coward hit was breaking in, preponderance of publicity tor French-American actress, at virtual exclusion of other three stars, Dennis King, Estelle Winwood and Carol Goodner, caused plenty of dissension in th^ company and, conscious of her co-players' chilly attitude towards her, Annabella asked studio to let show's agent Carleton Miles, handle" everything. Although she's not imder contract to 20th, assignment of a special man was a gesture to her. husband, Tyrone Power. Morris Carnovsky, in 'Crown Cafe,' which opened at the Cort, N. Y, lastjFrlday (2'3), left the cast of 'My Sister Eileen,' Biltmore, to appear In the new comedy but he has a string to the 'Eileen' job. He has a letter from producer Max Gordon verifying a leave of absence tor six weeks, so In the event that 'Cafe' does not cUck, he can return to 'Eileen,' which has been playing more than a year. Louis Sorin replaced Carnovsky in the run-comedy but was advised of the conditions of the latter's withdrawal. Little theatres throughout the country showed a preference tor five plays, four of which had successful runs on Broadway and later were snapped up for pictures. Survey conducted by house organ of 114 com- munity theatres revealed that cracker boxes gave more stagings to the following than any of the others' made available to them: 'George Wash- ington Slept Here,' 'Man Who Came to Dinner,' 'Ladies in Retirement' 'The Male Animal' and 'Jim Dandy.' One of the most unusual tripling up of jobs has Frank Mayer, secretary to Minneapolis Mayor Marvin L. Kline, also handling Minneapolis Sym- phony orchestra and Lyceum theatre (legit road shows) publicity. Mayer is former local newspaperman and ex-University of Minnesota football player. He handled the aforementioned publicity jobs prior to his appoint- ment to the mayor's secretaryship. lievable, as are a couple of detectives and a photographer, but most of the other characters are not Six nondescripts have been re- ceived during the day, dead by rea- son of suicide, Illne'ss, starvation, ex- posure and accident These people are the scum of the slums. They appear in the room as ghosts, garbed in their shabby clothes. One is a 63-year-old street walker; another tired of poverty; third is described as just a bum; fourth a dock walloper who Imbibed poison booze, and the last a young girl killed by accident: Nearby mission is gutted by fire and Sven Houseman, Norwegian evangelist -moves his sorry array of utensils In for the night Through a process claimed to be a miracle, Sven Is able to see and talk to the ghosts. One is a miser, whom Sven makes reveal the hiding place of a hoard, Sven returns with the tor- tune, acting as though nut^. The washer of bodies sees the money, (Contipupd,qii j(.age. sy, ... L D. Dowling to Coast For New Musical Cast Eddie Duryea Dowling, stager of 'Hellzapoppin' and the current 'Sons 0' Fun' tor Olsen and Johnson, planed to the Coast recently with Herb Yates. Intends combining vacation with lining up names for a musiw to be produced in the spring by the Shuberts, Also will gather material tot a book to be supplied to army posts that are too remote to get tour- ing shows and therefore, stage their own entertainment Dowling just completed staging > new USO-Camp Shows, Inc., unll with a cast including Yvette, SW Marlon, Cliff HaU and Lois Harber. Troupe will be sent to service posts in northern areas.