Variety (Sep 1942)

so LEGITIMATE P^tEfY Wednesday, September 16, 1942 Plays Out of Town THE PIRATE Madison, Wis., Sept. 14. r'>ini<*<ly In ihroc nrta (aovcn s^'cneu) by B. .N'. ilfhiinnn. tram oM play by Lu.IwIk KtiMn. I-'f;iiure» AKi'Oil Uunl. Lynn Kon- liitiiic. Sl:iKv'd by l.unt anil John C. WU- HiHi; inuflli'. Herbert Klntfulcy: scitlnva, l.xiutiel Ayerfl; costumcii, Mllea While: ilnni-.-d. Keiu-iu Sorel. Presented by IMay- \Mli;hl9 Co., In nssoclutlon with Theatre <iiiilij. At W'lsi-onsln I'nlon theatre. .MiidU sun. WiH.. .>>"ein. U. 'ii. IVth'o Varguv Jack Smart Monuebi Lynn Fontanne Isalielj;! IjeiL Penman Inos Katelle Wlnwood I'.ituK-lio Jnmea O'Nulll Klshviimy Albert Ponwell Trllto Maurice BlUa l>.in IIoIk Walter Moaby K'lahan Robert Bmhardt S-'i.-^nn Alfred Lunt Horiiilt William Maaaena I.l7.aniH Muriel nahn Vk-eru.v neynolda Dcnnlaton The Lunts have done it again. They have created a new play which will cause a lot of talk and argu- ments. As for money—it's pretty much a cinch, in spite of the fact that an awful lot of people will be disappointed. The complication this time comes from the fact that (.unt and Fon- tanne—dragging playwright S. N. Behrman along with them—have de- cided that the time has come for es- cape entertainment. Their new play, 'The Pirate,' is sheer unadulterated escape theatre. It has no hidden meanings. It has no reading be- tween the lines. It has no message. Coming from Sam Behrman, this is a bit of a surprise. Especially at times lil<e these, when you would expect him to da a little yelling. But no. He chooses to laugh. Well, okay. If the theatre is ready for this type of play—and there always has been room for comedy—then, the show Is in. It is witty and it is funny. At times it reminds of 'Reunion in Vi- enna.' At other times of 'The Guardsman.' It is that kind of a play. The setting is in the West Indies early in the 19th century. Jack Smart is a retired pirate, living a life of piety and import in the small village. He is married to Lynn Fon- tanne, who does not know his back- ground but enjoys his riches. Along comes a traveling theatrical troupe headed by Lunt. He recognizes the pirate and goes on the make for the wife. The pirate can't do a thing about it. Tries to frame Lunt, but gets hooked himself. Lunt, of course wins both the wife and the marbles. Behrman has never written fun- nier dialog. Lunt and Fontanne have never seemed to enjoy themselves as much. But after the kind of plays that Behrman's name has been identified with, and after the last couple of Lunt-Fontanne shows, there will be those who will scream how come?' In other words, the public will eat it up, but the critics will do a lot of shaking of their wise and ponderous heads. Loop. STRIP FOR ACTION Pittsburgh, Sept. 10. HDn ji.i I. ndaay and Ruaaol Crouae. Staged by Uieialfc-nB Wlndual and dealgned by «nynion(l bc.vey. Preaentcd by Oatar Ser- ).n «l the NlJon. Pittsburgh, Sept. 10 tor lu .lay... Koalurea Keenan Wynn. EleanSr I.ynn. .loey Faye. Murray Leonard and Jeun (.urici*; lop 9'J.iri. y.rS"'*'"' Coby nuskln T,„: Wylle Adams i' "> HIchard Sunders Owen Martin Jl " Kenny Forbea r' . ■ Bert fteed i; ';! J»ck Albertaon Jerry Thor i.' Uan Kohler lll.lii.i.l Clark J;,"'; James Mi.Mahon V,',,"' Charlie Ivaye ?) '■■■ "iirry DeCoata ',)"""•' Jacnuellne Paige "V," JoaepJi Ha worth ?;'",>■ OlRB Ilrace ?."'•> Howard Blaine iV'V Kitty Vosa Cary Mylea il.T.ilillne Dv.r.ik Evelyn nuHJiell r:""'"" Harold Aliliey f.;',','""' Wendell <v.r»y V'"' Ullly Koud Ton' (""no >;"',' John IVShiiy Kloiinnr llo|.>yn ■''■'■"I' Moity Noonan 7"," .MiU.m Dronson ■J"'!'- C'.lorla Iniiles ll'io LaVc.n - Mnrjl Unler ''"'I'" I'at Klynn •'"111'"" Doris Knyc I''"'" Helen Bnrrle ''l^'l.^" Anita Arden ■'"''> Joey F.iyo f-i'i-^ Keenan Wynn l''""t>' Mul'ny Leoniird J]'"''*''' lean Carter Tommy K.irrell Mi'Bs Set Ken III Itarry Kelley Kleanor Lvnn '■iPI'i'n (lordon Nelson ^I'll"!' Dnvhl Kerman '•"ui.n:iiil Leonard ralriek ('oiiiiiiisKinnr, Leslie Bnrrle riilef of .stuff Harry Bnnnlnter ('■""•rnl Paul Iluber Btirlesque may be dead In New York, but it'll be achieving in death this season a renown it never en- joyed in life. The old Peel Wheel still has a lot of distinguished anil Influential friends left. Mike Todd is one of them; Howard Lindsay, Russel Crouse and Oscar Serlln are three others. While Todd is keeping alive the memory of the dear de- parted on Broadway musically, at $••.40 a throw, the 'Life With Father' threesome has ti.ken over the dra- matic rights to the lively corpse in 'Strip for Action.' But Lindsay, Crouse and Serlin have quite a job o: their hands; the 10 days' schedule : -re before the scheduled Broadway opening will hardly be enough and 'Strip' may have to stay out a while longer. Opening performance of the show within a show was pretty ragged; transitions were rough and too many stretches dragged interminably. The makings seem to be here, however, but it may be plenty tough whipping it into shape, since this isn't a very tractable enterprise. There's too much rehearsal stuff in the first act, with the practice sessions of the pa- rade and line girls being extended far beyond their natural amount of interest and fun. It drags the tempo, while in the second stanza the fin- ished production numbers, being ostensibly presented to a soldier au- dience, aren't corny enough to be amusing. They look too legitimate. A more hep bunch of customers may improve the reaction, but not enough to get 'Strip' across unless it's speeded up considerably and a lot of repetition is clipped. Central character is Private Nutsy Davis, played neatly by Keenan Wynn, who extends an unauthorized invitation to his old burlesque troupe to come down to camp and put on a show for the boys. They take over an old theatre in the town, but things look bad when the star strip- per takes a powder when she's of- fered $150 a week in St. Louis. But Squee shows up at that particular moment and Squee is the daughter of the late ZaZa, the greatest peeler of them all, and who is being sent to an exclusive girls' school by her mother's old cronies. All she wants, though, is to follow in her mother's G-.string and the gang finally agrees she can do the show. That's the cue for another compli- cation. The camp captain says there'll be no burlesflue shows in his camp, so off to Washington goes Squee, with Nutsy, to see the chief of staff, whose life was once saved by Squee's grandfather and who promised in writing tITat he'd always stand ready to help out the family when and if. It's one of the funniest scenes in the show, with Nutsy and Joey (Joey Faye, who comes very close to walk- ing off with the show) pulling the old Flugel Street routine on the British commissioner to keep him out of the office until the busy chief gets around to writing the permit. Back to camp they go armed with the necessary papers and practically all of the second act is devoted to the burley show the gang puts on for the troops. Shifting from front to backstage here is pretty confus- ing and doesn't jell, with some pretty embarrassing waits resulting. While Lindsay and Crouse have written a flock of funny lines—sev- eral of them are yells—it's some kind of a commentary on 'Strip for Action' that the higest howl of the lot at the opening performance was Flugel Street, done in the cherished burlesque tradition by Faye. Wynn and Murray Leonard, with Faye, a burley alumnus himself, going to town and chalking up a 10-strike. That's done as a rehearsal bit, but .<;evcral other traditional skits are later in- jected as part of the burlesque show itself. Trouble is that some of them are just passable and it isn't enough to ask a $4.40 audience to accept them on the grounds that they're curios. Flugel's great and needs no apologies; the others are in-between. Lind.«ay and Crou.se have injected the feel of burlesque backstage, its comic coarseness, furious profes- sional jealousies, plain talk and pe- culiar jargon. But whether they have a play here remains to be seen; idea appears to fit a musical pattern and it also has definite screen pos- sibilities. Authors and Bretaigne Windust. the director, particularly have to build up their curlain and edit furiously. Casting generally Is excellent. Wynn definitely establishes himself as a crack juvenile comedian as the bra.sh, fun-loving, typically burlesque comic, and litllc Joey Faye'.s bound 10 get himself talked about plenty. Eleanor Lynn is a cute and winning Squee, and click.<i all the way, while there's a swell first-act bit by Jean Carter, from burley, as the tempera- mental stripper who raises the dick- ens with a drummer kid in khaki because he can't keep his mind on his work. 'What I want.' she squeals, 'is a drummer who aint a virgin.' Murray Leonard scores nicely as a burlesque straight man, which isn't surprising since that's what he's been for years, a;id there are a num- ber of first-rate bits by Jacqueline Paige. Boo La'Von, Tommy Farrell, Harry Banni.ster, Owen Martin and iieveral others who aren't easy to id-ntify in the ^ig cast. There are around 50 speaking parts. First night opinion ftere was that 'Strip' was a disappointment, coming as it did under such distinguished auspices. But majority agreed, too, that the possibilities were there; only question was whether they could be capitalized In time. Cohen. Shows m Rehearsal 'Mr. Sycamore'—Theatre Guild. 'Life of the Party'-Henry Duffy. 'The Damask Cheek' — Du ight D. Wiman. 'Time, Ptoce and the Girl'— Georges D. Gersene. 'Wine, Woman and Song'— Shuberts, I. H. Herk, etc. •Let Freedom Sing' — Youth theatre. 'Eve of St. Mark' — Play- wrights. 'Without Love'—Theatre Guild. 'Helliapoppln* (road) — Shu- berts, 'Lady In the Dark' (road)— Sam H, Harris. Plays on Broadway JANIE COUNT ME IN Boston, Sept. 10. A mualcul ahow in iwo arts (M eccnea) with book by Walter Kerr and Leo Brady: mualc and lyrlea by Ann Ronell. Uonees ataged by Robert Alton; bonk atatfcd by Robert Roaa; coatumea by Irene Sllaraff and settlnga by Howard Buy. Featuring Charles Butterworth, Lue'.la Clear, Hal Ije- Roy, June Prelaser, Mary Mealy and Qower & Jeanne. Presented by the Shubertn and Olaen & Johnaon In aaaoclalton with Krak- aur & Schmldtapp at the Shuberl theatre, Sept. 10, '42: ^.30 top. Cast: Charles Butterworth, I.uella Gear, Hal LeRoy, June Prelsaer. Mar,* Healy, Gower (t Jeanne, Alice Dudley, Milton Wat.Hon, SIcllaaa Mason. Ross Slslerw. John McCauley, Joe E. Murks, AUred Lalell, the Ithythnialrca, others. Singing glrla: Julie Colt, J^^.nn P:irllnff, Aanes Kane, Cornelia [vllliourn, Jolmnna tHllmnn. Olga Novoael. Marian Sumetz, Alice Tyrcll, Dancing girls: Jean Arthur. Carolyn Ayres, Mary Alice Bingham, Kiiy Coulter. !)on»thy Grlfrin. Cmikey Kley. June Klin. Kay Lews, Claire Ijoring, Bubbles Ahindl. D')lores Milan, Janle New. Jenne Ow.»n!*. Margaret Ryan, Elizabeth I^an. Nina Sharkey. Pat Weakley. Marie Vllson. Dancing boy.i: Jim Harron, Vincent Cnr- bone. Danny Danlela. Charles Julian. Roy .Miushall, Wllllalm O'Sha.v. Jack Rllcy, Harry Roguge, Joe Vlgglano, The inventory on this new musical show begins with an Inevitable com- parison to Frank Mandel's 'Vickie,' since the ribbing of female war ac- tivities is the situation around which it is built. It's got a formula that should go when they get through fussing with it here, especially if the score gets a hypo, since that is the show's weakest section at this point, although the flabby flag-waving finale is equally responsible. Stemming from a war-conscious but not intrusive theme, the central situation finds Papa Brandywine (Charles Butterworth), a map- maker, by-passed in the hectic home- front activities of his family. His wife (Luella Gear) is a sergeant in one of the multi-initialed fcmme out- fits: his daughter (Mary Healy) is taking first-aid courses; his oldest son (Gower Champion) is in the air force: his youngest (Hal LeRoy) is an air-raid warden: even his maid (Clarissa Mason) is dallying with the navy. The musical pattern springs hap- pily from papa's bumble-witted tour of his family's activities, trying to find something to do. Each group has its chance to go into a produc- tion number and follow up with star specialties. In the meantime a triple romantic angle develops between Hal LeRoy and June Preisser, Gower and Jeanne, and Mary Healy and Milton Watson. At length papa remembers he has a map of Shangri-La which he elaborately plants with the Japs (in the show's sharpest number, by the way), and, as the Jap navy is licked when it falls for the gag, papa is vindicated. It's a neat device and a lively springboard for the music and danc- ing which develops without undue stress. The humor derives mainly from situations, but there are a cou- ple of gags to boot. Except for a bit of business with a podch and a kangaroo, there's little evidence of Olsen-Johnson whimsy, but in the main there is enough quiet humor, with Butterworth and Miss Gear, both in top form, snaffling virtually all of it. Although there.are eight tunes in the show, none of them seem to have .<;mash lyrical.or musical appeal, par ticularly those expected to carry the Watson-Healy romance. A little plugging might reverse this situa- tion, but, of the 'sweet' tunes, .only 'We're S^ill on the Map' appears to have click possibilities. For novelty songs, 'Tickctyboo' and 'General StafI' carry horsepower, the first through its catchincss, the second throuh its lyrics and presentation An added tune (Will Irwin's) is 'Woman of. the Year,' but this bogs in a symbolic ballet. In the dancing specialties lies the show's main strength, especially in the work of Hal LeRoy, whose sec- ond-act tap number is on the beam while the dance team of Gower and Jeanne is mightly appealing. The romance between the partners is emphasized in spoken dialog during the choreography, their nitery and vaude stunt, and it's an effective piece of business. The Ross Sisters work in a fairly standard acrobatic session and catch on nicely; Elissa Mason has a brief eccentric turn, and the Rhythmaires, who draw the prize skit along with Joe E. Marks as a quintet of Interned Japs, score heavily. Mary Healy and June Preisser, as the smooth and hot ingenues, respec (Continued on page 52) Coniedy In three acta prehcnled at the ■ Ilor, N. T.. Sept. It), M'J, by Brock Pein- rion: written by Juaephlne Rontham and Herschel Willlama: ataged by Antoinette Perrc; settlnga by John Root: t!.80 top. Cliarlea Colbnrn .Maurice Manson Klaiiotb folhirn Clare Foley Lucllo Colbuni Nancy Cushman Itodnev Jolin Marriott .lohn Van Brunt Howard St. John Janle Colburn Owen Anderson nernadlne Dodd Betty Drockenrldge Paula Ralney Margaret 'Wallace .*<cooper Noloii Krank Amy Thelina I^wrence Linda 'Watklns Dick Lawrence Hertven Kvera Tina Artlelioll McOlnty Andy .Michael St. Angel Frank Franklin Kline Oscar Pool Wilson Hortenaa Bennlngion Oeriruda Beach ••Dead-Pan" llackctt nialna Flllmora Carl Loomis J. Franklin Jones Jofl Jarome Nloky Raymond Mickey Malone Kenneth Tnbey Uncle Poodgle W. O. McWatters First comedy of the new season has a soldier background. Opening act is distinctly amusing and, if the suc- ceeding two periods were as divert- ing, 'Janie' would be a cinch. Looks good enough, however, for a satis- factory engagement. There Is a tonic quality to some of the dialog as uttered by the adoles- cent characters, the words used by the younger generation being absent from the vocabulary of adults. Play has a small town locale, but what ;oes on could be almost any neigh- lorhood these days. Pattern of 'Janie's' construction is similar to that of 'Junior Miss' (run- ning at the Lyceum), in that there is a segment of youthful players contrasting with their elders, but there aren't as many laughs. However, looks like it will be a strong matinee draw, as indicated during the Buffalo tryout. Impres- sion is that the selection of the juves was considerably better than for the mature parts. The Colburn family's pride is Janie, a senior in highschool. Her dad, Charles, is publisher of the town's newspaper, a daily, his man- aging editor and partner being John 'Van Brunt. Janie's seven-year-old sister, Elsbeth, is a comic little pest who has to be bi-ibed with nickels and dimes to leave the room. To Ihe house comes widowed Thelma Lawrence and her handsome son, Dick, a junior at Yale who enlisted. It's a natural for Thelma and Van Brunt to fall for each other. Dad is opposed to soldiers being entertained in homes where there are young girls and editorializes on his ideas. That doesn't stop Janie from throwing a party for Dick and a few pals from the nearby camp the night the grownups go to the country club. Instead of three or four lads, a whole company in khaki horns in, plus one flaming red- headed gob who bussed it acro.ss the continent to see one of Janie's girl friends. The boys completely upset the house and then the colored butler serves them booze, incidentally get- ting plastered himself. Dad raves when, returning home, he sees that jeeps have wrecked the lawn. He socks the chief of police and gets pinched. Janie is in for it until a Firiorities man happens in and mol- ifles the old man by telling him he's likely to get the new press for his plant. In the name part is Gwen Ander- son, a product of the Pasadena Play- house, whom Brock Pemberton se- lected out of 200 candidates. She will be a stayer on the stage. Her Janie is refreshingly unaffected, while she and her two girl friends provide an atmosphere of clean- RocL Scaling Down Rochester, N. Y., Sept. 15. Manager Will Corris is trying lower prices for legit shows in the 2,500-seat Auditorium for the first time since he started occasional one and two-night stands some Ave years ago. He opened with 'My Sister Eileen' at $1.65, grading down to 5Sc, and packed them. Followed with 'The Moon Is Down' at $2.20 top. This compares with $3.75 top in past years. He is hoping for longer runs and more frequent shows 'playing to the masses' under the new policy. Engagements Louise Campbell, Joan Spencer, Oscar Sterling, Walter Beck, Hlldred Price, 'Guest in the House' (road). Bert Frohman, 'Young Man With a Horn.' Pinkie Lee, Herbie Faye, Murray Briscoe, Murry White, Marian Miller, Isabelle Brown, 'Wine, Woman and Song.' Ralph Bunker, Joan CaulfleW, Marc Piatt, Brian Connaught, 'Beat the Band.' Margaret Douglass, Leonard Elliott, Celeste Holm, John Tetzel, 'The Damask Cheek,' minded adolescence. Janie carries on a flirtation with Dick and that riles her schoolboy admirer, Scooper cleverly handled by Frank Amy. His funny pan is a help and he, too, should be a comer. The youngest of the troupe Is Clare Foley, whose Elsbeth Is one of the play'^5 delights. Herbert Evers as Dick; Betty Breckenridge and Margaret Wallace, as Janie's girl friends; Blaine Fillmore, as 'Dead- Pan' Hackett, a moon-struck soldier are also standouts among the younger players. Linda Watkins is easily the best of the grownups and her Thelma seems rightfully alluring to John, the man whom she is to wed, played very well by Howard St. John. The elder Colburns are enacted by Mau- rice Manson and Nancy Cushman to fair purpose. John Marriott and Artibell McGinty are the colored servants, both very good, especially the former. Antoinette Perry, whose judgment of pace has put most of Pemberton's lighter plays across, has done an- other crack directional job. Simu< lation of confusion in the house when the draftees are doing their stuS is authentic. 'Janie' is the first play in which Columbia Pictures is interested in with ' Pemberton. Firm has no squawk coming, for there Is picture value in the new comedy. Ibee. THE MORNING STAR Melodrama In three acta presented at Ihe Morosco. N. Y., 8«pt. H, •4a. by Oulhria McCllntIc: written by limlyn Wllllania; Gladys. Cooper fealured: ataged by Mc- CllntIc: sotting by Stewart Cheney: I.1.80 top. Mrs. Lane Brenda Forbes Mro. Parrllow Gladva Cooper Allaon Parrllow .nil Esmond Dr. Datcher (S.D.) Cecil Humphreys Brimbo Walkyn Rliys Wlllinma Cliff Parrllow (Iregory Peck Wanda Baring Wendy Barile Sir Leo Alvers .Nicholas Joy First war drama of the season is a grim story of London under aerial bombardment. Characters have a sense of humor, but play seems somewhat too heavy for this side, where the trend currently is for lighter stage fare. 'The Morning Star' in ils lOlh month at the Globe, London, and, upon its presentation there, bids came from American showmen, Guthrie McCIintic getting the nod. He. has casted carefiilly, every player counting, but the script should have been shortened. It is too often con- versational. Impression is that it is F,mlyn Williams' best writing effort, but the author seems to wander about too much, result being that his meaning is not clear. Perhaps Williams takes In too much territory. One of his conceits is to casually introduce an attractive trollop into the home of a rising young doctor. Cliff Parrllow. the surgeon, flnally admits to his wife, Alison, that he is having an affair with Wanda Baring. Revela- tion is quite frank and unusual from an American point of view. Parrilow has turned ' to writing novels and is about to leave for Hf)llywnod when Dr. Datcher. his old teacher, oicks his stuff to pieces. The young physician has been work- ing on a surgical method to correct cardiac bomb shock by an ooera- tion which will revive the heart rhythm. He is denied the chance, however, to experiment upon a hos- pital patient, even though she can- not live. Opportunity comes when an air raid warden is similarly af- flicted by a time bomb explosion. Surgeon goes to work and the patient does come around, but after speaking a few words suddenly ex- pires. Elder doctor says that hi!) chances to survive had been 1,000 to one. Parrilow decides that he really loves his wife and Wanda blithely goes off for a weekend with gay friends. Author has etclied his fel- low Britishers as admirable, cour- ageous people in the face of dire days and nights and doesn't rub it on too thick. There is no hint of hatred for the Nazis; the people of the play are too intent on healing. Gladys Cooper returns to Broad- way as the splendid mother of the young doclor and another son. a flyer killed flghting the enemy. She is gracious and heroic, even not too unkind to the trollop. A more im- portant assignment Is handled by Gregory Peck, seen last, season with Katharine Cornell in "The Doc- tors Dilemma,' as Dr. Parrilow. Peck plays the part earnestly. Cecil Humphreys, as the old doc- tor who once speculated on lite after death but has lived so long that he has lost interest in the idea, is okay. Rhys Williams Is the warden, com- panion to the old boy who saved him in the last war, his character- ization is likewise good. Wendy Barrie, from films, makes her debut on Broadway as the trifling other woman. She is a decorative person. Jill Esmond Is good as the wife: so is Brenda Forbes as a comic char- woman; Nicholas Joy is okay as one of Wanda's a.k. suitors. Raid effects are plentiful, but not terrifying. Ibee.