Variety (Dec 1942)

42 LEGITIMATB Wednesday, December 30, 1942 Plays on Broadway FLARE PATH Coinfily-ilriiniii by Tori-n-e R;ilMi::iii In thre« »ri» prfHcnied l.y ihIIicii MI11.T nl H. -nr. MMler. N. V.; ^l^iiifA Wclistcr; BftllnB. Hnyinmiil tiiii: opened Dec. ">. i'^'-- iwr KyU- \ill'..r .M:.rK.-ls..:i Ciiunte^K Skioiz.'ivlnsk.i Doris I'malon Mis a.kns CynlhU. l.iith^ini S.ii!f»nl Mill<i (!,>iiil.l >'-'y'\i>- i.„rcy ""I' KlJlnl biTuer Ski.. Zi winakl. AIokhm.I. i- Ivo I. lout. Tfildy r.r.illiiin \I''C liuinneuR riilrlela Unihuin Xnncy Hn Miller St|Uadmn-LeH'ler SwHn- I'y MiirKyn-l Suvey: Kelly . Hel. nii rit kiird Iteynolda Dennialon This is the second English play backgrounded by the war and pre- sented by Gilbsrt Miller. 'Lifeline' was first but taken off fast, desp;te its London rating. 'Flare Path is liked over there, too, but looks doubt- ful here, which is not unusual for such imports. New play has mos'. of its men in the R.A.F., yet there is no hint of the feats accomplished by the Brit- ish flyers. That's not because of ret- icence, for it ju.'t isn't that type of play. There is a certain amount of air field vernacular, though not really colorful wordage. •Flare Path" is a story of frustra- tion. Peter Kyle, an American actor from Hollywood, is well known in England for his screen romances. He virtually lived with Patricia Gra- ham, also of the stage, who left him because he couldn't marry her— his wife wouldn't let him. Pat has been wed to Teddy Graham, an Eng- lish flight lleutenajit, for a year, but it's not a love match, so when Kyle comes along, is ready to go back to him. Scene is parlor of a small hotel near a British flying field. From the window the bombers can be seen by guests as they take off in the night, first plane up dropping flares to show the path for the others. Graham goes up and though his plane is pretty well shot up, returns safely. He virtually collapses and then confesses to Pat that it is fear. If it be known tiiat he Is afraid of flight combat, he'd be tossed out of the R.A.F. as not having the proper morel fibre. Perhaps It is the ma- ternal instinct in the wife that makes Pat stick to her flyer, even though Kyle declares he doesn't know how he'll get along with her. Actor who has reached middle age, exits while the others, all ol whom like their liquor, go into a ditty about not join- ing the air force. Reason for the celebration Is the return of a Polish aviator whose wife and kid has been machine-gunned by the Nazis and who was thought lost In the air foray of the night before. He comes in bedraggled after some time in a rubber dinghy. Pole is wed to an ex-barmald who Is teach' ing him how to speak English, That part Is well written and so are other minor characters, such as the cock- ney wife of Ted's air gunner. Arthur Margetson performs very well as the frustrated Kyle and he looks the part of a picture lover who admits he is on the way out. Nancy Kelly, from the Coast, is Pat, attrac- tive wife of Teddy Graham, which is handled by Alec Guinness, said to be his first Broadway assignment. They have an overlong scene when he confesses not being up to piloting his Wellington, but they team well enough. Helena Pickard (wife of Sir Cedrlc Hardwicke) scores as the mate of Gerald Savory, the gunner, and they supply most of the lighter portions. Doris Patston attracts at- tention as the former barmaid, wed to the Pole, who is Alexander Ivo, a Viennese. Cynthia I,atham is a sour- puss hotel proprietor, and okay. 'Flare Path' is a one-setter, short cast play, backed by 20th-Fox, which studio has the film righU:. Ibee. Proof Thro' the Night ML-Iu<lriin)-i In Uireo iictti. urcsented at Ihe tloroBcu. N. Y.. Dec. 'V2. by Lee Shu bi>rl: written nnd Htaged by Alltin R. Ken wird; Netting Albert Juhnann; f3.H0 top. Doc Ann .shoemaker Vnillly Kaiherlne Emery Flo iriorenco nice Pal Thelni;i Schni-e Oinnlc Kntherlne LiK-kc Slfve Carol Chnnnlng Sue MiirkMret Phllllpii Andra Helen Trenhnltne N'vdin I-'lorence MncMlrhnel Helen Julie Stevens Cr.n e Muriel HutchlHnn tiii'Iie Ruth Conley Native Wontun Teresa Tevee ment adjacent to a district hospital. Place is frequently under (Ife and ;i taisel for enemy bombers. In char:^!.' is a woman doctor and her chief nurse, one Smitty. Flo is the only other nurse on hand when elsht xirls of varied origin and avocation arrive. They came to the Philippines to run switchboards, aid in keeping communications going and roll bandages, but are pressed into service as nurses. They must be on plane observation too. which takes Iticm out of the quarters fre- quently. Doc gets reports that somebody amoiii; the newcomers is giving in- formation to the enemy. One is wrongly accused and threatened with coiTtmartial. but the real Nazi ad- herent is discovered. Keeping the others at bay with a gun, sheljoasts of being Bund-trained. One girl comes too close and is shot through ihc heart. A bomb blocks the exit, and when Japs clear away the rub- ble, all hands are ordered outside, first to go being the spy, who is promptly killed. The others leave, too, facing certain death from Jap machine guns. All of that action is in act three. Earlier some of the girls verbally snipe one another and one is ac- cused of unnatural habits. Pati who .•ieems the keenest of the volunteers detects Smitty addicted to taking narcotics, but another explains that a serious injury to the nurse is the reason for her seeking surcease from pain. Katerine Emery is the efTicient Smitty and Thelma Schnee plays spunky little Pat. Ann Shoemaker gives a good idea of a woman doctor who knows what it is all about Florence Rice, back from the Coast Is one of the leading contributors and tells off the girl spy in what Is the play's 'message' scene. Katherine Locke, Carol Channing, Margaret Phillips. Florence MacMichael and Ruth Conley are among those who count. The author, new In dramatist ranks, has not etched some charac ters any too clearly. There is a wel ter of sound effects apparatus, prob- ably brought in from Hollywood, and for some curious reason it is planted this side of the curtain line. Ibee Shows in Rehearsal The Patrloia* — Playwrights Co. 'Harriet'—Gilbert Miller. 'Zlcffeld's Follies'—Lee Shu- bert-Harry Kaufman. •Ask My Friend Sandy'—Al- fred de Liagre. But it's too late to overcome play's earlier weaknesses. The cast is uniformly good and, in addition to Loeb, who plays the role the harassed business manager of e orch leader; Jane Seymour, Enid Markey and Mary Sargent give •Charity' a much-needed lif* as the three club officers whose sad experi- ence with the reefers results in such exploits as trying to climb into gal- lon jugs. Harlan Riggs is likewise excellent as the man who wins a judgment against the club after breaking his leg in the building, thus setting into motion the mad scramble for funds to import Ihe swing king. Viola Roache, Augusta Dabney. Cal- in Thomas, Whit Bissell and John cContinucd on page 44) SWEET CHARITY Comei'.y In three acta by Irvine Breeher and Samuel Seff; presented by Alfred Bloomlngdale; (ealures Philip Loeb. Enid Markey. Jane Seymour and Mary Sargent, directed by George Abbott; setting by CIrker & Robbing; presented at Manafleld theatre, N. T.. Dec. 28. '42, tS.30 top. Mrs. Pal Mitchell Augusta Dniiney MiK. Evu Ingersoll VIolii Roarhe Nurne Mildred Todd MlHS Beuluh Ogllvie Jane Seyimiur Mn*. Lnuni Rrlndle Enlil Markey Myron Mitchell Whit Bissell M'S. DIuiie Mnrtlndale Mary Sargent Jonnthiin Bntes Hnrlan Brlggs Sheriff Andrew Brlndle Calvin Thomas Hnrry Trott Philip Loeb Phni.iernpher Hollln Diiuer 1'ruin|iel Wilson Dort rlark llurloti Sedgewick John M. Kline Mr Hognrth Lexlle I.ltomy Mr. Bessley Hans Robert Mr. Merrill John A In John Oexter John Kirk The Knnilly.. .ivlih LIselolte KrumM hinlilt Plays Out of Town CmaA Road Shows (Dec. 30-Jan. 9) 'Cry Havoc' was the title of this latest war play when it was done in Hollywood, where it was figured to be a managerial plum. Christma.'; night premiere impression was that 'Proof Thro' the Night' was over touted. Looks like a limited stay. It is natural that this melodrama be compared to 'Journey's End', the ini-male cast English play about the first world war, because 'Night' has all-femme characters, while the lo- cale and setting is not dissimilar. In dramatic power, however, 'End' was distinctly better. 'Night' has a list act that picks up the drama consider- ably, the players having their best inning there. 'Night' is spotted In Bataan just be- fore our forces succumbed to the Japs. Scene Is a bomb shelter, de- scribed as a former gun emplace- 'Sweet Charity,' the Irving Brecher - Manuel Seff play that opened at the Mansfield Monday night (28). is but a mildly diverting comedy geared, at best, to moderate grosses. When Alfred Blooming dale, its producer, set about revising the script and turned over the di rectorial reins to George Abbott after an initial tryout and sub sequent withdrawal in Boston six weeks ago. he unfortunately neg lected to throw in a first half. Despite canny staging by Abbott, whose craftsmanship points up every laugh provided by script, and comic talents of Philip Loeb. who is the show's standout, 'Charity' misses as a laugh smash because, among other thines. it doesn't get funny until long past 10 o'clock. Chief fault probably lie.s in the basic idea. In recounting the trials and tribulations of the Friendly Hand clubwomen who become hope- lessly enmeshed in financial straits, thus threatening cancellation of a swing orch's booking at a charity affa'T. the authors have been obliged to develop many of the too laughs from gags and situations not directly stemming from play's action. In comedy's favor is a riotous 15- minute stanza at close of second act in which clubwomen get gay with chamber of commerce delegation after mistaking marijuana for ciggies. The scene is a wow. with what went before suffering by comparison. Thif. of course, excludes the all-too- brief first and second-act appearances of Loeb, who completely dominate? the show when he's on. Third act. fortunately, makes good use of Loebs talents, and to him fall the cho :e lines. Realizing the need for injecting slr-.;i«er laugh material into first half of play. Brecker. Seff and Abbott worked all through last week's try- out of revised play in Philadelphia ond over past weekend in reshaping Ihc-ir first act. but results are far from satisfactory. When the show does get funny, it's uproariously so despite the sudden veering from satiric bnrbs to out-and-out slapstick. 'Angel SUe«t' (2d Co.)—Royal Alexandra, Toronto (30-2). Arsenic and Old Lace' (1st Co.)— National, Washington (30-2); Lyric, Richmond (4-6); SUte, Harrisburg. Pa. (7); Rajah, Reading. Pa. (8); Playhouse, Wilmington (9). Arsenic and Old Lace' (3d Co.)— Lafayette, Detroit (30-9). Barber Had Two Sons' (tryout)— Lobero, Santa Barbara (1-2) (pre- miere); Geary, San Francisco (4-9). Blackonts of 1942' (vaude)—El Capitan, Hollywood (30-9). BlMsom Time*—Geary. San Fran- cisco (30-2). 'Chocolate Soldier'—Biltmore, Los Angeles (4-9). ■Claudia' (1st Co.)—American, St. Louis (30-2); Davidson, Milwaukee (4-9). Cam b Green'—Curran, San Francisco (30-9). Cry Havoc'—Music Box, Holly wood (30-9). Dark Eyes' (tryout) — Walnut, Philadelphia (30-9). Eve of St. Mark' (2d Co.)—Audi torium, Rochester, N. Y. (1-2); Cass, Detroit (4-9). 'Foil Speed Ahead' (tryout)—For- rest, Philadelphia (30-2). Gilbert and Salllvan — Nixon. Pittsburgh (30-2); Hanna, Cleve- land (4-9). 'Good Night Ladles'-Blackstone, Chicago (30-9). 'Her EIrst Mnrder' (tryout)—Cass. Detroit (30-2); Erlanger, Chicago (4-9). 'Hey, Bookie*—Belasco, Los Ange- les (30-2). 'H'sbllghts of 1943* (vaude)—Al- cazar, San Francisco (30-9). 'Junior Miss* (2d Co.)—Harris, Chi- cago (30-9). 'Jnnlor Miss' (3d Co.)—Locust. Philadelphia (30-9). 'Lady In tht Dark*—Taft Auditor- ium, Cincinnati (30-3); American, St. Louis (5-10). 'Life With Father* (2d Co.)—Eng- lish. Indianapolis (30-2); Cox, Cincin- nati (4-B). 'Maid Id the Ozarks*—Great North- ern. Chicago (30-9). 'Merry Widow'—Selwyn, Chicago (30-9). ■Forgy and Bess'—Studebaker, CJhl- cago (30-9). 'Priorities of 1942* (vauie)—Er- lanjer. Chicago (30-2); Victory. Day- ton (4-5); Memorial Auditorium. Louisville (6); English, Indianap-^lis, (7-9). 'Something for the Boys' (tryout)— Shubert, Boston (30-2). 'Spring Again*—Plymouth, Boston (30-9). 'Springtime for Henry'—Wilson. Detroit (30-9). 'Stndent Prince'—Auditorium. Oak land. Cal. (3-4); Metropolitan, Seattle (6-9). •This Is the Army'—Shrine Audi torium, Detroit (30-2); Civic Opera House. Chicago (4-9). 'This Little Hand' (tryout)—Ford's, Baltimore (30-2); National, Washing- ton (4-9). •Three Cortalns' (tryout)—Majes tic. Boston (30-2). •Tobacco Road'—Colonial. Boston (30-9). •Watch on the Rhine*—Hanns Cleveland (30-2); Palace. South Bend (4); Fischer, Danville, 111. (5): Lin- coln. Decatur, III. (6); Orpheum Springfield, 111. (7); Orpheum. Dav- enport (8); Shrine Mosque, Peoria (9). •Wife Takes a Child' (tryout)—Wil bur, Boston (30-2). DARK EYES Baltimore, Dec. 23. Comecly In three acta by Elena Mlrainova In lollaboratlon with Eugenie LeoDtovlch: prenenteil and atnged by Jed Harris: set- tings. Stewart t'haney; opened at Ford's, Ualllninrr. Dec. 2:.. ■fi: $2.22 top. Larry Kleld Carl Ooae WllloUKhhv Oscar Polk Grnndmother Field Minnie Uupioe Peiiri Georgia Spencer Helen Field Anne Burr Prime .SUolol Toimlje Qcia Korvin .Niitiisha napiikovlti-h. .Kugenlo Leontovlch Tonia Karpova Elena Mlrnmova Olgii Shmllevsknya Ludmllla Torelzka John Field Jay Fassett A search into the souls of the In- trepid Russian people can reveal considerable comic possibilities, and this current attempt by Jed Harris undertakes to present that particular phase. 'Dark Eyes' is a comedy of characterization, and as such has its transient moments. But as now constructed it needs action and more narrative upon which to hang the peculiar foibles of its people. Written by Elena Mlramova and Eugenie Leontovich, both of whom Iso handle the two top femme leads, 'Eyes' tells of the efforts of two continental stars, with an ac- cent, to show their wares to Amer- ica. Roles of this nature are scarce, and so the gals set out to write an opus of their own. Given a lift by a former flame now on the make for a Long Island heiress, the playwriting actresses, plus another friend of the good old days, a hefty operatic prima donna, crash in on the home of the rich gal, proceed to implant some ro- mance in the heart of the moneyed father and attract, at the same time, some financial backing for the forth' coming play. All of this lends itself to some funny and rather charming stage business, but after the first act, which moves briskly, the angle wears off and there's not enough material and new movement to sustain the initial pace. Third act goes to pieces with a 10-minute interlude of off stage screaming end argument par ticularly hard to take. There is a man-sized job of rewrite and direc tion necessary here to bring out the paydirt which at present glitters only briefly in widely-spaced mo- ments. Miss Miramova is a charming and personable actress, and her grasp of dialog and situation, as a play Wright, gives her added stature. Her double role here is highly promising for new possibilities in the imme diate offing. Miss Leontovich also comes through with a tempestuous and compelling bit of trouping, and Ludmilla Toretzka, as the ex-opera diva, garners laughs. Jay Fassett, as the moneyed poppa who goes for one of the gals and an angeling bankroll as well, handles himself with complete assurance in a role which is really not for him. Of the others, Carl Gose, Oscar Polk, Anne Burr and Geza Korvin go over. Sets by Stewart Chaney are top- flight. Burm. of the play is devoted to her frantic efforts to hide the first crime by killing, or attempting to kill, the other gals who gel hep to the dark secret. Each of the nine in the cast could pass for a college girl anywhere, and they play their roles with colle- giate enthusiasm. Outstanding is Adele Longmlre, who handles the top role in fine fashion. Barbara Bel Geddes and K. T. Stevens are next in line and always believable. Ilaxine Stuart, Ruth K. Hill and Irene Dailey provide good atmos- phere and some much needed com- f relief. Mary McCormack han- dles the part of the glamour girl with telling effect. Reginald Denham has turned in an excellent job of staging and John Root's cabin interior is attractive. Klep. FULL SPEED AHEAD (THE FIREFLY') Philadelphia. Dec. 26. Musical In three arts presenleil by Pro- ducing Assot lutes, Inc.. (llre<-tlon of J. J. Sliubert; book nixl lyrics by KowlunU Leiuh; music. Jean Sch\v:irtr. and Irving Aetmiin; Htnged uniler illrecllon of Htin-le O'Danlels; dunces nnd enseni>ilea by Booth McKenim; orrhestra under the direction nf tleo'ge Hirst: slara Kinniu Otero: features Jiit-k Good. Betty Allen .tnd Bobby .Morris, lirlu- Inally offered iim u revival of the Frintl- Harbach operetta. 'The Firefly.' nnil rtii-t presented In Its entirely revised ronu iit the Forrest theiilre. PlilUi.. Friday. Dec. 2.'.. •42. POKgy Fellows Ruth Dond Dolores Nuunu Saunders Chips Biibby .Morris A Hmilllnn I'l.llceiiiuii Georse Speh In Carlotts IH.rolbfa MavFnrbiiiil DIann Uurbara lllaiie Mrs. Fellows tlllve Reeves Snilih Slugger HIchar.l Worth Mrs. Harry Ilelene LeBerlhon Wllnu Ijiriilne locquellne Siiitann Peter Hal Conklln fonstame Fellows Helen Artliur folonel C'jirdew Gordon GIfTord Benson Jack Good OInlner J"hn A. Loreiir A Braillliin I'ollceinan Ulchard W.irlh Killer McGee Fred Ciil.inia Padro Cardoxa Leonard Ceeley Juanltn Cardozn F.mma Otero Julia Starr Bellv Allen Hotel Mnnager Many Knallsh Bozo .lease Clniberg THIS LITTLE HAND Wilmington, Del., Dec. 2C. Melodrama In three ncl.i by Wilfred H. Petiitt: stnKe4l by Reginald Denham: sct- InK. John UiKit: presented by A. H. Won,Is nt the I'lnyhou:*.'. Wilmington, Del., Dec 2.'.-2n. tl. at :2.20 top. Jane .Miixilie Stpart Frel.li Ruth K. Hill Alice Knrbarn llel Gcd.hs Eve K. T. .Stevens Phnron (f:t:inifu- P:int»)...Mary McCnrm'ick Shirley M:irllyn Krsklnc Retly (Tennc-.ee) Kayo Copelanil Siella (Shnl-I'ul) Irene Dailey ■y .\<lele Longmlre A. H. Woods. \et showman, re- turns to the theatrical scene with a novel melodrama in 'This Little Hand,' acted by a cast of nine lat- er led young women. Although no mci' male makes his appearance on the stage, the absent species is the subject of much of the chatter and the center of the situation which leads to a scries of< murders in a col- lege sorority cabin in the California p.ountains. Wilfred H. Poltitt, the author, has written melodrama with a vengeance but its appeal will be limited to the type of audience that likes murder and horror served with a whipped cream frosting. One gets the im pression that it >vill make a better film than stage show. However, it is better than average melodrama, with smart dialog and just enough hair-raising situations to keep a thrill-seeking audience in their seats. With proper handling 'The Little Hind' could be added to the Woods list of moderate successes. But Broadway is flnicky in its choice of 'c.capisf entertainment, and even a well-rounded production fails to hide the fact there is nothing very sub St ntial behind the whole effort. Nine college girls are isolated for a weekend in a sorority camp. Pet- has taken the better known col- lege girl types for his characters ar.d things get o . to a quick start when one of theit number is found murdered. By the end of the first act the at: .icnce is let in on the identity of tl murderess, and the remainder For sheer scope and extent of re- vision, the changes wrought by the Shuberts (Producing Associates, Inc.) must set some kind of a new the- atrical record. A production which started out In Baltimore a few weeks ago as a revival of the Rudolf Friml- Olto Harbach operetta. •The Fire- fly,' showed up here Christmas night at the Forrest as 'Full Speed Ahead. Anybody finding close similarities between the two deserves some kind of a medal. It doesn't have a chance for Broadway. [Even before change of title and other radical reuisioiis to script and score, 'Variety' (Burm). in its Dec. 2, 1942, re- view of revival's initial tryout in Baltimore pointed out 'any TBsemblaiicc fo the origiiiat 'Firefly' and the FrimI tunes is, Tio doubt, accidental in this version. The libretto has been tossed into the can and the story now pertains to Axis and FBI operatives. As conceived at present, 'Firefly" is neither fish nor fowl and there doesn't seem much hope of developing any- thing pro/itable out of setup.'] It was not at all surprising when the producers decided to modernize the book. 'The Firefly's' vintage is an especially old-fashioned one. Nor was the change in title, once the book and locale had been altered, any cause for astonishment, but the throwing completely overboard of the Friml score (numbers of which still find favor over the air-waves) did seem unusual to laymen. (Story on Page 1 deals with Shubert-Friml row over 'Firefly* revival). Emma Otero, radio songstress und ex-favorite of European concert stages, is now definitely set as show's sineie star, and critics and fiist- nighlers alike here joined in prais- Inn her voice though criticizine her delivery of lines and general stiffness of personality. However, thev iijl agreed that she Is one of the show s best (and all-too-few) outstanding asfets. Certain members of the cast who were in "The Firefly* revival as orig- inally projected, are still In 'Full Speed Ahead.' but they have not benefited a great deal by the chan«e of material and atmosphere. Of course, there arc still resemblances between old and new: the heroine is still n simolc htV.c street singer (Mme. Trentini ■ in'' it), only now the setting is South America. A maudlin, familiar olot, almost alwavs lacking in novelty, concerns the v.icuous hero's unhappy romance with a priggish .society girl whi'n he is really in love with the little street sincer. Action of storv. which starts In Rio. moves to Trinidad and winds UD in New York, is one of those things covering a considerable oeriod of time, starting as it does in the last century and continuing up to the present. Thf! cast works hard and deserves credit. Betty Allen outs her songs over as a harr^-boiled entertainer: Jack Good ?nd Bobby Morris strive manfullv with the comedy, what (Continued on page- 44)