Variety (Sep 1943)

60 LEGITIMATE !RIETY Wednesday, September 15, 1913 Plays Out of Town THE NAKED GENIUS . Sept. M...l:..i T..-I-I ■•■•-1u> I'•''■'•'•■ It* "• li W-.-k, hi >:.M'**> . It ; '--- I...,- SI..,'-- /...i. lili.u.l.-'l: '.li..•.!.••! • .In. Ctt-ik" ?r.. K-i urin". I.-; ^oilivU" rifl'-i.' k )-'..\. . ,.—-11 n.. I. ' I'.illj - .l.i\ ii i; .'..i.. ■• I'i-- H<*ni'.| j.i ; '\v ll.ui' ll-i-ai.,-.. .|:..M"...., M..n.'.,\, <■>.-..i.::. s. |.i i::, : :;.' ::n i;.>. '' n«.i... ii *.■ i n. i. t :, .. i:!..n.i.-:i. ALU-'-::. . '-.'■'' l'-(Ui'ii<- ,».".•>■; Slila'.l T|...V. .-. tlllllil.l .-.\l' I. Il'v! \\ iiiiriT.- ......... 11> ■■■»;. i:.i-—:i A io)i7^i. . . ..; ,..'.^.M..i. .-I ." -11 ■ * ■ ■ ——" 111. . K-.-ii|i..i . I'i■■.-.- ii*- Sl|'.l»Hli'lM.": .;... .'.'... . ." / Kay Hfi. : U'.•>'• l-';*it-ci'n'. .".'.■. -...':..:...:. .. I :••'<• <iv» l':invv ...... ..,:..:,., ,(:t■ • i• • - . ,\i.■ I...II!.- Ailam.- . . iV'-li i- Tj-!i:i...:.- Alll.aH,;. . . I'i-.' It A IliiinU... . '.V ; . ..<m'.i|'.' M.:»)u:i'l«v Ki.i.v IliiiLI.-., . . . '. IV" ',* |H.'/! ciiini.-s i; i>. ir... •.' i::.i..ii.)|.i. ■Jlyri!" ; .......... ..i.-t-. .\i'.T.i.d..., *Mi>. |ii\i> ■ . : .-I-'.- -f.'.. V.ni-.ni Mi.-. Tht.n .....:.. ".i-:; t .V»• -rs..-*' Mi..« II..tin. .. KlMLh ... <:|:..lt«. . iy.l.l; M:i I I in . Sail.. M..MM.'. . 1-'||>| .Iii.'l-v Sim-..i). | .In.V'., . .1 . 'I'll v.l..l" . . Mi. .i: i ,...iwiii ... Mrs. i::...,l»\ .r ;. A Mt.Mlit: .M..U \.\W Mil n...'.{...: A. V. M:.i Slai- T|.'>i>|i"r: .' A Mall-. . I-:.... . !:..<..■ ,V :ll.-> ill lll.r \sll\. '>l |l. /...<l:lv.\'l...-|.!-. . , . .. Iti-i in. ■• M ii.— .li :. .. . . .1 .Ml-- }l.i..iv. ..'. . ..I..I.I, -.M, II;all: ..\ I. .1,11 S^u-(l"> ..IU.K..I. I. nii::ll . . M:i: !,• V.—il-.' II .X. i. , .' . ' . i :i...r ^.- 1' ........ .T.illl |>:i|'l ..'.. ....:it-j'.i'i.. i.-.v w '.'.; '.l:..'.i-.; : l-i ..v-irinu .:. . Kn'r'ii' t:ii'\.'i With an-advance sirle here exceed- ing $17,000 and. a $350,000 plus pei> centagc. arrangement with 20lh-Fox on its .film' : salp: Mike ToddV' "The Naked Genius' must be conceded a financial' success. Practically nobody.; •however, can..concede' it much, else as matters stand at the moment- Comedy.is talky and never gets rolling, catching what laughter- it can' from astonishing, gag props and- burieycue characters.' Combination of Todd. Gypsy. Rose Lee aiid George S. Kaufman may work wonders in a' fortnight here, but it'll be uphill sledding. Main defect in a wishy yarn.- confected from Miss Lee's idea of what might have happened ir her .best-seller, Tiad been ghosted'bv a mug. is its seeming slant to her inti- mates. They.,and those in professions close to burlcsquc. might find, its gags killing, but much of gab. and'.many jokes shoot right over provincial au- diences'' ken. Might be different on. B'way. but very uncertain. After '45 minutes of atmosphere stuff employing some of the strip- tease's own curious, paintings and whatnots, as well as G-string makers. powder r room attendants, and flora and fauna of the circuit. Honey Bee Carroll ( Joan Blondell) gets engaged to .socialite publisher of her 'best- seller (although she goes for her p.a.) and is blackmailed by the guy . who actually wrote yarn, for her. Second act switches to country place for wedding. More atmosphere as Honey Bcc engages dog acts, war- blers and other vaude turns for the ceremony. Blackmailer breaks it up. • socialire.'stahijJSibff.'.and-Hdney Bee- • falls into p.a.'s arms., Padding is terrific, all of it deal- ing with a day in the life of a strip- per and playing,-up: screwy charac- ters. Props figure heavily In com- edy, but soon lose novelty. Most of the material's drawn straight from life, including. the madcap mama, wedding, etc.- Miss. Blbndell's work is great. She was well liked.. but given wittier lines she'd have wowed.' Onstage most of the lime. Donald Randolph is okay as publisher and Millard Mjtchell likewise as p.a. Other parts are mostly character walk-ons. Dorp Merande snaffling the best one and making the most of it. Fred- erick Fox's two sets.are swell, and Kaufman's direction good in mob scenes. Show's advance interest'sensash in Hub. house going clean for first and- most of second week before curtain. ' Elie. THE WALTZ KING I.os Angeles. Sept. 13. Tli.ris Moito* |niiiliirlli..ii or I vvo-iit-i. n'|i.'r- *ll:t l>:«s<0«Ioil firi. tinil ■ llnlslu "u( '.liiliiim SitrnuxH. slilil. Itiihm.l .RliipIM' imkI Inn r.'lliiii: Winilros VlrBhiin I'mil. .l.,.,iii lie- Iiimo. . .Inhn . Hullr. Anlhi.nv Mnlli.wr- ('l)lii'li'S Iji Tunc, .\frix Wllii-iir,. M ; , i jni i,> Coiikc. Tniliinn ■Kiiil,iiiii-lilii»| 1 .-i ,in,r i,mII-i of 411: book liy .>lni-|-.w. 'Tlir>n.1or.^ I^iHimm- holinHI- liflrl AlllllVy . Sf.ninVl^ hi:i)(m.| l,y !l:irlioi\holnii.r: iiiiikIi:iiI ilii'.>i-.|..i-.' ■ Pi-iiv HrroilH Opcni-.l nl I'lilllinrnlniili Au-I , 1 Angclim. Soi.t. is. "4:1: f::.Wiii|i. Somewhere in between ah opera and' operetta is Boris Monos- lacy, dainty production of 'The ' Wall?. King.' programmed as based on the life.—love's and music of ..Johann- Strauss. Its audience -level'will be found.among classical devotees. Due to triple star billing of Richard B6- nelli and Irra Petina of, the. Mel sol and Tatiana Ridbouchinska. -pririia ballerina, appeal to the operetta fol- lowing will be. limited despite mag- netic pull, of Strauss- wall7.es: It's a class.attraction geared for that trade and rij'ust rise or fall .on that prem- ise,; ■. -. , . Limited slay Of two weeks here ls ; pinch . for.. strong ; trade, also three weeks.in 'Fristo to,follow. How i( fares at its-next. slop.. Chicago, and In New York on extended .runs as opposed to attractions not so dated is in laps of critics. Book by Morros; Theodore Bach- enheimer and Aubrey Stauffer does not allow for spirited display of tal- ent or voices until second act. when things open up Vi'ith Bohelli giving full voice to role of Johynii Strauss and Miss Patina throbbing with vocai pyrotechnics. It. all leads up in the Riiibouchins a ballet. . which ties up .show in knot, ■ Thcncoforth it can't extricate itself; Choreo- graphies by David I.ichine are gay.- colorful and .spirited, .-with ballet qtieeh .giving cxhjhiliuiv of her art that bi'bu«hl loud l)iiivn>! Ballet inoverricjits and. costumes arc -geared for., showmanly '..spectacular' 'appeal ■and givini; Kfasmg of rai-c beauty in. color .and shadini!..'Ballet fans will on!. it up. and those less esthetic can ("nut source of: high entertainment- .content.'in whirls' and spins Of the', «raccfulv swan-like ballerina. Bohelli gives Vole of.,Strauss re-, jiliain'od' portrayal in both miisical and.dialogic passages-but doesn't gel w.;:rfn6.<) up until second act. - and c<i;n then isn't so heated- 'If.s nei- llier his,show nor Miss Pcti'na s. Lai-. l<')' is more the player than singer. Two supporting artists. Anthony Marlowe as servant to. Strauss, and A'irKinia. Card: danccr-s\vccthcarl of the wall/, king: lend fine voice to their-roles and at times rise above (lie- leads. Cohi.edy is ably borne- bv Loon Bclasco; Max .Willen'tz and- Charles La Torre.-.■ Music in throe-quarter lime is con-; fined to the-Strauss rcpcrlpire ;and performed with all lilt -anti sway so nostalgic and memorable In music lovers. Direction by Bachcnheiincr •lacks tempo and pace in first."act but' picks uo rnalcrially after second cur- tain lift.. Music direction of Fritz Bereiis brings out rtt'clodic fullness of Strauss score . -Additional lyrics wore, 'contributed,' by Mort Greene, and Bert Lcying lightened, up flimsy plot ,w|th'modern touches. Settings by Boris-Lcveh are colorful'and im- pressive, ';'• ■He(m.: STAR DUST Philadelphia. Sept. 8. .' " Mi. llnol M\vi Uri-if |i»,,Iu( : IIuii of { diilnIv in -llii.'.. H.-.in (six A k em>s) l»v Willi'**!' Kimi-. I'i'iHiiip* Hi'itM-'-Klnii. Kin'll' Vnmt.. t liUH ('hnii.lU-!-. i;i.iili, Iliillu-.-iid. Avilliiini .u... Ilirii" ami .lll.nin Siilinilirs. SIiibo.I ln ; My. i-hrii:. <l|,i-i,o,l. a[ l,(ii.|iM Slri'i-l Uiim- Iro. Plillu,lcl|.lll:i. S..|il. 7, . \ (•l.-iirp r.iM^r. .If l-ry |,'|nn;i'i;;lli. , P.-i.nl -Ki'ily.i .. Aili-innno Sii»\-Hn!._'.. HtM-ii.-iril nni-ieiiliurii 'I'll.I • Viinrhly.,'. ... , , K^lllif'l h Ke .liinlM Riiwt...-...'. I'llillp l:„i-0.. Mis* Fi-feliinii Miss lliil.lnsmi........ Mii« ■ .l.mAs . ,,. M;i'iIoii IMiliiiit. Itiiiiiiiinil - Koi'iieii. .... • 'r.-ilir Kfn.lull l) :i ,|i. ..\hn-i in f^.-ntr, - .li-... ,.. Dt>oii -of Women::... rtti,-0 .K lnu .'.... Chirk rimnillKi- ... . .-. I'Mimni l< 1'in'i ...,<:iorhi Hnll\v:ii.l .....l'ivv-ijehl. MiYi'di'liI ...' IIIooixp -1v.>'» ,. . : ., Ihillilh* I'l-ln.o ,.. . .1 llorlu' KaumliM-H .. .Wlllliim M.-Ciiii-p . . .Yvi(iino .luliiiMiiin I'amola HIvArii • Suiinn DoukIidi .lonillio, Trci* . .: ..liniiny . Klllol l. fclnll Hoifo .. . 1 i»l I V Sylvon l-:iPanoi- Cordon' Philly's first tryout stage offering of the season is a pretty painful af- fair: with chances very much against its ever.clicking .despite the germ"-of a smart and potentially humorous idea. ; : , . -,- . - _;Star Dust- was written by Walter Kerr, head of the drama department Of Catholic University In Washing- ton, and was presented there by the students: under the author's direc- tron.. As an intercollegiate enter- prise, ' it must' have ranked well above average and . it's possible to see why it attracted outside atten- tion. . At any rate,. Michael- My.er- bei-g, who last year produced the . successful 'Skin of Our 'Teeth'.' fig-. I ured it as a commercial possibility. Unfmluiiatcly, he hasn't helped it wjlli his selection of cast, although a inimber of the players must ,be :c-re(liU'd for .".youthful. atlrnrXivchcss and ■-fresh personalities.- Their ncl- ing.- as well a's that of several of the iiiore .'veteran- performers: is li.'s.g. A' lasl-minule 110 niiiluies before ctil-taiiv)''change in-the program list- ed Myerberg as director instead of Kerr, previously announced, '■■'''. .: K'cnv ' despite his scholastic associalions.-very apparently' knows his. way about flolly.wood and is' hot withoiil his iiiside slant on show business in general. - has chosen to sling his satiric . or ironic: darls'- at' jirl theatre addicts who have, taken the ,rap before land much• more of-, roctivcl.v i; however. .Ijo ' has -cou- t-ocled- a ncat : 'combination' sandwich that uscs bolh the, '.arliiicss' of a coMogo campus gr.oiip of youngsters and the blase sophistication of. a hiU'dboilcd Hollywood studio crowd. Possibilities? Maybe, but Kiev don't jell! .. .- ' ,. ■"':' , "' '■•■, Adrianne Stevens, heroine of Ihe piece, has ■■: been playing Sadie. Thompsons, : La'dy Hariiillops and Madame Bovarys on the screen, and doing. ■ right well. loo:. - Then she .stumbles on a script about the-early Christian '..-martyrs" in. Rome, and de-. -eides-shewahts to play a Saint—St. Christoslclla. Her studio, associates jiix .the idea emphatically: so. being under'firm .contract;- she busts loose entirely and' allies herself with' the strictly non-commercial -drama- group of a nearby college, directed by. an ex-Moscow Art player, and 'former pal-ihe says), of Stanislavsky. '■"•The- campus kids doii't lake to. Adrianne when she ridicules their arty methods, but the crafty old di- rector is willing tp' play along, fig- uring oh a slice of coin from - a ' wealthy . young guy interested in Adnanpc's career—or- somethin'. So the yoimg'thespians play along at rehearsals but gang:up on the film star ori'her-opening night with al- jnost football, technique so. that she can hardly be secii-or heard: Me'ah- tiiiic. her studio and her Hollywood- sweetheart have, been doiiig their best-to. gel her back. After- the first- act fiasco, the saboteur, tactics of the kids cease, but' in the weak and in- determinate end, Adrianne js seen as eventually bound back for ; the studios.'-while.certain of the cinema aspirations of some of the students are effectively choked. . The, attractive: personalities re- ferred to include ■ Gloria .Hallward and Gloria Saunders. The former is 'Adrianne. and ; she's very easy to look, up, but, unfortunately suggests a soubret type rather than the por- lrayer,of lurid film roles she is sup- posed to be. Miss Saunders has the- ungrateful role of an empty-headed -student, player who would appeal: to be willing to go to any lengths to get a Hollywood break. She, too, is good looking but no actress. Rose King (York and King) will undoubtedly be better when (or,if) 'Star Dust' gels extensive rehears- In Big Toronto Toronto, Sept. 9. T..)i>l* SIli-cif-T.Brry foliallus' nio.lili-li.in or ii.yui. Iii iwn xi-iv (28 sKciioa): music nnd lyil.K. i: l:. Qulni) and H- W. unvooil nkpn-lii.il. Nuel iMilKlry anil Hpni-y slier iiian: iliini i; Hn-'niiDcinpnlii. T.iiuisn Rui ns- aoiilnitii. I'.nil iluPonl nii.l jKMinnr.l rsi-mikx: r-iisluniw.. nilly MvlnxMiinp; ■ Iw-lilili-nl ,11 lO.'lhr. Curl .Miillholliiml. Al Vi. ioi In. llieu H«. 'Ion. , 4>p|)t 9, -M: J-'.rio (0]i. As far as civilian .theatregoers are concerned, 'Meet the'Navy' is worth the $2.50 top -oh admission. The sprightly Canadian navy revue opened here, goes on a tians^Canada tour, jumps to the United States in Seattle and goes eastward to Winni- peg and over the border again tor a tour of the Maritimes and then Britain. Whole . setup was inspired by Li.eut.-'-Commander John Farrow, Royal Canadian Navy. Intelligence, who induced his pals. Buddy De SyIva, Lou Silvers, Larry Ceballos and Sam Le'dner, to corne up to Toronto arid assist in the rehearsals. The lads have injected plenty of the Broadway-Hollywood zip -into the show. , ; Show runs through with ease and assurance aiid, with no known names present, scores en its informality and well-precisioned. speed. .Nobddy curries the'lbad arid the whole affair is fresh and youthful.: The dance numbers, staged by. Loriise Bums, with the aforementioned top-calibre tipoffs from Silvery.and Ceballos, has 24 AVRENS more than daringly cos- tumed for a service .show and \viili plenty of delectable epidermis show- ing. .The girls arc oil for the rousing opening, chorus; a Coney Island scene set m the gay '90s, the 'Beauty on Duty number showing'the women in the services.. as_ the .'best-dressed women of the year,' a .: mirror-: precision effect that isvtough enough :s iUJjut is excel- when a couple does lent with the 24 WRENS splitting up for the concerted routine. A revue of this type is usually shy on comedy, but writers and lyricists n, av 'e done all right by 'Meet the N^yy, .Outstanding sketches include 'Women at War,' in which the men of the family carry on at home while the womenfolk carry out their mili- tary or naval duties; the 'Beauty on. Duty' production number; and /Mutiny on the Bounty' with Cameron Grant doing a splendid, roaring Captain Bligh in the Charles Laugh- ton tradition'. 6 ^All talent has.'been' recruited from the men and. women in the Navy and ■they have plenty with which to work.. Some have had experience in radio; nightclub and Little Theatre work: others from U. S. vaudeville include Oscar Natzke, bass; singer and fvan Romanoff and his Balalaika orchestra. The latter is a.vayde unit that was picked,up intact and in- ducted into the Navv. They're back- grounded by a large inale chblr who -;Phpneli«; Russian -before a full-stage Moscow set aiid are : all right on tonal quality but had better dilck for coyer it they ever get within reach of. (he Red Army Audiences wpn'l.cdme out whistling any of the songs, bilt they're .-bright aiid cheerful. Outstanding is 'Your Little. Chapcau' iii the Coney. Island number. Johii Pratt's deadpan sing- ing . of 'You'll Get Used to It,' and the sea chanties by Matzke and his choral shipmates. Boy in the Bell "Worn Trousers'. also stands' out. The 30-piece. ocche.slra is under the direction pf -Erie. Wild of Canadian radio. One unusual angle is that all recognition, of- rank is dropped once the troop, enters the theatre, officers and men going through their various chores and the- chorus men having lieutenants and A.B.'s r u ti'b i ii e shoulders: McStay. ing and lewriting. She lias some' good lines but muffed them badly the opening night. Einil Boreo (fov- nierly 'Chauve Souiis') Is east to type,. but hard to understand and: also, blurred lines. In fact, the en- tire cast w-as guilty of stepping all over- and ruining some good gags and, to give the author credit, there- ,irb qiule a few of lheni: There arc- a'r.lot of duds', loo. and some ama- teurish straight; dialog. One- won- ders.'. incidentally, what some: of Kerr's academic, colleagues will think of a number of his rathei''frank.-even 'raw; cracks.- " : : v- : •' ; ■ Chick Chandler. .Edinori : Ryan,. George Ives and Philip Ford., espe- x-iai.iy : the latter, show occasional, promise; The poor author of the piece-; iwho never says a wbi.d) is' nicely limned by D'wight Mai-field. Easily tive.funniesl.seene.jiv the piny is" the roughhoiisi? tactics of the cast in snowing under, the film star iiV .her -debut. This is in- the last not. and no lincss-e is neoderf. It's gobd for laughs but tdq drawn'otit, .The scenic -.prodiiclioii is sparse .with- only one full stage set.: and nothing to. recommend it.. H'nlers. ALL FOR ALL Play on Broadway MY DEAR PUBLIC Irvliih' CiiVMir iii-niliii-lliiii or iiiiVhIi -i I c.iiii- .«•»" '""'K t)>- Inline r.-u-Hiir: riiaili-x j:„[; Ipki-i'IiI; nnncH, -Irvine (.■urwiiJ'sUu, |,i.,j„., l.i'iri.lil .NhirkH; ,Iiiii. ( -.i. I.vin i:i So'ivl- uh'. ■ulsla iliuico illrmlui'. • )l,,|in-, /> Tu n- Ki'lUnifa, Allipil. -.lolinsj.ii:' .i-i'siiiiiii>s rln,In llnlliu-,1: Irnnk illivi.-ii'il liv K.imi,' \\ lt -. Cn't'of; iii-i'lii'slra lllroi-ll.l In liui.-v |„.. vniil. - Si«r> ;\VlliiV ll.nvii',,1: I-.MIUI,. :•>'•• 110 l''»tiv.-iy. Ki lo Hi'm iii'i-aoi,. ' kuu'.i Shin iii. (ieoriiW; Taiiiw. 'Jiav'hl. Mm iv<. ai MUIIi -Slii'el; X. v., ssvvi. u. l|i|.". ; smii i;.i> (*.i..1ii oiii'nlnif). . avi.r.Hlii'iiM - .iiy.M^ie, 'r:i|i|..^r .1,1.: u ...'. H.'Vnla ii. .iir.i.'lii.M nil.- i.f- i-i.ii llii;.-., ..i..-l» . Ii\ . Xt.riiiali . linn-), |ii:i.v l.y Aai.in lit'.nriiiaii: sh'mh Hii.l .lliii'i-.v* lirlicn, ,l>ii-o.'li-it-l.y. I inn.A. A. Onti-amli'i-..- .I'nvst.i IniiBi'l-" (ll.Mll'O. IliilTalu Ala'i-'i.'.ii K I'lij-.'r.:,..;. .hiim iiiini'iv .iv..-.■...■:.. 'AMiiM-f. ICi:ni;,.|.. . ... ... , ; .', .1, (in iViiliPr.-'Sl .'.. Ilaiui'l I Viini ;...:.,.. TiiMiiniii w: Chilli..... . 10. . ilrily "In ,1 "I'M Ik rVail i ; i:n: m.'I -. ,1 iii.. V.v- S.jii. !i. lll|:i: .;.i.'lul.a. Taiiijilipfi ..j.. .-.I.ylp. ll.MiuPi- .'... ^Il.li-ry .i;cr..n .......,la.-k lVarl . ... .W yi l.-y Hiivn ;■.; . liui iinl Smii It ; XJhdoublied chief ra'isdn d'etre'for the .resuscitation of this dated Aaron Hoffman script ' in the fancied limel in'ess • of the;, coni.edy treatment of its capilal-labor theme: Originally titled. 'Give and Take,' and also known as .'It Can Happen,' the show enjoyed a run of several months oh Broadway In 1923 wiih Geoige Sid- ney, and Louis Mann co-starred. The present refurbished- version. ■ au- thored under Ihe probably collective 'pseudonym of Norman Briice,' is de- pendent mostly upon its broad 'com- edy treatment and robusl hfstrlonicS. all obviously aimed at capitalizing on the current belief iii theatre cir^ cles that the 'public demand 'for laugh, show's is ah . open sesame to b.o. success.; ;■ .' In both plot, and niolivatioh. the script is old hat in spile of vigorous and ■ ■ heavy-handed attempts at streamlining. The. plot is badly syn- thetic, the characlei's automatons. The effort td modernize -the neces- sary dramatic - conflicts and the pointing up of the dialog with cur- rent topical allusions are obtrusively transparent.. PearJ. as a .self-charac- terized bullheaded . fruit cannery employer, first opposes his workers' attempts to organize under the lead- ership of bis. lifeldiig_fr.iend-and.em- ployee. Green. For a first-act climax he capitulates to an 'Industrial De- mocracy' setup In his factory. Green, forced to share capitalistic responsi- bility, develops 'comedy' headaches and yearns for a return to his'old job.' The machinations of . the bankea'rrhenaee to force Pearl's.out- fit 16 tlie: wall furnishes the "re- mainder, of the dramaturgy.: with the situation saved in the end by the loyal employees .collectively bank- rolling Pearl's comeback.- assessed by the whims of a millionaire eccen- tric, depicted for plot' purposes -as alternately sane and.mad. furnishing the final financial fillip al the cur-, lain.. ■ Pearl's projection of the bluster- ing, benevolent employer Is in his familiar trademarked dialectic me- tier and. is tellingly highlighted with plenty of crackling muggerv and gyrations. Green: who also staged the production, handles tile part of Pea*l's companionable , vis-a-vis worker with an arresting low-com- edy.delineation Which is chiefly re- markable for its fine timing. Be- tween; theth they're responsible for practically all of the evening's hilar- ity. The rest of the'cast labors vali- antly against (he insurmountable barrier of the amorphous character- izations of the script. The show practically devoid of love interest. Is also low in feirime appeal. Cast of only, six persons.playing In-a single undistinguished setting . tends to .monotony, though the dull stretches are somewhat relieved by a bumper crop of laughs engendered: through skilled handling by the leads of the comody lihes and pusiness. : 'All', looks like a forced expansion of one of those surefire old li me vaudeville skits for which Hoffman was justly famous, .'and Green's play- ing and direction' point up that im- •Prowum;. Optls' also is reminiscent of Hoffman's . World War I hit 'Friendly. Enemies.' which employed lie same formula, of utilizing strong- ly contrasting' comedy characters .to personify cohfiiclihg ideologies How- ever, as. a- treatment of the problem' of capital-labor relationships, 'Ail for All --.contribute? about as much as. Abie's Irish .Rose' did to the sub- ject of liitermaliiage- Plans.c'all for a.swing around the central defense- industry cities With, a Broadway showing .skedded for the end of the month. It will take a tall bit of doing to save this, one-from machine-gunning by the rivetropolilan ciilica'l sharp- shooters.. ... • Biirfoii: . WiiIHts i'iii>i'».': Jpiin ., ....... , r.'....:..:.. amO i,. j.'iii,;... Hiililino -Drow..-. . Ki'lifl tihulin- Ulii ni-y jJllul l.......... ,, ...;.. . Willi,. 1 l.uyai.i Ipiipp. ..-.;. . ;. :.-; .^..;k«, w «i i;n s «,.|i l^iuisn................. :. .|.„|„. MIUi, v ..:;.....;... .,;:. ,iu, zi - , v , , y ..llyinil llin ii»-. ... ;; . J .. 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(illlcpr ),> mi,., .larii I.i.ins," III, Imr.l A nill p, .litiut Vlni-..i)iV Ki nlp - III ;<:onnaiii.. Ijtii-ry. ].;v,.|fl,- Willi.tin '1 liinli.f-,' AVilllani Lllli.ly. . Songwriter Irving; Caesar has re- portedly-been preparing seven years,- rdr. his : first, try at musical comedy producing '' The, show itself. 'My : Dear Pubiic,'' tried but on' the. road during the spring of 1942 and, was. then ..shelved' for revTsion. Ex- tensively rewritten, with a hiimbei- of. new songs and an. almost entirely new cast, it ha.s at last reached Broadway, after another road bteak- in.. The result is still negative. . ; Just as it did when caught-'duriiijr its. previous tryout, 'My Dear Piibfii? suffers from almost everything ptis'- sible for a musical comedv. The *- book is labored and tedious, its score is. commonplace, the comedv is stub- boVnly unfunny... production aiid staging are inadequate aiid the cast ■ is light, on stars, either for eiilertRiti- itient or boxoffice draw. It appear""' sure to do a quick foldeioo. The show's book uses' the samel framework as it did two seasons ago .It's-a backstage story about a'.busi- liess man. who backs a tempera- ; mental genius in (lie production of a musical: comedy. Theoretically.-, that provides the setting tor niiiner- ous musical, numbers'. Biir actually it merely separates 1 Ihe hiiId songs and dances with tiresome stretches of plot. .... As the business man-angel. Willie Howard struggles, with his. leaden material, and occasionally comes up with a moment of laughter. Nanette • Fabray is a pretty girl with a picas- ant sta.ge.personality, but she Is like- wise stifled- by the drab "material! Same goes for Ihe others, including Eric Brotherson, Ethel Shutta. Gcor- gie Tapps and David Burns. Miss Shutta looks attractive, but lacks -a' , good song number. Tapps eonlri ' utcs two spectacular tap routines, though a third. Is one too manv. . Burns: is simply mired in one of those driving straight parts, while Brotherson inevitably comes but second best to the part of the young ' composer-director. : Rose Brown, the only recognizable name from the previous cast gives' vitality to the show's best' song Color Line' ('if there's a color line way: up in Heaven, then send me down there below'), but the number gets no production buildup aiid isn't oven well staged, so It doesn't set off the audience explosion II s should. Howard has an amusing patter num- ber in 'If You Want a Deal with Russia,' and Miss Fabrav and Broth- erson duet agreeably with 'Our Pii- ■ vate Love Song.' Except for Tapps' routines and -one mild ballet number, there's 111- • tic ^dancing to. (lie show. There's nothing notable aboitt the. sets and costumes. And the ill-adjusted am- plification system., with a micro- phone planted in the center of the apron, gives the whole performance a blatant effect. The fatal lipoff on • the show, however, was the stream of walkouU all duj-ing the : second act opening night.: ' Hobv. Legit Forllow-Up S Continued from page 58 tinctly .ii nlik 9 . Miss . Corbetl's.' shrewdly doesn't attempt to. pattern her perforniance.after,her ; pi»deces-'- ' sor's successful one,. but gives the part her own interpretation.- She- seems less mocking aiid more earthV than Miss Corbett, and lacks tb'e ■ saipc; sinewy grace. "Put she gives the.part a'sharper; more direct, edge. '■' Webbs performance is still a gem of dry understatement, and Miss Natwipk continues to make a 'farcical triumpb. of the spiritualist part- Miss wood s playing of the -wife lias broadened, but retains its punch and authority. Kobe.