Variety (Nov 1943)

42 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, November 3, 1913 Plays Out of Town A f onn«*«'tl«-ul Yankee •Philadelphia, .Oct. 28. UlOiavd, 1<"iIk«ms pro lui-tliiu ot inusn i) n'dapiniain uf \ .Mark T\ynln"*' iit.ni y li* ty.'*' aola (7 acenesi. PYamreH Vlvioiiuc. Si-n t ri and Hl»-k I'ur.iii. Il.i.:. !•>-, Hei'l.eil Kie.,1-: liiuair. lilitlaril KiidKei-.: lyrl'-s. I,nreiiv. Marl: dlreVled liy (.'. >Vll»on: ■ af 1/ tinn's. costumes-wtml. hBimnK. Nal -Kurson. . ilnii.-4-n. William llnll.io.ki- iin.l. .VI White: ■ .Tr.: : (irfhcMM'.'t imdei illrcclion .i>f. ^ t:#*nv«^ Hirst; otrheKlrailnn,.Hon Walker, opened al l''urresi . theatre: I'llllailelphln. Oil. •tSi.&M lop.. Kir K«y..:v ■ Martin... .. . ......v. Sandy, j. ."... ..Ar.lhur..■ ' Sir' Tr s lsuin ...... t . Merlin...'.: .. ... • • t,;u'lnevrro. . l::illllr.-.lol. . ,. .'. C.'ilahiid.. . Alicia.'. ■'•- ijueen.......'...;:' Ulawa'ln.;.. Kvolyn ■ Drt'ncinK; ('.III ; liurke. :l-;ie:im»i' i-: glni*- 'Wore:.!.' -l;-iiv Brill; I'tanee*. '.M Belli -Nleliid!', .M lar. Joyce : "V . Vent: Vlii'.c. .''■ V,- Punelni;- li< .. . . . .Haudd Dtiui:l(i!i. . . ..... .:... .Mirk l-.'oiun ....... .'...luliO -Wa'iTeil .... , fl"iipi i Chisiu.lni .-... .-. ..Hiilierl Warren -.'.lohn Cherry '.-. ,..lv;uhi>0 .\lliloi>on . .\ ....'. ..-.'.Si'uar'l Casey . .-; .'. Sli-allon- . . . . . .. . .Minit ;Uarl . ........' Vlvi-iui* >"i'KJ*.l ... . ..I 're MeMiitlnn .... .Veva-Kflen Oaruthy . IMuie. (":i.i-vl<- .-rl'e. Uoa r.'ai-n'am.' -Vir- i ,luv, Uose .\hirle .M-ir il. .lii;". Mar; Mi-Uoril.tl. .niii -Pins. D'lrothy -pop-: :ii--.*.niry So'nkey. rl- l, .en ■:i.'s. Din Is Yilrk. ■ '.-. i'-.d- tltajer. IlUMer - l;u Foran fail to . wham in 'Swell' and 'Heart' /as'-they should. Vera-Ellen is a lively, .attractive and good-dancing ingenue ' who's really a standout, Robert Chisholm (as .Kin;; Arthur); John Cherry (as. Merlin). Stuart Casey (as Layince- lot>. and Kathryn Anderson as Queen Guinevere, are. okay it not dominant: ■ Show has been gorgeously staged, with color blending of .costumes a highlight. However. John C. Wil'- son's direction of the book seems a Utile halting and gives some of the juxtapositions, bf modern gags and ideas! os contrasted with King. Ar- thur's English Court in .543 A.D.. a' flavor of undergraduate comedy rather thari that of smart sophisti- cation which, pervaded the original. "•'• Show ran much too''long- (curtain. 11:30» and almost a Ttalfrhour was cut as well as other changes, made anil a general .'tightening and- quick- ening effected since the" opening. • . ' -Waters. m'.l.' 1-Vank In- vvin!i-i% IV. Carl. . Wil- liam Hunter. I -a".1 t. Wi:!hilli. I.UH..J. Ja.-l; Lyons. ,.!'..' '" ' ■.' ' ■' .".Slii'irinK ''.Iris: M .ijorii; .<■!■«vii. .T«•!'■ jr.-in. l-niifi. M.i . Manllii U'nmili. Slnislh'-; lli'vt: il.i-- 1 >■('■. l-"re«-iliimn. \ inri-.nl Jleniy. Wnyni- M--»■><>i>.i Vi'anvii. Sixteen years ago; to the month, the late Lew Fields opened his musi- cal production or Mark Twain's' fa- mous but controversial .fantasy,: )A Connecticut" .'Yankee.' at the local Walnut''Street'- theatre; '.Concocted. by Herbert Fields uon i. the libret- tist; Richard Rockers, composer, and Lorenz Hart, lyricist, it marked the fourth .collaboration of the three young men and was the high-spot ot • their caicers. :" - ■:-.■ ■.' Show was a wallop here from the Word .'go' and .was predicted; .for a Broadway sensation which came to pass. After another- show or two. triumvirate broke, but .Rodgers-Hart duo stayed together until, a season or two ago. This new version ot the 'Yankee' marks not only their re- union. . but also that with Herb Fields. Different setup, . however, now ^nds Rodgers. in dual role of • composer and producer, latter fol- lowing his big click" with lOklahoma.' Book has been altered some, but general outline of Twain's story and original libretto have been -kept, with action now during present war. hero a naval lieutenant, and two femme leads, a WAVE and a WAC. Rodgers has supplied several new numbers and introduced consider- able incidental music, and ensembles. ■ The show's four big. original song' hits, 'My "Heart Stood Still.' 'Thou Swell,' ! On a Desert Island' and '1 Feel at Home With You,'.have all been/retained. General , impression, opening night was favorable, with consensus of opinion being that 'Yankee' will again click on Broadway. But com- parisons with original production' weren't favorable to this version which; perhaps because it's '.-more elaborate and pretentious, seemed to ■ drag and tended to.become cumber-^ ■some and labored. First three-quar- ters of an hourv in particular, seemed to move leadenly, all the more sui'-. prising since this pa^t included ren- dition of "Heart Stood Still' and "Thou-Swell.' 'Yankee' needs plenty of doctoring oh its book and pacing. ■ It was midway in Act I, following the disappointing- prolog: when pace, began to quicken and real zest and verve to appear. Singing of 'On a Desert Island," by juvenile Chester Stratton and ingeni'e Vera-Ellen really got the audience cheered up and a few minutes later, featured ■ player Vivienne Segal, playing ■ the wicked,. luscious queen. Morgan Le Fay. stopped the show cold with her rendition of 'To Keep My Love Alive,' a new number and one repre- senting Larry Hart at his very , best (as well as-most original and auda- .- cious) in lyric writing. The tune is neat, too, and the number promises to be ; another 'Jenny.' the Gertrude Lawrence number from 'Ladv in'-the Dark.' After that, the action continues at a swifter pace and numbers click , with greater regularity. Stratton and Vera-Ellen' score .'strongly, again with' 'I Feel at Home With You." for- mer does a corking takecfT on Sina- \ tra and there are two new Rodgers tunes with ' certain : possibilities. 'Can't You Do a Friend a Favor' and 'You Always Love the' Same Girl.' A couple of fast chorus dance routines help, too.: Here's a Rodgers-Hart show, by the way,- with nary a bal- let. ' Miss Segal is outstanding as Mor- gan Le. Fay, proving herself again a cracker jack comedienne as well as vocalist. Role has been built up ' since original, when Nana Bryant played it." Dick.' Fbran, as the Yankee, was very■' ill-at-ease at the start and failed to register as he should: have. Later, however, he seemed easier and his infectious per- sonality clicked. He played the role nowhere near as.- brashly as did Billy Gaxton In the original, and, on the whole, not -.as effectively. This. Incidentally, is his Broadway Stage debut. . Julie . Warreii, as Sandy (originally . Constance Carpenter. English adaptation, who caused a difference of critical opinion), is at- tractive and tries.hard, biit not'no- table vocally. Tipoff is that she and I'll Take ihe HifSh lioad Baltimore. .. (Mirror*! - Hi'lyiniiri.'mill •. NHIloll IJerlf- l»ro- ilin-lIon: of. roine.<ly In llirrr nSu* l»y 1.111-111,'' S.'. l».t-niTili8.-. Dlreclcil liy Sunfonl; .Slelynrr: ;'r-nlnc.. I'itul Morrison., : ()|ii-npil hi M.ii'.y- lniol ilie.iire; enlilmore. (iii. ;u. X'Mii; to-'. ■ : :. -Mil Itti.i-I.. Sam.' i:n,i,i; I'M: I'.uilK. : <r - liiiii.i..'.:; ■i.-. :i ' l":iT-M-*tt." ly KiiiIi). . . i. ■ I liili'V....... .1 -,l .Ml; ile-.ri-r. ;. . .-.. -.. ("1;:*-; ;..'... . .:. ..... . . Ki'WI'lo'. .'. . ( ........ . l.'«;i ; ''l': l':|riTl. . ... . . . Alar .V'nrihliin.'...:.. \Vr-ii-i-.o. i;nion.. -... Itar/erly. .. Ki-'-inui . .' -.. i... .In».: Klh<ll*V.......... I*i»rl'. Sl'i'jnl Cliarl' ■\\ I'olninkoiT.... .. M:tti-ii:(,-i''. ■:. .-..'Wanila 1*>-tm .....-.;... ..I^n Ooyli' ....... jolillMi-Ci.vi'l-n ......... .Allan '■ isicli ...-. .Klltel-; Rr-iiiey . .'...'. ..Ii-ahlu*. l*a-inl-y . . .. .Miirjorii- ' U-iU,iii ...... .John llrailley .... . Mojni I'lralianl. . . . . . . . .'. .-Hilly Manila' .... ,:Lv.-*ler. I xirvi-r^n n ..:... :. Helly Wi-lloy ..Tmhicx lolf .: i>»lle Marl.ocil ..;....'. Iti-n. I.auuhlin .... ...... I.arry ' Hi*; .,.ilonloh lla ani.il! i-.-r. . . : /Mlrllarl ; .^li-,ill: . :'. : .: l.eo l'lia|ji.ol ...C .Swayne (lorilon unrestricted freedoms' of. seamen during shore leave. ' More or less subscribing to . the heW prospect of things as their femme champion has oullinqd, and resisting the impor- tunities of the lads of the sea as best they may, are a former strip- per, a hula dancer., an Eurasian niterv waitress and a young novice entertainer. Boys, are- finally per- suaded that marriage may be best and do . every thing they can to pro- vide the wedding rings for the gals, but are frustrated through, two and one-hrilf acts by the unregenerate C;P.O. When he agrees to wed .the woman who had the big idea of es-. tablishihg matrimonial bureaus' for the sailors'all along the Coast, and a Navy chaplain does / wholesale splicing job. the. play's over. Two grind; dances with bumps arc spotted as competition against .-the nearest burley strip houses, and the comedy is aimed almost wholly a"f. the lower levels of laughlcr. Cast mostly catchras-catch-iian. but there . are ' several performances which, may be rated as good.-.par-, ticularly ' the animatocf playing bf ^Eleanor-Counts- as. thc proselytizing femme; Hugh Prosser. the petty ol- 0"er; Edward. H.vans- 2d. one of the nlaintive sailors; J. Alex. Havicr, iiorn in the Philibpihes and a prpin- isfhg comedian:' Barbara Pepper, the hula dancer, arid, for. slinky appeal, Alice Talton, the sfripcuse. Navy officers, characterization in face of circumstances, especially the role ot the '•haolaih: were not cal- culated .to set loo Well in these 100% <•*«<.-'even-.In the .liberal- tolfrarice of farce. Jung. Producing combination of crirTord Hay man and Milton Berle has '.se- lected as its. first try a play about the fascists in our midst. It's 'pretty muddled theatre. it tells about the benevolent in duslrialist who is really, a rat at heart, willihg to sell out. his country at the drop of a swastika or .an extra dividend.' :How the. tycoon is un masked by an, unsuspecting femme employee. Who represents her home town" as 'Miss Average Girl.' makes for the conflict. Thrown into con tact for publicity purposes with a youthful screen/ star who opens. his simple-heart to the wholesome belle she spills the real truth, about her boss at a great big shindig in his honor and scores another victory for the forces of doing-good and democ- racy..' ... General pacing seems to be one of the. most glaring shortcomings. First , act. gets-away on an almost farcical gait- and. on the strength of some' snappy dialog and character izations, ' indicates some promise: Sudden switch to problem drama In the second act bogs down and several lengthy stretches of preach moot bring about a letdown. From then on it's hit-and-miss.' ! Curious introduction of a very brief anti climactic scene at the close of the second act leaves everything hang- ing in mid-air without much chance of rescue after that. Jeanne Cagney is the.heroine and ■she turns In a workmanlike job. A few striking moments are supplied by Leo Chalz'el as a Russian film director and Allan Rich and Mona Grar-am as adolescents. Direction by Sanford Meisner is befuddled. Playwright Lucille Prumbs has deft .hand with dialog and ought to be hitting paydirt before long. But this isn't the one. Burm Savo Mf a Sailor Los Angeles. Oct. 2G. Faive In .three ifel' by'Henrt foslii;'pre- Henli-il l»y: Henry 44lerlinpi. Slane.il. h] (ieorue Sherwuixl. . Opened ni llie. MHyi.i iliCH.ii-e.. lais. An'RCles. 0*-i.. '-*ii.' '-I":'$l,ii Ion. Ca»i : ;flt>i»lrt A. ' Pierce. Hui-h Shlney -.Melloii. KdvvHril llyans *Jil. /Anile'i-r-on. Terl Toy Eleven 'Clarke, A'uihc.' ■ Alli-e -.Talliirt. ..Uniliara. .leani'ie 'Runner. Miitliin Dn'int)n«i, i^ounls.- I'uul Kl-u'per; J. : Alex Chnrlrs I*. King.'- Tom JTerlierl lllllnn. ProHHer. Unssell Noi'inii I-epper Kleanii I lav'lei U'ali Thin, talky. relying on the ancient legend that sailors ashore have only one project constantly in mind, and skirting as close to the line of vul- garity as the relaxed public perinis sion will permit. 'Save Me a Sailor is due to fade quickly atfer its open ing sprint at the Mayan :hcrei. • The Navy. .it. is understood, did cleansing job on the script before it gdt the go-ahead, blinker, but even so the piece by Benet Costa, pre sented.. by Henry Sterling, has strong smell-of bilge, in the lines and constant innuendo between, the dbzen . men o' warsmen who surge into a Sari Pedro waterfront n.itery expecting^ n reception from the: gal: they used to play , around with, but who have noW.. emphatically changed. Substance of the. play is a tug-of- war between a woman who believe? the morale of the Navy~and the na tion would' be better if all sailors were married, and a cynical chief, petty officer who holds- out for the Plays on Manhattan Noeturno ' Waller Krev Hint (ieolBo W. IliHhdl pro- ilueiloii of iio-lo Irn'iiia In-'ilir**' aula !>>■ Hoy WhIIIiik. Slain H.hli" IJowlIng; dlrtrleil liy Siella Ailler: aPiiiiiRS.- I.'erry • Walkluw: ■■iviil-l"m r.ini'rfl ill-all--, X. V.. -<M. 86. •*U $::.;iii i.ii> i*i.-4ii niieidnK niKln.'. K.'lille Ta lllio........ .'....■. ■ D'lii He i ll 1'eli-r' Waile...;.,.. :.. ... .Kildle -LNiwIing Ann Sievens...... .Terry llnlinea Vl.ioi-iilne MacMnl'lln. '.;. . . -.'. Iliinald Keyes .Tom. Mclilh«iiy ...,, ;.lnl:inn Caffroy .....v:\Vi-nilell -Corey ;... >-.'. :.l(ihn Fnrrell llownril Smith ;'.'..;.. .ntiuerl Toms Crai-e Waile-.... Mulii'tie Lessinl;. llinlliel.'....'..;' . I lojef :''.....' DoiHn /...;....... Maliuney..'...'.. .- -.Inline l»elrie..... Clll-eW. .......: Plays Abroad Something in the: Air London: Sept.'24. Tom' -Arnulil und I.,—. .ICpliniiiu -|ire»i-nl- mn.-'lviiI t-om'edy' liy. Arthur ^ Marine. An-hle Me.n/.lea, . jack, ,-llullirrl;' liiUril,-*. . Manning li.envin: lyi-i.-.-..'.Ir.n-.il,l I'ureeli; Max .Kei-' er.' I're.-ienU'd . hi l*nlaee.' London. Sent; •SI, Terry .rotter.. Jaek Pendleton.'..-. Itlihi-rta V'hii.ie'..; Mandy Sha.w... sci-Keiini- Aumin...; J-'reddlO .Miiffiei-a • . «ywi Ilet-ioi- .Crltehley... commander . Todd .- Gorman IMlol..... . ....Clt-e;v Court-leldfce .......... Jaek llllll.erl .j.;•...-/..'..lelin Olllle; i'I;fl»riel)i- liruiie . . . .... . Itonahl Shiner: ... :(;,-olV|-,iy 'Wardwell .-.Henry Thompson .. .. .Colletie llari-iMiti . . ..^ ..liihn Turnliull '.. ; . Neville - Townc. ..........lohil N U'-olHoii Assessing the commercial value of this show, it's an un^ualifiecl suc- cess. Assessing its value from the standpoint of entertainment,, it's more than three-quarters excellent. Three hours of a'musical .wi'.h most of it well worth, while promises amuse- ment, of a high order when the n.s.h. stuff is deleted. . The book and lyrics have plenty b£ ideas. There is topical,'farcical treat- ment of a spy pfotj with the music by Manning Sherwin and'lyrios by Harold Purcell arid Max Kester, al- though tuneful, providing- -little of importance, with the possible'excep- tion of a number called.'Home Is the Place Where. Your Heart Is.' Cicely Cburtneidge gets over the latter with the aid of a strong descriptive mono- log. The other tunes help' the show along nicely arid provide, the pejgs for Jack. Hulbeit and a hand-picked chorus to dance. There.is smart direction, Slavish- ly; mounted production, with two stellar comics and enough 'feeders' to keep things almost constantly on the go. The basic idea is the situa- tion where the home of a wealthy man is commandeered and he's com- pelled to act as servant to his own butler; r Hulbert is his usual extravagantly comic terpsichorean personality, and Miss Courtneidge, Who has a flair for travesty English dowagers, adds to her familiar and' acceptable bag of tricks with her rendering of the aforementioned .'Home' song.' ; The show had been touring for several weeks, and the result Was a competent West End premiere. Jo'b. Another in the growin ■ Ust« of feeble' Broadway legit' entrants bowed' into the Forrest last- week. This time it's soniethirii'. called'Man- hattan Nocturne.' a melodrama by Roy Walling starring Eddie Dowling and presented under the aegis bf Walter Drey and George.W. Brandt. It'll probably be remembered, how- ever, as the play. Which marked the Broadway stage debut of- Terry Holmes. Miss Holmes gives every in- dication of going plaices. •'Nocturne'vturns out to' be one of those soul-saving, regeneration, tales involving a prostie's conversion by. a guy who, tossed aside by. his wife, is ready to throw in -the towel When she comes into his-life: as the paid gal to produce, divorce evidence. In. effect, it's : a Salvation Army poster coiric to. life--and; it's seldom- more exciting. As Broadway fare ..its chances appear slim. , / Chief fault lies in Walling's script. The confused ; issues, arising from the rather maudlin plot, are left dang- ling in midair: For the most part it conveys the impression of a. startled adolesecrit' pop-eyed at discovering what -urks around the comer. But it's the sort of.naivete' that has none, of the freshness attributed to that quality: only the dullness and bore- dom that stems from a lack of knowledge and understanding. Had Wall ing developed the social. aspects that he. propounds in his third act hie might have .turned out :a live drama. . At the . most he|s only suc- ceeded in recording a case study for psychiatric annals. : Dowling in his. unemotional, re strained manner tries to make the character of the Soul Saver believ able, but unfortunately the role as evolved by Walling, with its unin- spired dialog, is seemingly beyond the help bf any actor. ■ . It's. Miss Holmes,- however, who gives the surprise performance, of the evening as the young call girl who's had her emotional stability knocked, from under her. It's an other of Walling's unbelievable char- acters and. at best; a thankless role that requires'the actress to span the gamut of emotions and make a quick transition from a hard-boiled prostie- to a sweet /kid. but she manages to lend, it conviction and sincerity. Howard Smith turns in a credit able job as a : judge who emerges as the only clearly developed character. Stella Adler. who directed, did as much as she could, considering' the material at hand, while Perry -Wat- kins' two sets, are appropriately tawdry. Rose. Mary- JOIctaholli Shei w, of Oiiinm III IWii-aets li.' ■I. Mased- h\ li ivid .'.' liy t.Viierjirt, ■ oiiened at Itin.l. .V Y , .\,.\. I. rainp Miiple..'.-...... Hnze Hei-ly.hiiili-i-..; . Tuleunipli. I.lneinnh. -: Anolhi-i -l.lneinan': . -. lHn'oh Maple.,.'..'.... luhlty Maple.;.;....' Va'uin'.:.'.. .'-.-;. Allin Sollire.':. He, I, Mr. Clllsholni. .. . ; Mrs. CliUhohn.......... JOMPpll, ...'-, ; . .':.. :.: ..... . ; Jaehic- Dnl;e.. Miintee...,"..;. nni-v.;. . .'..-.■.,:.-.;■. l'y|e:i. i. .;. la^cii'ili :C|ilnitiailder. .; Anot.hi-r . 1 .eRiniinali-e... l>andt)lido London. Oct. 6. '.Play In lltreip nets' liy- Dmolliy- Allier.ryn and Pnvld Peel' tvmu the l-'rem-h ■ pitiy.' .'Altitude 320*1." I>y dullen l.nchiilre. IV- Kertted. l*y- H.- '. . . Tennend, l.ld-., dlreeled by .l.Ohn ClelBllil. At'' VVesltnilljiler. llie* .utre..-rifindon. Oi-t. a; I'.u;!.' ■Viilnri: Dl.-kle.. nrlan .,. Dai ld... Peter... Marian. Vivien:. Shl-llA.. Judy.... ;-Antli<iny ■ Da'wsnh ..IVter Kamtnon'd ,.;, lohn Hyroii ..-.;• David JVe.1 . . K-itll t a HlllplH>ll ,.;OlK'a. l-MwanleM '..-... ;X>iili-lc-- C.ray .;. . . . Tertl-I ■ K\'hii:i ;....'...Sheila Sim Doubtful if this play; adapted from the-French, will .pass .beyond its re- treat in Westminster to more ; pop- ulous regions' nearer Piccadilly Cir'-. ct^S: It is just a simple Story of-a bunch of students, two parties of opposing sexes,' who meet in a de- serted Alpine, hotel and, through a landslide, are marooned for three months. Yburig as they are. it is obvious from the rise of the curtain th'at propinquity and boredom will throw them into artificial, and precocious emotional entanglements—especially as there is. every prospect they may be cut, Oft from the outside world for seven months. Drama is created through a sincere attachment fbrm- ing between an embryo priest, fear- ful of love interfering with his celi- - (Continued on page 44) <: Vlelory nollen Mei.ry Adrian '.prodiietIon ot fwrce In lh'r,-e aelii.- liy "Alli-e (!ersrenlu-rjr; featurea' Mahel 'I'allirferrii. Harluira' Itenneit. Marl dale; atacod liy. .lleni-y Adrian: in-ltin^.-liy 'Kdvvai-,1' de l-'orreal: at Mansdleld theatre N. V.; 0,-t. 2ti. ::..".(! lop ijl.-ld open- iiiB). • Ann Slewall Kalhlene i.Stirlinv....... AKiri ltivliin Mrs. c.rare Slewarl.. Ceejaii...... ... ... ... Min. ..Mildred Stlrlliii; Plo Jlilliaid........... .1.1.. .lamea rtlthiirdnon l*vt. l-.'rie Stn.nley.. S(tt. .loo Collier. .1 . . Col. Kdwanl Hnrlnil.. Donald Maechiia.-.... . Thohiaa Rleha.rdsoh... .lime* Winkle.'.. Mr. Pop*..'.......;.. i. Polu-eiiien. :KIIi-u Men-Ill .Sally Crarle ...Marie llal. . . . Mal.el - Tallafem .;. Addison TCa-ndall ...-'.... . ..leatle .Millet- .-.. arlinrn . nennetl Kalph Clanlnn ... .Stanley I^lllllps ...... Wain 1 !- Apiiler ayiii'oiid. Van SUdfle ......Philip Penman .. .Rnherl Oher . .Marearet ICekina-n .nnrlnn -.Mnllor: . William '■■nul. Oscar Miller ' Even in a: season remarkable for its preponderance of- claptrap. "Vic- tory Belles' reaches a new extreme of vacuity. Not in years, it seems, has Broadway, been exposed to an attempt so inane. Under the cir- cumstances, the kindest thing to be hoped : is that the venture docs a quick, relatively .painless fold. ■'.' According to. the management's announcement, 'Victory Belles' is supposed to be a. farce about the husband shortage, but there's little ih the fatuous dialog or actionless plot to explain that, or whatever else the author may-, actually have had in mind, .the incredible script, awkward staging,' inept perform- ances and even the pathetically un suitable setting-are all cither ludi crous or merely soporific, depend- ing on the mood of the Individual spectator.'.' The single notable thing about'the show is that Barbara' Bennett,, of the Richard. Constance and Joan Ben- nett clan, is implicated. Probably she shouldn't be blamed- too much for becoming-involved in such a minor disturbance.' Maybe she and the other accessories to the misde mcanor should just plead guilty: and throw themselves on the mercy of the court. As for those playgoers unfortunate to be subjected to 'Vic- tory Belles,' they've been punished enough. Hobe. The Petrified Forest (STOCK) .'. We md. slo.'-k rev ival Kolieil I-;, s Ale.\aildi-i.- sei.-;ii. New. Amsterdam' #-■■•-'■> lop. .. I. v;. Ma rsha il .Wlllhfio eWster AVllIia in . ^la'ri-eiiii. ■ , ..l-'red,-rie C.,i-pi-!l:. .'.llniyer IfuvKei-s- ..-. Ilarliura': J„> r© .Chariotl,<> f;,,u,.in •ndell K. i'liill',|.s: ...... ..cl.til, |'„ir . .HoIhm-i .1.. .'in.-o: .. Nalal!.--' l;,-n!»i h II. ltandolph .NiiuJi .. .-.laelt Itianpr . . ; ..l,.hn Mcljuad* : .-W:il|iiu,i Toiiliiu . ...Sllill- T'ln-llllisvill. :;..t:eoi^e. Spelrln' ..'... l-'i-ed StK'Iv'in For the second time' in a few months, Broadway has a stock com. ■ pany, venture. Previous one was attempted last summer at the 48tli • Street theatre '(then called the Windsor) and folded .after several lean weeks. The-newest try Is that by Mary Elizabeth Sherwood and is located at the New Amsterdam roof, which was ■ used by station WOR, New York..-for a time as a radio theatre, but has otherwise been dark for years. A twist to the present ar- rangement is that Miss 'Sherwood is giving each production .a" Week's break-in at the Chapel theatre, Great Neck, N. Y. 'Despite the recurrent talk about; the desirability : of a stock. corhpahy in New'-.; York, there appears little actual need foi; such an undertak- ing.- In . its heydey. stock thrived primarily .in smaller communities; where louring companies or other theatrical fare was unavailable.. But it never amounted to anything in . New York, where the theatre always : offered . a profusion of attractions.. Finally. Alms and radio killed ;' even in the, Slicks, except, for the relatively ' ■ recent .emergence of. strawhats. . ... For her opening bill. Miss. Sher- : wood has presented Robert E. Sher- wood's (ho relation) 'The Petrified Forest,' in which Leslie' Howard. Peggy Conklin arid Humphrey . B6- gart. clicked in the spring, of 1935. Although the play's; study of deca- . donee arid frustration are anachro-; nistic now. it remains an engrossing, mettlesome drama., However, this revival is,so badly played that some of the Sense and most of the impact arclost. Possibly due to the house's bad' acoustics, the. opening night performance was ha rely audible and . the playing lacked projection or clarity even visually. Only E; G. Marshall, as Cramps, and John Mc- Quade. as gangster Duke Man tee. register \vith:.-clarity.'and conviction. David Alexander's staging and the. physical production are acceptable by stock standards; ' Hobe. f'areer Motlei-n' 1'lny 1'r.i.l I ion of.\ play (\\ ith ' thril** ai-ls- (se\j-n .si- Stak'iiil liy. .lohn J-\ Sally ..N'ushauin. At. X. V.. t). l.. 2X. l-Mllh : l-'ra> ....'. Mii»-Mro 1'iiMiiavisl: . .'Anihii'ny M.-ili-iilui..., lMoiio, ;•....-.......;. Ahirlel Coinplon..,...'. Kduar Knoll; Ilalrnllne Merman ... Mnii'.. il-; Saviifiilla . . . Itosi ' Carnellii Mis - TinuiiM. ...-; Manila ................ Allee.'.'.■■ i.. Ullii-I Tern... Unrrv .limes Miss ' Can-..-..;.:.;.. i-lliins. Jnr.,' piodiie.- iu-iilenial. iniiHle) -in ies(. h\- Nan' Klri'>. raliame: se(iin>;M hy •loi^iiicelown- ilu-atre, SIt..p. .'....-.-..MelMiiie tjilden ...' .lolin : l-'nihl-'is ...;... .Itillieri J-Vyll .....lo iili DlSienmo ...... .tienie Conrad , . . . ,.\ ..l*eier. .Znli* - . ... .Mauri,*,. .\"nnMn .. Anne KiiiR* ■ '.liiseidilne - tailllliarild" . .. . .' . .Mary Klilllall . ,. ..-. I.in-ille Cinj'Ki.n .....Adeline Itinera linda de. Mininx ...... T.oiiIm Cai-nioln Mnliel Nash Although 'Career* is no worse than numerous other theatrical blunders . committed at the Provincetown in recent' seasons, it is frankly terrible. A would-be expose ol the operatic racket, it includes passably sung selections from 'Aida.' 'Traviata' and 'Cavalleria Rusticaiva.' but' the net; effect is painful. ; Of the cast, Robert Feyti. Joseph- ine- Lbmbardo. and John Francis are. relatively . acceptable.: Generally^ however, - 'Career! . offers . little for Broadway, either as. a possible show or' in talent prospects.. Hobe. Chas. Leonard Readies 2 Plays on the Coast .. . Los Angeles; Nov. "Two legit plays are being lined up for production On the Coast by Charles Leonard, forrrier New York producers and'now on leave'of. ab- sence as press'representatiyc for An- drew Stone ''Productions'. ' Frederick Jackson' authored both pieces. 'Heads or Tails,' slated for opening in San Diego, and 'Love and Learn,' scheduled for; San Francisco. Jackson will direct both plays, with Broadway as their .'.objective.'. .'The Survivor,' play by Madeline Davidson, based on a novel by Den- nis: Parry, is currently making'the rounds of roadway offices. '■