Variety (Aug 1944)

42 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, August 23, 1911 Plays Out of Town Slop Boston. Aug 21. yiclnr. Hugo'A'WivV:iivi«luctu).H: uiV <li-iiin!i: lt)Vtw(v'n('ts:iij',lfVlnK: Kayc, Davis;.. KiaKfil by'-KHvi^'-PlspiUju';;' seHjnK«; Sain ■l.ovo; <!bstwm6S'"by- '.rioae B:oBila".(>ff<. ■.ftpeneil fiVt- Wilbur, Boston, Auk. iX, M4. Mra; ShPiiiiai'd....... v.....,. ..Freilerlca CioiiiB Mr».Vci>u,bij.-,, > ■'■ ■ iV-.'ii.. i-RnW/ MilHjej; Mr..'CUmmShi?n.,..;»;, .■WiUWm H.uKhos :Mairhing)„^V.;*t ^, . .Mary. tiiUlf?a Hoitlstcr. i. U i.N'pU.ffai'i'ii I.,4»wor Norlli Princeton,. N. J., Auk Kev. m-ti. Mrs. Mis Mrs: WlH. :Mrs, Milter Smith DInf?ii.»inv . Jritzlwtrlcli. . . BaVtlft'in.'.... .^..i lHr.*i. Mabledorr: .■.. . •VVaUoi CcLtherlrie , Chandler ^.. Mr.: CooW..»i.,..-..,.... Mrs, 'Anna .Halnes. .v. Howard,Haine.s, Isabel Haines;;., .■,.;;.. ■Mary. ■Steven's..;,...; .. Mr. White.;.....'....:. State. Troo.j)er,;... .'.^^ Reporter..'........ ...... . i .,■ i-.^v^Dii i.sy.. J'.t'.lnUire i'...,. Laurie , McV.i<0!;er ..k..,..,. .Miirv .I'errx ;\. jCi.'rj»t;e*'..Valejnine .',sij'igdstn,'; Fteni'h' ',.....;..'.Uda'.Heineniaiv . .;';■;■.■.;; .sp.tii Arn'<rt(). ,. .Cottini'ine: . Duucel .. .V...U'i-eBOt'i'., Kutiih-'J'. ,...: .;Mlniiio IJujirtJe ..,.'. .Haymonii: JJailey '. '. ,. .Mavis' Kreen'iiii), . j^ffie .\ft,oii L^..:'..Kobert Ktewiirt .iClarltmiv ,.:,....'.; iAUui Urbdk ItaS. ill t'bi't ■;Jt';iin ■ proftuotion t>f"c'.oiU'''ly'0raniiV iu-ts '(4-i?:ceriesr by' 'Jlaniii .liidweU., 1 by' lSavti1..^Burfon', settlngji, JtayiiUMKi Sfivev". ■' Oipene'd ■■ at ■ MoCarter^s ' tbeati'ti, in'tj.>i'eidUi-;\.^'j'.',..-.Au,sr'i8i'''.Mi,?''i tpp;.'■;■ Uai*,-;,:!.';.:;;■;■;■; I't'toiVon ..■;,'.';...,.'.;..., Soliif'.^fliy.U'..' .'.v'^*''. t„'»>i^>ran..,. ;.■..:,,'■:. aeiilVi It's h^rd to see how "Last Stop" can /be pummelled into shape here to keep the boys from scooting, up the aisles. . Melodrama is' a ourioDs mixture of pathos; bathos, comedy and tedium, plus a severe case of convolution of the plot, and it will take a masterly touch to create a miraclei between' Boston's- lip and : New York's cup. Plays locale is a home for the aged a few hours upstate from New .York City. Basic narrative springs fiom the situation which arises when its venomous "benefactor" (Catherine Doucet ) decides,to sell the house and move her. half-score charges into a rickety ftretrap down near the glue factory; and encounters the rebellion of the inmates. . An aged newcomer (Minnie Du- preej who' was dispossessed of the house by the benefactor's foreclosure of the mortgage, 45 years; previously, is the ringleader of the rebellion,, and succeeds at last in proving that the benefactor was an accomplice in the death of her father. .Meanwhile, the old fur coat of a deceased in- mate is found to conceal a large sum of lettucjB, which pops out in time to fix everything—everything, that is, but: a few odds and ends of plot which remain left over. ; It may be that the stuff of a good melodrama is here, but the treatment ranges between piteous scenes of the loneliness; .abandonment and pathos of the elderly inmates to melodra» matic devices too obvious to swalr low. The presence in the cast of a . stout-spiri^ed^oid.lrishwoi-nah ((Sra.ce Valentine ),• whose retorts and fight- ing ilrish spunk-offer the chief en- tertainment value of the play as it stands, ai'e among the many oppor- tunities tor deftness of characteriza^ tion by the aged inmates. But the audience cannot enter into the spirit of the comedy melodrama because of the ever-present feeling ■ for the ;poignant plight of the old ladies, and even if it could, the plot is so involved that all the charac- ters have to sit down' at the crucial moments and; recapitulate the whole thing. • The cast was not overly secure at . the operiirig. ,A small matter.'Con- sidering 'the stature of the: grand old, troupers It contains.: Catherine Dou- cet may improve as'the horrid Miss ■ Chandler,: although there's a ques^ . tion if the' role is wholly .suited to, her style. Minnie Dupree's concep- tion, of the:,role of the newcomer was fine, if a little insecure. 'Grace ' "Valentine, drawing the comedy lines, clicked throughout, and the other inmate roles were nicel.v drawn, sup- porting cast being passable,.direction likewise, and single set okayv £Iie. Jol.inson;.;. i.^ . »•'<',.» ('iirh>y..........;..;... .... llruce.... ,',*;,..;..'.. ... .. Karnefl:.. i ; ..'..... SpaiUyivi;,..,;,;". tr*. V,. .".U-., .lini :.. ,.,.;,. :Prat7.5li';'..■,■.'.,,..VM;i..i PllUjipa.;;.,;;,;;. i:..i:..,; Biirioh.';. .'..;'..,.;'', , ,,.'.■,. M,iiv .T«linriy. .■.........:.. ^ ^. . : Marine ■dJroSs Blues).., Anilv , .Frank...,-.,.*;,.;.. ..,..... Hub] , , IV III , ,Bur'U9.,i.'.',,.;.'.....,...;. The Marine,Sergeant;■;■; ^^l H.nos ; Phyllis. ...... Diii'tithy'. .:. .■.,'.. ,■■..■.,;.;. Mv-ir'Ritti ■.'^■.■;.. Jerry F.nn,(]. , .'.,-,;X''riiB;k UiaiVley ;■.. ;P'avit1, ■<Tra!i'a,ni . ,l')ort C'inrlj: ,'.,•1 .'i/iDoui^liis*' ,,roJips:' , ^,.:.,.!; .,.";r>e(m, :KinK , .Arthur lluimifUtt ,'."... .llobcrt ■ Itrelon .■,,.;.Ka,ilio' Wivte'ltn fVi, .v.'Riiiier.t Jly'tM-s^ ,... .Kiiii '.HpalillnK .'i:y.'i?i;ust,y,'': i.fiiie, *.:, '.. . Hub, ,l.a('ita,y^, ,;,.' C,'harl6fi' (.Ilaiit'y . . Sara :AiixtQr.*.ign ■ .Tolin Pairelt Kuval KonuK'l ,.*...,..-Don ■OruHso Phil Pine .■,.-,:. ;^lancbe',FSye, ,.J31ah'elie C!la(li*t(>ne, ,";;,';■.';,. ; ..;Pa-ul Ford .'.,.'...loiin C'onway .Watsflh 'White ..,.',.. '; ;,C6rfi, Sinitli ... ;,.,^Flora:-Kn'ititlt .Edna , Pealvltom Mesaen^e'r.», :.:.;.JW.,;.". •.; • jilitiiU'ell ^:hrQns;: PaMena Reopening >'When a cast comes up with a let- ter-perfect opening performance after devitalizing rehearsals in the late heat spell they rate a high- polish salute.: But the author of the: Princeton seasonal opener at Mc- Carter's theatre, "Lower North," pre- sumably sat listlessly under the shade of a nearby .appletree - when, he wrote this scriptl It is too much of : a conversational piece and glar- ingly lacking in spontaneity, pace; wit and action. Without a rewrite ,iob. particularly its wordy opening stanza, its chances for a Broadway run seem negligible. ";;' ''■■ :■■;' 'plot is built . around the lives and : loves ,of youths ' at a, navy, training ■station's •quartermaster. schd<Jl. , ,A1-. though the toughening-<up-processes of th,^;se\"5eagoing bellhops'' pe.r^^ it up at times; the whole:idea, in; view of the current trend: of thought on demobilizatiori .do-re-mi and postwaf. plans, seems a. couple of years too " late for highly pitched interest. Its story concerns (a) a distraught, husband who threatens to go AIVOL. to see his wife; (b) the same hus- band threatening to leave the. navy : flat because his wife expects a baby, and (c) the husband's penitently picking up his AWOL check, loyalty to his aqua Alma Mater triumphing over, prenatal jitters. . : . ■: The chief writing fault with: thiS' Max J. Jelin production appears to be its; failure, until shortly betore its initial: stanza's curtain, to, bring intQ. focus—amidst its ceaseless: han-: tering of conversation among virtu^, ally half its 28 characters—.iust whom the author intends as his pivotal characters. The ^ace accelerates in. the second and third stanzas but not enough to salvage interest. Outstanding in the cast, largely made' up of , youngstei's, are Dort Clark, Robert Breton, .Kim Spalding, Sara Anderson and Dean King (son- of Dennis King), Particularly socko is a brief scene by John Conway as. a shellshocked marine sergeant, als6; the boarding house mistress bit by Edna Peckham; whose wry observa- tions draw some of the few robust: laughs.-. - ■■,':' ' ■-;■■ ■ ■," ■■: The four settings of .Raymond So.- vey show skill and discretion, nota- bly: his secondracV barroom set; the harkeep himself looks like a literal lift from an Eighth avenue ginmill. In sum; the author, in attempting to. follow George M. Cohan's canny play-construction formula of getting a man up a tree and throwing rocks at him (etc.), got a company of gobs up a masthead-^but tlwew marsh'' mallows! ■ : :' " ' ■:', Kane. can rct$in if Barbara remains faithful to him for one year. She isn't, but hor fall is, ironically enough, the re- sult of an orgiastic religious revival meeting. Play, much—if not all—of it in verse, combines qualities of "Okla- homa," "Tobacco Road" and a- top- grade Maxwell Anderson play, and needs only a professional touch in the focussing of the narrative, which is sometimes redundant, and in clari- fying of the significance, which is obscure. The Richardson-Berney play, incidentally, won the 1942 Max- well Andersion prize. . There is a strong flavor of Amer-; icana throughout as exemplified in a, climactic: -revival meeting with rugged old hymns (like "Beulah- land" ) spiced up with infectious off- beat rhythms; much character hUr mor,' an amusing ironic touch, and a visceral love; story, in which elcmeor tal passions are contrasted with the fervent religious motivations of the, hill people. A good show, in short, and one which supplies the libretto for a potentially socko play with music. Done here by house company, with Carol Stone as visiting star, and done very well,: the staging being especially effective.; E!ic.; Song of Bernadolto ■Washington, July 26. :, Catholic Unlveralty 'production-, of. drama by- Waller and--- Jea-n Kerr, :lrom the---Franx ,'\V6i'rei: novel. 'In ;three, acts and; ilV s:,t:'.pn'e.?, ' Principals:' ,,Betsy' Ross. ; Sally :Mdoripan.' Rosemury ^SclV,\Ver;' Maureen., t'jaiiev '-.pioH- .Syltes,, 13n9iffn"Anna,,Il.: ileci. Tonv StanietK.: .Mleivh'or ■ Dbpp,.: jo,lm:,'PooI,ey; ,Wi-iffht. ':.^ara: IJeyenaon,.,.'Albert ;(rezer, .^Viliiaiu Dalzt^ll. ,Teri-,eno6. ■ Biirley. .' Patricia, Bayley., Eliieon, Iinhoff ,and::Sj^bir,lje,vensoh. , Play on Broadway Song of Norway , F.ilwin liester productlori' .of operetta ,,In two acts (.levert scenes)., Dancing,8ni.l,; »ln'eT: IPk, eiipembles staKed by;,'Qeor(f9 .JSa'liin-: chine; oreliestral. .choral arrangements ttild. conduction,' 'Arth,i)r: Ka5*;: musical a,aa'ptaj Ifon- and lyrics by Robert :, WriBht ;ai»d (teOrge I'^orrcst.; bQoH by.. Milton, lia'^Arus, fiom storj by Homer Outran; settings de- Sipped, by ■i'O'inUel ' Ay^rs; book dll^pctipp; rharip,s K.:.Fre,enVan; .costumes'.'de.siened by: liobort L>aviso'fi; ,opened at imp,6rluli K. T.; Anx. 21. 'M: :...!■':.';'.■,'': SiRrld , lilinar.;;.... ; t^**^ * •..:; l!lric.,...: .■.... V..,». ,:» , • " (lunnar. ....;.*.:>>*;.. • tlrlniu. :,...:.;...;.,..■.;;. llelfe'.i Uiku rd: Kordrante-.;., ■.:» >';lnft HaB«rup..;..■;;•.,,, ICdyard ■ O'-i'eKr;' *. ■»('■•'• •:*■ Fathei CJilei? ;Ka'tUer.' Jy'ontraak..,.;.. Motlier Cilef Freddy. . ; Cijunt Pepjil -Le ;i.oup.. Ijoulsii.' Ulo'vanni Facul,ty:.,.,. . .Jftriet Hftmec .-.Kent Edward^ :;.".'Robert Antolne- .^ .W'lll^m; Carroll, ,;',...,.Pattl BrWy ;.....;.Jackl?; lieo . i.; Kflbevt Sba'ter .'.Ileleni .Unas ;.. Tjawreike -'Brooks '.Walter, Kinsstord ,.i..;Ph,lHp White; ,.;-.....'.Ivy'Sc(itt: ;loredorto, Frank,ii>i .........i.Sii? Arno- ......Ilrr'it, Petlna- .;.Ew|nK: Mitchell. Audrey Guard; Paul, de Poyster ]nn Koopoi.., newla Boljairt Fi.iu Pioteiboi .S'oiden Doreen Wilson Klv^ra...-^.;.;....-.*-1 • -.i..;.Sharon Randall HedwlB 1...", Karen I-und (!ireta..:... .'.'7.'i.;-»;.-,'. .v;.*.'.. .-G;wen Jones M.iiKhaict.i Ann Amlui Hilda Elizabeth Boclto\en Misi Andpis Sonla OiKna Merirlk - Jbaen;'.;i.. .•.'..,.v.Uudloy Clements Tito ' ',;. ,-i.;-.-, .*x.'...i.-*-,Frederic- Franklin M.iettio Plaont.,., Kobeit Beinaid llutlcr '. ;;. ... i.Cameron: - Grant, AdcHiia......Alexandra-; DaTiilo.va;; .Mil 1(1 ... ;:......,.■.-..'-.:;', i'.-.'. .-.Nor»,:'White Sii{noi-a /Ji;icanora>..;.... ; .Barbara.. Boud,wln. Children: Bvlvia, Allen.- Grace; Ci,froll,,. Pat O'ltouvke,: Shaimbn -Randolph. ,;::',, Pasadena, Cal., Aug. 22. Pasadeiia 'Community -Playhouse shuttered for the rest'of;the summer and will open its.fall: season Oct. 2 with a revival of the Theatre Guild play, .''Biography." . General office- :and play readings will continue through' the ,vaoatiOB ':season.' PLAY PUBLISHERS i , • of thM and many other ditlihguithod play* EVE OF ST MARK • KITTY FOYLE • MRS. MINIVER BEST FOOT FORWARD HOUSE W^ITHOUT A KEY TREIAV/NY OF THE V^'EILS TOMORROW THE WORID lOST HORIZON -GREAT BIG DOORSTEP-Calofog on reqoesf- THE DRAMATIC PUBUSHING CO.. WAJVTED CHORUS GIRLS, with Or wtth««t •xparienc*. StMdy work. Long *tatoii« Good iolory. No Sunday work. ^ Apply ti» OLD HOWARD THEATRE Retton, Mow. Dark of th« Mi»oii Cambridge, IWass., Aug. 15. .lohn, J-JuhtiiiBtbti aind: l.ou'l.'io' :H'aIk; (Gfimn Ivri'OgO-'S,u:ni'iner:'theatre) 'Proiluctlol'i,,of fan- ta.iy, in, t\vo':acts . (11, ,8C(>ries):,. by. ;.lI:o.vvai;('i Hichfinlfion' and WiUtanr,: .Bern'cy, " 'S'fa,i*eVl by Rnberf: I'erryv, ,'At.:Bra'ttle Ha.li; ,Cauw 'bridge; Massi-;.$'1,30 ton;,; " . ' .:: ;'. ■; ',;' ' .ToliA..'.,... .,;.. ,';■.'';,,'.;.,,.:.,.".. :pj<,-h'ar(1.;Hnr't ,(^,or(,l,nr.: Slan.,.'..,.';;:;:.-;. ;■;; .R-oderic.li :')A'iiicivcll. ('(liijiir W'tii'n'ah.,; ..^ !^. ^■.,'i:. ;l':rance,s Gofortli Mr.,'.l,enklns. . .■i'."...Ci'if-| .iVVindlp Jlliia MctcuM...'.-.;.;.;;'-.'. „i.',fluth lloinoiiil Mii;: A'tkliVs:.. .... .i, ttichiiril. \'fin: Arsunle, ,H£ink ,Giidger.,..,.; .;,,,. . . .;.:". R:ohal:'i ; C.j-ahani: :Mr; ■ Sti;m,niey /, ,;,..,...,;. Boar>-lman ,t>'Cuiinor; Mrs?, ': Suiitmey , ,'„,:. ,';;., .'Kiitiii-yn :',Ca„m0i'on; ,Kdnji:'' Stimniey,..,,,,,;;;,.:.. .'.,i:,je,e .'.,NiiKehi iVrr.;:'Bergep,. i.>;';...:; ;...;';'t»hiUp ;'ttfhe'a,.^bn:: Mrs. Bergen.';.'.....,.'.,;. .Con^tttlicO Cooper I'illa:Bergen....;;.,;;'. i. . .My rtle, Shaiv lliUly HetCner...;.. ;■.'.'.; .:...,NoVi"ii 'Kcnhane ;5l{«rv'iH, Hadler.'.,.,...;,;... ;'.'\Villia'm 'VVeyse Barbara Allcji.;'... .:.'.. . ♦ . .(^arol Stbne Mr; ^rieh''i.'.',,.'.; ■.-'.;..;..'.;.... Al Ia n i'oWOr Mrs;' Allen...;..: ..i ....., i. Dorothy; Lambert, ii^lbyd,': AH'eti. .■; .^.«.>♦,',"*;:;...-i,J:dhij.-.-Cl,erstad' l^ncle,.Smolrcue.;;;-..; . ...., AVillJam: -.Tcfrrev ;Burt .DtijWttty,;.i..,;.;■];,;.:.;';;.:;..Unbert- 'P.ryor Preache'i' „Ha'g^leT;; . ; .';;. ^Robert. K, .Per'ry First -"tVitch .'. i ,.,.... i...'....-; .' .Louise * Valeria. Set'oni^ ' \\:itch...:.'..,:. .,.- .,.'.; v;., .Lyi'me Arldn This ' is an ambitious attempt to nugget:- Franz: Werfel's reverential novel into the confines of a ,stage, production.; Looking at; it from a: professional 'Standpoint—and: Broad''; way producers had scouts present-^ the play is sketchily written and would .require some expansion and less production if some New York producer is interested. ;: For example, the scenes; are fash- ioned to fit this miniature playhouse, the ten scenes averaging about severi: minutes each. The curtains ; are pulled frequently for these short cameos which develop character and move the play along progressively. The .settings are thus; made with stiereopticah slides, with imiiressioii,-' istic p'erlod liirriiture' to .add .to, the; illusion; It is a raw dramatic tech- nique, and within the limitations of this bijou theatre served its purpose well. The playwrights in their con- densation have taken, the central figures: in this, religious, play, adding a touch of humor here and there and getting the essence of the book. "Bernadette" gets its great lift :trom the spiritual radiance of Betsy Ross, playing her first role, a 17-: year-old ingenue who plays the cen- tral figure with distinction. All. the_ sorrows of her tragic life are crowd-' ed into these 10 scenes-^the agony, of suspicion and doubt which sur- rounds her vision of the ; Shining Lady, the skeptics and unbelievers who did everything to discredit her; and finally her victory through faith,: Then the gradual: acknowledgement of the Church that her supernatural powers were a vision from Heaven upon a simple, peasant child, In the long, suuppofting cast are roles played with 'fine effect. Sally Moorman as Sister Vauzous is torn with doubt Snd suspicion; until the great revelation; Dick Sykes plays Dean Peyremale as an, unbeliever until he sees with his own eyes some of the first miracles of Lourdes: then he- becomes her champion. Others whose characters lend force and vigor to the play are Ensign Anna R. Ceci; Tom Stametz. Sara Levenson, Maureen Lane, William Dalzell, Ter* rence Burley, Eileen Imhoff, Sybil Levenson, Albert Geyer, John Pooley Wrijlit and Rosemary Scheer. The first-night- audience, was en^ Ihusiastic,' hut the playwrights seem :lb;bs cortsciouS' of, the limitations -en- forced by; staging their drama on a. small stage; They have avoided the motion-picture :teehnique, but their cohderisatipn; is thin,: and,, before: it can bo accepted professionally must- undergo considerable expansion and levision. Arke. "Song of Norway" is pleasant operetta, hailing from the -Coast where it scored in Los Angeles and, San Francisco. It should -fare well for a moderate run but' It's . ques:-: tionable if the $6 top can be main-; tained. On the Coast the scale was. $3.90 top. Originally, six players were starred and seven given feature billing, and; while virtually : the :same cast has been retained, none iS: given special, program billing, Production :is not as elaborate as expected and there ai3 elaborate as expected and perhaps the new musical was over-touted. It was . Homer Curran's idea that the life of composer Edvard Grieg would be fertile for Operetta, be- cause of the Norwegian's music. His concertos figure early in the show, given a rousing singing start by Law- rence Brooks; Helena Bliss and Rob- ert Sliafor, rendering "Hill of Dreams." - • While the male warbling leads are in excellent voice, it is Irra Petina, formerly in the Met Opera, who is the vocal standout, Miss Petina first wins plaudits with,"Now," based on a Grieg waltz and violin sonata. "Strange Music," a combination of "Nocturne" and Grieg's wedding song, furnishes a duet for Miss Bliss and Brooks,: while -Miss Petina. and Shafer tteam for "Midsummer's Eve,'" adapted from "'Twas on a Lovely Eve in June" and "Scherzo." "Three Loves," which has Miss- Petina: and Brooks in, action again, originates from :"Albumblatt?' and "Poem Erotique," while "Waltz Eter. nal" comes from "Waltz Caprice." Miss Brooks' "I Love You" is "Ich Llebe Dich," and "Peer Gynt,'- the best known of Grieg!s works, is used tor ballet. Ivy Scott, has a'- pleasant number, "Hymn of Betrothal," from "To Spring." Brooks was not billed in the orig- inal presentation. He got his start singing iii' Portland, Mel,, radio, came to New York for similar engage- ments, and after appearances in operetta at Milburn, N. J.; went into nightclubs, finally landing on. the Coast. Shafer is a tenor who was 'in several revues on Broadway but is better known in out-of-town oper- etta circles; .Mis9. Bliss was- in: two, Broadway operettas but scored with the Philadelphia and St; Louis Mu:^ pic'ipal Opera companies. Sig Arno has the principal comedy part but "Norway" is hardly funny. First nighters liked his handling of ,"Bon Vivant" from' Grieg's "Water Lily" and "The Brook," and .the number could easily have encored A stew bit with Walter Kingsford drew some giggles, but Robert Bor- nard is more amusing as an excitable operatic impresario. ■ Frederic; Franklin has two eccen- tric dance numbers, both okay. Two ballets are spotted well down in the performance,, with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo's Alexandra'Daiii- lova, the ballerina, standing out. Leon Danielian is also of the Russe bunch, an agile performer.: Milton Lazai'us wrote the book from a story by Curran, gets in some kidding about temperamental prima donnas and he has one character say that ballerinas are even harder-to get along with. Lazarus, who wrote several straight plays produced on Broadway; has been on the'Coast for some time,, this being his first musical book contribution. Most im- portant are the musical adaptations • and lyrics: by Robert :Wright and George Forrest, young writers who u.sed parts of some 200. Grieg themes. They are known in nightclubs and : made adaptations for a flock of pic- ' tures.. . ,, ,"! ,., Edwin Lester, who makes his bow as a manager here, founded and Is general director of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Light Opera,as.sd- ciations. "Norway" was supposed to have been presented in New York in; association with Lee Shubert,who is not billed, nor are any Coastites interested financially in the sliow. Herbert Kay, who made the orches- trations; is also of the Los Angeles .operatic group. Louis Teicher is credited in the program for his piano soloing, which is excellent. "Norway" does not impress as hav- ing been built for Broadway but on the strength of its rep and weight ot the Grieg melodies, it should draw patronage. Jbee. Play Abroad Keop Going London, Aug. H. ^r,W. ,I*einbfirton, ;'b.\':,: Srranf<^nient-: with I'oni 'Arnold ]^-'he^ Kphraim.,.Kevue, Sitriri- inft',' ,*':'yrl'l Pletciii'er,;, ' ITiyllis:Monkn,iaii, •; Billy n!ii.sKer,,. Betty; Astell;: dey'lsedi: .writ- n and: composed .i>y Betty Astelli dire^^t^, ed by Cburles Hickman; 'doincias ,;arransed ; .y iJoorEJO Cai'ilcih : decor by B'orJceley ,Sui:.';:, llffe'; C'OMtiinies: dealgned. .Uy,:'Il. St.': Joliii; Kopor*. (by .permission of 'Windm.Ul theatre)..' Opened Aug; 10, mu, at- E*laee tUeatre, IjoPttpM,, at $iJ.!50 tbpl . '„:. '.,:;,,,. ■.':,,. ■ Although a 'product, of, the ''.'art" theatre,"Dark of the Moon" com- bines a number of pretty hep theatre angles with a' decided; elevation of literary expression, and the result is a romantic fantasy drawn from an oldtime American folk legend which might well, gi*en a really sharp and imaginative production; contend on Broadway. Legend is that the indigenous - baU lad, "Barbara Allen," which tells of a lusty Smoky Mountain gal's mar- riage to a witchboy who has assumed human format (to obtain the fleshly pleasures of that estate),' a form he Family Man Los Angeles, Aug. 8. '51. :^fycr(f; produdtjon o?, farce'-cbmedy in: three 'actg:.,(nve ,,8cehes),, ,by Kn'aijj;n -T'^riihcl.'j Kwann ,and,,S5ion,.Myfirsl, Starii Haiiley ;Staf- :f6rd! Ceature.^ ,MarKa,ret,Brayt6,n,an,tl Sarah -Sel'by.,-, Directed- ,by 'Swann; - Opened at Belasco theatre. L. A., Auk. 1; SS 20 top. - 'Cast:'- Haiiley Sfti'Hord,' .MnrgSret-'Biciyton. 'Sut'tih : 'Pelby, ,;;Frankliii ,'t*arjter. ,tiar'ret Marks, 'Peter Xnnthro.: .-Ellapora; 'Kcevea. .Noreen: GrtmiiieM;. KatlVryri' Kbeldon,; .Donny I>avia. 'ilickey Kuhn, Sheldon ;^^',t.'ll,'^,, ilary- Jo Ell'lia, "^'arreii Burr. ;; : .; ', : ■ '' Tlie suppressed desire of every playwright to author a play about radio soap operas is still as far away as ever. This latest effort of Francis Swann, who wrote "Out of the Fry- ing Pan," and , Zion Myefs, film writer, misses.the mark far and wide. So many devices are used to ridi- cule the sudsers that the ensuing confusion serves only to deaden the pace and enmesh a cast of radio peo- lile'in a long, drawn<out: exposition tp achieve the happy ending. ; "Family Man" aims its darts at a hausfrau who is so wrapped up with her serials that life itself is made to follow the pattern. The breadwin- ner working at his office at night must be philaridering,, she has been ,\v,oefully neglected, arid he'^' no, rOi mantle figure like John of the air- hanger. Gal who writes her favorite serial is in town on a lecture tour and she's invited to spend the night. The headman hates radio and the idea of the visit, but he finally sue cumbs when the serial lady heps him to the romantic niceties so he can win back his wife's affection. From here in the play bogs with thin and milked situations. Only sock scene is just off the final curtain, when the serial writer's hu.sband calls for her. He's a portly, bald gent, the John of her pet serial. She's cured. That, seemed to be the big idea In the first place but iti took too long to get there. Play won't do much for Hanley Stafford, "daddy" to Fanny Brice's "Snooks." He's the harrassed family head but it's not in the script. Sarah Selby, the serial-saturated frau, and Margaret Brayton, the writer, deliver competently, as do the young roman- tics, Mary .To Ellis and Warren Burr. A'Pair ot youngsters made precocious by::, radio (Donny Davis, Mickey Kuhn) add to the general bedlam by hooting and mocking radio trade; •marks throughout the evening. Mark Sandrich, picture director, angeled the venture. Helm, This sho-w, which did well out-of- town, drew a capacity, opening de- spite heavy robot bomber raids. ; Show is-handsomoly staged and looks like lavish expenditure. - But names are too few, and ndt big enough to spell boxoffice. No revue is. complete without a takeoff ,'of .Rainbow Corner, the American Red Cross GI hangout. Scene here is much too short, and grossly: lacking in comedy.: But song by. Billy Tasker. aniAmerican dough- boy, is commendable; Usual dig at British Broadcasting Corp. is a scene razzing corporation's; regular feature, "Workers Playtime," under title of "Works Wonders." This .one could also: be improved upon as a laughrgetter. , Cyril Fletcher manages to get mo.st oE his laughs with his standard vaudeville offerings. He's partic- : ularly good in his various monologs, with hi.s old standby, "Dreaming of. Thee," tops. Phyllis Monkman, only West End name in cast, is not over- burdened witli material. Her best is Tube Shelter scene with Fletcher and Tasker; otherwise she is poorly; served. : ';-': • Revue is also sadly lacking in musical numbers, with^ot one tune that could linger after leaving the- atre. ' Show is in for six weeks, then, it is being replaced by; Tom Arnold &. Jack Waller's "By Jupiter." cincntly touring the provinces. If it clKk"^, it s expected, to be switched to Saville,. theatre. Although given very: cordial re-; ception, with some prominent per- sonalities present including Beatucp , Lilhe. Dorothy Dickson, Tom Arnold,, Lee Ephraim, Henry Sherek, Walter: Crisham, doubtful whether puTjlic will consider it a buy. Reae. ;: Max Gordon to Produce •Sun Shines' in N. Y. London, Aug. 10. , New kind of leaseilend has; ,iwst been completed by H. M. Tennent, in association with Linnit & Dunfee, and Max Gordon. Latter Is to pro- duce "While the Sun Shines," Ter-; ence Rattigan's London hit, in ex-.: change for his Broadway hit, "Over 21," which Tennent and Linnit &: Dunfee will stage in London. Understood Gordon has already lined up Gordon Bell and Melville^ Cooper for the Broadway showing °^ "Sun Shines," while the "Londoners' have Fay Compton and Sally Gray for stellar roles in "Over 21." The Buck Hill Falls (Pa.) Dramatic Club, closes season Friday, Sept. 1' with "George Wasliington Slept Here."