Variety (Feb 1946)

4S LKCilTlMATE Wednesday. Fohriiai^ 20, 1946 Plays Oat of Town Si. I^oitiiN Woninn New Haven. Fob. 14. pcinlui'l I'Hi nl' iniiMH'iil: oi'tnetly ill HiVfO'aclW, ( U' seflit'-s *. ^■ei^ivIrps Lin*-S'ifhulsvH Itfti.s..' r.nli.v Dill,' nl'x liiKriiiu. 1:>e;ifl r.iilli'.v, .lime H;mitmil. Jilimitn .Wall,' .flrt"!! l>>' K(MiTt'inl)s rnul l/oiliilee „ t'uilfni i imiyic l>.v ■llnnihl .ArlMii lyrli\si h.V .Vjilinn.^ ilrrref, itMDi'c (liriH'tivfH. Aiiloni TuiViM'. lUnsH'iil I.i'iMiaVLli; i»rcUt.'«tr!iliuns. T-'U K*>.vn 1,' AU;i.il tiiuiill, Mijuoui »:ilJi(. TCiiUivr, I'lili.l, I'lo- ttiu-i;.Kiv liim'UHl. ana ^i-'diiiuotl b.v, l.olnuM should be rcmeilic'd to bolslor woiiilJg. scones. J Sconicallv, "Woman" is an oyefiil. Plenty of color has baon in.iectocj into scttinss, typical of the script's yaiidy undercuiTont. Safn6 applies to i costumes- Bone. JI H:>,ir.«<- ; . . . l!..riie.'. . . SI lu. ■. . , , 1.1:; . }!i'nt*ii !;■ l'rH:i iMvn. .. IS'C-.I . . . };<4Jit.u liroM (1.. VittiPB Iniutly,., J.-.-ih. .-.-...., r.-i(v.(iitc-..:. l»l«Wf..».v ■ ■ .IdShllM ill-, llci.liins 1'rvi.cluM-., . ..... Wititev,.............. A ."^iiranferi M.-iii,. JlMSN(Jllh>",s Flil-iKl. ."..... ■A .S:ji-;itiigji V\'iiui;in..... H;.l\v liiils- . .imiiy jwi ....,.:, v;|v.i»k) HinUh ,. , ,. Ueri-itt, tJitlil'h' . V,;, .Ctmi ti v'. SIlJltUI ..1. JjVijillHIKI ..;, i,. .l'"!-,"!,!!! lli-o.-ii', ^.. . . ....Jtmivita. , .UaH .,. • ■ • • ' • 'ilA^H'l'^^. . ."Y.vuiifit* ;('i>Ji'ili;tii >.'.;. ,\ lUir'Mij^fi ■ I'Vil*"'* Miitxiji M*(,tOll' .Ci*ii;lili»iv TliouuVw Wilmin.sjlon. Del., tu'l). l.'i. no« l'»ria .^l.M'luii!<' , i.u'i.iluotioii: .(if ; i|i;,ii.in!l 111 iliVj'o hi'iH iw*v(\n Mi't'm'Hf by 1 ;«''>'''!V *'""^ S.ilh WvliloV. St'iif^t^<t by ;.To.so. Itlllf.Ml.; Nct,- \\\v~i hv Wi<t»"ii IWrnitii At Uii' PUfy- WSiiw, . .Wilniliignm., .J''tfl.i. .-iS-Itt, ■*5;.. *r'-,^l' l ilillt TUns ■ . .Kii'hiiilK t'lirliHhv. (Icni-y A'wcli/..... ... .'•|H>V" Wallersnii, .i>iH) fC'Mri'H-. ... 1 .111^-M;i<» S;Hiink*i"p>. «iiiiii«v\'.-...., ; iiW.^ I.HU(' I'lUItni..-....: V, .linn-.'ll JjM.s.>JiMi',,..!. Sidvy Ki'on-11.. Uuirim... ..-.'v. VlTfjil-. rine .lat'lti^oii,;,..vi'. Tale Xtii.dleyi.... .... ...olve.itoi' .t'l'IJi . ri''i'aut'if* if. K^'lM'ii '\Vnill.-lil ,sn>Uli ....;. hilurtni. (JlIbfMI. Kraak JlcNi-lli-- .,... Will. ileor ; . i^b(li> llolirlionf . ji...f>tifia iticli , .... V.\lf*iXlUV ■ . . Hilli.v<' I'lil'tililKK .;.,. .'.t'lMlUh ' I'al^vis^U.. .Ti'mi'. M.or.rt.sbir ;MjtVt:.'l(a;'^larUXiaiii' ....llflXPle iRm'fit^fia ,.V,.:.• .K'Vt'jj « .V»aYi.s .il^nl ynnt- ...IJC'f fin hV l;alul.'ill ;rriil;Jj;<«i-.] .tn'\ is ,Arlhar J.nut-i'n ..MamlK-iVusM'tl . .Itojitv^ValliKV "St. Louis Woman" rjcneratos pJcdty pi' steam in the fii-st ol its three stanzas, but the boilers run into a ftiel shortage altor mid- evenlng. It • needs plenty pi stokijii;. Indications are that rcsponsib lily for ultimate bouquets or boos will fall on directorial shoulders. Embiyo contains a fairly interesting story.' a melodious score; soine good dancin.r; talent, acceptable \'ocal speoialistx, and a handsome visual production. The trick Is yoing to be to pick the assets ajid discard, the .liabilities, SeRrcgatinf! and pointins; up the hifthlighls is no simple assignment as things li&w sland. Book is based on the novel, "God Sends Sunday,"' and mirrors the life of the racy Negro crowd in S'. Loo at the turn of the ceritury;: Settin.s is a fertile field for gaudy, cQsttirno d is play rantiing from ruffled pcttifoats i the one politician who talks back to An an: indicaiiou of the political- boss syjitem, "i'laminsjo Iloiid" com- mand.s attention for lis honesty, sin- cerity and courage. It is not a pleas- ant picture which Robert and Sally Wider have painted from the for- mer's novel of a vicious, .sadistic Florida political boss who riithletsly crushes all opposition, usins' his great power for pei'sonal gain. At present "Flamingo Hoad." the politi- tal document, a\'ershadows "Flaniin- go Road." the play, and'unle.s.s cor- rected is likely to hurt boxoffice chances. Much polishing and editing arc in order but the stuff isi there tor building a drama appealing to thoushtful, mature audienccl. Shcrilf Titus Semp'e, of Peters- burg, F la., is the worst type of politic cal boss, and: the'plot deals with the conflict arising when he meets de- tianee in the form of a carnival girl who refuses , to leave town as or-, derec', Semple breaks the girl, .send- ing her to .jail on a trumped-up strect-walkijiff Eharfie. She- comes back for. revenge and. works her. way ii|j trom . a bordello to sweetheart of SeinpJe, The latter hits back by ruin ing the politician-lover and heaping more disgrace on the girl. She brings the curtain down by killing her tor^ mentor..' .■.. It's still . too Jong and talky, but the main scenes carry convietion and are drnmaticall,y tense, Francis :J. Felton, the erstwhile "Happy" FeN ton of musical comedies, nightclubs and raclioi dominates the. play 51s the^ dcspi.'-ed sherifl, Felton unwraps amaxing versatility in erealing a brilliant characterization. The audi- ence grows to hate him as much as the characters he oersocutes. As the girl, Judith Parrijjh is ap- pealing and shows fire in her drar matic scenes. Philip Bourneuf is not I fully. at case as the "honest'" politi* i cian. but it's a weak theatrical char- actor compared to the aggres.^ive vil-r: lainy of the sherilf.Will Geer brings welcome lightne.s.s to the rOle of. the do\vn-at-the-hoel newspaper editor, and Lauren Gilbe' t is good as the iiheriil's protege who takes to liquor after being banished from royal fa- vor. The only other outstandina fe- male role is Dori.s Kich's bordello madam, done expertly with wise- cr.i.cks to take away any .sour taste. Others in the larae east rutins bowsi. aic Olvester Polk, Frank McNeUis, Evelyn Davis, Paul Ford and Ber- nard Randall, Jose Ruben has directed with au- thority and Watson Barratt's four settings are excellent. K!cp. to flowered vests. Although placed in 1898, story is not typical of that period exclu-sivel.y, inasmuch fs it follows the fSmiliar pattern of the gal wVio rides with the winners while they're on topi but brushes them oft when luck deserts them. Dcl'a Green, reigning beauty of fast sepia society, is the woman of husky Big- low Blown, prosperous owner of a ginmill. until Li'l. Augip.. the se:"S()n's prine jockey, comes along. She d,itGhes Biglow for Augie and the t-wo have a brief spell of bli.ss until Biglow re^ enters the picture and gives Delia a beating. Augie sets out to knock Biglow off, but Lila, Biglow's fernme ca.stolT. beats Augie to it. Bii-low's dying eurse changes Augie's luck, and Delia walks out on him in favor of Ragsdale,, wealthy sportsman who has been pursuing ■ hev foi' months,', 'Climax pong a couple of years later when Aii'>ie reestablishes Wmsdf as a top winner and Delia goes back to him for the fadeout clinch. Scvivit allows wide background latitude for a whirlwind cake walk, sober choriil music, and varied sttnis in between. Score blends well with general theme and hi-hjas forth sev- . eral standouts that should set a E^ocd play. Tunes run from tvniral Negro category to straight ballad, overall ePteet being pleasant reception. I>yrics are utiper calibre, with a lean- ing toward the blue in comedy num- bers. Ruby Hill gets an important brerik as fcnime lead and aeciuit.': her:-'eU' credi ably on the wh^le. She i,s at- tractive and has a nleas'mt voice which, however, requires volume iii- ' . crease.. In for three sofcs iVn'V two . duets, she does best with "Liillnbv" and "Come Rain/ Come Shine." The ] t'frt Nicholas E'-os, head the male c"n- tingent and the.y score not only in the fa-st-steppintt . department, but also as thcsp.':. Harold Nicholas tun-s in a siihstantiallj'. pn'^.d .ioi^^^^^^^ Augie, his \yp»-ls' caHi"''?. ffl' fri'Sft' dancin.^; and .sin^'in", last inantii?nod incUidin" a noveliv shert,'w "fiig, Fayard N.ifholas does olmy bv a les'ser straight role a"d mriws. Vim down with .«omc chalienrie hooflu'r with his bi-olh° " dnrinn th-'e:ikcw."'k scene. An .additional snot for move terpinff bv the.sc two .mi"!'>l H'l'll he in.s.ci-ted In show's saeoiid-half let-' .'do'wn, . : ■ Pearl Bailey hits 100'; whh two solo assignments that dtn'elou into two sock recontions. Girl ."e'ls boi"- self completely, using c^ip^'e-'.-iv f/i'iifty (if rnMi. liiannevisms in','.,"Lftgali7.,e. My.Namc'' find "A Woman's Prevogalive." June ' Hpwlvihs puts: a. powerfr,! som-ani) into "True Love" and "Sleep Peace- ful," torchei's that go over well. Re.-; Ingram makes a fine hcivv as bully BiTlow Brown. Robert Foxx does an . efficient Afpcal narriu-.tioh in iiduilion to p]a,ying ^straight, and Ehvo'id Smith combines'.smooth .hihtvioni'N ,, » . ... . , ■ ■ •, with-a brief vocal duet. Juani'a TI.^Hl, ; strange de,'5ignatiOn. Murder end,'. Louis Sharp and Milton J. \Viri;(m.s ( the second ' act; tragedy stalks come in for supporting role nods, ] throughout practically every scene. In the dancing .ssctor, the cake* |..and as broken and mo,i'os3'a eollec- %valk sequence is speed.v s uff that's 1 tion of young live.'i as ha'^ ever been good flash material. This comes erirly a.ssombled outside a . ])sychopathic in the show and is never appi'osi- 1 ward, is paraded through three »rti- ma^ed from then on, a fatiH thai ■ ficially devised and strangely con- Triicklini' 4'af4> Baltimore, Feb. 18. ml Kl'i coated acts of con\'ersation. It's not b.o. in its current state, Anderson here tries to point out the postwar problems confronting the returned warriors and those who awaited their return. It seems to be. liis premise that the broken threads should be knit into a new beginning with the horrors of the interlude for- gotten and erased, "He p6ints this theme in two couples. One refuses to forgive and forgel aVul winds up in tragedy, Tlie other, after much talk, votes for the new deal. In between, a lot at ex- GIs and gobs spout forth a brand t)f dialogue that would have labeled tiiem most strangely in any outfit known to the Army and Navy, in- cluding Section 8. A philosophical motel owner reads and explains Joyce and Einstein, and one exrhero of Saipan an<t Tinian does nothing else but wander in and out manip- ulating a yo-yo. ; Setting is a diner I'afc on the high- way between Lo.s-AuHeles and San Francisco, The cotTee and chile draw the passing truckdrivers;wlio are practically all , ex-servicemen with some of the horror of war still scared into their innards. Its cabins house honeymooning vel.s bent on making up for lost time and wives vvaiting for their men to return, Anne Carruth, under the illasion that lier RAF husband has been killed in ancseape attempt in Ger- many, has thrown herself to the wolves only to learn that he stiU lives.; Unable to bear the shame of facing him agam and driven to abor- tion to rid herself of a baby fathered by another man, she has found her way into emDloyment in the Trucks line Cafe but not without the pangs of conscience and guilt still in her soul. Before Ions her hu.«band turns up at the Trucldine and he: too. has had his sliare ol romantic conflict. He is the: father of a child by a Poli.sh refugee. This child is the flux that brings about reunion; -That's one storya ■' ', ■ Another wife of a warrior has t!ome to the Ti'uekline before on the cheat. Strangely enough her lover has met up \fith her hu.sband on/the. battlefront and described the delisvhts of the illicit romance bv the sea. The discharged hiusbaud. with bitter .ieal- nu.sy in his heart, insists upon bring- ins liis wife to the scene of her in- discretion. This winds up iii murder of the woman and jail iir wor.se for. the man.. That's the second story. A,?ainst all this are etched''brief' character studies of young folks in and out of war. the best of which is a bit by Joann Dolan, as a young wife of a top sergeant. stiU in'Ha- waii and yet to see his fouj'-year-old son of a marriage that holds salid in; spite of separation and inexperience. Most valid scene in the play is built around this phase with a long-await- ed phone call from-the husband and father skillfully developed to maxi- mum effect. . Ainother bri-et effective moment is registered by Karl Maiden as a well- oiled gob enmeshed in multiple ro- mance., Virgmia Gilmore and Rich-, ard Waring as the Carruths show- sparks whenever the script permits, and Ann Shepherd . and; Marlon Brando, as the tragic twosome, get over very well. ■ In addition to the artificiality and heavyhandedness of the dialogue, Anderson's telegraphing of eiltrances and exits, strange coincidences and long stretches of talk about things that" have happened bctorai hardly befit the coterie of experienced hands that are wrapped up in this one. Clurnian keeps his people moving around and points his climaxes well enough but there is much, possibly too much, to be done to pull this one into a winning entry. Setting is quite authentic and off.stage sounds ol su- per-highway travel and ocean'waves add to the general cflect. Bttm. Plays on Broadway Aii<i|{»no Iviil li'Krllis-. 0 'iiriiM I a nil, (,i i (liuri .Vl i llor .I'ro^ tUu'iivii Mf liviKOll.\ 1:11 tinti jh;1 (I'luv hi cia'V,, aiialJleil i».v 'LowIB (MiUuilHM'if . it-fiai' oriHliml of ,loiiii Anouilli. Miart* ..MLsm .('(ti-noll.■aiul V'Wirit' Jlni.'il\vicliO. .'^laKi'il by Xiiil'liiitf Md- Clluiu:; Si'llinK by Jtaytiibiiii ..Stivi'.v, ^uj'.nefl lit Uio Ci'i'i. .V: y., .is,. 'Hi.;. Wl'/iV I6t>. .l'll(U'llf<. iVb.il^bii.i:.-,'. .Viirile, -.....,. iKiiKMie.,.... Ihiemuu.,,, l.'r,'00\li',>'...,.,: .l''li'!it 0:i,ia,i'il,"., Wr(.'(tnii ..iliiilM, Third tJufu-it.i; Mo.^tfOiiet'r,.... I'aKO...,',■,".:■.,,,; Wur.v.dic'-«.-. .. .. . tlui'iii'O' liral)ntii ... KatUariiiu ('oiiicll Ui'i'llia lioiaioi'i' ...,, .IMitl) MatioHoii .,.., ;'..,, VVi'Hk'y AlltVy . ..'(.^oiiTti' MaWlwk-lto ,.,. ;Cio.or(re .Mathews' .., .luiviir ,1. .KtNv'tli't .Mii-iKW'i mubUhix. ; .;,.OHvev C'lifC :Allk!i'i liloinlti .: Alcrle .MiHl joi'ii rniiUlctiah by .iTa,rn.l(l f'lilrjnnn ■Ku,Kaa ill aHHO('iutUn), .witlirTbc l*lny\vi'ii,'bv:' iUh uf ffrnticly in thi-Of aclH ,\v .M:ix-i\<'ll 1 .\n(J»;r.s()ii. DIm-tP(l by (-Ttiirmaa; ot'it'niR i*,v .-Xritaf'tjp,- lore. l''Pb, ' IH,. : toby... Kil... ihiiivii*..V.. ■„,;;;, VViTJH: Cdininaiiyie'r'J I" 'ifnrl , C'arriUii.',.,.".. Ariue .,0-iri'trlb, . i?tit«. -..',5... !;)<•.:■...■.',, /.V.v;:. C't:ti''s(«,,j...... I'arrolM.im Si-h\v«tf!,i. Myvjc^' .Ciii'Teit.. i...., Tiiiti-h,,, i..:.'. ; niaiK..;../,:,'. vTiitiT'.; . ....; ,, Ki«:if,',-,i.v.. Tory Mi.'Kaf. ... J,.., S-ici; Mi-)!-i<' 'I'Me Isrpunihaii.,.,,., ;t:!ll('t.. . . ..^ . : . . , Allll'Fcil. :.. . ..... ;.. ... lliirii Oppiiea ai l-'ui-tl's, Biiil can. I Sia'a .'«-iib .rii'i'l Man. ■irii'M .^'innnb.; .;. ,, Si'ron(,l Xlab .'.•.;.. L.^'ocoiid .'^N'oiaaTt,.. Klrtt.C'Hi'l.,., I S(;cotia''CilJ'K; tap .; .I'^rjtrii; Ovortoil . ..Uult'Ii Thuadf'j-o . ... Juhn Sw(i(!l .. Ki'viil Mi'CaiUiv ... , ..liilic vyalkei; .I'l-tviii Aiannarj- k'lrha.riJ : Waring. . Virginia Clilil'iorx' .. .Karl iStaM".!! .tl"-ni.' l)aU,py. ,,,, . .iloitniip Trap ..llnbPft ^iriitnl .:.. ..lirilnn Jlalan ., ,.ffi-iiil(-(h- .I'obpy liOtllH. A Viorppcf' ; .'...; . .tllTla' Wuir ...'.;. ;tioi;l'a I'it'nHt ,.,.. .Xiin, HhopbiTfJ — Xlarl'.-'a l^i'aiutoi . .■,:v..:)''Wcr HoKfr . .iVsK'- Morcdilli lalip .Marcli . . ;. .tlli-hiinl 1','nil , ,. l':n';T?nf' Ht^'int'l- ..... . lunl . (illhcrl . .K.-Ifii ll^iy, H . i. Ivnrraiitp''Kli'liy , .,1.iis,c'»b .\itil!i'i)iy .i>(i*-p Slciricr ,..,,, , ,\tni: Moi'tdh .(Mtii'iii Straot'lJ Maxwell Anderson h,is chosen to label this new one a cometiy. It's a Oii«> Siio«> Off ' Pitisbtirgh, Feb, 18, Cl'ai'n.p A^bbolt liMiMptlfllj of - fbnipdy 1 three !ii'i|) by Mai'k llPetl,' .Ktuuprt by Ai bol t; ijCjttiiiK, ,1ohii Uout; t'ostum<-,4.. I.ucia; .njillarrl, MiKH Wftit'a i*(feohU;^tv*-t. (Uinpt- dp- vj,iefi by li;iny Si. .;luKt, At .Nixtiii tlifiUi'o Pitt'im.iVKh,, Mi. IK,; V4fi;,: ti<ii Tragedy comes to the modern the- atre only aftei' long interludes, and only now is it presented because grifeed by such fine players as Kath- arine Cornell and Cedrie Hardwicke. "Antigone" is unusual in several ways but is planned for a limited engagement which probably will not be extended. Out of town It was tried with one intermission but N. Y.'s premiere was in one long act, The perform- ance, which started somewhat late, rang down ;at I0:30t.iin interlude of one hpur .^and 39 minutes. It was quite evident that had the play been given in two or tiiree acts the con- tinuity. would have been marred. "Antigone and the Tyrant," as it was originally called, dates back into the mythical past, a three-part trag- edy conceived by SopliocIeSvOf which the p;re.sent play is the final episode. "Antigone" is set in ancient Thebes but tlic players are in modern eve- ning dre.ss, a device designed to re- lieve the inorbidit,v and cruelties of King Oedipus, who married his own mother and had four children—and those who came after him, Antigone is one of his daughters. Upon his demise, Creon, her uncle, becomes king after her brothers, Polynices and Eteocles had battled for the throne and killed each other. Creon decrees that Pol.yniecs -shall not be buried, his rottuig body to be a symbol to the uneasy populace lh;.it the new king.is tlieir abstilute ruler. Insistent that Polynices he buried in.stead of being left to the vultures and dogs, Antigone, attempts to inter the remains,-although Greon's edict is that anyone caught in that act shall be killed. That is Antigone's fate. She Ls walled within a cave and when the wail of Grctm's son. Haemon, is heard, the stones arc re- moved, disirlosing Antigone's suicide by hanging. Haemon, who was her affianced, stab.s himself after slash- ing at Creon. while Ismene, who is Antigone's sister, slashes her throat and also dies. Highlight of the performance comes when Hax'dwicke as Creon tri(\s to dis.suade Mi,«s Cornell as Antigone from def.ving his dictator-like or- dens. She refu.ses his plan to keep mum, Creon to kill the guards and so keep the story from the peasants. Antigone is an extremely 'dilTicuU part to enact but it intrigued Miss Cornell when she saw the play in Paris, while overseas during the war with "The Barretts of Wimpole Street," Hardwicke's assignment seora.s less exacting; his Creun being eo.ld and unrelenting," When the curtain rises on the single setting, Horace Braham, de- scribed as a ChoruSi narrates. In a long soeech he explains the charac- ters, all of whom are present, and indicates the tragic story to come. Braham does a good job,'appearing several tiines. Wesley Addy as Antigone's lover, Haemon. hasn't much to do but turns in a. good performance. George Ma- thews is a tongh guard, given some lihes that are too colloquial, Ruth Matteson is Ismene.iwho regains lier courage and wants to aid her sister. Bertha. Belmore as an old nurse, also go.od.- ,■ Guthrie MeClintic's direct'on ii4 capable, a!j usal. Ibce. .1. til-over WinK Grapv WiiiB ,., Masrkie:...:•.;.'.. I,n'is .WlMgi. ,...:. .Tolin 'W inii...- ,... i.,. A'rthtir I'otul... ■,..•. .Marjorhv ThonittM(ui, \VaBseii.sfUler:,....,.. I'lilitii>s,,.,.4 . •linl I.pb.nard .laoptie l.ipoaaril-..... i 1 pnr y ■ 'J'. .VU-t'Tlttillf^.oi IMwan) Cl.irl;'- I.il .. I. ,'.,l'ati!a Macl ,eaai .V:m:<:<' Cia .,...,;aarKiii-pl ):l;i . i.,. . J, ',,iaii'!ii H .loiir^- . .i. '. ,....iloiiei-t' SiiUy .. 1,. * ^IrlllUP l.ow VN'ali 1.,... ..:.]i>airPn Ulibbr .......lioa Hynllnji.l.on .....Uoy WiiUinK ... I .luae J^a.v-lon .... W., CI, JloWaaei-s Tlio llu«>liftH»iilli»ib«|iav«>s. •,, A.i P, Vva \tnn.n> iii-o(li!Clttiir Hi iiiu>ical lu .Iw.o- apts (oiKl'l KPOiie,H); AtriNic l>.\ I'ykuI' Blapk';-.bfM)lv k<i,<I; Lvi-lfs.- by ■ tllaOj w yiu'ii(.y ■ (linl iidditlanal (iialos b.v ;,iae HUp"1(jv\ . i.-ej,- ■tiu'cs Auilrej- flii-iiitlp, .tleui'Ke' 'rajiii.s, l-iuila . it ,ivvu-PHPC: ami. .Toe>: fi'u.vt*', .HtugcM in- Miu t la . IiJHiitiliN', nmalnil UMinhcrts ftntl. tiiU'i'ps -MtiiKett liy-: ■'r.ti.ltp'a;'■R.^tH..lj>-^' A. A. OstrandPr- pf^s'tivit'H'H ..by- /\VU|a- Kliu. . . I'l-pwpali'a at ,\itoll>lii iht'ati-c. N.. v., fell. 'ji,. .vi m ton (SJ.ai oiicnhiK-'.iUBliti.- . Woinati ,ii'i'iu.u'itot.'. I .'..•., i",'. li'ti'ftt Wiitw-i ,,,.i>..' l^p.pitlld .*^intP|-,.:.,.... 'riiii'-ii flifiter,'.'..., lliittprtli I'alll.... ■... .'..;.■, ,. .l''itsi|?et-al(l;',. .. ,,i.i,, AN'ooiiHophpi,.,,,.;. .I>'lr.st lih-l.. .,..., Wppont'i .till-', • -,,,, Afiaa i'iip.'^lpr;.... ■. C'.i-yatal .yhaliniar..: Upporlpt-, Npvillp .t.Joli,ISJlttp"r, V'abVo. , . ..:. Antbor.;. . . . I iayn. kodpl. . . - liobci-io, .',.. ,.:. . . .OiiHn-."'.'" af .Villa .., -Marljlosa ISartier , Maniotirraf TjiHmv..... A«8'i'*Tttn«P,- ,,, . . .MOjtRPnBor. ■ ... li'lUFl StUll'Mll SppYmii Rtiulonl; Diikp til' Alba . f ,a «ii PH., til ■ AVa it i nw'-i (Jiippi.1. of Si>iilii -,,, .V Model ^^:^ta^^ov..,.; .losp.'.. : ,, . . ,^ ,'.■ 1v,ncpv. . .; .. ..Vi.: .ii. -rtlp.-VVOniila.v., .'...: Jlpi- JUlii. .,,,.,...,. ,:, .fjrdfp littylO'i' .'Biitldy' l>..ri-ai-o.. .,l';iptiii llM.Vil .Mildred )!ovd ...... .lOdilb. liuyil . ii..iVntiy Kdwui-ild ,,,l.ai-rv JloiiBlaH «.,.1alliis AlaptViU , ,., . ,.loe.v Kiijo, ..... .(.'diU Aiinaw ., I .Ethel ittailKOn ,.. l*aii!,t l.)iai-pao.(j : , . Atiih-py i'lirikile ,.., Ai IHi'ivii.inji:' . ; . . . I'htllp Toiii;i) . ... .-[.arty HaaKlai* ■ ....; ..tiria-t) U.-iyle ..; (oey ,K!i.v» ....'. .-iloanap ..laaii!: ., . .Ta iiieH ,.\tai't'i-ll. .! 1. A ll.d.re V ;('1 vr.i;St lo. . .I'oiinv- ■ l'3ilW}ird.l ■ ..,. .■.l^ttit ibn-ien . . .'Jfttihae J:t.-ii» v., , ..Keii >l'-ii-lln ■; , .tSernlp ^^'Ill^^vril» ,., .Kuddy irprra,™ .. ...'Victor'I '1m i-U ' Jp-.i Uaniiollli Vldiii> 'I'v^lVKa . i'bp Tliiyil TrivietS' .I^aula T,'yai-( .. . N(a-uia Kohana- ,,,; ; G.po.rpe TaaiM. ... At Vlowliia^r . ..iMala lloijIPria ■ ^v,'..Tean .,i,Ta"ii-'iU^ ■■ ,. ,,i .'..tJeoriye Ta.ttHa It could possibly be that George Abbott saw a straight;.way vcr.'-ion ot "Billion Dollar Br.by ' in "One Shce Off," since they're both laid in the same period, the fabulous twenties. There's certainly no other wa.y to account for his label on the new Maik Reed comedy: It opened drearily tonight (18) at the Nixon and doesn't look to have the ghost of a chance no matter what tl;e amount of fi.xing between here antl Bror.dway. ' Appaf-ently Abbott's magic-among the adole-scents has deserted him, at least for the moment anyv,-ay. "One Shoe Off" has little of the touch that sparked ku(;1) slick chicks as "Kiss and Tell," "Erolhei' Rat," "What a Life" and a (loci; of niu.'^i- cal.s populated bv young.'-toi's. Of coucse, Reed liasn't given him or (Continued on pa'',c 50; Loesser's 'Wizard' lloUywood, Feb. 19. FranJt Loesser's next legit mtislcal chore \vill be cOmpaser for the Stage show. "Wizard of Maine." to be eo produced on ..Broadway by AI Katz and Stewart Chancy. Show is au- thored by : John Steinbeck and George Frazicr. ■ ; ' , Loessei-'s job will be done before his assignment to write tunes for the Abe Burrowa-Harry Kurnitx musical to be pi-oduced by Harry Bioomficld. Following the short-lived "Nellie Bly" into the huge Adolphi comes another musical which looks , certain for eaually bad fate. "The Docbcss Misbehaves." minus , whistleable tunes, singable lyrics or laughable gags, must definitely be listed among the seasou's lower-rank entrants. It- has a brace of featured name play- ers, all of whorn have at one time ' or another been associated with hits; but they can't overcome their lack of malarial. Audre^• Ghri.stie. George Tapps, Paula Laurence and Joev Faye, top the long cast list, battling hard to; extract wliat thev can from, the book - and lyrics by Glad.v.s Shelley (Joe Bigelow contributed some added dialog ) ard the music by Dr. Frank Black. Costuming and production are Irvi,-;h and colorful, compen- satins in minor fashion for soine of the other shorteoinings. Faye is a last^minute substitution for Jackie Gleason,who withdrew, and turns in a creditable effort to give a comedy lift. He's charac- tered as a would-be artist, who gels conked on the' cranium and dreams he is Goya, great Snanish painter and wotta-mah, with thi? ;ladies, Rliss Clnistie, his pr.psent-day love, is re- incarnated in his dream da.ys- as the Duchess of Alba, of whom Goya did 1 famous portrait in the nude. Mi.ss Laurence is the Spanish queen who tries to spike their romance to gar- ner Goya -for her own. George Tapps in some way gets into this " routine to give liam oooortiinity to exhibit his terping ability, but ap-' parently oven stager Martin Manulis : wasn't able to figure out how. Miss Christie lends energy to the show, at least, but seems enibar- ri'.ssed by pedestrian and sometimes actually distasteful tunes she's handed. They're all entendre, noth- ing doubte about them, which is cvir dent from such titles as "Nuts" and ''I Hate My.self in the Morning," Same i.s true of the laugh rlines, as a tnattci* of fact, aU leaning mightily on a bpoad bedr'oomy crutch. Miss : Laurence, who.se talents are as much tossed away as those of Mis.s Chris- tie and Faye, at least had the top upplause-drawing line of the open- ing-night performance: "What's go- ing on here?;! could'^use a drink" - It brought immediate and favor- able audience response. Tapps doubles as stager of the • musical numbei-s and dances, evi- dencing as little imagination as marlcs the rest of the production. He's more fortunate in his own dances, showing grace and skill and a bit of the unusual; Romantic warbline is handled by Larry Dpiig- Irs in ijleasing fashion, despite the fact that none of Dr. Black's tunes appears to have "Hit Parade'' marked on it. Another chirper, Jean Handz- lik. draw.s lop audience: response with sullry-voiccd - rendering o'. "T-ot." which is clo.'o to the "My Man" groove. Attractive Penny Edwards' terping also brings her personal honors. . .. . , , Tills is nrodiicer A. V. Waxm.in's second Broadwav entry. ;: First, "Sadie Thompson," fizzed, fferi). (Cfo.sed Saiurdau (IG) ajter f'V* perjormancvs^'). SHUBERTS BAN HUB CBITIG Bostpn. Feb. 19. AI Watts, veteran Traveler court reporter' who's been second string- ing as legit crick for Helen Eager for years, has been banned from all Shubert theatres following his notice on Shubert revival of "Rose Marje," J. J, read the piece on train to N, 11'., after visiting town, and plioned the edict. "Watts inuurpcd Shubert wrath first for-"Polonaise" n'jliee I'orlnigbt ago. ' . ; ■ Shows in Rehearsal "Miss Jones"—-Max Gordon. "Sonp of Bernndetie" — Victor Payne-Jennings, . "Merry Wives of Windsor" (revi- val)—Theati-e Guild, ; "TwiUeht Bar?—George Abbott. "Call Me Mister"—Melvyn Douglas and Herman Levin. - '-fietweeit Covers"—Leslye Karen. "A I'ouns American"—Shuberts.