Variety (Feb 1946)

so LKGITOIATR .VcJucsJay,, February 20, 1946 Inside Stuff-Legit Just before 'Tolonaisc" to the road from the Adolphi, N. Y., the management was iP a rip.nncial j;>m, niid J. J. Leveiuliiil came to llie lo^cue of Harry Blqartiflelfl,- \vlio Had tirkon-tiro niMsicEiV.over frcip-jtoracc Scljiivicl- lapp some time previbusl>\ ; 'LoverTtliaf ■pvi.t; up: around ,$12;Q0Q,/)ii{)st of It going to Equity tp guarantee salaries, iiitinisy on deposit tlicre fovrthat iHir- pose having been used up by tlic show management to.pyy the company during rod closing weeks. t Levcnthal stipulated tliat the loan be repaid from takiiifss out of town, and it is Understood he's been roimbursod from Philadelphia, whore "Pol- onaise" registered stVoni; !>ros.sc.-;. and Boston. He has no interest in (he musical, the financial deal boiii'.; an accommodation. Kui-t, Bois pf ,06 cari haa 'that ho lias not received feature-Wtfiflg house boiii^-is/allhougli that is:a stipulation Jii Ills con- tract. Before "Polonaise" vcni to the road, he was replaced b.v Rex Weber without the consent oi the author^, w iiR tlie result-that Bois was re-engaged at the insistence of il:o p;-ar.iaii.-ls Guild. Closing of "The Duchess iVfisbehavcs" Saturday (16), aClor only four da.vs at thp A,dejphi, N. Y.. is the foi.rth costly musical flop in the same spot so far this season. "Carib Sonj;,' "The Girl From Nantucket" and "Nellie Ely" were the, ptheysi: the ia "Nellie".dreVv ;, couple, of favorable notices, v.hi'e "Duchess" was severely panned all avaund. ■:tlucl\eSs'\ iB- eafiniaied tpli.avO 'cost arouiid $200.0,00, .George Shiiskin, ra Wallhsti-eeteri ;fetter o't .d!R(:!5 s^SheIluy, ^^':l{o -wrote"/the book 9114; lyrics; is said'to have ipeen one of tlie principal althoivgh ii.ftcd as liSving originEjly put in fl2:pft0/" Philip: Boss :is ^liiStijd as {a $20,000 invdstor. pvti- Sucer A. Pi . Waxman's^ brigiiial bil .b.eiiig $i4,500i -.J^ Alpin is down for $6,000,. and IN^ark Sugavman' put in $3,000, there IseinS iistod .el.'o sahie 27 other angels-.in the '■Duchess"' sofei:;p as..hav.jiig. cotitribufod froiii $3 000 down to li-itfOO, for a total of $143,5B0.. Ross is .said, to: have put. irt'-cqilsicl- crat)ly mpr0-.coin: aii;d ini unlisted aiigel is Iryhig;Ea^ejithal. !w,ho, ,opci'ates Palisades Park in Jwsey, and who is Miss Shelley's husband, Report that Judy HoUir'ay entered the cast of "Born Yeslerda>" (Ly- ce:um, N.^^.)': while the show was; i:n Boston, was incorrect. V/hcn .Jean .Arthur w:8S taken ill late in Uio tii-st week of the .Hi.ib tryout,. Jfary .L:i.slb.- the understudy, subbed. Miss Lasl.6 played through the second' i\'eek.^>' then .jumped to Philadelphia, it being fCxpectcd that 'Miss Arthur would l)e able to ap-^ pear but slie w'as too il'. GOrdeii consic'ered .e.aneelling the. date, until TMiss HoUiday was sulmi'ttec'. She mastered the sci'ipt in three days, and the show finally opened on tlie Saturd;.y of the flr.'it week booked tlipre. Two more weeks were played at the Walnut Street, Phila.. prior to^ Broad\\;ay. Mail orders for "Yesterday" now extend into MaJ' at the Lyceum. There are four ticketseliers in the boxoftico of the Lyceu.n. where tlic smash "Bom Yesterday" is playing, Jimmy Vincent being the latest addi- -.tion. Legit bookings on the, Wfcst coast arc a pain in the heck to pvoduJcrs who had figured on- invadiiig: tlic- Pacific seaboard:, this summer. With "Oklahoma!".'"£'iated fot three, months,-at the. Biltmore :in Los Angeles.. only two houses. a*2 available for touring troupes, and Jack Present and-Ha.rry Zevin are leasing one, and piobabl.v both of these theatres for their own productions. Philharmonic . Aiiriitorium- will-be- ocoupjed most of tiie sunir mer by the Civic Light Opera Co. Similar situation prevails in San Fran- cisco where "Two Mrs. CarroUs" had to move into a film hou'-(> because the Curran and the Geary were tied ui. Another legit play. "Glios;-;." originally, slated to open in-Los Angeles, is now going to make: its bow ih the east. , drawn character study offering Percy Kilbride the character plum of the year—which he gulps down with relish—it's a satisfaitory and often enter;aining play, with plci)ty oT sus- pense and a logical, . \yen-handlcd outcome. If it f;ct.s whacked: in New York for not being"art,'' it can si:o.ss plenty on the road, and it's a smash film job in an.y-ca.se. -. Story begins in hi.t'.h ke.v. with pro- lag, Showiiig fatal accident to ii drunk resultins from a quarrel between him, hrs - wife and muthei-in-h.w when wife seeks divorce. Aecitleiit is observed by a sly, accCMlric :and slightly huniic old character, \v;hdsc deliberately distorted vers.on of Ihe accident forces mother and daugh- ter to accept his ploa to lei him Cotiie and live ,\vith them, iti their Connecticut homo. : ■ Cleared- in the inciuc>t; since he holds his tongue, the two a-'c thence- forward obliged to accept his ca.>-uul suggestiors .aS- to their w'a.v' ,of ilife. ,i;iiey lose their moid - aiid .their, frieiids, ijnd the girl , is \vell oil , her \va.y to . losing hei' nf!\v liiince ■ sv.hen ■ .the'^dead luisbaild',s. brDtlier.:ai'r.ivBs; su.sp~icious of the circviiiistaiicc.s -sur- roufidinig his bro her's det'th.' The conflictbetwesn .the . character t'.nd: the newcomer c'cvolous into nicsl.V routined battle of wits, culmiratlng in a strons^ final; curta'ii. : Much of the di'Slog is oxce&fUnglv g;66d, and o ten witty. Not; mftch .is- sue can be taken with the psych.ilog- ir-al motivation of the dialo!i. None- theless.: theyein. .lie the obs.taoles tii,: a smash, hit,' but .it is ^certainly pos- 's;b!e bai'riers .c&rf be I'cmvn'Cxl he'io.:' Show is Kilbride's froin. the ,outset, however, and nothing short oF a triviniph en;! be, cxpoD, ed tor him in this role: He make.s' ^vl'Vvt .riii lit sceni- a weird: or V'hsiibsiLitUjal< ehiivaetcr an , paper . a - startiinglv . real person. Arthur . Margetsow ■likewise ■ '.does wonclers wii.h a nither pat .«ort of fio'tioii character of tho: slieU-prpor 'ype, and wowS in I'i.s scenes v'itlv Kilbride'. Katlierino .A'cx'-nder atul •Marjorio'Lord often ,clTn.^':e\ a iittle XQCi liufch: of the sofio-o,pcv;i, (la.x'Ov as mother' and daii.gljter bdt fliould bi.! able to wdrk it cut. Oilier eliarricters are all ri^ht. . ' .Pfee fit opener ws virtU'iHv fin- ished product,'the sta'^ittg-.oi' G<;i:!ild P^ynrv staiidififi' :oi:t iij :hi.glili-.'?'Vt:in? chara';terizatiDn through ; in*.;er.iot!s but hot -precioiis bi.'si'ness, while t'ie Frederick Fox '.sott'ngs are rxcelleiit. si'gp'e.sfing -the molodi-amatic,,aspect of the -nlay wi hout anj slnLstei or obvious-touches. . ' 'title cbme.s from tunc Tir.st heard, on. radio during f;:tar rccidc'it, ly.ter one-fingered on the piano by Kilr bride to keep mother and dau'jhtcr in line." r:-:';' -v:,■-,'EI;e^,.': When New'York Mayor O'D'vvycr edicted that-all .businoss. except essen^ tial activitieSj:suspend early last week, the Brooks costume plant planned to send a workshop crow to New Haven .so that the duds tor "St. Louis- Woman,'' which opened there Thursday (14), could be completed. Arr rangements to. use the ballroom ot the-Taft hotel there were made, costume people also to work in the theati'e, ,but when the ban was lifted pronto the. New Havan plans were scratched. Jimmy Stroock, of the Brooks-outfit, is in Sarasota, Fla., -contefring with Robert Ringling pn new costumes and production for the 1946 edition of the Ringling circus. When "Menagerie".'was .sent to Washinffton.recently for a Siirtday .shov/- ing in aid of the March of Dimes, the setting built lor the second company was supposed to have been used; When the tour: was abandoned., work on the scOnery ceased and it was hot paintect. in time for the Washington ' showing, the performance going on with drapes and some props. Roadshow, setting is said to have co.st around $8,000, and it may never be used, I*auline Lord had been en,gaged for the toui', it .being imdcrstood that shef lecfeived $6,000 in; lieu of her contract. V Chiea:;o. Fel). 18. Plays Out of Town Continued from page 48 1 One S«hon Off anybody much, to work «n, but even Abbott's - direction seems singularly . static. Play is' labored and dull, never gets started or seldom goes anywhere and always. seems to be ■petering out In a string of wet fuses. Best thing about "One Shoe Oft" ■ is the costuming by Lucinria Ballard. ■ wh'b.'-has reconstructed:thoi6 h.Orri ble gowns and plus-fours of 1928 to a -quean's taste along with the: accom- panying coiffures for the femmes. Play, deals' With a small-'towi'i, Ohio . banker who has been so busy getting to be a millionaire in the stock- mar- ket that he has no idea what's been Ooolsirlg with his tw-p kids." Daughter is a : pretty snob who's going to marry, an, All-Ainprican: halfback . full- of. hot air because they both want .to live in New York and .mingle . with 'thP: AJgohqiiin set. Thp yoting son is a broodijig-.sophomOre at 'Har- •vard .whp is full, of social Cohscious- ness, reads Hemingway, Dos Passo^ and'.Millay, lorthes America because eve'r.ybody in. the.countr.'y H.;is fhoney. on 'the ,brain-.afid w'atit's' to.. .gO: to Paris ahd.,.live on -the left .baBfc..- In: . the short :.space ,,of a, sihgle Sunday ^ during the East&r vacation, the banker learns about the headrchcs '-of beiiig a father and .alio the - de-, ihands .on one. and 11 all comprises ii: vcKV lisilesp evening in the theatre. • Csst is all. right'without boin,g,out.- standing. Edward Cla-rl^e Lilley, Who has.. turned. from ' directing : to acting here, and Paula MacLcan are good as the harried parents, and Margaret Ha.vas and Robert Sully, both from' pix, do -u^ell as the daughter .and her :A]I-Amei'i.can. sweetheart, Douglas Jones is a little light for the part of the niisunder-1 stood son. Billie Lou Watt does a good flapper of the era' and her dance almost; au naturel at the eiid ot the Recbnd act while the kid's trying to get . her put, of, the. house ,works up the--piily sustained laugh.s in the whole show. June Dayton impresses, too. in a minor role. Trouble is that "One Shoe Oil" dpesh't give; anybody, much .of a .chance, least of all: Abbott himsclt. Tbo^e; accustomed to the. switt. tumbling action of his younger gen- eration shows are going to. find this one quite a comedown aild. oi.U .of Abbott's/lower-racst'drawer. . COfjCil. Midwest P.i-fydiKl'innH, ; iDf fiir/r-t' ill t^vo.i?. ucLh \>S liii.ri :Stn};tM-l: -lij' .Shf^riiiii.n.; - :ii.;-'lr 3lli.ilile FjiiJ£:riu<'ht:, si^ttini^; t;i,.-,-iui. Uiioned ill IMvic xMfi' \-.\^o. ti-cb. ts, i'l.liO lull -i;vo<'ki.vii - Si(()t'.tsuaslei-..;,,.. .S:tui.- JUinliius.;... l-'il'.-'t Ul<^achi..'l' Fun..... ... {-ieV.orirl ITleiit-lier- I^ti.ti..,,,.:.:. •Ihini" BlfhcliTO, full..,, V. ■ • liluist ..;.;... . ..;VU 1'>].\v-iii .Et.i.ifi'.spn..;.. .Xt'Ille lUiminif*...,.:.;;. TiiilH' :Rutli hiuinpuMV,.-....;.i i, Wiilioi: Jti.li.rt.'iun Uiimiiirt*;.. .Mft,i-iio.v Ken.... V, .;.,;..;.. fS'.''-u:it.l Ba-»om.an:. .'MUk-i:.... t'.iit^lii'i- Htinlr; ll'iwdj-....;... Sipf-f^d Xorioh...;; .\ S-'IfVf I!H>!l<i:ll. A I'^Oitdi'. I)niigen . ;... ,, YA^i; ,rnn HaH'gal'<l■ Slim. P.;i'-(^l-.. .' J'.iviv I'olU-eniftnl.....;.'.... Shi:;^;i^r ^IcCir.t.v.. . . ..-;.. . . IliKlui Pioldci- Xi'lHiin 1' Slim-I'ilup I'cc Wpp I!iiK>iOlT. 'I'llii-d ntiffcnvin DiUKlf* I '-rr i'"i,=tdpr Tfi j-hit :..-.;. ^.. ■l-iiir.!i-o.....,.'.,,.. I.t-d 1.)U10L-1H-1-".S ! yoil-f . . , .. . ' pr V'iu'(-tl,('ii of ri: Ji. .miei-u,ii7t.., iivlt-iil-- dii'Ot-l.,r, li.v lliiB'lT .\U'- ,1'u .Vitiii^e. C lii- ,l'.-iU)i'-C',\- HlH'cll . . . ■;;Vt ; .S,-lia,c(:it . .>ji;mi(i \'i\«ttlo .;;,,1liy il«-.i-U-j: .ilriitrtn IviitiJ- ':n-mi-;l [viiiii'^Il.H, [,M\v>(.l'{l ;Mi\*liill Hni;" ^uillini'i-s .rt ,-..r';Tli> UlUlri- . .l.;)i.ll .il<> l.flin .'. .v11--;m!i .llllll .;f'.t'inio .\'i---iiit, .;Krm'l=l -Vi.lilii- .l'!-l..l- Pi.i'i'V,-i-ll Uibi'Vt l.l;M'flil-;i 11 . ..-lClo,-li i<yi'„>i . ,lii-;i|,iir) kiHiy .1 ..lii.v- .\l'iM-,-icl; 1(10 l*un/.il'ri . .Kt'ii Unsrlivin ,..<itiiii-i1 Kiilii.'llri , ... . .Krl " Dm-iiii; .Vi-llinv rhr.sl.M- .lliinisi'-. i'nr;:i ;,. ;:.i(.i' Piiirti,-!! ; .Ki-iK-t( .S'uliMo Boston. Feb. 15. roiirtui-.v I'Jiirr'TM:(i(lii('ri<)ri, oi' fir<'!iiH jti: Llir'f^c riorw ((i\'(.- £;(-('tit>f<'l. l>y. itririy: IiMlfuip- I'\Httil.ri'!^ IV'rf.v., Kiliil'iili'.>-i-|-|l.-j')Vf(? ..i.ui't:!;- l,-v;<lheriric .Mi'.-iiijKU'i'. ..uhd! .i1ii;Ui'jt;. jit'i.i ^ri't ■ !;i,n. liii-t'clcd t,.vv .O^wt(l..-Ha.yiii\v';:'. B,|'i_i-ihK^. I<", t-U/'iir-k F(,\. iVt O'll+if'y. )fi'f?ii"». i*V*b'. l-t. '-Hi: ffifi. .. : '.■ -;-- •' . -. , ■ I. !-t-'i.)p yituftii'M.... ...KilC-nrfii^.,: .V.i x-.i (Id- II, n,i:.;-; Ilin-Iuv-.'-.. lti*,Tti)M-.-,,\ !■ k;i JTl'ii- favMi- K-i'dinv,; ,....;..'..'.; ';.;.;:^\liil'.|i>ri - l..r.,nl -f.i'',<i-l(i..-..... .■.".'.-;,,*,'..-.,. ,1-'vi- ,1m .\1i,.i-ui .Midi,1,-1 ,V.ni-1,,;i-u-;s., ,,.-..... ... a\'i,|I.-.iV-,, l,-nv(|,-l' .\,n'i,n!urn{u-fu\v:,-,;,IV.,Ai.tliui- ivi.%i:/i:'i.„oti This neatly contrived .ps,vc!iologica1 nicHer h,vs aboiit even':ciianccs to mal-^c the i?radn. . V : '-'; - , : ' : Ghief; «bjecti.0n w'ilV bb- ,,lev'-]c,;d at the ■ writing -6£ pertain e»iside.ii in- vOlvilig: iTiffihej'' and da,ugh er. -which occa.sionallj^ touch tliemaga/ine-serijil leve!,. and .it's, pp-ssiblg; some might take is^uc with the, basic .siti'aiion, though thi.«, eonsidpring precedent in c'i'amatic, litoratm* ,f6V ;sueh•;"Night iiTi'st Fall" .«-i1i'a',Iohs, wwM hi .strcichin.« a p-nnt. - Taken for what it is. an expertly Chicago's huge Civic Opera House, Usually the setting for the works of Wa.grior, Puccini,. Verdi, et, al,. has gone berserk. Popcorn, peanut-, red- hots and pop are on sale in tho Icbby; Ijrograms are scorecards: a candy butcher makes tlie intcrmissioHij reminiscent of an Olsen and Johnson clambake, pnd -'Take Mc Out to: the Ballgame"' is the. theme song. There are also 'rijoments-': during "Sei ond Gvessor," a farce turned oUt by Har- old M. Shernah,' scripter Of ,; War- per, Bros.' "Adve.iitUres of 'Mai'k .Twain," w'len various : payees wish th.ey hadn't poured tlioir: pop into paper etips,: because the,b(H;le.R would .came in awfully hatitly-^to .':Qryc the same purpo.sc thoy db.a.t ball.ffaines. It's a baseball comgdy; starrhig Al Schnoht, clown prince of the national sport, and it wPiild, mfikc a'good film. As -is. however'" the:Oiil.,\' re'i II y lively iivate,'; are thoi'e:. suppljad b,y ScTvacht in the third acV \yhwi hp: goes in to pitch for the: ten hi ho manages; ti,!rninfr :iii his. w.pi'-knijwri ' pajvfb- minic' of. a haiii pitchPr. . Alio. -Ed- /Vvai'xi Moekin,'.s verfiibii - of a. swishy interior decorator who caji't iindor- staiid why those sillv n^en ^Jct all worked up bvei- jfi littip thine ]i!;e: a baseball; t)o.h, De .Lcori :as. :Schachl's ba'boy _ son, and, two . (if Hugh ,&fc- Qnwnn's settings.:-iinnH!l.y..: the frilly oliifc of the b-ill club decked oiit with chintz by the intorlnr d,e.cor.'iibr. and the final scenp OvprlookiiTg Nia- .gara Fal?si, complete wiHi sight-and- soubd efi'ects of the water,' Plot revolves.,around , the opDOr- • unity to.ssed' intf.)' thP ;1ai) qt Sam B'uinPUS fS(^haPht.t, who Hrs been telling Leo Diirocher how t<» niati- afio the Brooklyn Dodgers for years. to take over a last-place bush league outfit—the Niagara FalKs Tleers— and put them on their feet—"because they've got no place else to go but up." The docoi'ator, who i,s in love with Babe Ruth Bunipus, Sam's daughter, puts- up- the dou.gh, but Speed Norton, kid pitcher, wins at the windup. It's .striPtly'a fi'm plot, Ball fans patient enoU{.'h to wait fur the third act and Schacht's sh.)w- ca.>!iug ot those dizzy impros<;ions thai h.ave enlivened so many ball games, will cnioy it. He a1.so comes on in the crumpled top hat and tails thai r,ie his trademark at the final cur- tain. Mostly, howjver, the thing limps badly, being hypoed only oeea, sionallv by broad slapstick and Meekin's Franklin Pan;>born'snii SeoPnd -act drains, and Schacht's tim- ing is weak,' - Directinn is stiilie a !..ood deal of the way. A siene in the bloachci^. for ip^tance, is sn-.lued because the fans don't all look in the same direction at the same 'ime,. ;. Put suice "Good Ni",ht, l,''dirs" could brei'k I'-ll records in Chicaao the sky mi'iht, be the limit for this one too. There mi';ht cv"n bo enough Dodger ''ans to keco it run"'n" a long time on the-.stemj 'Jl'/ilc.e, : tlowju'd l.iU'f tluTo .iii-lK (livi Wtiivii lluiili'iP 1 l--(i-;t:i>r.- .Min:.v, 11 1,'ni'f Siuui.^li-oivi ^^-^tti^!l^^ yn'iii i-i in- Xo\viH-i% I'ih: l-l. 'Mi: .SI',-HI t f^iit ^liuihOAv-t'l r'lMiiU'p i;,ii)i.v..:.... Aif\ . 3-i Hlm-,t.. ItiMia- Tal,,'.^, .; r.l'^ii ,\'r.n .1 111. i-'iii-ii ■ "i'ni'ntM-;. ,\vc'li:..\yIiiCiiitiM- ■iloi'---lo. (li:(- -ii'v I't-lltl. .K:,,; s'-mi . I)', PWl'll.-!;. . ... Newark, Feb. J'5. ;- itrodut'tliin.'.ni''.('nimw..::i'iv : Rt'01lff;')..'l>y i^'i'K VollUHT.- ;-a'ml)t\'i.ii ;.:i'oatiU',e.w: GlivtViOi'tto. till'i-. I'itliirund - CMtn'pr; -ItlKif.- SlaR-i-rt Ii>- ArilUiinS''Ma-nii; ,-t>::<.'09tuii)<is. I'f'ivca. OiiPBHtl :rn.-l'llt5.1lli"!i'"i j^'S^^'!"*' ■ y'9\'- tv.. ■'-'■ I. ■• -:,■■:.- ....,'. ;V.. .T'M'iumil fllnvPi- ;........ ., .I'livll'm I.l.-itns ....';. ..lUiiialif V.la^liilKB '■: ............loVin ' funiHiv- '' . ;,,..'. .:. . .-Miiiy :l!i,Ifo aiHlvl. .>! 'ii-.l i-i'" Uqiiil' •-:'-» .;.. .. -i:'' '.I'li'tl 1 i;ii-ro\;.-^ i! ]. .. .. • ■. .Hiin-y .lili'niKiid: ' - .' I'Mui-iMi:-' Suiiilstrittvi '.".'...'..... .('1-ril'nrni- l''i.,^f''i : ....,; I:.,\'i|.i'l' l,'om>-i-sliii. -,'Pi'.- ■ L''ke a-vcice: fi-om the pfst; this folk drama. :tdls of, people and | events that are out. of timp; with these times. CrSt: iri Ihe: midw'esl 'omPwhore about. 1305. '"Df'arly Be-,, lov(?d" is enacted, postumed and di- re-ted w'th a sh;i,fply professional flitter, but the writing-and substance bctrov it lor tl'c p eiw-storous non- s.^nse it lo.illy is. It hasn t much ot ^v. Ti'-T'-'d-waV chance.; ■- -..:, ..- : P't"hcd on a note of somberness the p'ay det'^ils a contest between tv.'o elderlv women for the love of a mm who is now deed. Its sli.ghtly iiecronhilic mach'inery is set in mo-, tinn (ii- low gear) by the read'n,", of the 1-ite lamenlcl's wil', a document v.hleh .'gives a home in the tamiji.v farmhoi'se to a woman frOm the mountains.'- Author Lula VoUmer then traces ti e effpct of this strnnce hoouest. The hill woman, once' the beloved of the dead farmer, now comes rs- a liberator of those held in thrall by the domin-'tion of the widow—a dautfhter who develops a yen for the hi'-cd man, and two grandchildren who toss:awnv the atiroii strings and go away to live with daddy In the citv.-- A corollary of this action is con- tained in a gradual rcvelption of the manner in 'which the w'fe long a';o tricked the other, woman oi.»t of the man bc'h loved.. This hinees on the rather incredible point that the hill girl couldn't read or write, and a.sked her rival to handle corre- spondence bei'vfien her and her "dewrly beloved." The plav shows a good deal; of technical skill in pivin" the charac-. ters motivations for later actions and. besides, ties all the strings with de.spstch. It has subplots that are rea- sonable, a.s in the parallel between the daughter's frustration and the dilommn which onec faced the two old ladies. However, the feeling is urevalert throughout that the per- sons in the draitia. lor all their ever- lay of pcriional idiosyncrasies, are but puppets being moved about by the author's will and;' not from irre- sistible imoulse. as: might be ex- pected in this sort of serious drama. The writing is one of the chief fEctors in relaying this unfavorable imorc.'ision, Some of the dialog is lost in this large theatre (1,800), but that which, is distingii'shable em-' 01 aes. as it were, from the corn- noiioer The day is surely pa.st when a character cim take center .s'tage and ,s,av. tensely: "Then we ha'irq- nothing left to:us but our hatred." , When rot indulging in such! heroics. Miss 'VoUmcr's Americans speak in, a -attaint- dialect (those -Of the lower classes, at least),' which may be authentic ,folk soeech of the Ozarlts but; which has been so cdr- ruiitod-by .Bob. fiurns, et al-., that'its effect . is Po.mic rather than poetic, as,, is thP i:;a.so ,^:ith Syngo's Irish, IHie, hill vypiiian, at orie, point, -re-: ■•harks cpricerhihg; the , apfiroacli of Spring;,"God'.S:world.is a-bPilin' wiill to.getlierncss," which is not atly lisrd to■ sa y/ uhderstanda bly -.but evp'n dit'flPult to;write -vv-ithbut a. feeling of embarrassment. Asain. about her net hen: "The houn' dog- pulled out Susie's tail feathnrs and how the rpnyer'^ slightih'-.hev." The east plavs the oirco with the utmost, cohviction of its -Sincci'ity, c'-en in the Litter stage.-, wh.->n the gho-lly sound of hor.=:o's hooves spirit.s awa,y the soul of Do'ia.'tlie hill - womf'n..: Mnriorio vRahibpaii trlcp.s fJi'st honors \vith her: ppttroyt-l :0f, the vvidnw, a , vep'''eft-'l,' c<'abb<!d ci'pat'uro, ClnibniniG FpstPr= givp<«- a ijcrformance ,"s the hill woman that accents every warm impul.se'. Mai-jr. Rolfe and Edmund Glover, as thi> lovers, carry on their alfair as grace- fully as the stifV manners ot the ne riod permit, Florence Sund.strom'.5 aetmg as the neighborhood iroUon is notable for its free-swinging re- laxed cfieelivenoss. Le.stor Loner- gan, Jr. does a nice job witli the small role pt a psychiatrist. -':-,' - ,-'■,:.'..-• ': , ' '7 yBrnfif Current Road Shows (Period Cotien'iig Feb. 18 Mar. 2) <>Aiiuti Lucahla"—Civic, Chi, (ig. 2), "Between Covers"—Hanna, Clcvp (24-2). "ISIiickoiiis of X!)4,-)"—El Capitan Hollywood (18-2). "Blacjssloiic" — English, Ind'pplis (18-2>')); Mubic Hall, Kansas' Citv (27-2). ''B ussoiii Time"—Studebafccr, Chi? (18-2). ' ■ ■ "Carmen Jones"—Hartraan, Co- lunibus (18-20); Erianger, Buffalo (21-2:11; Rc.val Alexandra (24-2..). "I)iirk o| the Moon"—Blackstone Chi. (18-21. "near Kuth"—Mom Hall, Dayton (i8-.20): To',vn Hall, Toledo i21-23); Weller, Zanesville (25); 'Virginia, Wheeling (26); Aud., Newark Cil); Colonial. Akron (28); Park, Yo.mgs- t'own (1-2), "Dear Riilh" (2d Co.) — Fox, Spokane (IBi; Wilma, Misboula (.?0); Marlow. Helena (21): Fox. Gr. Falls (2.3); Babcock. Billings (25); Fargo, Fargo (27 >; Aud., St. Paul (1-2). "Dearly Beloved" — Locust St., Phiily (18-2). "Deep Arc the Roots" —Royal .Mex.. Toronto (18-231; Erianger, Bull. (2,5-28); And,, Rochester (l-2\. "Desert Song"—Nat'l., Wash. (18- 2).- "flamingo Road" Walnut St./ Philly (18-2). * "Fiiolisli Notion" — Ci\ic Aud., Pa.s-adera (18); Lobero, Santa Bar- bara (19-30); Mun. Aud., Long Beach (21): guss Audy San Diego (22-2.1). "Ghcsts"—Centre. Norfolk (25-27); Lyric, Richmond (28-2). , "llarvcy"—Geary, Frisco (18-2). "He. Who Gets Slu'iped"—Colonial, Boston (18-23); Ford's, Balto. (27-2). "I Like II Here"—Wilbur, Bost. (18-2). ".loyous Season"-T-Selwyn, Chi. (18-2). "Laffing Boom Only" — Shubert, Chi, (18-2). "Lute George Aiiley"—Amer., St. Louis (18-2:)); Krlanger, Chi, (24-2). "Life WUll riither" — Playhouse, Wilmington (18-20); Playhouse, Lan- caster (24 >; Playhou,se, Altoona (23); RKO Va„ Wliceling (23); NixoJi, Pitts. (24-2), "LI tc Brown Jug"—Copley, Bost. (18-2). "Oklahoma!"—Curran, San Fran- cisco (18-2). "On the Town" — Forrest, Philly (18-2). "One Shoe OH" — Nixon, Pitts. (18-23); Shuboft, New Haven (28-2), "Polonaise"—Cass, Det. (18-2). "Ror-e Marie"-Opera House, Bost, (18-2). 'Siin Carlo Opefa Co,—Vancouver (18-21); Royal Victoria, Victoria (22- 23);: RPvalo Victoria, Bellingham (24); Temple, Tacoma (2,3-26); Ri- alto, Yakima (27); Fox, Spokane (•28-2). "St. Laaiare's Pharmacy"—Harris, Chi (18-2). "St. Louis Woman"-^ghubert. Bost. (18-2). "School for Brides"—Erie, Sche-^ nectady (21-23); His Majesty's, MoiTf-: real (24-2). "School for Brides" (No. 2)—Shu- bert-Lafayet e. Dot. (18-2). "State of the Union"—Shubert, N. Haven (21-23); Colonial, Boston (24-2). "iStudcnt Prince"—Lyceum, M'pVs- (19): P'k'way, Madison (20): David- son. Milwaukee (21-23); Fisher, Dan- ville (2,5); Lincoln. Decatur (26); Palace, So. Bend (27); English, Ind'p'ls, (28-2). "Suds In Your Eyes" — Shubcrt- Lafayctte, Det., (18-S3). "Three to Make Beady"—Shubert, Philly (19-2). M'rucldlne Cafe" — Ford's, Balto, (18-2;J), Plajhou.sc, Newark (24-2)._ "'I'wo Mrs. CarroUs" — Tivoh. Fri.seo. (18-2). "Voice of the Turtle"—Biltmove, L A. (18-2). : "Voice of the Turtle" (2d Co.)— Plymouth, Bo,sl, (18-2), "Windy IlUl"—American, St. Louis (18-2).- "l-oun? American"-Gt. Northern, Chi, (2G-2). Ba!;er for 'Bottom Hollywood, Feb. lil- Nat Freedman inked Benny Baker for top male role in "Bigger Than Bottom," legit show to be prcparca here for showing in Now York. :■ Tony (jarson, in charge-oI western castin.t', is looking for a film narpe for femmc lead.