Variety (Mar 1949)

so UEGITIMATB Wednesday, March 30, 1949 Plays Oot of Town The Traitor Princeton, N, J., March 25. Jed Harris Moduction of drama in two tcts tfour sfcenes) by Herman Wouk. Stars ee Tracy and Walter Hampden: features Wesley Addy. Richard Deer. Louise Piatt and John Wengraf. Staged by Harris, setting, Raymond Sovey; costumes, Joseph Fretwell HI. Opened at McCarter tliea- tre, Princeton, N.J., March 25, '49; $3,60 Prof. Tobias Emanuel. .Walter Hampden Jane Bailey Louise Piatt fca"ga"?t ........ .....Oeorgia Simmons Professor Allen Carr Wesley Addy thra McKeon Jean Hagen Lieutenant; Henderson..... Richard Deri Mr. Fislinger James Van Dylc Captain Gallagher „^ Lee Tracy Reynolds . . • WlUiam Thunhurst, Jr. Chief Mate Wilson Maurice Manson Lieutenant Smith James Davidson Hammontree Michael Abbott First Man - Gen= B'jJpJj Second Man..... Larry Sherman Strlcko ... Michael Dreyfuss A Man .VKt&p Coolidge Another Man John Wengraf "The Traitor," despite a good oast, adds up to being a red scare and weak theatrical fare. Stodgy espionage plot finds Wes- ley Addy as a young U.S. scientist turned Communist. Firmly believ- ing there will be no atomic war if Russia as well as the U. S. has the atom bomb, he resolves to turn an Important discovery over to the Kremlin. However, when conr fronted by Naval Intelligence of- ficers, he has a change of heart, And rectifies his error at the price of his life. Addy turns In a fine performance as the sensitive, brilliant young scientist whose Ideals transform him into a traitor. Walter Hamp- den; as usual, scores heavily in his sympathetic portrayal of Professor f obias Kmanuel, the younger man's longtime friend. Louise Piatt is ;well cast as the. traitor's fiancee. : Richard Derr's interpretation of the young Naval Intelligence offi- cer also clicks^ while the nifty per- formance of Lee ^racy, as Captain Gallagher, USN, is the show's ^lifesaver. Settings, lighting and costume are okay. Though the first scene in the first act is very slow, action picks 'up considerably with thf appearance of Tracy and continues at a good pace throughout the per- formance. Hollywood chances are slim. Shane. JMIagvolia Alley New Haven, March 24. Lester Cutler production of comedy in three acts (five scenes), by George Batson. Features Jessie Boyce Landis, Jackie Cooper, Bibi Osterwald, Anne Jackson, Julie Harris. Staged by Carl Shaln. Set- ting, Edward Gilbert! costumes. _ Guy Kent. Opened at Shubert, New Haveni March 22, '49; $3.60 top. Angel Tuttle .Julie Hawls Laura Beaumont ...iJossle Royce JLandis Andy MamiH ■ J»<!'^« 5'""'fi' Maybelle .Bibi Osterwald Tom ' ;''......Brennan Moore Joadie ' Hildy Parks I Miss Eels Frances Bavier 1 Nita '.••.i."...Anne Jackson IPcrc Cravin ^P""'*! Colonel Stacey Fred Stewart I The Doctor Don Kennedy i Mr. Albus. i...... ^ ^ Douglas Rutherford, Richard Kom and H. Arthur Brown will split the conducting chores of the eight summer pop concerts in New Orleans this sea* son, beginning June 1. This bit of theatrical horticulture will find its attack on the Big Stem no bed of roses. Whether this par- ! ticular "Magnolia" turns out to be I a flower that blooms or bloomers I in the spring will depend on how 1 It is nursed from this point on. Central character is a southern femme who constantly imbibes juleps but who is equally con-« stantly running out of mint. That just about summarizes the play itself. Despite constant threats of appreciable entertainment, script regularly runs out of real sub- stance and lacks a major ingre- dient to give it hit proportionsi, This leaves it an "in-betweener" ^not weak enough to pan, not wow enough to praise^and the I going is pretty difficult on Broad- I way these days for in-betweenersii I "Magnolia" is a new field for I producer Lester Cutler and the first major staging job for Carl Siiain. As an initial eifort, it's a commendable try. Having previ- ously written "Ramshackle Inn," scripter George Batson offers his /number two entry as" a piece that presents some interesting charac- terizations, good lines, and divert- ing situations, with a couple of unexpected- plot twists thrown in. Laid in a small southern town, story is built around Laura Beau- monti femme tippler who operates a rooming house. She has a re- ligiously daft housemaid who has no interest in males and a bleach-blonde . roomer who has nothing but interest in males ^ professionally. Her daughter, who married a one-time champ scrap- per, had dusted out with a wres- tler, leaving the fighter to mope on Laura's hands. ' There's an Continued on page 52) . Planned for Hartford Suburb at Cost of 150G Hartford, March 29. Despite approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals of neighboring Farmingte V for the construction of a theatre designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, expectations are that the decision will be appealed in the state courts.' The experimen- tal theatre designed by the noted architect will seat 1,000 persons.. Paton Price, one of the promo- ters of the new theatre, listed three uses for the house, wWch will cost in the neighborhood of $150,000. The first is for a resi- dent company in summer and a repertory company operating about i 10 weeks in the winter. Another! is as a home for touring legit and musical companies. A third' use was for local groups who wanted to hire a hall. Formerly a director of the Can- ton Show Shop, strawhatter, at nearby Canton, Price is associated with Salvatore Capuano, local con- tractor; Kirk Douglas of Holly- Wood, Morgan O'Brien James of New York, and others. He said the company is being capitalized at $250,000, with its. stock being of- fered locally. -In the event of a setback in Farmington, theatre will be located some place in the Hart- ford or West Hartford area. Plays Abroad . Adveoture Story London, March 19; H. M. Tennant presentation of drama in two acts <H scenes) by Terence Rat- tigan. Directed by Peter Glenville. Music by Benjamin Frankel; decor by Georges Wakhevitch, At St; James. London, March 17;i'*49,- ■ Alexander, .. ...;. .. ...,... Paul ScoReld Darius.. .....Noel WiUman Queen Mother... .Gwcn FfranBcon-Daviea Queen Statira Hazel Terry Princess Statira.;...........June Rodney Philotas............... ..Robert Flemyng Cleitus. :............i.... .Cecil Trouncer He^haestion..;;..........Julian Dallas Ptolemy.,. .Raymond Westwell Bessus William Devlin Parmenlon,;..i.... .Nicholas Hannen Roxana Joy P"*er PerdicaS. . Antony Baird Mazares.V...v..; i... .*... -Marne Maitland Fythia..... V.....;.....;Veronica Turleigh Twin Opera Bill to Open Charlotte '49-'50 Season Charlotte, March 29. Two operas', Mascagni's "Cavalr leria Rusticana" and Leoncavallo's "Pagliacdi,": will apen next year's season for the Charlotte Com- munity Concert Assn., according to prez David Ovens. The operas, presented by the Chas. L. Wagner Co., will be given in October, and will form-the first of five programs to be offered. . Final concert of this year's sea- son was given Wednesday (23) by the Philharmonic Piano Quartet. Ward French, president of Com- munity Concerts, was Ovens' guest at the final concert, and praised the 18 years work of the Charlotte group and its president. Chief interest in this play will be the West End starring debut of Paul Scofield, who made a name for himself last year at the Strat- ford Memorial Theatre. It is also the most ambitious work .of Ter- ence Rattigan. Combination of au- thor and star leaves nothing to be desired, with supporting cast bril- liant, enhanced by impeccable pro- duction. Its local chances are more than even; despite current slump, and dramatic, forceful story should appeal to lovers of history any- where. As Alexander the Great lies dy- ing of a fever at the age of 32, his career is given as a flashback sup- posedly going through his mind looking back on his stormy, ambi- tious career as a conqueror. His triumphant trail of victories is fol- lowed through Babylpn to Parthia until he makes himself master of the world, to refute his father's contemptuous attitude to him. With his growing power, his character undergoes a metamorphosis, emerg- ing from a kindly, chivalrous war- rior to a vainglorious dictator Who rides roughshod over all who get in his path—even his closest friends. Scofield makes full play of the varying shades of this complex character and arouses sympathy for the tormented soul driven on, se- cure in his own invincibility, to ful- fill his destiny. Gwen Ffrangcon-Daviesi making a return to the London stage after some years abroad, conveys dignity and pathos in her portrayal of the widow of the Persian king slain by his followers after defeat in battle. Alexander exhibits a tender pity towards her and she. fills the place in his heart due to his owo absent mother. Joy Parker, who has no lines to speak, but giggles and screams at appropriate moments is delightful as the bride of alien tongue. Outstanding in the all- round excellent male perform'ances is'Noel Willman as the King of Persia who epitomizes courage and fallen majesty. Play has many dramatic high* lights and moves smoothly through its successive scenes until the eui* log scene with which it opened, showing the different chieftains fil- ing past the stricken leader taking, a last farewell. Clem. iMtin Quarter London, March 22. Tom Arnold and Emile Littler prc^eh. tation of new revue in two parts (in scenes) created and. staged by Robert Nesbitti: Lyrics , and music by Jacic Golden, Michael Treford, Rene Sylviano. .'Peter Myers, Harry. JacobBon,~ John Roll Michael Carr. Alan Melville, Phil Pack! Harry Parr Davis; Leo ■ Corday, Leon Carr. Musical numbers staged by Joaii Davis, arranged by Debroy Somers, stars Frances Day; Jack Durant, Willie Shore, Georges Guetary; the Charlivels, Bartira, Elsa and ; Waldo, Andre, Andree. and Bonnie.. At London Casino; March 19. '49. Revue that was booed by several of the first-niglit audience is, how- ever, an undoubted hit—a sure moneymaker for Tom Arnold and Emile Littler. On the second night, after another rehearsal, which it badly needed, show was gobbled up by capacity audience, with advance- bookings already well ahead -for - three months from now. Bartira fronts the opening scene with some shimmy shaking to mod- erate returns, with audience mostly interested in the nudes back- ground.; Jack Durant, who follows with practically same material he has been doing here for years, gets away to good returns. But first to sock'em IS : Elsa and Waldo, just back from Lou Walters' Latin Quarter, who played here at the Palladium last year. Terrific back- bends by male partner and f emme's intricate toework, all the time pre- tending to act goofy, get the mob, making it somewhat tough for Frances Day, who follows. Her first oft'ering, "when You Are in Love," proves fair and improves on her jazzing it up. "Parlez Mol D'Amour," is first skit to raise laugh. Done by Miss Day, as Josephine, and Durant, as Napoleon, with plenty of rough Continued on page 52) THE THEATRE GUILD, MESSRS. RICHARD RODGERS, OSCAR HAMMERSTEINII and their management personnel, for a most pleasant engagement in New York City, and on tour with "ALLEGRO 1947-1948-1949. M.C. A.