Evening star., 1932-08-14

editing and speeding-up, as well as q
triumph in play-making.
1t will be interesting also, to see
the new John Howard Lawson play,
The Pure in Heart" which is to be
the Guilds second presentation. In
PROFESSIONAL Mr.. Lawson v-ote an
authentic American masterpiece. A
crude, blatant, slightly hysterical play,
it famed into burning, indignant elo-
quence, establishing a mood of frenZied,
abashed beauty and causing some Of
us to feel-erroneously, it must be con-
fessed-that in the manner called lex
presSioniSm" lay the future of the
American theater. Our conviction in
the matter was due in considerable part
to the fact that Miss June Walker had
the leading role In Professional" and
seemed to fit into it with the sort of
rightness that playwrights must dream
of Since she is to be in THE Pure in
Heart" too, the alliance seems to prom
Use important things.
4 r
A NYTHING that Lynn Fontanne and
\ Alfred Lunt appear in or anything
that Noel Coward writes and acts In is
bound to have its fascination, and since
this season promises Design for Liv-
ing" comedy by Noel Coward, with
Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt, Noel
Coward and possibly Alexander Wooll-
colt in the leading roles, an event Is
promised right there. Then there Is
the added interest that lies in the au-
thor's description of the subject mat
ter Of his play. 1t is, he says,.a comedy
about three people who love each
other very much" and, with that prop
erly vague but rather stimulating sug-
gestion, he permits you to enjoy the
twin pleasures of anticipation and
imagination.
There will, of course, be a number
Of other plays by English authors, most
of which have already been played in
London. To those local observers, who
were so impatient that they had to
dash across the Atlantic to see the
British works in their original mani
feStations, there will be particular in
tereSt in watching their New York
presentations. At least, we can all be
assured that they will be more effective
ly acted here. Mr.. Miller, for example,
is bringing to this country Musical
Chairs" which was proclaimed by Mr..
Agate, the English critic, ''The best first
play by an English playwright in 40
yearS"-which is, by the way, a lot Of
years. In London, it was so badly
acted that it was difficult to estimate
its merits and, although our skepticism
to include the writing, we cannot help
confeSSing that it will take on in
Vulnerable new values in the Broad
way production.
X X X
ONE Of the things you will want to
see is Dinner at Eight" by George
kaufman and Edna Ferber. The i'm
portance of its authors is enough to
warrant considerable concern with the
play, but when, in addition, it is hinted
that this may turn out to be the Bit
terest of the works written by two play
wrightS never exactly famous for their
gentle kindlinesS, the possibilities be-
come enhancing. Worth waiting for.
too, should be ALLEN Corn" wherein
Miss Katharine Cornell will appear in
a play by Sidney Howard, who wrote
one of the best American plays in
Lucky Sam McCarver." Then there
are to be Love Story" by S. N. Behr-
mann; when Ladies Meet" by
Rachael Crothers and a drama by
Sophie Treadwell. who wrote the poig-
nant "Machinal"
There are bound, of course, to be
many things in the field of musical
comedy. Most enticing at the moment
are Flying Colors," because it is the
work of Howard D1J5z and Arthur
Schwartz, responsible for that best Of
revues, THE Band Wagon" and THE
Gay Divorcee," because it will have
tunes by Cole Porter and will show us
again the admirable Fred Astaire, whom
it will be pleasant to see even If we
will be forced to sigh over the absence
Of his sister. On the whole, the sea-
son should have its points.