Evening star., 1932-08-14
Broadway Makes Ready
For Promising Season
Early Predictions Point to Eventful Year on
Legitimate Stage as List of New Plays
Looks Unusually Tempting.
By Arthur Ruhl.

TT is reasonably safe to make at least
a few predictions about the oncom-
ing theatrical season. The sensa-
L tional success of the year will be
play which has figured slightly,
If at all, in the advance enthusiasm
expressed by the producers concerning
their plans. At least two-thirds OF the
works optimistically announced by the
Broadway magnateS will never manage
to reach the city. BY December, five of
the producers will have proclaimed this
an Inflated season and three will blame
everything on the dramatic critics,
while the other two will say that the
stage hands are responsible. An impor-
tant star will miss performance,
whereupon her understudy will step
into the role and register a triumph.
These events can virtually be guaran-
teed, but the combined mind-readers,
crystal-gazers and numerologists OF the
drama can hardly go any further In
their prophecies.
There are, nevertheless, a number OF
events that can be looked forward to
with pleasant anticipation, If only on
the basis of past performances and
tempting potentialities. A new play by
George kaufman and Edna Ferber,
or Sidney Howard, or Noel Coward, or
S. N. Behrmann, or George Abbott and
Philip Dunnin cannot help arouSing
amiable expectations, nor can a revue
by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz,
or a musical comedy with songs by
Cole Porter, or Gilbert Miller produc-
ton of a London success, or visit from
Dublin's Abbey Theater. Since all OF
these events, and a number Of other
presumably pleasant ones, are promised
for the season now to begin, there
L. Tnv nY1t
Possibly that Coney Island air will be
driven away from Longacre Square yet.
MOT the least interesting event prom
" ised is the return of Miss LIE CALI
ennes Civic Repertory Theater after a
years absence, particularly since the
first production is to be a revival of
"Liliom," with the actress producer and
Joseph Schildkraut in their original
roles. Her simple, direct and lovely
portrayal of the lovelorn servant girl in
Molnar's eloquent fantasy was asSuredly
Miss LIE Gallienne's finest performance,
and Mr.. Schildkraut's characteriZa-
ton of the arrogant carnival barker was,
with reservations, one of the dlStin-
guished events of the immediate post
war theater. Those reservations arise
from the fact that I cannot help
remembering times when Mr.. Schild-
kraut, feeling that his audience was not
quite worthy Of him, condescended to
their frailties and engaged in the clum-
siest of low comedy. Certainly, though,
he must have learned with the passing
of time, and when he is in good form
and Miss LIE Gallienne is playing oppo-
site him, 'Liliom" is one of the genuine
modern classics.
At the Theater Guild they are start
ing the season with Owen Davis
dramatization of THE Good Earth"
What was probably Mr.. Davis best
play was an adaptation of a novel,
F. Scott Fitzgerald's memorable Great
Gatsby," and, although Mrs. Bucks
work presents considerably more diff
culties "Gatsby" presented its problems,
too. 1t must certainly be said. though,
that if Owen Davis can make a power
full play out of the impressive but
dramatically unwieldy material in "The
Good Earth" he will be achieving some
thing of a miracle of condensation,