Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-18


Behrman and the Theater
wv Guild get together as they
do in Biography some
thing in the way of bright
amusement may be expected. They
are among the most gifted of the
dramas practitioners. skilled in acting.
play-writing and play production. MIR.
Behrman is adroit in the creation of
interesting If unSubStantal characters,
bestowed upon situations which, though
hollow. are always humorous and tonic.
Miss Claire, returned from her elope-
ment with the cinema, is again one of
the first condolences, adept in the
distribution of smiles, tears. virtues
naughtneSs. beauty and charm. The
Theater Guild. when under the influence
of Philip Moeller's shrewd intelligence.
is the keenest instrument now operat-
ing in show business. AS all these
forces are marshaled In Biography"
the result Is congenial entertainment
Miss Claire's assignment in "Biog
raphy' is to represent an ingratuating
child of Nature, who, born and reared
in romantic village, grows to be a
willing victim of the coSmic urge. At
an early age she succumbed to tempta-
ton and, finding indulgence in her
weakness not disagreeable she be-
comes, in Ben Hechts raffish argot, a
great nlagoo. Therefore, when she ar
rives in New York City and establishes
herself as a seductive painter Of por-
traits and woman of the world, the
placid routine of life in the metropolis
is disturbed. So she falls gracefully
for a radical magazine editor Earl
Larimore) and is persuaded by him TO
write an autobiography. Whereupon
one of her first lovers, prim politician
from Tennessee (Jay Fassett), franti-
cally requests her to refrain from con-
fession. since it might interfere with
his candidacy for a seat in the Senate
At the end she burns her manuscript,
dlSmiSSeS all her suitors and starts for
Europe, there to begin life anew.
thank Mr.. Behrman. Miss Claire. the
Theater Guild and its company for an
empty though satisfying evening with
the drama.
PEN HEIGHT. co-outhor of The Great
Magoo," seems to regard his recent
rail-riding by the Broadway drama
critics with insufficient solenlnity. The
object of punishment being the pre-
vention of evil. it was evidently their
Intention to penalize Mr.. Hecht so
savagely that he would be deferred
from further ill-doing in the theater.
But after being whipped with scourges
and stewed in brine, he announces that
he and Mr.. Fowler are writing a new
play with chalk on barn doors and
out-of-the-way fences under the light
Of leering moon To the reviewer
who was less Infatuated by The Great
Magoo' than were the others he sends
the following elfin account of his ex-
periences and those Of his accompnce
on the night of the premier:
My Dear Percy Hammond: Where
were you during the pogrom The
Great Magoo,' Embossed at the
Selwyn Theater a few nights ago?
Sulking among the leaves of your
dictionary, egad, and mumbling in
you beard about literature!
I missed you at the tar pots, and
later when the posse turned the cor
ner with the hounds in full cry. I
missed you again And so did my
breathless and beleaguered pal, Mons.
Gene Fowler. who was wading up a
creek trying to confuse the pursuit.
When finally We dived into a corn
crib. outwitting the vigilantes, one
of whom displayed a moose, we peered
through the Stats at the night full
of torches and whispered to each
other Where is Sheriff Hammond"
I am writing this from the same
corn crib to inquire after your health
and to ask you to find out for us. if