The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-03-04
CARLOAD OF WHEAT FOR WATERBURY NEEDY
LITTLE. THEATRE
DOES FINE WORK
"H0tel Universe" Depicts
Eight Cropping Souls
in Barry Play.
SPLENDID ACTING NOTED

The Little Theater OF waterbury
presented Hotel Universe" last
night at the Waterbury Women's
club, q piece of continuous action
that required the most careful and
diligent acting yet displayed by
this group of players. Philip Bar
RVS play Is nothing ordinary: he's
presenting peculiar and specuia-
tive reasoning, metaphysical In
character, that necessitates no or
binary ability.
There was no fault to find in the
eight major characters as present.
ell in their various aspects In last
nights production. All demonstrat-
ed deep study Of their respective
roles and gave as satisfying por-
trayals as one could hope to ex-
rect among or, amateur group OF
players. Serious study and con-
temptation OF each part was
ev.nced throughout the play whose
setting Is a terrace In the south OF
France, near Touion. The, setting
has no particular Importance and
any particular spot In the universe
might serve as well. A group of
friends are visiting for a brief two
hours with Anne Field, played by
Marion Hunt. 's''s''.'.'
All are acquaintance and for no
particular reason are engaged In
an orgy of de-bunking life In gen.
cral. Among the group assembled
there Is just one person Of normal
tendencies who appears to be taxi
Ing life as 1t comes, and that Is
Hope Ames, played by Geneva
Stettbacher; and perhaps the next
nearest to normal Is Norman Rose.
played by Norman Neale. The
other characters are desperately
trying to figure out just what the
little world and their meaning In
same world are all about-not con-
tent with allowing their lives to
work out as they will they are
dclving into reasoning beyond their
powers.
The principal complex Of the
majority OF this interesting group
10 that life 10 pretty futile, and the
most dynamic Of them, Pat Farley
decides to perform tho splendid
gesture of celebrating himself.
Harold Ashworth makes the most
OF this part and plays 1t for all It's
worth; having made, what he con-
siders. q mess Of things, he's work.
ing himself UP to that last grand
gesture, until he Is suddenly faced
strange trick Of the play. The des.
TIMES Of ali concerned are more or
lees controlled by the introduction
Of an intermediary In the person
OF stephen Field who brings these
cropping souls back to something
like normally.
Philip Barry's plot IL not too
clear and Is more or less maun-
dcring, like his characters: he
clouds and obscures his meaning.
perhaps Intentionally, and the au-
dience Is left to make what they
will Of 1t. In his character OF
stephen Field, his controlling
force, he presents another Lob,
suggesting Sir James Barrie's
character in Dear Bratus." And
when all Is said and done, is not
Philip Barry more or less endeav-
oring to out-B Barry Barrie by say
ing Just in a slightly different way,
"the fault, dear Brutus." etc, etc.
In the playing there was no
fault to find. 1t was played with In
telllgence. What goes for the plot
CT the play Is elusive but not no
gracefully elusive as the other Bar
RE. II Is more natter f-fact, and
much more Philip Barryish. Don.
aid Dunno created q genuine feel
ing Of the fantastic In his shaping
OF those throw back" episodes
That particular portion of the play
was exceptionally well done. Al
this point that lost soul, Tom Ames
we'll played by Walter Deacon,
lives over again the life he was
Intended for; Lily Malone, the
actress, slxillfully played by Elean-
CIR Bronson, reverts to her earlier
character, and Anne Field and Pat
Farley re-live their earlier expert
ences. Harold Ashwortii was keen
as Pat Farley and gave q fine per-
fcrmance throughout. Marion
Hunt was natural and sincere as
Anne Field; and Donald Dunno,
Mrs Roy Smith and Max Gauda.
In the small part OF the but
Ter, handled their parts cleverly.
Whatever an audience CLEANS
from Barry's play; and an audi
ence Is likely to interpret accord
ing 10 his or her own reactions.
Barry has struck a true note in
his concluding scene when Pat
Farley decides against his contem-
Plated grand gesture, arrives at
the conclusion that life Is not fu-
tile and that he'll live 1t, come
what may.
The play showed the splendid
direction of Miss Helen Schoeni
and was a new venture by the Lit
tie Theater. 1t will be repeated to-
night and Saturday night. The Lit
tie Theater Ensemble played a
program previous to the opening.
The musicians were as follows:
Ruth Jones, piano: Gladys Heg-.
arty, Anne C. Fruin. Antoinette
Hevey. Helen Lawlor, violin; Helen
Francis, base violin; May L. Brit,
cello: Mollie Storm, viola: John
Merle Hosdowich. flute; Ferdinand