Evening star., 1933-06-11
New York Submits Report
On Late Dramatic Affairs
The Season Was Just About Like Most Normal
Seasons, With Its Percentages of Failures
and Successes-The Summer Theater
By Percy Hammond.

TIME demise of the theatrical sea-
son, annually reported at about
this time of year, is, of course
i In the nature of q social con-
vention, like the date for put
ting on or calling in straw hats. Pro-
ducers decide to call it day-hah a
dozen more Broadway plays put out
their lights, for instance, last week
critics embark for Europe or turn
themselves out to grass, all sorts OF
summaries, statistics, and backward
looks are duly published, and the sea.
son. as such, is said to be over. Yet
shows. of one sort and another, new
and old, continue, Summer or not, and
the visitor to the metropolis viii find
no lack Of things with which to amuse
himself.
Typography" one Of the most brill
liant comedies Of the year, both IN its
writing and playing. still continues -
does @Csood-by Again, = An0ther Ian.
guage.n aBest Sellers" s.Gay Divorce
and several others, including last years
Pulitzer Prize winner, "Of Thee
Sing and the mellifluous Kern-Ham-
merstein operetta, Music IN the Air. :
Miss Ethel Norman still sings the con-
tralto saga of sEadie Was 2 Lady,
in Take Chance" and the dark
/
of Run, Little Chillun' continue their
erotico-religious frenzies and splendid
choruses.
or the newly launched pieces, Rich
- ard Flournoy's little story OF tent
show repertory folks, Fly by Night,
folded up very quickly. 1t was Wen
meant and sincere, in its way, ana It's
back-stage tent-show local color was
authentic enough, but it had little else
hut local color. hung to the slimmest
thread of drama, and the thunder
storm which blew down its imitation
tent at the end of the third act ended
its Broadway life.
Frank Fay's revue, "Tattle Tales, al
ready seen in various parts OF the the
atrical hinterland, was q more Vigor-
Gus plant. and survived at any rate its
first Broadway week. There was a
touch of neo-pioneering In the enter
prise of the Fays-Frank and Barbara
Stanwyck-who, reversing the drec-
ton of the Forty-niners, started out
in Hollywood and worked their way
Eastward. playing as they went, toward
their hoped-for golden sands OF Man
haitian. There should have been trucks
and a tent.
Their entertainment Is guileless
arrangement of the usual revue stencils
singing, dancing and sketches" made
palatable by the deft and ingratiating
art of Mr.. Fay in the role of master
of ceremonies. Mr.. Fay is at the other
pole from the Jimmie Durante schoo
of athletic n-making. The lifted
eyebrow, the casual, confidential man.
ner and conversational voice, even an
absurd pun now and then, are his
stocks in trade He combines author
ity with witty aplomb and the show L
always amusing. in its quiet way, while
he is on the stage.
Miss Stanwyck, remembered for her
performance as Bonny in "Burlesque'
before she went into the pictures anG
became Mrs. Fay, is less easily fitted
into the surroundings. For the most
part, she Is silent partner, and the
devices of dragging In bits Of the act
ing sequence of the two films, Ladies
of Leisure" and THE Miracle Woman"
by having a supposed interviewer say,
Now tell me, Miss Stanwyck, which
were Sour favorite roles?" is pretty
awkSard, ~ tte scenes themselves are
out of key with ia. revue frame into
which they are forced. They seem tc
represent Mr.. Fay's amiability as a
husband rather than anything that
really belongs In the satirical touch