Evening star., 1935-01-10

Further good word forthcoming yes
terday was that a new comedy by
John Cecil Holm and George Abbott
will be at the National the week of
January 81. This would be Three on a
Horse" which up until a day or so
ago was known as Hobby Horse" p"
AN EVENING of plain, unvar-
"A niShed good humor was pro-
vided by the Abbey Players last
night at the National, when they
tossed grim tragedy over the wall and
came forth bright and smiling in
Lennox Robinson's attractive comedy,
Drama at Inish.'
While the play is not vital link
in modern dramaturgy, and perhaps
scarcely the sort of thing you expect
from the Dubliners, it seemed on the
whole as attractive an evening Of
tomfoolery in the theater as you will
find and one which should be played
more often in this companys reper-
toire. For, whatever people may say
about so-called drama" there is no
question but that people prefer to
laugh rather than weep these days,
and if the theater isn't able to bring
its small ray of sunshine into FROST
bitten souls, what in heavens name
will?
Although it was apparent that some
of the players were not so familiar
with this play as with most of the
others Cfumbling for lines being a
new experience for us with this bril-
liant troupe), the fact that they could
hide their discomfort with such able
nonchalance is a further proof of
their training and skill.
Mr. Robinson's thesis has to do with
the effects of a theatric troupe on a
small "Seaview" hotel community in
which it is evident that nothing ever
Happens. When things do begin to
happen they are based on the plays
that are being presented at the "Pavil-
lion'-"The Dolls House" and Enemy
of the People having the most star
ting effect on the town. So much So
in fact, that when one of its members
throws himself off the pier (When the
tide is out), and another jumps into
deeper water (only to swim back, and
Lizzie Twohig suddenly dishes up a
violent romance from past which was
actually nothing more than a school
girl frolic, and the boots" thinks he
might be Barrymore-the actors are
cordially urged to leave town with
50-pound check as bribe.
The fact that most of this is thor
oughly familiar has nothing to do with
the matter, just as the fact that the
comedy was presented not too success
fully last season in New York with a
Broadway cast as rs Life Worth Liv-
ing?" has also nothing to do with the
matter. What matters is that the
Abbey Players play it as the author
intended it to be-and that it is the
light, bright, wholesome entertainment
The cast, which is difficult to recog-
nize as the same that played in THE
Plough and the Stars" is fortunate
in its Maureen Delaney as Annie Two
hig miss Delaney will have to forgive
us for giving her the wrong name yes
terday); Eileen Crow, especially good,
as Lizzie; Arthur Shields as the
grease-paint smitten boots; Denis
ODea in few brilliant moments as
the boy who first decided to drown
and then decided to swim; and Barry
Fitzgerald who in rare moment on
the stage underplayed rather than
overplayed reporter" Miss Aldeen
O'Connor came in in blue beret IN
the last act to prove, again, that
Hollywood was right when 1t cast its
eye on her with expectancy.
X * x X
GUIDE to the new weeks films:
~ Romance in Manhattan" which
opens tomorrow at R-K-O Keith's,
was thoroughly enjoyed by the single
audience that saw it on New Year
eve, according to reliable report. Both
Ginger Rogers, the peer of musical
comedy heroines, and Francis Lederer,
who has kept right on melting since
his iceberg role in Man of Two
Worlds" are said to be at their best
in light, breezy comedy which every
one should enjoy. Katharine Hep
burn plays "Babbie" today for the
last time.
THE County Chairman" Will
Rogers, of course, opens tomorrow at
the Fox. Since the piece was written
by George Ade and since Stepin
Fetchit has the fattest role OF his
career, you may easily imagine the
results. Vera Gordon, who did a
swell job of weeping in "Humoresque,"
is the queen of stage show that
also includes Rex Weber.
Here Is My Heart" at the Earle,
has your faVorite music, your favorite