Evening star., 1935-09-08

him-not unless the Fire Departments:
allows him to put in another row or
two Of seats, and he has a hit bigger
than Anything Goes" He has, he
remarked, just about reached the
superlative Of seasons so far as being
producer is concerned, and holds out
slim hope for anything more opulent
'I don't think there is any moral
to be drawn from the success of this
show" he said. unless it lies In the
curious circumstance that we have
had no trouble at all maintaining a
four-dollar price scale long after the
regular New York patrons have run
out, and we are playing to visiting
firemen and out-of-towners who
usually won't stand for that much
money. There seems to be more money
In circulation, or at least people are
more willing than they have been
during the last three or four years to
spend it on theatergoing."
Mr.. Freedley has Just returned from
the Coast, where he supervised
preparation of the screen company
of Anything Goes" and enjoyed the
customary weird experience of Broad
way producers in the opium dream
atmosphere of Hollywood.
The story conferences I attended
there in a sort of advisory capacity
were Just as daffy as they are re-
ported to be-" he says. "A group Of
experts, most of whom have not heard
the name of the story under discus
sion before they enter the room, as
sembles solemnly about a table and
gives themselves crick in the neck
nodding and saying yes to each other
in a very respectful manner. They
listen courteously to each others sug-
gestions at great length, and then
scrap them all. No suggestion ever
made in a story conference, in the
history of the film industry, has had
any effect whatsoever on the play un-
der discussion. They are nice confer
ences, however"
Mr.. Freedley Is impressed, though,
with the increasing trend TO use the
legitimate stage In New York as
try-out for screen material. He thinks
it is boon to the speaking theater
and a great economy device for the
pictures. AS he points out, by staging
a play in New York picture executives
can try out a story on audiences and
critics at a moderate production cost,
whereas it is not infrequent for them
to spend SITS 900 for script changes
in a story before a foot of film has
been ground. Economy. If nothing
else, he feels. is bringing the legitimate
stage and Hollywood closer all the
time.
Mr.. Freedley is in no hurry to dash
into the Broadway midst at the mo-
ment. and Is willing to let the prepa-
ration of his intended Cole Porter
Howard Lindsay Russell Grouse mu-
sical wait on Mr.. Porter's direction Of
Jubilee" He would not divulge the
precise nature of his new revue, but
was willing to assert that it would be
of a topical cast, generally speaking.
II feel very definitely that the day Of
the simple romantic musical girl show
is past" he says. "As Thousands
of topical illusions. and the revue TO-
day, to succeed, must have some slant
on the passing show of the world"
Rehearsals Of Jubilee" current at
the Music Box and the adjacent I'M
perial. according to reports have
reached the screaming stage and rep
resent a fine frenzy Of temperament
with its back hair down and ready
for a good cry on the drop of a
prompt script 1t is further reported
that, not content with costuming the
youths of the ensemble in the most
abbreviated swimming tights for the
opening scene. the book directs that
the interlude, representing one of Elsa
Maxwells much-touted fiag-raisings,
discloses them garbed uniquely in