Evening star., 1939-07-30
blow at a matinee idol from between
my pretty lips was q razzherrY.

blow at a matinee idol from between
my pretty lips was a razzberry.
At any rate, the character evolved
by Mr.. Behrman to present the idea
that, If civilization is going to pot,
1t might just as well go with New
burgh sauce-meaning there Is no
time for comedy like the presents
made to order for the girls. He is
a spoiled little boy with the wit and
manners. the ecstacies, despairs and
petulant RACES of a privileged lap
dog. The two women in the play
his wife, who knows what he is all
about, and the other. shallow woman
who knows what she wants-indulge
him outrageously, as every woman
would, as every woman in every
audience does.
In the old days they used to call
the type a lounge lizard. Mr.. Olivier
played him exactly like that, doing
job Of lounging that was a sight
! to behold. He was one of those 60
getter loungers, squirming all over
every chair and sofa he sat on, ap-
parently in an effort to find the
point of maximum comfort. He was
frustrated in that. He always
squirmed his way off every resting
place. like boy sitting down for a
man n-to-man talk over hockey play
Ing with a school principal. Very
endearing, the girls called 1t.
Mr.. Lederer plays the part some
what more sturdily But even he
falls, every now and then, into the
tactic OF go-get-'em lounging. For
IN" rest, he is doing competent lob
OF scurrying from pillow to post.
HIS accent is family extraordinary
but 1t is a soft one and you get used
TO 1t very quickly. I am fairly sure
that, before long, the girls will be
blowing away the Ethel BARRYMORE
Iheater's excellent cooling system
from between their pretty lips.
mol TOO much can be said for the
rest OF the company. AS is common
IN play directed by Guthrie Nc
Clintic, they have all improved with
time. Miss CorneH, of course, is
what the play is about, and there
are performances of remarkable
Quality by John Williams, Marpalo
Gilmore, Robert Flemyng and Gee
Gee James, which means everybody
In the place except a Walk-on. The
Walk-on walks on adequately.
Mr.. McClintic is pretty we'll a gift
from heaven to the towns late
theatergoers, who more often than
not flnd actors slouching through
performances. saw mo Time for
Comedy" during a midweek matt
nee, and there was no slouchine
being done
Rlchard Gaines was school prin-
clpal in Texas at one time, and
since then has been teaching acting
more often than acting. He plays
the part of Abe very studiously.
remember once hearing Daryl
zanuck make a fervent plea with
director to let Tyrone Power plav
the part of Abe Lincoln in a pic
ture. Its important" he argued,
people in the audience should
know that behind Lincolns face
there is something nice to look
at" The director said, my good
ness gracious" although not in Just
those words.
Anyway, Mr.. Gaines is better to
look at than Mr.. Massey. He has
been understanding the Canadian
performer through the whole run
OF the play and utters the lines
exactly as his predecessor did.
What he lacks is the fire. Mr..
Massey as Abe Lincoln was that
thing that happens once in every
good actors career-the perfect
wedding, the spark to tinder, the
cinnamon on coffee bun.
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