Evening star., 1942-09-27
BY LAWRENCE PERRY,
North American Newspaper Alliance

NEW YORk.-"Vlck1e, farce by
S. M. Herzig, presented at the Plym-
outh Theater by Frank Mandel,
adds nothing substantial to the cur
rent theater. But in aiming through
out for laughs it attains its modest
objective-an objective, upon second
thought, not so modest, not so trivial,
in these trying times when most
persons are seeking escape from grim
realities into happy illusion.
1t was inevitable that, sooner or
later, some unrestrained fabricator
OF theatrical slapstick would turn
thought to those nattily uniformed
amateur organizations of women
who, in their various ways, think
they are helping to win this war and
add a smartly Amazonian touch to
civilian life. S. M. Herzig, the agent
of this inevitability, vaguely known
as writer of film dialogue and skits
for musical shows. plays fairly with
his audience, incidentally with him.
self, in labelling his piece farce.
Staged With Hilaria.
But. even in farce, there are
gradations ranging from sheer buff
foonery to more adroit subtleties,
which last, am forced to report,
either escaped the authors attention
or else we're beyond his craftsman
ship. So saying, it might also be
said that the idea of "Vickie" was
amenable to a certain artistry of
achievement which would have re-
suited in very pleasing and whole
some light comedy. Still and all, Mr..
Herzig, bent upon working with what
tools he possessed, viewed his sub
ject farcically and so treated it.
Jose Ferrer and Frank Mandel sup
plemented the authors design in
staging the opus with hilarious,
delirious-and occasionally bewilder-
ing-effect.
Perhaps unfortunately, or other
wise, as you may feel about it, you
have one Of those women, trig in
Sam Browne belts and snappy
uniforms, in your home-women who
have caught the war fever and have
just simply got to do something
In "Vickie" one of these military
minded women is placed as the wife
OF. a young engineer who has devel-
oped a smoke generator of potential
value to our armed forces
In attempting to perfect his work
ing plan in the living room of a
three-room apartment, he is be-
deviled, thwarted and otherwise
handicapped by wife and assorted
comrades of the AWCS-American
Women's Camp Service-and the
EGS-Emergency Godmothers-who
possess every facility for making
pests of themselves with which a
mind geared to Hollywood horseplay
can endow them.
Opera Singer Comic.
Complications are an Official air.
plane watcher established on the
terrace outside the door; former
grand opera queen suddenly ap-
pearing, without logical reason, to
take the place of a colored maid
servant who has walked out on the
crazy household a dollar-a-year
WPB official trying at the peril OF
his life, limb and mental equanimity
to pass upon the engineers inven-
ton; two Army priyates billeted in
the home for the week end, and
finally, two young women of the
easiest sort of virtue who occupy the
apartment above.
Jose Ferrer and Uta Hagen-mar
and wife in private life-play the
young married couple engagingly
Charles Halton, back from Holly.
wood, is amusingly acid, maltreatec
and bemused as the WPB man
Taylor Holmes, as the subdued
brought-to-heel husband of al
AWCS commander, brings finished
technique to his role. For that mat.
ter, no fault at all may be foune
with any member of the company
Among them may be cited chief,
that gallant and artistically-ant
physically-opulent soul, Nine. Mar
garete Matzenauer, in her day al
adored diva at the Metropolitan
Opera House, who plays the slave,
role with many operatic gestures an
frequent reminiscent outbursts O
her once Incompatible contralto.
Some New Variety.
If Fred Finklehoff, who wrote tha
comedy, Brother Rat" some few
years ago, felt he owed Broadwa
anything for the alacritous enthusi
asm with which it took his play t.
it's calloused heart, he has nov
requited it with a diverting hodge
podge, Show Time" now running
merrily-and, so I hear, opulently-
at the Broadhurst Theater.
Here is variety show not to en-
all variety shows, but rather to en-
courage more producers to folio,