Evening star., 1943-09-19

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moody like Hamlet-an unlikely urge
he might find Justification for it
in the fact that he has been too
perfectly the perfect fool. In build
ing up his reputation for being so
funny that large section Of the
intelligent population begins to
laugh at the mention of his name,
Mr.. Wynn has obscured the fact
I that he is otherwise talented.
AS matter OF historic record, Mr..
Wynn is variously gifted man. He
is not unlike Noel Coward, indeed,
the last fellow in the world with
whom he normally would be COM
pared.
Both, for instance, can act and
both are at their best when clown
ing-Wynn fantastically in his over
size gnomelike way, Coward in his
light cerebral fashion toying with
biological ideas and laughing his
disillusioned laugh at the mad
world. While laughter is their COM
mon purpose, Wynn's hope is. to
laugh with his fellow man while
Coward is not above laughing at
him. A good case, no doubt, can
be made for both points Of view
measured simply by hox-ofice re-
turns which have been favorable to
the two.
Coward's Songs Better.
Coward is by far the better-know
songwriter of the two, having
planted such plaintive notions as
"I1l See You Again." "I1l Follow
My Secret Heart" Some Day I'll
Find You" and numerous others in
the sad hearts Of the lovelorn.
Wynn has obscured himself as a
songwriter by his foolery, but guam
titatively he is well up on England's
versatile sophisticate. BY actual
count, Wynn is the author Of 102
songs and three complete musical
scores. 1t is a virtually fabulous
output from any one, especially a
man who can think up such lines
as Can Katharine Cornell do this?"
while unrolling a red carpet.
Wynn, who writes most Of his own
vehicles, as does Coward, Is not
above giving hand to other play
wrights in distress. That Is borne
out by the fact that he is listed as
co-author Of eight Broadway plays
other than his own. He also is the
author OF two books, one more than
Coward, and has written news
paper column which was syndicated
to $50 newspapers.
Coward has left his mark much
more heavily upon the movies both
as writer and actor He has done
several memorable Aims as against
three for Wynn, most Of them made
forgettable because the mans style
simply does not translate well me-
chanically. Wynn, however, evens
the score in way by having had a
much longer and more successful
radio career Of three crowed years
in the same character.
He really is a versatile chap being
able to stand up in a comparison
like that.
Wynn, to keep the similarity
running, II at lower ebb, Is also
a noncomformist in stage technique.
One of the departures from normal
which has become standard with
him, and with no one else. will be
evident in big Time," which comes
to the National tomorrow night.
AS usual, he will open his own
show instead of depending upon
the ritual which insists that stars
entrance must be carefully timed.
Wynn's is so timed onlys to the
extent that 1t occurs approximately
at $40 Only he and the stage
hand who pulls. the curtain. are
involved in it.
This odd effect is the result of
Wynn's conclusion that the star
OF show, any show, IS supposedly
the most competent craftsman in it.
AS such, he feels it is the respon-
sibility of the star to break in the
| audience for the lesser people of
| the cast.
He has proved it to his own sat
isfaction. even if other minds in the
theater stick to the old method.
Kerr Play En- Route.
Premature may be those reports
| OF wan nOpeS 1Or waiter kerT
Star Dust" as Broadway success.
True the Catholic University pro-
fessor's comedy of drama school and
Hollywood manners got off to bad
start and unf1attering notices in
Philadelphia. The consensus among
critics, however, was that the flaws
were not uncorrectable, flaws which
were regarded more as matters of
direction and casting than of writ
ing.
Mr.. Kerrs play will be remem-
bered by many Washington theater-
goers as gay little item called
art and Prudence" knowing,
tolerant satire on life among am
Vel0z and !