The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-04

ing date. The fadeout is not brillial
 Shaw has been one of the the ater's promising younger writers for about eight years now, but he does not seem to make much advance ment. l still think that his first drama, the episodic anti-war play, Bury the Dead" was his most forceful effort and a lot of enthusi- astic people have been waiting ever since for him to show some advance from that freshman effort.
 "Sons and Soldiers" poses the question of whether it is worthwhile to bring children into the world only to see them go off to war. It is told in a series of flash aheads in which a young wife, who has been told that her pregnancy is likely to result in her death if she persists in going through with child birth, sees her son as child and as a young man and observes the trials that attend his rearing. Her conclusion, of course, is that, come what may, 1t will be worthwhile to bring a son into the world, even if he does become sacrifice to Mars
 There is some occasional trite stuff in the writing and some of the scenes were actually embarrassing to this observer because of the way in which they were played. l think the director, Europes famed exile, Max Reinhardt, probably was more to blame for the latter than was the author or the actors.
 The play does have some redeem ing features as far as acting goes. Generally, this is on high plane and, while hesitate to recommend the play as play, would suggest that visit is necessary to get ac- quainted with the work of Geral- dine Fitzgerald, a lovely and tal- ented Dublin actress whose first appearance here in 1888 in a revi- val of "Heartbreak House" was all too brief Since then she has at tained some measure of cinema success, but this is her first really big chance and she doesn't let you down. Off hand, 1t would be diff cult to name another actress who could so convincingly play the many -faceted role of the young wife and mother-to-be. A really remarkable performance.
 Gregory Peck has the role of the grown son and further justifies his growing popularity as leading man. That capable farceur, Willard Mitchell, shows a nice change of pace by playing a sardonic middle aged physician, Herbert Rudley is an acceptable husband; Stella Ad- Ter Is excellent in the role of q prostitute who influences the son, and Karl Maiden and Leonard Sues also give fine support. The most amusing scene in the play is the work of a small boy named Ted Donaldson. It's impossible to de- scribe just how he is so effective, but the author was wise to give him only three or four minute bit else he would have walked off with the play amid gale of laughter. He almost did anyway.
 The play was produced by Rein hardt, Norman Bel Geddes, who de- signed the settings, and Richard Myers
 A ND now to "Threes Family" -Aproduced by John Golden This is one of those plays that cause in dignant theatergoers to write in- sulting letters to critics (o.k., so they can't be insulteO, who will have to report that there are plen- ty of laughs, but 1t just simply isn't o onnI iIlN ng ttynrly rho picf rF tho letters will be that it's farce, ain't it, and farce is supposed to make people laugh. and you said there was plenty of laughs, so where do you get off to say 1t ain't a good play and, furthermore, you said ."Abies Irish Rose" wouldn't run a week, etc.
 All right. If you're not particu- lar about your farces, if you want your laughs as they come and can overlook the obvious mechanics of their creation. then go to see "Three's a Family" You'll enjoy it and. personally, I hope Golden has another hit on his hands.
 The play concerns the wartime rise in the birthrate and the humor is strictly obstretical, so you'll know what to expect. The daughter of a middle-aged couple moves in with baby and baggage when she has a quarrel with her hot-headed hus- band, who promptly enlists in the Army. The son of the family, who lives downstairs with his wife, is suffering more in the final stages of her pregnancy than she is, and they drop into the parents apart ment in time for the baby to be born there. There is maiden aunt who gets showed around in the in- flux Negro maid who gets drunk, diaper service man, second acknowledgements couple and a priceless old obstetrician brought out of retirement in his dotage be- cause of the wartime shortage Of younger doctors. who can and does deliver babies practically by ear, since hes as blind as a bat despite two pair of specs.
 In fact, there wouldn't be near as many laughs if it were not for this character and the manner in which he is played by 70-year- Will liam Wadsworth. Wadsworth gives what is one of the top comedy de- lineationS of the season.
 The others engaged in this battle of the babies are good people, among them being Ruth Weston, Katharine Bard, Robert Burton, Ethel Owen, Doro Merande, Edwin Philips, Dorothy Gilchrist, Francis (ln ColeS fee Gee Jan,nc Picbard