The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-05

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he would like to see it acted. "Shepl
success II years ago and Vaughan
for the stage aagin.
He kept his promise. too, al
though the new production Of
"Sheppey" did involve his touch
ing UP a few spots in the drama
that he felt needed correction. And
by getting Edmund Gwen nto play
the title role he finally achieved
one Of the goals he had in mind
when he first wrote 1t. Gwenn was
to have created the role in London,
but other engagements kept him out
Of 1t.
In "Sheppey" Vaughan is con-
cerned with a treatment Of the old
story about how tough 1t is for a
purely unselfish person really to do
something for his fellow men.
G&enn has the role of a cheerful
London barber who has wife, a
manageable daughter and a fair
ly happy existence. Then he wins
about $4,000 on an Irish Sweep
stakes ticket, much to the delight
Of the daughter, who figures 1t will
help her get the young man she
wants to marry, a man just a little
bit above her"
But Sheppey's first idea Is to dc
some good with the money by help
ing out outcasts of society. He
takes a prostitute, who had be-
friended him when he had heart
attack, and petty thief into his
home spends money on them to
the CONSERVATION of his family
and then finds out that they don't
apprecite his gestures. But he per-
sists In his feeling that there must
be some room for work such as
Christ would do for unfortunates.
His health isn't good and his FAM
lily arranges for him to have medi-
cal examination, with the upshot
that the doctor, who cannot i'm
agine anyone giving money away,
submits a finding that Sheppey is
dotty and should be put away. This
makes the daughter happy because
the family will get to keep the
money after all. But before such
a sad end can come to the barber,
Death, personf1ed by a woman,
Games and takes him away. The
oretically the ending Is happy one
for all.
Gwenn does a magnificent job as
Sheppey, but the play is not up to
his performance. 1t is too diffuSe,
too uncertain of just where it is
going, to make really god enter
tainment The Vaughan skill at
dissecting human foibleS shines
through from time to time and
makes brief scenes enjoyable, but
it does not hold the interest for any
reasonable sustained period.
Working with Gwenn are Bar
bara Everest, Gerald Savory
Doris Patston, Katherine Anderson,
Francis Heflin and Anthony
mble-Cooper.
e A LLAH BE PRAISEDl" is a
IA poor musical comedy, with
book and lyrics by George Marion,
Jr., and music by Don Walkep and
Baldwin Bergersen. Alfred Bloom
ingdale spent a lot of time and
money on the show, as evidenced
by the scenery and costumes. but
after a halfway promising first
act, 1t rapidly goes to pieces. The
music Is not notable and the COM
edy Is worse. Only one scene. a
satire on the behavior of people in
night clubs. was memorable. thanks
TO the work of John Hoysradt.
The dancing, directed by Jack
Cole, is the outstanding virtue of
the show with such experts as
Milada Mladoya. the Kraft Sisters,
Anita Alvarez and Pittman Corey
getting heavy applause.
The story, II you can call 1t that,
concerns postwar Persia where
an American Emir rules a harem
that has attracted many prominent