Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-09-11
i rue Love Never Dies,
A Very Funny Thing
Disappointment Bitter in Drama,
But Never to Fatal Effect
By Jay Cormody

There is an article by John Houseman the September
issue Of Harprs which uses as its title the last ve wores o.
Business .
the others not-on the eve OF the new seasons
opening ~ ,
piece not undertone perhaps Of afec-
ton but general the article implies that Author
the Mercury Theater is amazed to find the drama still IN
He Can Explain However.
any institution nept inefficient. myopc Temporal
mental unpedictabe essentially futile leaves
asounded He is not however loss to explain It's
existence, although on continuously diminished scale
certain people writing producing and directing plays of
another for acting in them and OF third Tor attending
them membership of the three
intention of giving them although he will
writing bitter letters of complaint to any one who will
The washington rather perfect
illustrations mood which Houeman writes the why
does-any one ever-bother- wth-the- theater mood
represented Playwright William McCleery former
Associated Press staff member Washington whose new comedy
Helen Hayes its star The last time this correspondent saw
Playwright Mcceery through with the theater
Spoke Listened.
written and heart out for it in "Parlor
story which had opened few hours before in New York.
wait for the first morning reviews
nothing would Of it. By the sact inter
spoken out for freedom
political skulduggery and sometimes quite
anybodys fault, 1T everybodys fault but
McCleery unwilling to share the failure His damned
damned simply had not said what he wanted
III fashion he wanted it, and he going back
to newspaperng solid business and he under
stood.
weeks later when including the author had
forgotten McCleey back to the solitary
of these Good Housekeeping which Is
appealed to Miss Hayes who bought 1t
personally other another comedy "A Play for Mary
Broadway this fall with couple Of
gterng such Brian Ahern and June Lockhart
Ia the principal roles.
Mention night West Twelfth
the Of Paror Soy openingand McCleery will have the
stock answer OF all obsessed lovers:
ooh, that"
This how it is with everybody the heae the people
who tickets South Pacific directors
like Houseman the McCeery and Walter and Jean
who absent from their home here putting the
Touch and Co." in shape for Broadway.
Bitter Nights
The Kes another couple with whom this correspondent
has survived opening nights bleak and bitter that seemingly
human would risk their repetition
the of Walter the Broadway night Of
"Sng Land" produced the Theaer Guild There
this idea musical history America
"oklahoma!S guilds profitable There
opening night ing Out lasted several months
but its author did not like and wondered
bothered
Last December, New Haven it
Kerr comedy Jenny Kissed Me- opened its prior
1t acid reviews when Jenny Kissed Me- opened
Broadway-and when they they acid.
Mrs Kerr like the other two, fine sensitive ui
mate recovered her and her wit When she did she
comforting decision that writing teater
not a plausible idiots delight.
Nevertheless the theater Walters Bill
with of keep
Houseman says Harpers, this an amazing thing.
And always will be!