Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-26

Jean Giraudoux is just the
with wit and wisdom. There is
'Ondine," which Players IncorpC
Theater's new summer season Ia
before. thus fills another gap in
first Washington presentation of |
the Broadway hit of the 1884
season.
The Players Incorporated pro-
duction has Janice Rule and |
William Prince in the roles |
created by Audrey Hepburn and
Mel Ferrer. For this, Olney
audiences can count themselves
fortunate. Miss Rule may not |
have quite all Of Miss Hepburn's
magic, but who does? Anyhow,
she has some magic of her own
and her sea nymph is q glowing
girl who very well might capture
the heart Of an already be-
trothed knight Grant.
Mr.. Prince makes q fine. SPAR
ring mate for her, too, as the
knight who allows himself to be
bewitched. He is a quite COM
petent actor who also obviously
has the sense Of humor required
by this Giraudoux romantic
fantasy. Philip Bosco, Frederic
Tozere and q number of others
lend yeoman support to the two
principals.
Players and playwright get
along famously under Leo
Brady'S direction. Giraudoux has
Q number Of comic things to
say about love and other human
foibles in "Ondine" and those
saying them for him at Olney
enter into the spirit with verve.
A couple Of other people who
also have entered into the spirit
Of things here are James D.
Waring and Joseph Lewis. Mr..
Warnings three sets are magma
tive compromises between utility
and the fanciful mood of the
play. ideally matched to it. The
same can be said Of Mr.. Lewis
colorful costumes.
The Players Incorporated On
dine" is a show with eye appeal
along with its other attributes.
An ondine, as you well know.
Is a daughter of the waters and
ordinarily they do not associate
much with human beings, who
are OF a lower order in nature.
The one in M. Giraudoux's play.
however, has been living with
an old fisherman and his wife.
who lost their daughter and
found her by the lake. She comes
In one night from playing with
an electrical storm Immediately
after the knight Grant has
turned up at their cottage.
He has been sent into an en-
enanted forest by his promised
princess. who admits later that
she never expected that any
thing like Ondine would happen
to him. She happens to him.
though Her fortnight nature
and her mercurial moods, not
70 mention her outspoken love
and undeniable beauty, hit him
between the eyes and Hans for.
gets all about Princess Bertha.
There is not any point in duh.
ing the edge Of the Giraudoux
WIT by reducing it to a literal
account here of what happens |
to .Ondine and her knight. They
present something of a problem
when he returns with her to
court and in the end they meet
their predestined fate.
Sometimes "Ondine" settlesl
down into a talkfest that indi-
Gates that Giraudoux is an ad-
mirer OF, or has been marked bv
George Bernard Shaw. Girau-
ooux. however. also makes most
OF the talk both sage and witty.
Miss Rule and Mr.. Prince. as
mas been noted. have been sue
cessful In capturing the elusive
mood Of a romantic fantasy
that makes comic comment on
the ways Of man. In their sup
port is a group of players who
have set a high standard for
Following acting groups at Olney
this summer. There is a good bit
OF the ensemble feel to their
playing Of "Ondine," something
that becomes more than Just a |
set Of separate characters who
happen to be on the same stage.
Frederic Tozere makes quite a !
majestic Old Man, as the ruler
OF the realm from which Ondine
has Ned and as the conjurer
VINO shows the court scenes from !
the future life Of sea nymph and
knight.
Philip Bosco does dual duty,
too, and demonstrates his YER
satility by creating a pair Of dis
ttnctly different characters. In
the second act he's the lord |
Chamberlain eagerly urging the