Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-02

q political rally than an open
for. after two years, Dore
Schary's play about Franklin
d. Roosevelt Is ornately estab-
lished in theatrical history.
Making doubly sure Of Its
undiminished stature after its
long Broadway and national
company runs. 1t is played here
by the original cast. This is
the one headed by Ralph
Bellamy, Mary Pickett and
Henry Jones whose debut here
was not unlike an inaugura-
ton, following an election
pivoting on New York.
Everybody shone. the cast no
more than the evening frocked,
white dinner jacketed audi
ence. A better time has not
been had by the virtually all
since-it breaks D democratic
heart to say it-January 1858.
Aat
Piquantly. and most cleverly
on. Playwright sehary's part,
Sunrise at Campobello" is not
Q play about the political
Roosevelt. 1t is rather the story
of q young mans invincibiiity
to d Gripping disease. his fall
from pride in his physical
strength and an aristocrat's
sn0bbishness and his rise to
vision and simple humanity.
That this victim of infan-
tile paralysis later became a
politician Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
dimensions in no way hurts the
popularity Of the play. OF
course.
Entirely apart from its ex-
ternal appeal. however. Sun
rise at Campobello" Is an ex-
cellently made play. Dealing as
it does with the pre-political
Roosevelt, it has all of the
elements Of domestic tragi-
comedy.
The Roosevelts. longtime
neighbors Of WaShingtonians.
were o dramatic lot. Collec-
lively, they were individualists.
Vigorous, noisy, volatile. opin-
donated. aggressively self-con-
scious. Even at their time Of
trouble, from 1921 to 1924. they
were assertiye of as many
varieties Of freedom as there
were members Of the family.
Out Of such human material,
Mr.. Schary has been able to
make q big play out Of so many
very small-and only one large
things in their lives.
Four characters dominate
his plays story Of a cloud that
was a long time passing a
historically sunny household.
These are Franklin D. Roose-
welt, his wife Eleanor: his poll
ticai genius friend. Louis B.
Hove; and the Presidents
mother. Mrs. Sarah Delano
Roosevelt.
Among the group. the dom
inant emotions are courage,
love and loyalty. These. how
ever, are never safe from the
intrusion of their humaniz-
ing opposites. Mr.. Schary does
not pretend that his Roosevelts
wete beyond fear. the petu-
lance Of corrosive fatigue and
illustration and. on Mrs. Sara
Ro0sevelt's part. a whitening
disdain for the vulgarity OF
politics and politicians.
At the very human. and Sc
often warranty humorous. GEN.
tersof the family life. the play
presents two toweringly dram
ate figures. These are Mr..
Bellamy's stricken man. who
fights, falls, and crawls until
he learns again to stand erect;
and the wife who loved and
served him unfalteringly
through three savagely punish
ing years.
The detail of this and the
collateral relationships is play.
ed 10 perfection by Mr.. Bellamy
and his colleagues. Perfect
truly is the word for the for
mers impression Of Mr.. Roos-
evdt. 1t is portraiture that does
not seek exactneSS. Mr.. Bellamy
prefers rather to suggest the
man in his mannerisms, the
tilt Of the head. the smile. the