Critical Moments

The active and shrewd Group Theatre, which has to its credit “Men in White,” announces that its next venture will be John Howard Lawson’s play “Gentle-woman,” scheduled to open a week from tonight at the Cort Theatre. Of special interest to Jewish followers of the theatre is the fact that the author of the piece is Jewish and that Stella Adler will play the leading role.

FIRST APPEARED WHEN BUT FIVE

This Jewish actress, daughter of Jacob P. Adler, famous Yiddish tragedian is fast becoming one of the leading players of the legitimate stage. Acting is almost second nature to the attractive Stella. When she was but five years old she made her first stage appearance, in the role of the child prince in “Richard III” and since then she has been a consistent performer. For ten years she was seen in a succession of juvenile roles. It was as Launcelot Gobbo to her father’s Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice” that she reached her stage majority. Her first role in English was in Karl Kapek’s “The World We Live In” and this was followed by a number of Broadway appearances.

JOINED BOLESLAVSKY

Dissatisfied with the progress she was making, Miss Adler deserted Broadway and joined the experimental American Laboratory Theatre of Boleslavsky. In 1931 she became connected with the Group Theatre and has been with them ever since.

During the season of 1933 Miss Adler was unusually active. She appeared in three Broadway plays: “Success Story,” John Howard Lawson’s hit which ran for about five months, and two short-lived productions–Dawn Powell’s “Big Night” and “Hilda Cassidy” by Henry and Sylvia Lieferant.

‘GENTLEWOMEN’ SOUNDS PROMISING’

“Gentlewoman” sounds as though it might do some business. It is a love story concerning a woman of culture and wealth, who loses her money but not her poise, and the inevitable young radical poet who wants the lady to live in his carefree, reckless fashion. Stella Adler is the lady and Lloyd Nolan the poet. Mordecai Gorelik has designed the settings which I am told are striking. Lee Strasberg is responsible for the staging and directing. Others in the cast of ten are Claudia Morgan, Morris Carnovsky, Lewis Leverett, Roman Bohneu, Russell Collins, Zamah Cunningham, Neill O’Malley and Frances Williams.

GOSSIP OF ONE SORT AND ANOTHER

Marlene Dietrich, German cinema star, who is said to be making regular shipments, of the money she earns from the Jewish producers in Hollywood, to Nazi Germany where she is a great favorite, claims she is only aiding the children’s relief fund…. Sidney Kingsley is not the only writer who refuses to allow his work to be produced in Germany. Edward Dahlberg, novelist and playwright, is another who will not accept German publication…. George Arliss, English star of “The House of Rothschild,” is past the sixty mark in years and is a confirmed vegetarian. His wife who plays that part in the film also, shuns meat…. The Acting Adler Family is often referred to as “The Yiddish Barrymores.” I do not think that is a compliment…. Irving Cummings, born Irving Kuminsky in New York City, has managed to keep a little ahead of the cinema trend. Before his acting days were over he became a director and has served inthat capacity ever since…. Not much time left to see “Four Saints in Three Acts,” as it closes its New York run Saturday night.