Pictures, No Puzzle

ALAY-OOP--William Cropper--Coward-McCann ($2).*

Halfway between Artist Lynd Ward (God's Man, Madman's Drum} and Cartoonist Milt Gross (He Done Her Wrong} comes Satirist William Cropper. Without Ward's arty symbolism or Gross's simple artfulness, he tells a straight story, then horses it a little.

His picture-tale of life and love among the acrobats has a heroine but no hero. She is a hard-working trapeze artist, muscular but buxomly beautiful. Her partner, who is no relation but who acts consistently as a big brother to her, is an enormous fellow with a dumbly faithful expression. In the same show is a paunchy middle-aged Romeo who sings romantic love-songs so convincingly that even his mouth becomes heart-shaped as he warbles. The singer is carried away by the artiste's charms, acrobatically displayed, and pays her respectfully romantic court. She is enchanted and they are married. Her partner is a little surprised but apparently not hurt, and they all leave the show because Romeo is going to be the world's greatest singer.

Domesticity ensues, girl twins are born. Romeo reads the newspaper and talks of his great plans; no money comes in. But the faithful partner always arrives in the nick of time, bringing helpful packages. While Romeo scans the market reports and his wife washes the dishes, he amuses the twins by acrobatic stunts. Finally Romeo is fed up with the sight of his face and leaves the house in a rage. He returns a little later, a little cooler, only to find his wife practicing well-remembered tricks with her old partner. At that there is an explosion. When the smoke clears away you see the great singer raucously peddling fruit, the dumb acrobat swinging iron girders, and the mother putting on a circus act with her acrobatic twins.

*Published Nov. 19.

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