New Plays in Manhattan

The Silent Witness is a mystery play which mystifies. In addition, it is well-staged, its scenes revolve quickly, and during the courtroom sequence there are moments of good oldtime melodrama. Unlike most of the recent Shubert importations, The Silent Witness has a plausible script, thanks to the doctorings of Director Harry Wagstaff Gribble.

The play relates the story of a young Englishman who strangles his faithless mistress, confesses his crime to his father (Lionel Atwill). A swift chain of circumstance compels Mr. Atwill to assume the role of defendant. During his trial, which is accompanied by some adroit British sarcasm from the bench, he begins to crack. Harried by the King's Counsel, who patiently sets his trap and then springs it with heroic crescendo, Actor Atwill breaks down, screams: "I did it! I did it! I did it!" This part of the play is done so well that spectators almost forget that Mr. Atwill still has three scenes left in which to prove himself innocent. Kay Strozzi (real name Strotz, sister of President Sidney Strotz of Chicago Stadium Corp.) is adequately irritating as the murdered adventuress.

Getting Married. This Theatre Guild revival of George Bernard Shaw's matrimonial polemic is well-staged, well-directed, well-acted. It presents a number of classic theatrical characters--the braggart soldier, the canny servant, the benign prelate, the worldly-wise woman. Worthiest of these folk, of course, are permitted to toss sound Shavian doctrine between themselves like a medicine ball. Mr. Shaw's sensible precept is that marriage is not a completely blessed state, but that there is no better solution for the social problems of men and women to date. His recommendations: more flexible divorce laws, more respect for individuality.

Upshot of two and one-half hours of stimulating but sometimes diffuse conversation--for even the Sage of Adelphi Terrace can be unclear--is that the young lovers (Romney Brent and Peg Entwhistle) decide to risk it and become man and wife, and the one flesh.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.