34 Tues., Sept. 18, 1962 THE PLAIN DEALER*

HANNA CAST ABOVE REPROACH

'Step on a Crack' a Preposterous, Hysterical Hodgepodge

By PETER BELLAMY

dialogue of the younger memthe role of the somewhat ap-\role of the acid, precocious, bers of the cast is amusing, prehensive secretary in this objectionable young man of but portions of it suggest the emotional donnybrook with the world. dirty words on the sidewalk style of writing.

admirable restraint. Mar. If this play gets to New garet Hayes makes a tooth-York, I fear the playwright NANCY KELLY, a charm some, sex-mad aunt. William is going to be treated to what ing and accomplished actress, Hickey delivers his comic he calls "the cold douche of and Merrill, a polished crafts-lines with fine timing in the reality."

it is as talky as a sewing bee,, whether he will kill the sec-husband assures his forgiving, off at the neck than to confess man, are helpless in the unIf William Shakespeare had reminiscent of a 10-20-30 melbut the third act climax is retary, attack her lustfully, or wife years of philandering infidelities to his wife and convincing roles of the doctor have never touched his love then beg her pardon on the and his wife. Donald Madden, just bore her to death. gotten wilfully drunk and odrama or low-budget horror as the crazy, mixed-up son, tried to write "Picnic," it is film. IN THE FINAL SCENE the of no quicker way to be cut specious grounds he's loved delivers several rather pointonly her all the time.

to be suspected that he might The play tells the story of have come up with something the moral and spiritual delike the prepos-generation of a family. The

茶膠

terous and hys-father is a doctor who breaks terical hodgehis wife's heart by having afpodge that is fair after affair. The wife is "Step on a an ex-vaudeville queen who

Crack,"

which drowns the regrets of her

opened last fading beauty, past stage tri-

night at the umphs and husband's adul-

Hanna Theater. teries in alcohol. Not the slight-

est reproach THE SEXY DAUGHTER

PETER BELLAMY can be directed dislikes the mother, and the at the cast, headed by Nancy son hates the father and tries Kelly and Gary Merrill. It is to make up for his marital a fine one and struggles gal-disloyalty by showering the lantly and hopelessly against mother with affection. The the handicap of this play by aunt of this gamey bit is ob Bernard Evslin, a TV writer]viously seduced by her nephwho has previously special-ew's best friend. ized in documentaries.

In one scene the maddened

EVSLIN OBVIOUSLY. has son binds his father's secrebeen influenced by Shake-tary and supposed mistress to speare, William Inge, Tena pole in the attic, like an Innessee Williams, Eugene dian about to burn his victim O'Neill and Freud, but the at the stake. He then rants admixture doesn't jell or give and raves like a religious fansemblance to reality. Most of1atic until one wonders

for her. This observer knows

less soliloquies with convicThe play has references to tion and ringing voice proor overtones of homosexual-jection.

ity and incest. Some of the Maggie MacNamara plays