Civic Theater Presents 'The Late Mr. Apley'

Civic Theater Presents ‘The Late Mr. Apley’

"The Late George Apley," by John P. Marquand and George S. Kaufman; presented by Ann Arbor Civic Theater; directed by Marie D. Miller; continues through Saturday night at Pattengill auditorium In Ann Arbor High school.

The Cast

Margaret...............Marguerite del Toro

George Apley...............Todd Jones

Catherine Apley...............Marie Gilson

John Apley...............Jerry Ryan

Eleanor Apley...............Phyllis Wright

Wilson...............Ben Hazard

Amelia Newcombe...............Jessica Morrow

Roger Newcombe...............Thomas D. Gilson

Horatio Willing...............Bill Bromfield

Jane Willing...............Dorothy Bowne

Agnes Willing...............Louise Craig

Howard Boulder...............Jim Reason

Lydia Leyton...............Wlllet Brown

Emily Southworth...............Ann Parsons

Julian H. Dole...............Fred C. Goddard

Henry...............Ben Hazard

Boston took it on the chin last night. Having no acquaintance at all with that metropolis, we are in no position to deny or support the biting gibes against that community that the Messrs. Marquand and Kaufman incorporated into “The Late Mr. Apley.”

In the Civic Theater's version of the play last night, Boston’s malady is an inbred disease that infects its citizens with acute stuffiness and determined resistance to change. The victims of the disease, according to the play, are at times highly comic and at other times merely very pathetically unprepared to extract a full richness from life.

Whatever the truth may be about the Bostonians, we believe that they would approve of their foibles being exposed to serve the purpose of the local stage story about them. For the Civic Theater's venture this week is not only aimed at furthering the fortunes of the Civic Theater but also of serving the Junior Chamber of Commerce's efforts to give a specially equipped traffic cruiser to local police. So you will not only have a chance to pass your own judgment on stage Bostonians but also will help the cause of good driving here if you attend the production.

Cast Convincing

As to the result achieved by the Civic Theater in the production last night, we felt that the "plus'’ qualities considerably exceeded the ''minus” qualities. The cast generally performed their portrayals convincingly. Todd Jones, as George Apley, carried the brunt of the dramatic load. Except for doing some of his lines too fast, he turned in an even and capable performance. Of the others, especial mention should be made of Thomas Gilson's depiction of the hard-drinking Roger Newcombe, a Bostonian who is able to retain a sense of humor.

Marie Gilson was a sympathetic and believable Mrs. George Apley; Phyllis Wright and Jerry Ryan completely acceptable as the daughter and son in the Apley family; Jessica Morrow was sufficiently acid as Amelia (Apley) Newcombe; and Bill Bromfield did an effective caricature of cousinly Horatio. Fred Goddard seemed uneasy in his role of Julian H. Dole, father of the non-Boston girl whom young John wants to marry, but that may have been an opening night development. The bit parts handled with credit to the production.

The pace of the show was uneven and it lagged at times. Much of this unevenness, we think, resulted from the play rather than from the performers. Contributing to this impression of wavering viewpoint was the play's range from outright ridicule and burlesque of the Bostonians’ way of life, as the authors apparently saw it, to a more subtle and leisurely probing that occasionally resembled sympathetic study.

High quality work had been done on the costuming and scenery.— J.E.J.