PLAYGOER

Climbing back from its poor work on "Strictly Dishonorable," the Cambridge Summer theatre this week puts on a production that is, in spite of its expected roughness, enjoyable and fairly well-acted. The play is "Old Acquaintance", a pleasant comedy by John Van Druten.

No social drama, the play is gentle, perhaps slightly suggestive of the Woman's Home Companion. The cast is able, with Leatrice Joy Gilbert, the guest star doing very nicely, thank you, and a pretty lass at that. Orchids go to Ann Dere, whose fine portrayal of Katherine Markham, a difficult part, is the best performance of the play.

Of the combination of Bill Mendrek and Dere we have little to say. They carry their scenes well, don't botch lines as Ruth Hermansen does, almost spoiling her otherwise well done job as the novel writer who sounds as though she might have written this play.

Miss Gilbert is making her stage debut; she should do well. He poise is not quite all there, she tends to awkwardness, but her voice is good, her sense of simple dramatics is fair, and she is a pretty girl.