CRIMSON PLAYGOER

"New Faces", the new review at the Shubert, is, notwithstanding its Broadway run of "seven hilarious months", just another review. A group of new and fairly talented performers, including the Duncan sisters, lift a lifeless script into the regions of just passable entertainment, although the first night audience was liberal enough with its applause.

The speed with which the Duncan sisters work and the rapidity with which one turn succeeds another give for a while the impression of a fairly snappy review, but the weight of the dialogue bogs it down in the second act, which drags and drags and drags.

The Duncan sisters are funny -- no doubt about that, and a delightful little ninny called Imogene Coca helps considerably. Frances Williams, the featured lady, is presentable, but undistinguished. The review itself has a less central theme, if possible, than most; where the authors found their hodgepodge it is hard to see.

Eddie Carr, the specialty man, is singularly unattractive and vulgar without being funny. The brilliance of his dialogue (on the cleaner side) is shown by the persistence of the fossil about the WPA workers who were mistaken for statues.

It isn't much fun to watch the Duncans and Miss Coca trying to bring this vehicle up to scratch. Don't bother about it.