We are all the product of our environment, all the product of our particular “gamma‐rays,” but some sur vive and some are destroyed. Zindel, who writes alarmingly well, contrasts the fate of the poor marigolds with the fate of this tortured family. The results are either interesting mutants or ge netic disasters. And the second daughter? She, Tillie, is vague-an indeterminate girl, loves her white angora rab bit and is interested in sci ence.Ī high school science teacher encourages the young girl-encourages her to the point of an experiment with the effect of atomic energy gamma rays on marigold seeds. She has al ready had one mental seizure and she is even now narrow ly balanced. Her older daughter, Ruth, is also a victim. She stands in the way of her daughters‐ schooling, she attacks life itself with out offering any alternative to it. Her name is Beatrice, and at first you think she is all had. Her house is the last top before the grave yard. She scrapes up a living by giving home to a human wreck whose relations are prepared to pay money for the priv ilege of not having to look after her. The mother is an acid tongued slut, wears a dress ing gown all day, smokes too much, doesn't approve of housework and drinks whis ky from a tooth mug. The play is about a mother bringing up two daughters. Yet curiously enough you realize at the end of the play that the title is valid-valid but stupid. It is called “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man‐in‐the Moon Marigolds,” which sounds as if Arthur Kopit might have taken up science fiction. It has, I must admit, one of the most discouraging titles yet devised by man. It is a new play by Paul Zindel and it is one of the best of the far. Kooning,” and now I can also most warmly recommended a new domestic drama that arrived last night at the Mercer O'Casey Theater. At the weekend we had the engaging “Dear Janet Rosen berg, Dear Mr. OFF BROADWAY is at last warming up again.

Paul zindel the effect of gamma rays