The Theatre Guild has brought Jane Cowl and John Halliday to the Plymouth this week in "Rain From Heaven," as the second play of its Boston Subscription Season. The play was written by S. N. Behrman, from whose pen came last season's success, "Biography." Those who expected a similar play, however, would have been disappointed, for this new work is something of a comedy at times and at others is poignant drama. But it is highly entertaining and it is good drama.

The action of the play takes place in the country home of Lady Wyngate, a short distance from London. Gathered there for the proverbial stage week-end are Rand Eldridge, noted Antarctic explorer and young lover of his hostess, his brother Hobart, an American capitalist interested in organizing Fascist youth movements, his doll-like wife, Phoebe, her daughter Joan, and her flance, Clendon Wyatt, a Rhodes scholar. Huge Willens, a German music critic, recently released from a concentration camp for having a Jewish great-grandmother, and Nikolai Jurin, a Russian emigre.

With such a motley array of characters there is material for many involved situations and a complicated plot. Starting in the first act with amusing repartee and witticisms by Lady Wyngate, one is left expectantly awaiting a light comedy. The second act, (in which the characters discuss socialism, Hitlerism, race prejudice, values in life,) gets further away from comedy and closes with a climax that is exceedingly melodramatic. The third act carries on the same theme, but the ending is disappointing and leaves one with a feeling that all the talk that has gone before has been futile and unnecessary.

John Halliday, as Rugo Willens, turns in the best performance and plays his role convincingly. Jane Cowl muddled her lines at times, but is quite successful as the philanthropic lady of leisure. Thurston Hall, who bears a close resemblance to Herbert Heover is excellent at all times, and particularly in the scene in which he drinks to forget that seen his wealth will be confiscated by the damn Communists Ben Smith, as Rand Fliridge, is awkard as a lever, and seems ill at case in the role Jose Ruben is splendid.

The play is good entertainment and the last-moving plot engages one's interest throughout. The mixture of comedy and drama is good and the only uninteresting moments are when the characters seem were concerned with propagating ideas on current politics than in the plot of the play.