Jimmy Shine--An incredibly slight and short character sketch by Murray Schisgal. Still, Dustin Hoffman contributes a truly funny portrayal of the title character; and Donald Drifer's sharp staging and John Sebastran's songs also make it all quite pleasant. At the ATKINSON, W. 47th St. (245-3430).
Little Murders--Jules Feiffer's black comedy (which flopped a few season ago on Broadway) in a new and fine production directed by Alan Arkin. It's a disturbing and wildly funny work about snipers, obscene phone calls, air pollution, masturbation, hippie religion, and a photographer who takes pictures of shit--among other things. Andrew Duncan and Linda Lavin have just left the cast, but Vincent Gardenia and the stunning Elizabeth Wilson are among those who remain. At the CIRCLE-IN-THE-SQUARE, 159 Bleeker St. (473-6778).
Man in the Glass Booth--An exciting piece of theatre about Nazi and Jewish guilt. It all may not mean much, but Donald Pleasence's performance as an Eichman figure and Harold Pinter's direction must be seen. Robert Shaw, the actor, wrote the play. Jack Warden succeeds Mr. Pleasence after this weekend. At the ROYALE, W. 45th St. (245-5760).
Negro Ensemble Company--A fine company tries its hands at three new one-act plays. At ST. MARKS PLAY-HOUSE, 133 Second Ave. (OR 4-3530).
Peace--A satire on war taken from the Aristophanes play. Funny and with a nice score by a very different theatrical song writer, Al Carmines. At the ASTOR PLACE THEATRE, 434 Lafayette St. (254-4730).
Promises, Promises--Burt Bacharach and Hal David write some of the best and most innovative songs around, but perhaps you might prefer to buy the original cast album rather than go to this somewhat unsatisfactory distillation by Neil Simon of Billy Wilder-I. A. L. Diamond's "The Apartment." At the SHUBERT, W. 44th St. (246-5990).
1776--A lot of heat is being generated by this new, serious, non-patriotic musical about the writing of the Declara- tion of Independence. There are those who love it--and those whose hearts do not quite thrill to the goings-on (which include an animated discussion of Thomas Jefferson's sex life). Still, the cast does include such people as William Daniels and Paul Hecht, and the general style of the piece is supposed to be quite out of the ordinary. At the 46th STREET THEATRE, W. 46th St. (246-4271).
Zorba--A great serious musical about living, loving, suffering and dying. John Kander and Fred Ebb wrote the immensely theatrical score; Joseph Stein did the adaptation from the Kazantzakis novel; and producer director Harold Prince tied it all together with a finesse the likes of which have not been seen since Jerome Robbins' heyday. Herschel Bernardi is the man of Crete and Maria Karnilova is his French lady friend. They have a strong assist from gutsy-voiced Lorraine Serabian, who heads a Greek chorus. At the IMPERIAL, W. 45th St. (265-2412)