Variety (December 1954)

Wednesday, December I* 1954 LEGITIMATE 69 Richard Watts Jr., came up with what could be a sensible Suggestion last week as a footnote to his pan of "One Eye Closed." Critic of the N. Y. Post concluded his review of the flop with the following kidding aside, "Note to Variety, in lieu of a play- meter: This is riot intended as a favorable or 'inconclusive’ notice.” It was presumably a reference to Variety’s tabulation in last week's issue of Watts' "Wedding Breakfast”' review "incon- clusive.” Considering the prevalence of on-lhe-fence, yes-and-no, incon- clusive and other variations of no-opinion-olearly-expressed notices by N. Y. first-stringers so far this season, ’ some such’clarifying footnotes shorild be a real reader service. By JESSE GRQSS 4 Only a drastic theatre^hortage Is curbing an unprecedented off- Broadway production boom this season. Demand for off-the-Stem houses is greater. than . ever, but with oniy a handful of spots avail- able, numerous would-be producers and groups are just standing around scripts-in-hand. Bidding for non-Broadway tnea- tres has been so urgent for soma time that various outfits have been using not too^ suitable places, in some cases involving inadequate stage facilities and/or cramped seating capacity. Situation has re- cently grown so /severe,, however, that it's become a problem for theatrical realty firms. Shortage of houses is not only stifling the spread of production activity, but has caused the prema- ture ; closing of ; soine off-Stem shows. Although realtors have in- tensified'efforts to locate possible new legit quarters,, they have, had little success and the list of avail- able theatres has remained pretty much static. Factor in the situation is that several off-Broadway spots: re . under lease to permanent groups and thus do not become available when shows close. Shows that were forced to fold because of the lack of suitable (Continued on page 74) Davis & Bolton Scripting Burley Backstage Tuner With the Kean Sisters set to star in "Ankles A weigh,” librettists Eddie Davis arid Guy Bolton are at work. on another book musical, "Dis Muz Be Der Plaze,” with; a burlesque backstage locale. It’s primed for a name comic. ! M e a n t i m e ; . Davis - Bolton’s “Ankles”.now will have Fred Fink- lehoffe as coproducer with legit agent Howard Hoyt,' husband of Betty Keari df. the starring sister team. .Tim Herbert and Jack^E. Leonard are other Casting possi- bilities,. John C. Wilson will stage, with rehearsals slated for February, Anthony B. Farrell ’ lajor backer. Davis’ current "Laugh Yourself Well” (Fell Pub.) will be followed by the author’s autobibgv "The Gag- man,” on which Herb Hartig will collaborate. U.S. Shows Still Big On British Isle Tqur, As Well as West End Edinburgh, Nov. 30. American musicals are showing no sign of letup in their hold 'over the British Isles. “South Pacific/’ which played a four-weeks’ stint at the King’s Theatre here last March, will return to the Empire for a month’s engagement starting Dec. 20. The show is estimated to have played to 1,500,000 customers in the United Kingdom. Part of Nellie Forbush, created by Mary Martin, is played by Pa- tricia Hartley, young English sing- er, and Nevil Whiting'' as Emil de Becque. Other principals are Ed- die Leslie, Carole Sopel, Roy Lees and Helen Landis. Augmented orch, will be conducted by Charles W. Prentice, who was musical director at Drury Lane, London, from 1932 until 1939. Prices for "Pacific” at the Em- pire will be upped from the normal vaude scal*>of 70c top to a $1.30 high. Prince Littler, by arrangement with William Music Ltd., is pre- senting "Guys and Dolls” at the King’s, Glasgow, for seven-weeks beginning Dec. 14. Principals in- clude Jacqueline James, Edward, Devereaux, Edwin Richfield, Den- ise Walker, William Thorburn and Laurie Webb. Top will be $1.30. The oldie U.S. musical, "Desert Song,” is also touring the prov- inces, while the straight comedy, "Moon Is Blue” continues on the road in the UK. And, of course, London has such continuing Yank shows as “Bell, Bock and Candle,” "Can-Can/’ "I Am a Camera,” "King, and I” "Matchmaker,” "Sa- brina Fair” and "Teahouse of Au- gust Moon.” It’s a quick goodbye for "Hello Paree.” Revue will fold next Satur- day (4), at the Parsons, Hartford, at the end of its second tryout week. A scheduled week’s stand, in Boston beginning next Monday (6) has been cancelled. Show was slated to open Dec. 14 on Broad- way, but no theatre had been booked. Production has been in multiple difficulties, including the failure of Charles Trenet to join the show as star. Producer William L. Taub says he plans to- reopen the revue with another name French singer, but that would presurnably involve considerable added cost and thus extra financing. "Paree” drew poor reviews and slim business in last week’s Wil- mington breakin. Windemere Barn Moving Windemere Summer Theatre will operate next summer in Bar Harbor, Me. . Producer* Bryan Turner and Edward Ocrisen, who operated the barn last* summer at Seal Harbor, Me., have taken over the BarHarbor Theatre. Strawhatter will continue its policy of a resident company and "kiddie matinees on Saturdays, with . the regular stock offerings. To Remodel Denver Aud.; Reduce Legit Capacity Denver, Nov. 30. Denver plans to spend about $833,000 to remodel the theatre half of the city Auditorium, The present seating capacity of 3,000 will be cut to about 2,000 by the elimination of the gallery and low- ering of the. ceiling. Modernized layout will have a washed air-con- ditioning system, a new stage, cur- tains, dressing rooms and stage equipriient. This is the first of a three-step program for. the block-long build- ing. Next will be to face-lift the structure at a cost of about $500,- 000, and the third will include the reconstruction of the rest of the building into a multi-story struc- ture suitable for Conventions. A fire wall will be built between the two sections. Previously the two could be thrown together for cir- cuses and such to provide a seating for about 12,000. This will require the Denver Symphony orchestra and local managers to find new locations for their bookings for a year or so. Indie manager Hazel M. Ober- felder has made arrangements for another location, but the syrnph, needing rehearsal space as well, is still looking. ‘Merchant; The millenium has arrived’ for Broadway actors. A new type of work light has been developed to supersede the traditiorial 1,000- watt, bare-bulb i 11 urnination for r e- hearisal. After years of agitation on the subject, the improved' light, de- veloped by Duwico and costing no more than the: old glaring, ineffi- cient hanging bulb setup, is being installed in all independently run New York theatres and will hence-! forth be used for rehearsal ses- sions. Change is largely the result of work by a joint committee of Actors Equity and the League of N. Y. Theatres, New device, suspended from the theatre ceiling somewhat similarly to the old setup, has reflectors at each end of a long shade. Catch to the situation, at the moment, is that the Shuberts; . who are no longer members of the League, are not yet installing the. modernized light in their 19 theatres. That is a riiatter. Equity is prepared to take up later, however. For the present, actors, directors and production aides at rehearsals in non-Shubert houses will be able to read their scripts without get- ting eye-strain in the process. Equity never expected to: see the day. 55G Hatful of Rain’ Michael Gazzo’s "A Hatful of Rain,” which Jay I. Juliep plans to produce on Broadway, is budgeted at $55,000. Of that amount $11,000 will go for bonds and theatre guarantee and another $15,000 is to be set aside as reserve.. There’ll be no provision for over- call arid it’fc figured that the show will be able to break even at a $12,000 weekly gross. Ben Gazzara is set for one of the. leading roles. Joan Fontai , star of the Broad- way production of "Tea arid Sym- pathy,” has notified the Play- wrights Co, that she. will leave the show at the expiration of her con- tract next March 1. Actress plans to return to the Coast for a film assignment. The management had hoped Miss Fontaine would continue in the Robert Anderson drama for. a series of Coast engagements,., prob- ably opening March 15 at the Huntington Hartford Theatre, Hol- lywood, then playing the Alcazar (United Nations), San Francisco, and winding up with dates in Seat- tle, Portland and other northwest towns; Miss Fontaine, who succeeded Deborah Kerr as star of the show last May 31, will go to New-Hamp- shire fpr a vacation With her hus- band, film producer Collier Young, while "Tea and Sympathy” lays off the week of Dec. 20-25. Meanwhile, Miss Kerr, after taking last sum- mer off to star in a British filmiza- tion of Graham Green’s “The End of the Affair.” is playing her origi- nal role in the touring edition: of "Tea and Sympathy,” currently at the Shubejrt, Detroit. The troupe goes to Chicago soon for an in- definite run, but the topr Isn’t, booked for the Coast, The original'"Tea” production is currently in its 62d week at the Barrymore, N. Y. at Cincinnati, Nov. 30. .New production of "The Temp- est,” staged by Basil Langtori, will be presented by the Cincinnati Symphony Orch at the Music Hall here next Friday-Saturday (3-4). It will use the full Sibelius musical score. Antioch Area Theatre is sponsor- ing the offering. OUT SOON! The Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail Special exploitation advantages Copyand space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NIW YORK It 114 W. 44ffc Sfc HOLLYWOOD 28 till Sr. CHICADO 11 411 N. Mlthlfee Ave. LONDON. W. C. X I St. Piece Trefetfer Sqeere . Toronto, Nov. JO,. Choice of 4> The Merchant of Ven-; ice” for production next summer at the. Stratford (Ont.j Shake- spearean Festival tfais brought im- mediate protest. Thus far, how- ever, it appears likely that Festi- val officials will* go through with plans for the revival. In the face of. criticism fronv fche Canadian Jewish Congress, direc- tor Tyrone Guthrie declared that the character of Shylock, contro- versial focus of the tragedy, will be ■played . "sympathetically” arid "with' absolutely no possibility, of anti-Semitic interpretation of our production.” But as spokesman for local Jew- ish community leaders, Rabbi Sio- niri explains, "We find ourselves in a dilemi . We do not want to curb artistic expression, in any way. But, on the other hand, the charac- ter,, of Shylock is one .that cannot be completely understood. Guth- rie says that Shylock can be played, in a sympathetic manner, but we’ll have to wait and see,” Guthrie asserts, "I don’t see how anyone could be offended over our plans. The actor who will play Shylock is Czech-born Frederick Valk, who has suffered for his faith. He is such a noble, great- hearted. fellow that I don’t see how anyone could object to his por- trayar’of Shylock.” Playing Portia in the revival/will be Canadian actress Frances Hy- land. The other Shakespeare, pro- duction during the season will be "Julius Caesaf,” with Canadian ac- tor Lome. Greeri as Brutus, British- born Douglas Campbell as Casca, arid Donald Davis as Antony, A (Continued page 74) Musicals Americanizing Lack little Adventure’ London,. Nov, 30. Great Britain is "unfortunately” becoming Americanized through entertainment. The process, ac- cording to Eric Maschwitz, who describes himself as the only liv- ing specimen of a British musical playwright; is resulting from the domination of U. S. musicals in England. He aired the. view in a talk at the Southport. Theatre Club last week,. In making the comirient, Masch- witz emphasized that he does not question the great' quality of American entertainment. T h e British musical has. yet to grow up, he explained, but added that it’s a mistake to assume that every Nrw York musical play is. success- ful. .British audiences see only the cream, he asserted! Pointing out that the Drury Lane Theatre had been put back on the. map, half reconstructed, decorated and improved by a management that played safe by importing great American shows, Maschwitz de- clared that it’s sad to think the British.jcould not do the same thing. “I don’t think we lack writers, choreographers, producers or the talent to put on plays of quality.” he said, "We do lack the oppor- tunity—and a little adventure.” The librettist suggested that a fusion of ideas between choreog- raphers and dancers of Sadlers Wells and the musical playwrights might lead to the creation of a new kind of musical show in Britain. He conceded that they would always be up against the fact that it would be an expensive and dif- ficult experiment. Chanman Joins Gawky Set, Taking Tourists Abroad John Chapman, drama critic of the N.Y. News, has not only fig- ured out a way to underwrite a European tour next summer, but also to audition any lecture spiels of the material. . Gimmick is mat the legit re- viewer will conduct a tour of Eng- land and the Continent *hext sum- mer for the Thomas S'. Duffy Trav- el Service, of Syracuse. He’ll head a'feroup limited to, 25 tourists, cov- ering theatrical events in Great Britain, France, Germany, Switz- erland, Italy and i France. It remains to be seen how he’ll handle , gawker customers who question his critical judgments.