Variety (December 1954)

LEGITIMATE Wednesday, December 1, 1954 silk Stocking* Philadelphia, Nov. 26. , Feuer £ Martin production of ^muslcai ssaravpfe mm' ^NSohE"*' ».Sr I«M Stars Hlldetjarde Neff and Qon Arneche; features ^Yvonne Adair, Norman AtWns Lwn Beiasco. Henry Lascoe. Clarence Hoffman, Philip Sterhnfi- StaRed^y Kauf man 1 scenery and lighting, JO mieizurc*. former Lucinda Pallard; danee. and musical numbers staged by " u * e J*£ ing; mus^l direction and vocal arTange- mfnts Herbert Greene:. orchertratlons. Don Walker: dance music _ arrangements, Genevieve PUot. Atthe Sbubert. Phila- delphia. Nov, 2(», *54: $5,40 top, Here’s still another musical comedy with a book that really arao 'ats to ^something; ^t^^faslv- loned from the film hit of the 30s, “Ninotchka,” “Silk Stockings” demonstrates a number of things. For .instance, that Don Arneche has a rich bari- tone “voice and might have tried footlight acting long ago. Also, Hildegarde Neff, German-born film actress, has been hiding her light under a bushel of ® rl ^f^ 1 xr an j* Hollywood pictures. George Kauf- man also proves not to have lpst his master’s touch, either as libret- tist or director. He and his wife, actress-play- wright Leueen McGrath, have collaborated on the “Stockings, book, retaining some characters intact, altering Others, keeping the basic idea hut adding a lot ofnew touches and going along with the ribbing of Commy principles, at the same time bringing the. story up to date; It’S a shrewd satire on life behind the Iron Curtain, re- minding one, in spirit and outline, of a switch on “Of Thee I Sing. The first act moves along with such precision and contains so much super quality that it’s per- haps inevitable that the latter half ot the show doesn’t match. The break comes about 20 minutes in the second act, in a number called “Josephine.” It’s a good enough Cole Porter tune and Sherry O’Neil, understudy subbing.for the ailing Yvonne Adair, puts it across neatly; but then a dance routine drags the idea out to exhaustion. After that, it takes about a half- hour for “Silk Stockings” to re- cover pace in a Russian jitterbug number called “The Red Blues;” That and the abrupt, conventional ending shouldn’t be too hard to fix. The Porter score is a good one, though hot exceptional. It is one of the noisiest and brassiest the composer has had since his early days. Tops, are “All of You,” “As On Through the Seasons/We Sail,” “Pads Loves Lovers.” “Satins and Silks” and probably ‘‘Without Love.” though the latter isn’t vocalized as it might be. There’s also a rousing chorus number, “Hail Bikini.” and some good comedy numbers on the" production side. The lyrics are typically a highlight. Arneche sings “AH of You” and the show’s title number as solos arid duets with Miss Neff in “Paris Loves Lovers” and “Through the Seasons.” Their scenes together are unusually sympathetic and unhackneyed, but although Miss Neff’s acting is excellent, her sing- ing disappoints. Miss O’Neil clicks as Miss Adair's understudy, with plenty of saucy sex in her impersonation of an. American screen celeb making a picture in Paris. Genuinely amusing, though with some mate- rial that should.be trimmed or cut, are Clarence Hoffman, Leon Be- iasco and Henry Lascoe as Commy comrades who fall under the spell of Paris i ust as surely as Ninotchka herself does, Norman Atkins is also funny as a Commissar who finally succumbs to bribery, helps the lovers to escape and then skips with a ballet queen. Philin Sterling plays, a CommS' composer who itums to lowbrow hot music, Jo Mielziner has caught both the beauty and. elegance of Paris and the grimness in the scenery. There are no formal ballet .numbers, blit plenty of fast-stepping In. “Jose- phine” and “The Red Blues.” House of Flowers Philadelphia, Nov. 25. Saint Subbar 1 production of musical in two acts, with book by Truman Capote, music by Harold Arlen; lyric* by Capote and Arlen, Feature* Pearl Bmley. Dja- hann CarroU, Juanita. Hall, Josephine Premice, Dlno PiLuca, RaWn- Spearman, Jacques' Aubuchon. Geoffrey Holder; Ada Moore, Enid Mosier, Frederick O Neal, Directed by Peter Brook; scenery and costumes,' Oliver Messel; choreography, George Balanchine; lighting, Jean Rosen- thal; musical director. Jerry Arlen; or- chestrations;'' Ted Royal. ' At Erlanger, Phila., Nov. 25, '34; $0.00 top. ^ Tulip. .V. .......... Josephine. premice Gladlola ..................... Ada Moore Pansy ....; ., Enid Mosier Do ......... Winston George Henriques ily have bogged down. With Pearl Bailey almost always on hand, the Capote-Arlen collaboration makes for an exciting .theatrical evening. Waters.. Don't Ottilie, alias Mine .' Fleur M. Jamison .. >, Mlile. Tango ,. Mile.. Honolulu Sisters MerlrigUe..., >. : Mile. Ibo-Lele , Mile. Cigarette .. Watermelon ..... Royal. .......... Champion Mother ...... Chief of Police ... Capt. JonaS ...... Houngon ■ Barrel-Head Band ... Solomon. Earl Green. .Diahann Carroll Pearl Bailey. Dlno DiLuca Juanlta^HaiU. 1 v..... ■ Mary Mon Toy • • .«* vi _ . .Leu Coniacho, Margot SmaU Pearl Reynolds ,. Glory Van Scott ... Philip IlepbUrn .. Rawn Spearman .. Geoffrey Holder .,. Miriam Burton Don Redman Jacques Aubuchon . Frederick O'Neal Michael Alexander,. Roderick Clavery, Alphonso Marshall Townspeople.- Dolores Harper, Mary Louise. Joseph Comadora, Hubert. Du- worth, Louis Johnson; Arthur MltcheU, Walter Nicks. Here's another musical with an offbeat format: “House of -Flowers” is as unconventional as''‘Fanny,” if hot more so. Truman Capote read- ers may not be surprised, but to those unacquainted with the au- thor’s tricky writing style and sen- suous subject matter, this big new musical must have come as some-- thing Df a shock. Apparently, -it may be a pleasant one because the first-night: audience was the rriost demonstrative attending a tuner breakin here in recent seasons. It is not only in the matter of libretto, but also in regard to score, that *“House of Flowers” orthodox. Harold Arlen’s music is top-drawer, yet there is virtually nothing for audiences to go out humming, Most of the songs are woven craftily-into the action and. they catch the full flavor of Ca- pote’s alternately languorous and fiery story; Granted that Capote and Arlen have become a collaborating team to be reckoned with and rate praise, hut it must , be added that the evening might be unsatisfac- tory were it not for Peart Bailey as femme lead. She scores a bigger personal triumph than any seen here in years, , ■ As a handsome (and incidentally, she’s never looked better), madam of a .bordello in a seaport town in ‘an . island of the West Indies group” Miss Bailey has a part that’s a natural, and in addition she has a batch of Arlen numbers with which she scores repeatedly. “One Man,” “What’s a Friend For” and “Has I Let You Down?” are going places themselves and also add new laurels for the singer. She also gives a soUnd and many- faceted dramatic performance and she adds salty comedy touches. Capote’s plot—what there is of it—concerns the rivalry between the madam and her competitor, played by Juanita Hall, and it is not a bedtime yarn for children. Woven into it is a romance between a country girl adopted by one mad- am, and a poor boy, also from the hill country. The madam has am- bitious plans for her “protege” that include an attachment with a Witness for tho Prosecntlon New Haven, Nov. 25. Gilbert Miller ft Peter Saunders produc- tion ol drama in three act* (four scenes), by Agatha Christie. Features Francis L. SuUiyan, Patricia Jewel, Ernest Clark, Gene Lyons, Un* O'Connor, Robin Craven, Horace Braham. Directed by Robert Lewis; scenery; Raymond Soveyi cos- tumes, Kathryn MUler. At Shubert, New Haven, Nov. 25, '54; $4.50 .top. . Carter ... Gordon Nelson Grtta Mary Barclay Sir Wilfred Robart*. .FrartCi* L. SuUivan Mr. Mayhew ...Robin Craven Leonard Vol* Gene_Lyoris Inspector Hearpe Detective Romaine .......... 3d JUror 2d Juror ........ Jury Foreman , . Court Usher Court Clerk Mr. Myera • *•«••••• a.e 4 Claude Horton Ralph Leonard Patricia Jessel Dolores Rashid Andrew George .. Jack Bittner Arthur Oshlag Ronald Dawson Ernest Clark Mr. Justice Wainwright. Horace Braham Alderman .............. R • Cobden-SmUn Judge's Clerk ..., Harold. Webster Court Stenographer ....v.. W. H. Thomas. Warder ........Ralph Roberts Barristers...;. .Henry Craig Neslo, Brace Conning. Ruth GreCne, Albert Richards. Franklyn Monroe, Sam Kramer Policeman Bryan Herbert Dr. Wyatt.. ^W,..Spaull JanetMackenzie ...... .Una. D Connor Mr, Clegg . • Michael McAloney Other Woman ,. . .. Dawn Steinkamp In importing the London mystery hit, “Witness for the Prosecution,” it looks, like Gilbert Miller and Peter Saunders have a nest egg. The play should catch on jin the U S., as it offers a telling combi j- turn of good writing, staging and acting. “Witness” is consistently absorb- ing, at times suspenseful and, in the case of its denouement, very clever. It comes in the brain- teaser, rather than the bloody shock treatment, category. While it has certain standard- ized elements of a routine who- dunit (such as the dialogrolling of opposing counsel, the. typical housekeeper being willed out of a legacy, thus making her a suspect, and similar tangents), the overall originality of conception and pres- entation outweighs the pedestrian content. The writing ; and staging avoid such stock devices, as the durnb- flatfoot - for - laughs, absurd, story threads for contrived efforts . and scenery - chewing for dramatic punch. An impression of. complete authenticity is conveyed in this meller of a murder trial In Lon- don’s Old Bailey. Expert cast provides virtually flawless Interpretations. Francis L; Sullivan lends portly dignity, and a flair for. good thesping, to the role of defense counsel. Ern- est Clark offers a stellar contribu- tion as his legal vis-a-vis, the pros- ecutor, As a wife testifying in a case in-, volving her husband on trial for inurder. Patricia Jessel does a re- markable job. Her transitions are brilliantly handled. - Gene Lyons makes emotional capital of a per- sonable drifter who finds himself on trial for his life. Excellent secondary support Is added by Una O’Connor as the housekeeper, Robin Craven as an associate attorney and Horace Braham as court justice. Balance of. the unusually large cast does capably. Production Is simply, hut effec- tively, designed on a rollaway basis that permits quick shifting of split segments. Reproduction of Old wealthy shipping agent, and she [Bailey is especially good. tries to have the youth shanghaied and eventually thrown to the sharks. But the plot falls through ; and the madam almost loses out to her rival. Two newcomers, Diahann Car- roll and Rawn Spearman give sock performances as the young) criuple. Miss CarrPll has three lovely num- bers in “A Sleepiri’ Bee,” “Can I Leave~Off Wearin’ My Shoes” and “1 Never Has Seen Snow” and Spearman does a hangup job with “House of Flowers” and “The Tur- tle Song.” Miss Hall doesn't have too much material but she clicks sharply in “Madai Tango’s Tango.” And Josephine Premice, Ada Moore and Enid Mosier are standouts, as three bordello girls. Their . song, “Don’t Like Goodbyes” with. Miss Carroll, is a delight. The only prominent white performers, in the ' Hollywood could do things with this script via scene insertions hot available to stage version. Bone. Dark Is Light Enough Buffalo, Nov. 24. Katharine Cornell & Roger L. Stevens (by arrangement with H.. M, Tennent, Ltd.) production of drama by Christopher Fry. Stars Katharine. Cornell, Tyrone Power; features Arnold Moss, John Wil- liams. Directed by Guthrie McClihtic; scenery and costumes, Oliver Messel. At Erlanger, Buffalo. Nov. 24, *54; $3.85 top. Current Stock Bill (Nov. 29-Dec. ll) Stalag 17—Paper Mill bouse, Millburn* N. j. (30-11). This was a thanksgiving bird for Wilmington. “Hello, Paree” turns out to be a disorganized, passe vaudeville show, rather than an intimate French revue as hilled. No Broadway prospects here. .> However, in fairness to the cast, the show opened with two strikes against .it, Charles Trenet, the star, failed to appear after a contrac- tual dispute with producer Wil- liam. L. Taub. French singer had been scheduled to take over the second act; as. a one-man show, so the first act had to be revised and expanded to cover the entire run- ning time. ~ French singer Michel Allard was rushed here to replace Trenet, but found the going rough, Most,of his songs have French lyrics, leaving many in the audience baffled as to what it. was all about. In fact, “Hello Paree” is Woeful- ly lacking in practically every de- partment, The dancing is just average, the music uninspired, the backgrounds limited to a series of curtains, and as for comedy, there just wasn’t any. Two plus factors are the bright costumes and light- ing. ; June Richmond, hefty colored singer, does yeoman work in hold- ing show together. She isn’t bn until the close of the first act, but makes every scene count; winning the audience with her robust sing- ing apd clowning. making a performer, appears . .. stunning gowns, sing? turing the flavor arid spirit of the Given the traditionally superla- ing duets with Paul Leader. Sta- Capote; book. Balanchine’s chore-. tive Cornell treatrrient, this pro- tuesque Juliana Larson also reg- ography is also ace-high,-especially dgetion seems likely to please isters as a singer* especially, in the in the wild and impassioned voo- everyone except the* general pub?! “Oh; No” number, the best tune in doo numbers of the second act. lie, It has stunning settings, is' the show. Boy singer Bruce Weil Play- “House of Flowers” has. a new brilliantly lighted; colored and puts across a ballad, “Petite i and tricky pattern that might eas- , costumed, offers several bravura . Mama.” KZep* Jakob Belinann ., i......;... Kassel Stefan Bella ; Willi . Gelda Richard Gettner Donald Harron ,. John Williams William POdmore .. Paul Roebllng ,:. .Eva Condon Charles Macaulay Marian Wlnte Tyrone Powi -I-. . _ t i — j • i. . * . uiuimiiLuv n kvi&viiuuio' ui mu Eugene Coring staged them and j - s h 0W are -Dino Diluca : as the they both need sharp trimnung, ! w ea llhy shipping man. and Jacques .LUcinda Ballar(Ls costumes, both Aubuchon as the rascally, sea cap- the gorgeous Parisian .creations 1 - - and the drab Russian, students’ togs help a lot. “Silk Stockings” has plenty on the ball right now and that dead spot in the Second act, shouldn’t be too hard to correct. Waters. Countess Rosmarin Qstenburg Katharine Cornell CoL Janik ./ Arnold Moss Count Peter Zichy. .Christopher Pluinmer Beppy ,. Ted Gunther Rusti ................. Philip Kenneally 3d Soldier ............. Jerome Garditio 4th Soldier .......... 1Dario. Barrl { lerformances, and has lofty ideal- sm in conception that, frequently shines through the coarser texture : of its technique. It falls short, however, because of the failure of its meaning, to break through the symbolic murk of its rhetoric. When the protago- nist cries out in the second act; “I don’t know what the hell you are talking about," he’s speaking for many put front. Although alert and intelligent direction arid the playing of a superlative cast at times clears up the obscurity of the script, the dark of the dra- matic passage Is not light enough for the play.. tor attai its destina- tion. The title is from a passage in Fabre referring, to .the tortured flight of the butterfly through storm and darkness still suffici- ently light for it to reach its goal unharmed. The locale is a coun- try house: in the AuStriah-Hun- garian empire during the revolu- tion of 1848-49. The central figure is a countess Who tries' to save her hated son- in-law, a member of the rebel army, who is chronically rebellious against all existing forms of thought andt* authority. She is a sort of human catalyst, whose proximity overcomes and enables all with Whom she comes in con- tact. After the first act, the story becomes almost static, dealing mostly with the interchange of ab- stractions. The role of the countess is cal- culated to iriake an. actress' head spin arid mouth water; Miss Cor- nell’s - portrayal is regal arid com- passionate. The subleties of the role of Gettner, the young revolutionary, seem to elude Tyrone Power. While he lends a physical attractiveness arid virility to the role, his vocal limitations are at times apparent. Arnold Moss’ dignified and au- thoratative portrayal of the colonel in victory and defeat; John Wil- liams’ delineation of the tart coun- sellor to the Countess, supplying practically the sole comedy relief, and Marian Winters’ intelligent and intelligible countess’ daughter aH add to the stature of the pres? entation. Also, Christopher ^Plummer as a Hungarian in the Austrian govern- ment and also the manly second son-in-law; Paul Roeblirig as the irnpetuous son and William Pod- inore and Donald Harron as the family physician and the intracta- ble member of the Countess’ re- tinue respectively, are also notable. The production is scheduled for a 10 key-city tour before opening Feb. 9 on Broadway. It needs and will undoubtedly receive sharpen- ing arid clarification^of the shining points as yet hidden in this overly intellectual poetic haystack, n Burton. Tempest in a Teapot .Philadelphia, Nov. 24. Mask Sr.Wig Club (U. of Pennsylvania) production of a musical show in two acts. Prbdaced by Robert Wicker sham; dl- jected by .Chester Cooper; dance* and musical numbers staged by Walter Keenan; Scenery, Robert Patterson; cos- tumes, Helen Stevenson West; orchestral arrangements and incidental music, A1 Boss. Book by William Link and Richard Levinson, based on scenario by E. C. and S. Wertlmer; music and lyrics, Donn Bruce, -Sydney Fisher, Allison Fleita*. Richard Levinson, Willtam Link, Donald Lowden, Henning Ludlow, James McHugh, Thomas Scotea, Philip Struthers. Orches- tra. conducted- . by Frank Juele.. Locust Street, PhUadelphia, Nov. 22, *34. Hello, Pareo Wilmington, Nov, 24. William L. Taub production of revue In two acts (21 scenes). Features June Rich- mond. Michel AUard; Hope Hampton. Julians Larson, Bruce Weu. Music and lyrics. Alex Alstone, Michel. Emer and Mel. Martin;, directed by Mervyn Nelson; choreography, Tommy Wonder; orchestra- tions, Bernie Thall: decor, Nikki Eastman; costumes^George Drew; musical director, Otto Frohlich; At the Playhouse, Wilming- ton, Nov. 24, '54: $5.50 top. The U. of Pennsylvania’s Mask Se Wig., Club, when combing-history for . backgrounds for musicals, usually comes up with an episode having a'local (Philly) slant, This year’s show, hriwever, moves the locale to Boston and deals with the famous pre-Revolutionary War ieft- party. That’s about as far as the show and history keep company. As in the case of all the Wlggers* offer- ings this one introduces strictly up- to-the-minute news items' and trends, into the historical back- ground. In general the book, while containing the usual Mask & Wig; allotment of outrageous piins, is better than usual.; As always, however, this is a dancing show and the Wiggers' chorus line has never looked bet- ter. With the emphasis on stepping, the glee ensemble doesn’t have the chances it has had in a few of this Wiggers’ more recent shows but what there is is competently vo- calized. There are a number of. catchy airs, including “Morality,” “Where There’s a Will,” “Wonder- ful You” and “Brazilian Rhapsody.” As “femme” lead, Alfred Toigo is one of the best the Wiggers have had in some time, arid Lemuel Schofield clicks as a double-talking COmic. The show has been hand- somely staged, but falls below pro- fessional standards in its lighting,. “Tempest in a Teapot” played three dates before opening here and has12 spots to play after the local booking, including Boston arid as far west as Cleveland. Waters. Campus Thunder ’55 Bridgeport, Nov. 19. U. of Bridgeport Campps Productions and Knights of Thunder production of musical in two acts (15. scenes). Book by Albert Dickason; music and lyrics, Sim« Neary, Steve Martin and Harry Ahlberg, Sam Anderson, William J. Jjura. Daniel Leeson. Staged by ^Dickason: dances, Zita Carrano; lighting. Charles KeUogg; stage manager, John Reed; technical director, Fred MUls Jr;; costumes, Mrs. Sime Neary. Marguerite Scott; musical director, Gus Meyers Jr. At Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport, Nov. 19-22, '54; $3.60 top, Katharine Cornell returned to hometown Buffalo with am opulent tain. Both contribute telling char- production of Christopher Fry’s acterizations. [ poetic drama “The Dark Is Light Peter Brook has done a capital [ Enough.” Written ’ .frequently directorial, job, although there is i soaring blank verse arid dubbed plenty of work still td/be done, es-' rather enigmatically as a “winter pecially in the first; act. The stag-' comedy,” the play is. a current hit i Hope Hampton, ing, with Oliver Messel’s . truly in London with Edith Evans as'comeback as a perfi breath-taking sets combine in cap- femme star. . * , jin a series of stunnii tTio flftvftr cWirl'f:- hf fho ^ Givon .Hia ft-Q/UtirtViolliF o- ■! incr 'DquI Eighth edition of “Campus Thun- der,” the U. of Bridgeport’s annual extravaganza, ranks with the upper echelon. college shows and merits the outside-Bridgeport exposure it is getting this^year at Hartford. “Thunder” has been duly re- garded as the baby of Albert Dick- ason, UB’s drama head. The nevr edition demonstrates the writer- stager’s skill with undergraduate entertainment. Physically the show is of professional standard. “Thunder ? 55” represents a sat- isfying musical comedy, plus an ef- fective framework for the special- ties which have comp; to be asso- ciated with this show. Among the latter are the Thunderettes, the traditional male “show-girl” group, that scores in four numbers. Sam Anderson, New York pian- ist-tunesmith who occasionally collaborates with Dickason, regis- ters particularly with "One Way Ticket to Love,” *Why Couldn’t I” and “Let’s Discuss.” Notable, too, are William Pjuras “Let’s Go to the Carnivale,” the Steve Martiri- Harry Ahlberg team’s “Don’t Stick Your Neck Out,” Sime Neary’s “Hurrieanie Baby” and “Trolley Car Ride” and Dan Leesori’s lyri- cally sinart “Grown Up for You.” Dickason’s book, pegged on ambitious journalistic job-hunter’s adventures with a mother arid her marriage-bent daughters, provides adequate cue for comedy and movement. Among the principals who im- press are Pauline Scinto as the gal who gets, her story; Lenore Bifield, a lively looker, as a matchmaker; Geraldine Bennett, a loose-limbed comedienne; Alex Zavadsky as the romantic newspaper editor; Do- lores Ludka as a South Seas maid who falls in love with a Yank, and Gary Singer as a sailor. - The sets, topped by a trolley ride with moving rear projection, and the costumery help put o’’he show. Eleni. Keraiit Bloomgarden’s produc- tion of “The Diary of a Young Girl” is budgeted at $75,000. , Albert and Frances have dram- ; atized the Anne Frank posthumous [account life in Nazi-occupied Hol- 1 land.