Variety (December 1954)

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58 LEGITIMATE *3 X7J Wednesday, Deymlwr 8, 1954 Shows Abroad lletltla Gabbler London, Nov. 29. Tennent Productions production of drama in three acts, by Henrik lb»«*n. Stars Petstsy Ashcroft. Directed by Peter Ashmore? decor. Motley At Westminster Theatre. London. Nov. 29, 54; $2.15 top. Berthe Dorothy Dewhurst Julie Tesman Susan Richmond Ceorfte Tesman George Devine lledda Peggy Ashcroft Thea Elvsted Rachel Kempson u.-aek Noel Willman Kilert Lovborg Michael Warre The title role in this Ibsen trag- edy otters a histrionic field-day for a dramatic actress and in the expert hands of Peggy Ashcroft it i.s one of the most impressive sights in the current London theatre. ‘ lledda Gabbler” comes to town after an extended run at the Lyric, in suburban Hammersmith, and in its new venue should hold for a season. It is a connoisseur's item of the first-order. Although surrounded by a highly competent cast. Miss Ashcroft dominates every scene in which she appears. Yet her interpretation of the ruthless bride is never over- powering, but always compelling. She gives an eerie credence to the unwholesome character who wants more out of life than her adoring but naive husband could provide and who brings stark tragedy to her circle of friends. Peter Ashmore has directed this classic revival with an acute sensi- tivity and the period settings and costumes by Motley establish the atmosphere. The direction gives full force and meaning to the trag- edy and the power of the dialog is skillfully conveyed by the cast. Rachel Kempson gives a notable performance as the woman whose plea for help is betrayed. Man she had inspired to write a classic work and who is driven to suicide is earnestly played by Michael Warre. George Devine extracts full sym- pathy by his interpretation of the husband and Noel Willman affects the right cynical note as the family lawyer who fails in his maneuver to become the third member of a triangle. Susan Richmond as a maiden aunt and Dorothy Dew- hurst as the main round off the firstrate cast. Myro. A «*<*ou tiling for l^ovr London, Dec. 2. S.T.P. (Theatres* Ltd. (in association with Margaret Hewes) production of farce In three sets, by Robert de Flers. G. A. Caillvet and M. Etienne Rey; adapted by Henry Hewes. Stars Per Aabel. Directed by Aabel: decor Tom Lingwood. At Sa- ville Theatre. London, Dec. 1, '54; $2.25 lop. Valentin le Ilarroyer Per Aabel Mine, de Trevillac • • Mary CUre A ndre Dochambre Leslie Phillips elen de Trevillac Dorothy Gordon Count l’Eguzon Frederick Leister Countess Gisele d’Eguzon... Linda Gray E Idler John Preston ertgnan Charles Maunsell Mine, de Vercell Betty England Jeanne de Verceil SheUa Howe 1 Fouques Max Brimmeli Marquis de Langelier Neil More Gastou Daniel Moynlhan Jeantine Jean St. Clair Doctor Alan Whittaker Yvonne de Vercell Sally Coles There is obviously every justifi- cation for introducing Per Aabel. {pronounced Obeli, the star of Oslo’s National Theatre, to West End audiences, as he is a light comedian with exceptional talent. But his debut to London is in a creaky vehicle that keeps him off the stage for an entire act. ‘‘Accounting for Love” is just old- fashioned farce and any modest success it may have In town will be entirely due to the star. It’s a dubious bet for a run, although the management might well bring The Company will employ It* fund* in diversified entertainment enter- pri*e* connected with television, motion pictures and the theatre. Price 50# o share I M0UYW00D ANGUS, INC » 2t West 15th St, N.Y. 23, N. Y. Dept. V10 I I TRsfelgar 4*1815 I J Send Free Offering Circular without cost. J I >J —»- I I Addn H_ I I I City -Zone. I C - - . J Stoto, .Phone No., SUMMER RENTAL MAPLEWOOD PLAYHOUSE Maplewood, N. H. Seat* 600 — Open for Inspection Phone: JUdton 6-0637 or Write 227 W. 45th St., New York City back the star in a stronger and more suitable production. The play was first written shortly after the turu of the century under the title ‘‘Le Belle Aventure.” An English version was produced in New York in 1914, and the current version has been adapted by Henry Hewes, Saturday Review drama columnist-reviewer, who spotted Aabel during a Scandinavian tom- last year. Apart from the limitations of the dated farce, the production suffers from inadequate casting and from the star’s own direction, which re- veals a lack of appreciation of the pace required in the London thea- tre. The plot, without surprise or twist, involves a runaway bride who arrives with her lover at her grandmother’s country home. The dear old lady, unaware of the esca- pade, arranges for the elopers to share the nuptial couch. Without the star there would be no play. His performance as the little groom who fusses over the minutest details is vastly diverting. He has a light touch, perfect tim- ing and fine clowning qualities, seemingly getting laughs where they don’t exist. The rest of the cast is mainly uninspired, however. Mary Clare disappoints as the grandmother. Leslie Phillips is painfully out of his element as the other man. and Dorothy Gordon never comes up to expectations as the runaway bride. Linda Gray i.s just about adequate as the bride’s aunt who also hap- pens to be the other boy’s mother. Myro. .Simon and Laura London, Nov. 27. H. M. Tennent Ltd. production of com- edy in three acts, by Alan Melville. Stars Roland Culver. Coral Browne. Directed by Murray Macdonald. At Strand Theatre. London. Nov. 25. ‘54; $2.25 top. Simon Foster Roland Culver Laura Foster Coral Browne Wilson- Ernest Thesiger Jessie Emma Cannon Janet Honeyman Dora Bryan David Prentice Ian Carmichael Mr. Wolfstein Ronald Hadd Timothy Michael .Candio Barney’ David Morrell ,?oe Kenneth MacLeod Bert Thomas Elliott The familiar theme of the fa- mous stage couple who show a harmonious facade to their public, while eternally bickering in pri- vate, gets a novel twist in “Simon and Laura.” This is one of those amiable but innocuous comedies that should go over during the hol- iday season, but is unlikely for the U.S. Novel twist to this version of the yarn is that the squabbling coupie is signed to do one of those cozy husband-and-wife chit-chat series on television. Roland Culver wears a lugubrious expression to score as the jiusband, and Cora Browne is an accomplished foil as the temperamental actress who thrives on domestic discord. Ernest Thesiger registers neatly as an old pro tiirned butler. Dora Bryan makes the most of her limited opportunities as the script- girl who almost becomes “the other woman,” and Ian Carmichael gives a gem of a performance in a lightly etched caricature of a BBC producer. Michael Caridia exhibits all the confidence of the seasoned juvenile he portrays. Play is slickly directed by Mur- ray Macdonald. Clem, Convict-Authored Play Bows in London Church London, Dec. 7. A nativity play, "The Three Kings,” written by Dr. A. G. Hall while serving a sentence at Dart- moor prison, is to be presented publicly next week at St. Thomas Church, Regent Street. A fellow ex-prisoner has designed the decor and three other ex-convicts are as- sociated with the production. The drama, originally presented in the Dartmoor jail last Christ- mas. is being produced and direct- ed by Hall, who will also play a feature role. The professional cast will include Dorothy Green and Teresa Jewel, plus seven recent graduates of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. The play opens Dec. 14 for a short engagement, with the pro- ceeds being donated to prisoners’ charities. Part of the funds will be allocated towards building a theatre inside Dartmoor. ‘Joan’ Dispute Continued from pace 55 ‘Moon’ Rises to $10,200 In Repeat Stand, Mpls. Minneapolis, Dec. 7. “Moon Is Blue,” starring Jerome Cowan, pulled a good $10,200 last week for eight performances at $3.30 top at the 1,860-seat Lyceum. There were two performances each Friday and Saturday nights, at 7 and 9 p.m„ in lieu of matinees. Cast won reviewers’ approval. This was the play’s second time here and only the third show 4o play the house so far this season. Scheduled is “Sailor’s Delight,” with Eva Gabor, the week of Dec. 27, as the second of seven promised Theatre Guild subscription items. ‘Hello, Parse’Fold Continued from pace 55 Operating Statements KING OF HEARTS (As of Oct. 30. ’54) Gross, last 4 weeks, $62,343. Operating profit for period, $5,296. Unrecouped costs to date, $34,840. Cash available. $5,660. Other assets, $29,500. PAJAMA GAME (As of Oct. 30, ’54) Gross, last 5 weeks, $259,755. Profit for period. $35,749. Total net profit to date, $92,251. Capital returned to backers, $250,000. Distributed profit, $50,000. Balance, $42,251. TEA AND SYMPATHY (As of Oct. 3, ’54) Gross, last 4 weeks, $91,515. Profit, same period, $17,156. Total net profit to date. $272,437. Dividend of above dale, $20,000. Total distributed profit to date, $205,000. Cash balance available, $17,797. ANNIVERSARY WALTZ (As of Oct. 30, ’54) Gross, last four weeks, $85,000. Profit, same period, $12,257. Total net profit to date, $20,934. Repaid to investors. $58,250. Available for distribution, $25,- 824. sputes and mixups over union rules. Most of the troupe got expense money back to New- York out of union bonds. That applied tq the east, except for two performers, Brucie Weil and Diana Lind, who somehow never were required to join Actors Equity. In the case of the stagehands, they were given empty pay envelopes on which their names, social security num- bers, money due, etc., was listed, and were instructed to collect from their union. Less fortunate w r ere the musi- cians. Unpaid by Saturday after- noon, they threatened not to play that night’s performance, but were finally persuaded by the house management and local tooters to go into the pit. Some had trouble settling hotel bills and getting out of town. Understood thet*e was in- sufficient bond with Local 802 in New York to cover rehearsal and doubling money due them. “Paree” is said to have been financed as a corporation rather than under the usual limited part- nership setup. Taub declined to identify any of his backers, but Hope Hampton, featured in the show’, denied being an investoh. However. George Hearts, husband of comedienne Collette Lyons, is understood to have a $10,000 stake. It was reported that the trucker who unloaded the show' here threatened to serve a warrant on Taub before being paid, and that the father of moppet singer Weil made a similar threat to obtain his son’s salary. Some of the French acts with the show' were parti- cularly hard hit. since they had to pay $108 initiation fee and 5 r b dues to Equity out of their slim salaries. Parsons Theatre lost an esti- mated $6,000 on the engagement. House had considered cancelling the show’ after getting reports from the previous week’s b’rcakin stand in Wilmington. Manage- ment decided to go through with the presentation, however, rather than disappoint its show-hungry local public. Although Charles Trenct, origi- nally announced to star in the re- vue, was not in the cast in Wil- mington and the newspapers re- ported him in difficulties with Im- migration officials at Montreal, the Parsons was not notified of the French singer’s unavailability here until the last minute. Mean- while, *Taub and Trenet have filed i counter-damage suits in the Cana- dian city, but the singer’s arrest on the producer’s breach-of-con- I tract charge was declared “illegal, 1 null and void” in Montreal Supe* 1 rior Court. feel that if all stars succumbed jto such attacks of nerves there’d be few successful shows and practi- cally no actor employment. In this connection. Equity repre- sentatives note that Miss Arthur withdrew from the starring role several years ago during the tryout tour of “Born Yesterday,” thereby jeopardizing the show until Judy Holliday, then a virtual unknown, took over the part to score a per- sonal click and putting over the comedy as a longrun smash. Also, it’s recalled, in Miss Arthur’s only other legit appear- ance in recent years, as star of the 1949-50 revival of “Peter Pan" (of which Producers Theatre partner Stevens was co-producer), her ab- sence from the east because of a mysterious illness threatened to close the show and was credited with shortening its run. Three Courses Open It’s figured that in the face of Equity’s refusal to accept Miss Arthur’s claim of illness as justi- fication of the closing of “Saint Joan,” there are three alternative courses open to Producers Theatre. It >an attempt to prove the illness, presumably with further testimony by Miss Arthur's doctor. Or it can pay the additional $1,700 in actor salaries for the disputed week and thereafter drop the matter. Or, as a final move, it can pay the $1,700 and then file charges with Equity against Miss Arthur for failing to carry out her con- tract as “Saint Joan” star. In such a situation, it would be up to the actress to convince the council, in the face of its present refusal to accept her claim of illness, that she really was too sick to con- tinue with the show. Agitation by local super-patriots, on the ground of alleged leftist backgrounds of other members of the “Joan” company, was not a factor in the present dispute. Equity officials incline to the be- lief that it was incidental to Miss Arthur’s emotional-physical state, but would not have been justifica- tion for her failure to fulfill her contract as star, in any case. As a result of Miss Arthur’s claim of illness, the originally scheduled Chicago opening, Nov. 8, was postponed a week. That is the period for which Equity demands full salary for the cast. Late in the same week, the management posted a provisional closing notice for Saturday, Nov. 11, and when the star again reported sick, that became the final closing date. Since notice has been posted, pay- ment of minimum salary for the second-week (following closing) was permissable under union rules, and is not in dispute. Collapse of “Joan” during its pre-Broadway tour is estimated to have involved a loss of about $200,000. Anantacila New Haven, Dec. 2. Elaine Perry production of drama in three acta, adapted by Guy Bolton from original French of Marcelle Maurette. Stars Viveca Lindfors, Eugenia Leonto- vich; features Joseph Anthony. David J. Stewart. Boris Tumarin. Michael Strong, Hurd Hatfield. Directed by Alan Schnei- der; scenery and costumes. Ben Edwards. At Shubert, New Haven, Dec. 2, ‘54; $4.00 top. Counsellor Drivinitz Carl Low Varya Sefton Darr Charnov Boris Tumarin Petrovin David J. Stewart Prince Bounine Joseph Anthony Anna Viveca Lindfors Sergeie William Callan Charwoman Vivian Nathan Sleigh Driver Stuart Germain Dr. Serensky Michael Strong Dowager Empress Eugenie Leonlovich Baroness Livenbaum Dorothy Patten Prince Paul .... Hurd Hatfield Current Stock Bills (Dec. 6-19) Fourposter—Playhouse, Houston (8-18>. My 3 Angels (Albert Dekker)— Alley Theatre, Houston (16-19*. Stalag 17—Paper Mill Play- house, Millburn, N. J. (8-18). Current London Shows London, Dec. 7. (Figures denote premiere dates) Accounting Love, Saville (12-1 54). Airs Shoostring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). All For Mary, Duke York (9-9-54). Beatrice Lillie, Globe (11-24-54). Bell, Book, Candle, Phoenix (10-5-54). Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21-54). Both Ends Meet, ApoRo C6-9-54). Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). Can-Can, Coliseum (10 14-54). D'Oyly Carte Opera, Savoy (9-13-54). Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54). Folios Bergere, Pr. Wales (9-24-53) Hedda Oabler, Westm’ster (11-29 54). Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). I Am a Camara, New (3-12-54). Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion (4 29-54). Joyce Grenfell, St. Mart. (6-2-54). King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53) Manor of Northstaad, Duchess (4-28 54). Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54). Mousetrap, Ambas. (11-25-52). Off The Record, Vic. Pal. (11 2 54). Old Vic Rap, Old Vic (9-9 54). Party Spirit, Piccadilly (9-23 54). Relations Apart, Garrick (8-3-54). Sabrina Fair, Palace (8-4-34). Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). Separata Tables, St. Jamfs’s (9 22-54). Simon A Laura, Strand (11-24-54). Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). Teahouse Aug. Moon, Wedding in Parts, HI Witness Prosecution ■ we e wwiif nucipiii Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her Mai. (4 22 34) ~ Hlpp. (4-3-54). i, W. Gard. (10 28 53) SCHEDULED OPENINGS Spider's Web, Savoy <12 14-54). Crazy Gang, Vic. Pal. <12 10 34). Glass Clock, Aldwych (1-3-55). CLOSED LAST WEEK After the Ball, Globe (6-10-54). Immoralist, Arts (11-3-54). People Wonderful? Embassy (11-16-34) Words cascade in this verbose adaptation by Guy Bolton of the Marcelle Maurette original, pro- duced last season in London. They are words of widely varying mood and import, however, adding up to interesting theatre. “Anastasia” is not for the be-bop trade, but there should be enough discriminating showgoers around to keep it on the boards for a while. It’s a strong femme show, and it carries an exploitation angle in the possibility of something more sub- stantial than mere rumor in its background. Despite the talkiness (some 15-20 minutes overboard at the preem) and the lack of counter- balancing action, however, the dia- log is absorbing, and at times distinctly moving. The drama is based on the quasi- legend that when the Bolsheviks killed off the royal Romanoffs, they overlooked the youthful Princess Anastasia. Years later a trio of White Russian sharpie's try to pre- sent as the long-lost princess a shabby character they have found contemplating suicide. The pur- pose of the scheme is to obtain a huge fund believed on deposit in the Bank of England to the Ro- manoff credit. Viveca Lindfors has an elastic assignment in extending her char- acterization from the dazed, slov- enly woman to the regal bearing of the long-lost princess, and she makes the change in noteworthy manner. Eugenie Leontovich, as the dowager empress, is nicely cast and gives the role dignity. Joseph Anthony’s version of the w'ily leader of the schemers is top- flight acting, and there is able assistance from David J. Stewart and Boris Tumarin as co-conspira- tors. Hurd Hatfield has some good moments as a prince seeking the royal hand of the princess, and Michael Strong Is personable as the commoner who ultimately wins it. Emotionally effective bits are contributed by Vivian Nathan as a charwoman and Stuart Germain as a sleigh driver, and effective minor support is offered by Dorothy Pat- ten as a lady-in-w'aiting. William Callan as a valet, Sefton Darr as a maid and Carl Low' as a counsellor. Single setting of a room on the outskirts of Berlin skillfully re- flects the changing fortunes of the schemers, and the 1926 vintage costumes are attractive. Staging has caught the spirit of the opus and evokes several individual tell- ing scenes. “Anastasia” offers an exciting prospect for Hollywood. Bone. SUMMER THEATRE Avialable on Lease: Equipped with air conditioning unit. Seating over 900 . Connec- ticet area.' Contact BOX V-113054 Variety, 154 W. 46th St. Naw York 36 PRODUCER Need person with buiimu aeumon for year-round art thoatro in midwost to arrange tour* in and out of city; also lummrr Shakospoaro festival. No investment needed. Great po- tential. Write P. O. Box 7012, Chicago, III. ONLY at the NEW YORK ACADEMY of DANCE Speciel desses for singers—ectors with HERBIE HARPER noted choreographer Routines creeted end steged CAPNEGIE HALL COlumbus 5-3319