Variety (December 1954)

LEGITIMATE P^rieTy Wednesday, December 29, 1954 50 Shows Abroad Pay Ike Piper London, Dec. 22. Lauricr lister, by arrangement with S.T.P. (Theatres) Ltd.. Production of revue in two act. <3»,^i" 1 * and Doris Water.. Elisabeth Welch. De. mond Walter-EUi.: features I» n WalUce. Fenella Fielding. T.nya Duray. Hermione Harvey. Sally Steward. Pamela Hill. Yvonne Barnes. Rpwena ®i7h«Ji y 'oTon- Abineri. Spencer Teakle. Michael O Con nor David Rees. Julian Orchard, Matthew Winsten. April Olrlch. Maurice Metliss. Kenneth Smith, Malcolm Hughes. Leonora Walsh Staged by Lister; lyrics and music. Michael Flanders. ^"“^.^“"liLdriaues- numbers directed by Alfred Rodngues. decor. Roland P>m. Stanley Moore. At Savllle Theatre. London. Dec. Zi. a 4 *- $2.20 top. With two revue hits in town, Laurrer Lister is taking a gamble bv bringing in a third in the midst of the Christmas rush. Pay the Piper” lacks the intimacy of “Joyce Grenfell Requests the Pleasure and the biting satire of “Airs on a Shoestring.” It is mainly a wit- less production not in the tradi- tion of sophisticated revue and hardly likely to repeat the triumph of Lister’s other shows. Principal interest in “Piper” is that it marks the return to the West End stage of Elsie and Dons Waters after a 20-year absence. In that period they have become best known to audiences through- out the country as a broad music- hall act with their familiar Gert and Daisy characterizations. They try to break away from the pattern they’ve carved over two decades, but' too many of their sketches reveal an origin of the variety the- atre. They’re not West End fare for hep revue audiences, and one of their items misfire very badly. On the other hand they reveal a surprise charm in a song about the Gaiety Girls. Main strength of “Piper” is in three revue veterans, Elisabeth ; Welch. Desmond Walter-Ellis and Ian Wallace. They’re the mainstay of the production, provide the best entertainment and display a gen- uine talent for this kind of show. Miss Welch scores with an in- terpretation of “Such a Night,” Jan Wallace makes a big click with several numbers, particularly one about an income tax collector, and Walter-Ellis raises laughs with a bright sketch staged in a store. April Olrich stands out in a num- ber of ballet sequences and displays a piquant personality and rich sense of humor. The production has an opulence not normally associated with revue and the costuming is often extrav- agant. The decor, too, is more im- pressive than usual. Oddly enough the lavishness of the staging is not a plus factor, as London revue always essentially demands wit and intelligence, qualities which are too often lacking in this presen- tation. Myro. Adorable Julia Paris, Nov. 30. Paule Roll* and Martr-RoM B«lin pro- duction of comedy in three act, (five scenes) by Marc-GIlbert Sauvajon. Stars Madeleine Robinson. Translated from "Theatre" by Somerset Maugham and Guy Bolton. Directed by Jean Wall. At G.vmnase Theatre. Paris. Pierre Rene Genln Baron WeUl-Amaury Fernand-Febre Michel Gosselln .. Maurice Teynac Julia Lambert Madeleine Robinson RogervGosselin Jacques Pierre Jean-Paul Fernols Daniel Caccaldi Kina Devey Elisa Lamothe Eve C’lalre Gerard Chris Vallamont Ginette Pigeon Director Gabriel Gubin Concierge Gaston Cladel did similar rewrite on original of “Dear Charles” and sent it back to Broadway a hit on itg second 1 try, has performed no major sur- gery on the Maugham-Bolton text, simply switching background from England to France, incorporating its six scenes into five and adding some local flavor. But the play is a smooth elegant piece of production, shrewdly cast, perfectly paced and possessing an intriguing keyhole view of back- stage life. There is always a big public for the competent boulevard play in Paris. Play, is a facile, amusing cari- cature of stage life and the devas- tating egotism that sometimes consumes some actors. As the temperamental actress wife. 1 Madeleine Robinson projects the character’s frequent outburst of false theatricalism. Maurice Teynac has the proper drawing-room finesse as the selfish husband. Jacques Pierre registers in the small hut important role of their son who hates his parents’ habit of acting offstage. Fernand- Febre. as Julia’s elderly admirer and confidant; Daniel Caccaldi as her young lover; Elisa Lamothe, as the haughty society lady; Ginette Pigeon as Julia’s youthful rival; Rene Genin. as the stage-wise old butler; and Claire Gerard, as Julia’s dresser, lend deft and helpful support. Jean Wall’s direction is excel- lent. neither emphasizing nor underplaying emotional conflicts and making the most of the occa- sionally witty dialog. Curt. Un^m ls«(l Rrodutor and to-producor d Agatha Chritlis'i "Witna ss tor Rroaatution'' Peter Saunders has written an Interesting treatise en Your Plotless Plays one ef the many byline pieces ia the 491 h Anniversary, IS umber of » \ UfiteTETY OUT NEXT W EEK Legit Bits Wallach Exits ‘Teahouse’; To Stage London ‘Rose’ London, Dec. 28. After eight months in “The Tea- house of the August Moon,” Eli Wallach leaves the comedy Jan. 15. He was imported from New York to portray Sakini, the Okinawan interpreter In the comedy at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Wallach will be replaced by local Dickie Henderson Jr., son of vau- deville comic Diek Henderson, w ho toured the U. S. some 20 years ago. Henderson’s last musical was Jack Hylton’s “Wish You Were Here,” Wallach, when asked why he w-as quitting “Teahouse,” replied, “Con- tractural differences with the man- agement.” He’s understood to have wanted a salary increase. HLs next assignment here will re- portedly be to stage and star in a West End production of Tennessee Williams’ “Rose Tattoo.” in which he was the original male lead on Broadway. Shows on Broadway Continued from p*(« 4$ “Julia” is biggest legit click in Paris, doing capacity at all per- formances and selling out two weeks in advance. Script is based on the Somerset Maugham-Guy Bolton comedy. “Theatre.” which in turn was based on the Maugham novel of the same title. “Theatre’ had a short run in N. Y. back if 1942 and a longer one in London two years ago under the title “Larger than Life.” Marc - Gilbert Sauvajon. w ho ADVANCE AGENTS! COMPANY MANAGERS I Wo h«vo boon serving fhoatrlcol shows for ovor 42 yoors. Ours is tho oldest, most rolioblo end ox* porionced transfer company on tho West Coastl • Railroad prlvilogot tor handling •hows and thoatmal luggago. 9 Complete warehouse facilities! • Authorized in California, Equlppod to transfer and haul anywhere In U. S.I —— • RATES ON REQUEST I Atlantic Transfer Company GEORG! CONANT 1100 last Sth Street lee Angelee 13, Calif. MUtval 1121 or Oxford 9-4744 Although “Sailor’s Delight” drew 4 skimpy business during its recent four-week tryout engagement at the Huntington Hartford Theatre. Hollywood, the booking was on a flat guarantee basis, so the produc- tion didn’t take a loss . . . Jed Harris has acquired the London rights to “Lunatics and Lovers” . . . Willard Swire has resigned as assistant executive - secretary -of Actors Equity, from which he was on a year’s leave of absence, to continue permanently as executive director of the American National Theatre & Academy. Paul Jones succeeds him in the Equity pest. Richard Watts Jr., of the N. Y. Post, expressed the opinion of vir- tually all the other New' York critics • including at least one who didn’t share his enthusiasm for Eartha Hitt’s performance in “Mrs. Pat- terson”) when he last week de- scribed as “fantastic” the recent statement by George Jean Nathan that the singer-actress’ favorable notices w'ere only because she is a Negro . . . Ted Ritter and John Gerstad have optioned John Mc- Liam’s “The Sin of Pat Muldoon.” which was strawhat-tested last, as a projeeffor Broadway. Gant Gaither has expanded his production schedule by optioning the Jack Kirkland dramatization of Nelson Algren’s novel, “The Man with the Golden Arm,” for- merly held by Fred Finklehoffe ... The latter is associated with How- ard Hoyt and Gabriel Katzka in a ■plan to produce a musical version of Howard Lindsay’s and Russel Crouse’s 1942-43 comedy, “Strip for Action.” Michael Gordon will stage “Champagne Complex,” Gayle Stine’s production of the Leslie Stevens comedy, to star Donald Cook . . . Ben Simcoe denies re- ports that his script, “Yankee Cousin," which Aldrich & Myers and Julius Fleischmann recently optioned, is a revised version, or anything like, his “Playboy of Newark," which had an off-Broad- way production in 1943, when lie was billed as B. K. Simkhovitch. . . . Donald Duncan resigned from the Bennett & Pleasant publicity office, as of Jan. 1. The “ANTA Album” is sched- uled for next March 28 . . . Cheryl Crawford plans an immediate pro- duction of an untitled comedy by Roald Dahl . . . Francis L. Sullivan. British-born lead of “Witness for the Prosecution,” received his U. S. citizenship papers Monday <27> . . . Producer Morton Gottlieb back from Florida, wl^ere he recu- perated from a tussle with pneu- monia . . . Producer David Merrick taking a week’s vacation in Cuba. Ralph Lycett, who’s been press- agenting the Paper Mill Playhouse. Millburn, N. J., will also drumbeat the British Colonial Playhouse, Nassau, and the Palm Beach Play- house this winter . . . Milwaukee’s new professional dramatic group will he named the Frederick Miller Theatre in honor of the brewing company owner, killed in a recent plane crash, who was one of the project's principal supporters. Equity Chorus Continued from page 49 sider the proposal. In recommend- ing the latter move, Bellamy sug- gested that the council consider allowing Chorus Equity to go its own way—that is, secede from the parent union entirely. Quite A Facer That appeared to be a facer for the Chorus reps, who thereupon toned down their agitation a bit, although they have continued to demand greater voice and au- thority in the proposed merged organization. Merger proponents also claim that the militant Chorus demand would give the Chorus membership what would amount to autonomy without commensurate responsibility, and w'ould also give it an unfair financial edge. Whole merger question Is in volved and to some extent con fused. As an obvious example, practically no one openly opposes merger, but Chorus militants, in particular, claim that all they want is “equitable” merger terms. They themselves would be the judges of what’s “equitable,” of course. Thus, Chorus executive secre- tary Ben Irving has heatedly denied being anti-merger and on one occasion persuaded the Equity council to issue an inconclusively w r orded statement on the subject. But merger adherents regard his attitude as anti-merger, and some Chorus militants agree privately that he is allied with them. The same applies to Chorus Equity attorney Rebecca Brownstein, who was also legal rep for the parent union until she was dropped a year or so ago. From recent deevlopments, there appears to be a political tinge to the merger situation, with a sus- picion that the issue is being used by certain factions for non-theatri- cal considerations. There are also indications of unified strategy by anti-mergerites In Equity and Chorus. Portrait of a lady bitt to make every line a seeming gem of theatricalism. There’s also the reliable Barbara O’Neil to give dimension to the role of a feminine Machiavelli, Douglas Watson as a wan admirer, Halliwell Hobbes as a deathbed benefactor, Kathleen Comegys as an ill-defined protectress, and such competent players as Jan Farrand, Peter Pagan, Eric Fleming Marcia in lesser parts. Jose Quintero’s staging has an expressive “feel,” William and Jean Eckart have designed suit- ably atmospheric for the 1870 England and Florence locales, and Cecil Beaton has supplied a suc- cession of stunning period gowns. In fact, the whole show is as pretty as as an artificial flower—and as lifeless. Hobe. (Closed last Saturday night 125) after four performances.) IIii111 Draper and Paul Draper Charles Bowden A Richard Barr pro- duction of program of dramatic readings by Ruth Draper, and dances by Paul Draper, at Bijou Theatre, N.Y., Dec. 28, •54; $4.80 top. 2 Charles Bowden and Richard Barr are again sponsoring Ruth Draper in a limited Broadway engagement. This time, however, they’ve paired the actress with her dancer-nephew, Paul Draper. Last season, Miss Draper did a solo stint at the Vanderbilt Theatre under the Bowden-Barr banner, with a limited three-week run ex- tended to seven weeks. Present stand at the Bijou Theatre, begin- ning last Sunday (26), is also announced for three weeks. Teamup of Miss Draper and her nephew' is a pleasant blending of solo acting and terpifig. with both standout. Dancer’s interpretations ol classical compositions are the opener. - A polished performer. Draper’s agile footwork and graceful move- ment are ably demonstrated, both in the longhair segment and in the second act opener, grooved along more popular lines. His improvisa tion closer, based on audience re- quests, is a showmanly wrapup. .A musical offstage combo provides an okay assist. Miss Draper continues to dem- onstrate her artistry in creating believable characters and situa- tions via an imaginative perform- ance. Her first-act turn provides several yock moments as she portrays an elderly club-w'oman at a bazaar and then changes character for a looksee at an art exhibition in Boston. In the ensuing act, she switches to French for a takeoff on a Gallic actress and then for a more serious bit on France in 1940. Although the language barrier lessens their impact, the latter offerings create an effectively solemn mood. Program will be varied during the three weeks. Jess. I in the unprepossessing role of the hiedical assistant. The actress, who drew critical enthusiasm last sea- son in a failure called “Lullabj ” turns in* a small gem of a portrayal in “Susan,” and under the circum- stances something of a triumph. Anyway, it stamps this versatile young veteran as someone to watch —until Hollywood grabs her. Otherwise, there’s an acceptable performance by British ingenue Dana Wynter, as the purposeful young adultress. At any rate, she’s an attractive looker and somehow manages not to seem embarrassed by the slightly appalling things the playwright has given her to do and say. Everett Sloane, who’s survived innumerable other minor fiascos in the course of a busy, commendable career in legit, films, radio and tv, turns in a solid job in the rickety part of the doctor's accented doc- tor, and Charles Boaz wisely plays it straight as the parent who sus- pects the spuriousness of his pa- ternity. That leaves .Vincent Price, starred as the waggish, sex-con- scious doctor. It would be easier, of course, to do just that—leave him. But this being a resolutely dutiful publication, let it be noted that the role is unpalatable, if not actually unplayable, then add that Price’s solution of the problem con- sists in some sort of record for smirking, leering, flamboyant takes and elaborate mugging. Presumably Gregory Ratoff must have been around the premises somewhere during rehearsals, for his name is on the playbill as di- rector. Finally, a word for the toney modern doctor’s office set- ting and the appropriate, even goodlooking, costumes designed by William Molyneux. Hobc. (Closed Saturday night (25) after four performances.) Exotutivo Director of tbo Loaguo of N. Y. Thoatrot James F. Reilly baa his own views on why The IS. Y. Legit League Should Be a National Organization \ * * * a$ intarasHag editorial feature ia the upcoming 49th Anniversary Number of OIT NEXT W EEK Blaek-Kyed Suwan Gordon Pollock (in association with Hart 4c Goodman) production of farce In three acts (four scenes), by A. B. Shif- frin. Stars Vincent Price; features Kay Medford. Everett Sloane, Dana Wynter. Stages by Gregory Ratoff; scenery and costumes. William Molvneux. At Play- house, N.Y.. Dec. 23, *54; $5 73 $4.60 top ($6.90 opening). Dr. Nichows Marsh Vincent Price Dr. Zelda Barry Kay Medford Dr. Louis Beaumont Everett Sloane Susan Gillespie Dana Wynter Peter Gillespie Charles Boaz Of course it’s a lugubrious farce, with a spectacularly hammy per- formance by the star, but other- wise “Black-Eyed Su-san” isn’t so bad. As a matter of fact, it has a mildly gruesome interest. But even for nefarious Broadway, It’s an undeserved indignity. In the case of the practical joker’s perverse pre - Christmas present, the word “dirty” is prac- tically inevitable. This A.B. Shif- frin sex antic is about a lecherous doctor believed to be doomed by an incurable ailment, plus his amorous assistant who’s only too anxious to get him into the hay, and an intense young woman who insists he must father the child her husband is unable to give her. On that dreary premise the au- thor has contrived to festoon a rather imposing string of hack- neyed incidents and unsavory quips, a few of which could con- ceivable send a smutty-minded 12- year-old into the giggles. There were even a few guffaw's from out front opening night, perhaps over some private jokes between mem- bers of the trapped audience. Even in the most doleful pre- mieres, however, there is occasion- ally a gleam of light, and in the case of "Black-Eyed Susan” It Is in the skillful, spirited and even taste- ful performance of Kay Medford Off-B’way in a Rnt SSSaB Continued from paie 49 er,” which wraps up Jan. 10 at the Dow'ntown National Theatre, and “The Dybbuk,” which finishes Jan. 16 at the Fourth Street Theatre. Besides these shutterings, the de Lys already has had five produc- tions this season. All but one of the quintet were quick closers. Fast fades were “Homeward Look,” Salvation on a String,” “Pony Cart” and “High Named Today.” while “I Feel Wonderful” stayed on for several weeks. Other shows that opened and closed this season included “The Cretan Woman,” at the Province- town; “World of Scholom Alei- chem," for a limited rerun at the Barbizon-Plaza Theatre; “Sands of the Negev,” at the President; “In Splendid Error” at the Greenwich Mew's Playhouse (due to resume this month); “Dolls House,” at Finch College; “Slightly Delin- quent” at the Blackfriar’s Guild and “Sing Me No Lullaby,” which was followed by the current “Sand- hog” at the Phoenix. Still running is “Importance of Being Earnest,” which opened Nov. 9 at the Provincetow'n after pushing out “Clandestine.” Future openings include “The Trouble- makers,” tomorrow (Thurs.) at the President; “Passion of Gross,” Jan. 9 at the deLys; “Doctor’s Dilem- ma,” Jan. 11 at the Phoenix; “Thieves Carnival,” Feb. 1 at the Cherry Lane, and “Three Sisters,” Feb. 10 at the Fourth Street. Scheduled N.Y. Openings (Theatre indicated if set) BROADWAY Anastasia, Lyceum (12-29). House of Flowers, Alvin, (12-30'). Time of Life, City Center (1-5). Festival, Longacre (1-12). Sailor’s Delight, Imperial (1-13). Put All Together (wk 1-17'. Fourposter, City Center (1-19). Plain & Fancy, Hellinger (1-20). Painted Days (wk. 1-24). Grand Prise, Lyceum (1-25). Tonight in Samarkand (wk. 1-3P. Wisteria Trees, City Center (2-2'. Silk Stockings, Imperial (2-3>. Dark Is Light Enough, ANTA (2-9). Desperate Hours, Barrymore ( 2 - 10 ). Three for Tonight, Plymouth (wk. 3-20). OFF-B’WAY Troublemakers, President (12-30 . Passion of Gross, de Lys (1-9*. Dr.’s Dilemma, Phoenix (1-11'- Thieves’ Carnival, Cherry Lane (2-1). Three Sisters, 4th St. (2-10).