Variety (January 1950)

58 LEGIT 1 ]» 1 ATE PSmETY Wedne^ay, Jamiary ll, 1950 } gredients to be a happy combina- 1 tion. A heavy-handed musicail The MeHibm of the Wedding 1 tion. A ; Robert wmwi,ead; Oliver Bee W Y— , ,, . .. ■. Stanley Martineau production _of dr^ma tiort, it tries too hard, to do tpo • duccd ’XiCnd an Ear .* and Alive Katzell Saeks Sennett Oldie for B^^y Musical ^bllywopd»: Jail. JO. William R. Katzell, who pro- . - . ^ „s—and-so-doesn^t^ come-^-^^, .. ..vi+u .Cullers.' from her own novel of same --/» Qimr^Accfiillv dnnp in Dublin: negotiating With title. Stars Ether Waters; features JuUe oit^ , ^uccessiuiiy Qone in wupiin. . Senhett for musical stafie Harris. Directed by Harold Clurmah; set- and London (and tried OUt orlg- ; ting, costumes-and Ughtiiig, tester Poia- -inally in the U; S: at Aniherst cOl -1 *^^^* 8 bts ao. Molly-Oj -Mabel Npr-' Broadway.:; ; mand staler.: . Jarvis . . : , , James Holden ‘ The play is about loVO. with its ! Katzell hopes tb develop it into jJmS?® —■ V!:V■j^anet^d^Gm^e;^them the unpredictability , ot a. Broadway show if deal with Sen- Berenice Sadie Waters; women. The acUon Of the play,; nett can be madO. Royal ^Addanw . , .. ^Hansen ; “^yhich fakes place anywhere, any- Mrs. AVest : . . . Margaret Barker time, concerns a tailor wiiose Helen Fletcher;.; !. v.; v Mitzie-Blake grandfather had been polisoned by the iinprincipled^lover of his fickle T. T; williams '" ' Harold Bolden', .grandmother, ; Somehotv, the tailor Honey Camden Brown . : ; Henry Scott gets back tO, his. grand" Barney McKean . . . Jimmy T" tailors trail along to put history ^^Alive and KiekingV — gommu- Froni her “Thb Member' of the off both lover and nity, Hershey, Pa. (10-14). • V I You nW IB/ One Good Cullers has adapted a fo^inless but in its Break'—LoGust, Phila. (16-21). perceptive tender, and touching well-chosen cast' drama, which ^is given a glo.\nng. sing and ,dance expertly, the and inemorable rper^rmance ., .by p|^v has some intriguing moments. Ethel W 2 t®rs» :'f^hlie Harris and' 3 . most part, the dialog is youngster .named ^Branto De pseudo"poetic and whimsical; Wilde, Bnder .HaroW vClu^^ there is; confusion in styles as fan? 9.21) seri.sitive directipn. Wi^ the help and ;poe^y leave. off and buf- o£ some thrbat-catching comedy fespue begihs, arid .the sum is dull- touches. It should^ overcome its ^ot of Weird doings "go generally sombre^ tone ^nd its and while they obvious technical flaws and should gatisfj’ one’s interest in the bizarre, Profitable run.^ ic they don’t add iip to a play. The play’s literary derivation is , . v ,u j i.- indicatid by the >Ught; and slow. m^iTitsrT' isirfcf ■'fHo ijn/*ViicinTi• rif Tion- liBs sornc.11116 tiiirioS in..iv» Bur^0SS ^"Arriis and the GlrP'-— Forrest. Phila. (9-14); Shubert, Bbst; (16- 21).-''- • :-;v yAs You Like ir-^Taft Aud:; .Cincinnati (9-14); Nixon, Pitt. (16-: 21 );, ^ ;-BaUet' Thea^ —- Davidson, Milw. (9-1 1 ); Aud., La Crosse, Wis. (12-13); Parkway, Madisoii (14);; Technical Highschbol, Omaha (16- 17); Mu^e; Hail, K.C. (18-21); , Ballets de Paris-r- 6 pera House, Bost (l6-21)..^ ■ y; . “Barrets of Winipble Street”—^ moving plot, the tficlusion of non- so^ ni^ in mgs mv^ largess essen tiar elements, and ’ the i stress "'“i!®® i-' - - -' ~ ' ’ of characterization, and mood,, as P/ ‘he ^tailor, and.,granddad, hasl Hanna,, Cleve. (9-14): Royal , well as the faults- dramatic strue- staged the work attractoely, with^ andra, Toronto (16-21). ture atid the Off-Stage; placement ■ * of vital incidehts, Oh the pthcr 1 1"'!:®*’!®')-' hflnVt. '.fhe aiithorts lincahnv knbWl- 1 pehe. good,, as ‘,October , or,, I Re- hand, the author’s uncanny knpWl-! , edge of. ehild psychology; -her ')heh*her,Her. There are. a .couple accurate ear for children's speech pattern^ and her compassion of fine dancers among the seven tailors, while . all have voices f tlm ri^edi^ ^ youth" hnd age I superiw to the ;U^1 Broadway suggest that the story may be ait; The dance of the three fates m . -M J1 . ■ 1: ^ -I- ! • -I 1 1 least partly. autobibgraphical. “Mernber of the Wedding” is essentially a study Of Ibrieliness. The confused, inarticulate, ioncli- at the close of the first act, sexy and bizarre, is something tp see. Meredith lends a great deal of warriith arid color to his two roles ness of a highly imaginative j pf . tailor and: grandfather, and and vulnerable girl of 12 and the :i sings his several songs appealingly, resigned, philosophical loneliness 1 Marguerite Piazza is strikingly at- of her kindly Negro mairimy, The f tractive as the widow,. and sings motherless girl, too. young the Sparkle and teen-age neighbors, but with an! finish of the talented operetta inexpressible yearning for com- ' singer that she is. ^ Barbara,Perry, panionship and. identification, iS ; as the: fickle grandma, is likewise driven' to desperation by her sol- j Pi etty and .eye-filling, and m one dier-brother’s approaching mar -1 dance . number towards^the close,, riage. Ignoring her worried mam- i is k stunning surprise. Gene Barry my’s warnings, she determines tb ! smgs^ and acts well as the villam- accoiripariy the.. riewlyweds ori. their i pps. doctor-suitor, and Irwin Gorey honeymoon and to live with therri : ^P^ips'gleefully about stage as a thereafter. j gamin pharmacist. . Supporting cast As the little boy from next door : ^^vort in style. trots in and out of the kitchen with I But they’re assigned too many chiidish prattle, joinirig in :the stints; odd incidents follow each conversation when he cam under- • other confusingly; there’s too much stand it and providing 'repeated ) hocus-pocus, and the result is un-. comedy, the girl makes her plans ^ happy. Bron, and indulges in fantastic day-i (Closed Sat. .(7) after three per- ir^*^** cv, 4 ,K«,vf dreams. After a; long . and almost i torhiun | ^^_'Kiss Me, Kate.— “Light Up the Sky’*-r--American, St. L. (9-14); Studebaker, :Chi. (le- VBlpssom Time” Highschool Aud., PottsyiUe, Pa. (9); Aud.; Charlestbrt, W. Va. .,(11); Murat Indianapolis (i2rl4); Great North- ern, Chi; (16-21); . “Brigadooni”r—Colonial, Bost. (9- 21 ). Cornelia 6 tis Skinner — Curran, :S..-F.'(16-21)/ “DanCe Me a Song” -r- Shubert Bostv (9-14). “Death of a Salesman”-—Er- langer, Chi. (9-21). :“Desigri for a Stained Glass Wirid 6 w”-r-Wilbur, Bbst^; (9-21). “Detective Story” — Blackstone, Chi. 19-21),^ ■ ““Goodbye, My Fancy*' — Harris, Chi. (9-21.). “Happy Time’?T^Piymouth, Bost. (9-21). ’ “Harvey”-—Michigan, Ann Arbor (9); Michigan, Jackson (10); Bimou, Battle Creek (11); State, Kalairia-^ zoo (12); Keith’s, Grand Rapids (13-14); Michigan, Lansing (16); Palace, Flint (17); Palace, S. Bend (18); Quimby Aud., Ft.. Wayne (19); Indiana Univ. Aud., Bloomington ( 20 - 21 ).... “Inside tJ. S. A,”—Philharmonic Aud;, L. A. (9-14); Mayfair,' Port- land (16-:21). actionless second act, climaxed by an unforgettable curtain scene of Miss Waters singing a hymn with the two children, the third act erupts into a rather melodramatic and eoritrived series of ^events. Although the writing is dra- matically imperfect, it is uiiden/ ably bolHuant. And it is given eloquent expression in the per- OF SUGAR AND SPICE (Carl Fisher Hall, N. Y.) Written, produced and directed by George Wood, this revue put formance. Miss Waters is superb , Three ^ perfp^rmances Jast as the mammy, giving Conviction That could stand and vigor to every scene, and even hP ^ Broadway house There proyiding interest to the rambling Topmany wea^^^ second act. Miss Harris, already ps major fault lies in Wood s fai^, a promising emotional actress, j Pr® ^®/^^hy_develop some good gives a remarkably varied and ! . them dangling. skillful portrayal pf the giil, and ! Tu? youhg pe Wilde is delightfully ! x job displayed definite serious and unprecocious as the 1 « j x. child frorh next door. Among thealso served as a show- supporting players William Han-; good performances, seri, Harry Bolden, Henry Scott, 1 melo- James, Holden and Janet de Gore labeled My .Lover in are notable i Liverpool was good, while a mee Much of the credit for: the triumphant performance obviously Alice beiohes to CliirTfian for His lindpr- .^vOstly and Patricia, Morrill 21 ). “Madwoman of Chaillot” — Shu- bert, Phila (9-21). “Mail Who Game . to Dinner”—^ Gass. Det. (9-14); Airierican, St. L. (16-21). / Maurice SchwartzRoyal Alex- andra, Toronto (9-14); Shubert- Lafayette, Dei, (15); Walnut, Phila.- (17-21). : ^‘Merry Widow”- 7 -'yictory, Prov, (9); Court Square, Springfield, Mass. (lOrlP; Shubert, New Haven (12-14); Forrest, Phila. (16-21). “Mister Roberts”—KRNT thea- tre, Des M; 6 ines (10-11); Aud;, St. Paul (13-14); Lyceurri, Mpls. (16- . 21 ), ■" “Mr. Barry’s Etchings”—^Hanna, Cleve, (16-21). “Oklahoma!” — Biltmore, L; A. •(9-21).: •, “Old Beat-Up Woman” — Shu- bert, New Haven (19-21). • “Philadelphia :Story” — Metro- politan, Seattle (16-21) Bona venture London, Jan. 3. Linnlt & Dubfee presentation of drama in three acts hyJ Charlotte Hastings. Di- rected hy Charles Hickman* At Vaude- ville. London, ~ Nurse Rhillips,.. ^...... Petty England Nurse Brent...,..,.;. .Josephine Douglas Sister Josephine,..;.... .Nell Ballantyne Willy Pentridge....;.. .... John Crocker Sister Mary BpnaventUre : Fay Compton Dr. Jeffreys...,;.., .'. .Ballard Berkeley Mother. Superior.-.. ; 4 , .x. . .Deirdre Dovle Melliiig. i.. V..... .Colin Douglas Misa pierce ....;. <........ - Mary . Marvin Sarat. Cam ■.....,.. ..;.. i; .Mary Kcrrldge Martha PentrIdge,.,..;.. Cicely ,Walper This new play ,is hOteworthy for several reasons, not the least im- pbrtarit of .which is- that .it. iritror duces to the theatre a new play- wright of undoubted merit. It’s a solid, workmanlike drama which . should hold attention of audiences .for isdine . months to come. Play is backed up by a polished cast arid the production is distinguished by two - brilliant per^ fbrmainCes. . : One is Trom Fay Cbriipton, who plays the title foie of Sister Mary BonaveritUfe, and the Isecorid is from Mary Kerfidge, Who. has the intense part, of; a girl: condemried to death for the alleged murder of her brother. More by instinct than by reason. Sister Mary has sublime faith • iii the innocence of the coiTdeirined girl, and eventually is able to point the finger of guilt to a doctor who had been wronged; by the dead :m4n some yeafs prer vibusly. ;■/' .. ; The theme is developed with considerable ingenuity and al- though there are irreleyances, there appears to b,e nothing illogical about the denoueinenti Mary;Ker- ridge’s actinig delicately, .yet in- tensely, depicts the; tbriTient of a young, innocent girl awaiting exr ecutiori. Deirdre* Doyle gives a htiinan interpretation of the Mother Superipr, Ballard Berkeley capably portrays the guilty doctor, and John Crocker in every way suggests the village idiot w'ho : is employed at the cortyerit to keep, hirn out pf mischief ; There is also a fine cameo from Mary Marvin as a guard. - Myro. Castle in the Air / London, Jan. 3. Jack Buchanan and Stanley French pres- entation of comedy in three acts by Alan Melville. Directed hy Roy Rich. At Adel- phi; .London.. • Mehzles. ...,/ .,.. . Ewan Roberts "Boss': Trent.:...... .Coral Browne \ Earle of Locharne......: Jack Buchanan ' Arthur Phillips;./ ...... . William Kendall ! Mrs. Dunne............... .Irene Manning i actual bombing takes place off, stage, but there is . terrific suspense as the .conspirators wait for the explosion, There ' is a strarige awthu&^iathe-scerie in prison, after the bomb has been thrown, arid terror in the insistence of Dora (in love with Kallayev) upon hearing the last detail: of his hanging. In the excellent cast, acting honors gd, to Maria Casafes as Dora, and Michel Bouquet as the confirmed, hardened revolutionary, Stepaii.. Serge Reggiarii is also fine as the intellectual Kaliayev; and Michele Lahaye .is moving 4s the Grand Duchess. Paul Oettly turns In ariother of his: exeiriplafy perforriiances as the pblice-chief Skouratov> who cynically tries to persuade public opinion to believe that the Gfarid Duchess succeeded j in converting Kaliayev.. The rest j of the cast are outsteridirig In minor roles. The grim, grey set- tirigs, of the Conspifatbfs’. attic room and of Kallayev’s -prison cel/ heighten the mood of the play, \ ...:/^-Frcd. Fruclillpig liil Praloir (Springtime iri Vienna) Vienna, Jan. 3’ Franz Stoss: production of operetta in two. acts . (12 scenes). Book’by Efhst rischka; music, RobertStolz; production ‘ de$igned by Hubert Marischkai costumes, Gerdago; musical direction, Fritz Twfei- enz; aettingSi OttO Llewehf; lighting, Wil- helm Riepl: dances, Dia Lucca: At Sthdt theatre,: Vienna. Die Turfkarolin........;; . Steffi Schaffel Karl Apfelthaler..:... >,.. .... Fritz Imhoff Xaverl Tiefenbacher..... . .. . .Oskar Sima Gust! Brettschheider:..... ;Tony Nlessner Robert' Lessiak.-;.;..;..;. .Heinz .Conrads • Max von Bless............ . Stefan Skodlcr Rosi. Tlefeiibacher...........Hedy Fassler belongs to Gluririan for his under- .^^tricia, m standiriff and exnressive .dii’pcf-inn • light-in.-..a ;nijiTiber-ot comic se- . , . —clearly one of th(f Sstin^ quences coming: through best with ^‘Private Lives” Melba, Dallas staging jobs Of recem Sms ' respective -offerings of “Lace I (9^10);;'City And., Shreveport (11); L^t^r -^ 1 ^ 01 ^ and: ‘‘Drop in the BuckH-Rofiffison. A Rock . (13); secrierv adds a helpful touch ' ' both: bright ditties. .: Ncirval Aud., Memphis (14);. Coliseum; bteneiy aaus a rieipiui i; 0 ^h , v ^Tormsen-showed good voice in the;; Evansville^ Ind: (16); :Ryman Aud., leading role of a farm boy wlio t Nashville (17); Memorial Aud,,. comes to the; city to find a giriV IJ^Qhlsyiil^^ Murat, Iridpls. I'Rhoda Johanh.sori. Maxine Tif'P-anri (20-21). As T^arrv This is a brisk,' topical comedy ! of a Scottish laird threatened with , ruin and staving off the wolf at; his | ancestral door as long as possible. J Show is good eritertainmerit, with plenty of laughs, and gives Jack Buchanan full scope to display his; whimsical chariu. The Earl of Locharne, reduced to taking lodgecs in a losing battle to keep up his estate, is suddenly Corifronteci With an official from the Coal Board who has to report to his superiors whether the Castle is worth requisitioning as a rest hume for miners. Wishing to sell his ancestral home, but averse to being, driven from it, the harassed Peer finds salvation in a miliion- airess blonde from Detroit. Irene Manning is alluring as the American inyader and Coral Browne attractive in a contrasting' vein as a faithful watchdog. Wil- liam Kendall is a cdriscientiously fussy civil servarit and Ewan Rob- erts.gives a rich Characterization as a handyman who refuses to he fired. :Clem. (The Jiist) -Paris,-; Jan. . Jacques Hebertpt presentation of. tirama in five acts by Albert Gainus. Directed by Paul Oettly/, Scenery and. .Costumes bv Rosnay.' At th^ Theatre Hebertot, Paris. a '' ‘ - ‘ • • • ’. •. • • • Maria Casares Anankov....... ,..... 'Yves Brainviile ,;...,. i.,Michel Bouquet • •.« •' < • • Jean Pommi.er ’' ■ ■ *’ '*:**:' ‘ •' ’ ■ Regpfiani' r ■ ■■ ■ *'• • * :■ . Moncorbier Le Gaidien.,.,,,.,..Lo'-ds Perdbux Skoura^y .^.,,.■,.;.. . ; Paul. Oettly Robert Stolz Is. once again at his best. Written in exile, loaded with nostalgia, this newest operetta of the rejuven4ted ambassador of Viennese music ranks ariiorig the most erijoyabldy satisfying musicai; shows since, pre-war Vienna days. B.o. returns here, and anywhere; should, be good; The book presents the romarice/ of a girl (Hedy Fassler), desirous Of escaping front the dull life as a violinist in a Prater. restaurant, Vienria-s pre-war amusement cen- tre* She almost succumbs to the flatteries of a Jockey Club member (Stefari Skodler), but finally re- turns to her real love, the Prater towricrier (Tony Nlessner). Standout songs include a big waltz (“Vierina Music”), an old- fashioned carican, “Im Prater Wei> den die Maedchen Schwach” (‘‘In Prater the Girls Weakeri”),"The Streets and Squares of Vienna,” and ‘‘Jessasi Sind die Menschen Bloed’’ (“How Stupid People Are”)> Also very effective are “Wenn die Liebe Aus 1st” (‘‘When Love Ends”), ^‘Scheint die Sonne; Niin- irier Mehr?” (“Doesn't the Suit Shine Anymore?’?), ‘‘Wo Gibt’s a Hetz” (“Where There is Fun”). There are a few casual dances and two big ballets by Vienna’s leading Dia Lucca corps. One leads up a Prater review of 1910, lavishly decorated; the other is a cancan, adding color to ari almost forgotten, fabulous period. Lyrics often grow out pf the situation, de- velop character and help advance the story. Every verse of Ernest Marischka’s graceful book lives up to expectations. • Miss Fassler Is a ti’cat in the costumes of the period. The same goes for Steffi Schaffel. Both are captivating stars. Skodler rates, a hand for his singing and general deportment as the rich, bad man. Niessner and Hein? Conrads click, in their parts. Fritz Imhoff has an amusing comedy role as ffca- circus pwrier.. Oskar Sima de- serves niention. _, ^Orcliestratipn is worthy of Stolz Standard: Scenery arid lighting are striking; cbstunie.s, effective. Though willten and pfoduced to remind Vierina of the. good old days, “.Fruehlirig ini; Prater” won’t lose its puri'ch if transplanted ; iu foreign/coUritries. ^ ■ n>Tnri^ Mads.. dith; . featured . Marguerite. Piazza; Gene • Barry, Barbara Perry,. Henry Calvin ahd Irvyih Corey. : Stneed by Meredithj Sets aha, costumes',' Motley;, choreography,. Anna Sokolowj. mobiles, Alexander Cal- der; orohestratibnSii Rudolph Goehr and Charles Cdok; vocal arrangements. Her-, bert Greene; mUsicdl director, Fran-z Allers. At Coronet, • N;. Y.,: Jan. 6, .'505 at $6 top ($7.20 opening). . 1st Tailor '. ............. .Maurice Edwards 3rd Tailor. ....,.'.........., Frank Mlltori ...... X.....,,. - Harry Allen .». *..Henry Calvin . .. William HogUe Jaqk Warner Grand . Duchess. 4th Tailor 5th Tailor ..6th Tailor. 7th Toilor ■Haiwey’ lOG, Detroit .<4.X Detroit, Jan. 10 Harvey”, produced a pc__ $10,000 at the Cass last week. Cur- rent week’s play is “The. Man Who Came: to Dinner,” starririg Monty Woolley. The Shubert-Lafayette lif dark, with no prospects in sight'. Meanwhile, Civic Light Opera Widow .. ..,.., . .Marguerite Piazza i Maiietta,starring G.aSs .Daley,, Gravedigger......RqipJr Hertz' grossed a poor $38,000, Previously, SSS: Boat- had draws a.swell Seamus . . V. ‘ ^ Corey l?dU,UUU. , 01ot;Tio * • (* •'» • • • • •»1«'• 41 ' . ATarn iCim | ■ i Jule Styne is riiapping a legit musical produetiori with book by Keri England and score by Hugh 1/achc.sis. Atropos i;,, i.... Diane Sjnelair Royce Wallace “Happy As Larry” is corii- pounded of too many diverse in- Martin* (19-21).. ■‘Streetcar Named Desire” (No. ■2).^Ford’s, Balt, (9-21). “Student Pririce”-—Great North- ern, Chi; (9-14): V “The Enchanted”—Walnut; Phila. i;(9-l4y;/ -^:'; - - “The Man”—Nixbn, Pitt. (9-14). Webster^Shakespeaffe — Univ. of Delaware, Newark (9); Madison College, Harrisburg. Va. (10); I Mosque, Riehiriprid (ID; . Little, Hollins, Va. (12.); Manson Hall, Sweet Briar; Vai (13); Center; Nor- U A ^ ■ f<ilk (14); Memorial Hall, Chapel had. drawn a. swell [ Hill, N. C. (16); Aycbck Aud., Greensboro, N. C. (17); Duke Aud., Durham, N. C. (18); Boyden High- school/ Salisbury, N. G. (19); Armory Aud., Charlbtte ( 21 ). “Yes, M’Lord” - 7 - Studebaker, Ghi (9-14); Cass,: Del (16-21). . . Mi/vele, Lahaye . In February, 1905, a group of terrorists organized a bomb attack on the Grand Duke Serge, uncle o/the Tsar of- Russia, which, from an historical standpoint, provided Albert Canius with the framework of his drama. Beyond this, how- ever, the: play itself is a long philosophical discussion of the “justice” of political assassination and the mental sufferings of ari iri- diyidual torn between his humane instincts and the necessity of an act that his conscience is inclined to repudiate but which his politi- cal beliefs force him to corisider inevitable. Thanks to intelligent direction anm superb acting the play, which is. fundameritally static, is oh thb Whole^dramatically effective.. The Miirili^r ill; tlio Vicara^o : / / • London, Jail. 3: Pi'esebtiitioiv (in 'association . With. People s Entertainrhcnt .Society) of :mystery in two acts by Moie Charles and To.^'* from book by .Dirfected by Reginald Tat6. - At Playhouse, London. • ,ri®‘>hard.: Clemept.... .Tack: Lambert Gnselda Clement. Genine Grahani .Michael New.oll ■ ■ ■ i j-’tV •' • * ‘ • • • • - • Betty Sinclair T Hswea..; .Michael Darbyshir® Lettice ProthOroe; Andrea Lei Miss Mai’ple . .,. /.,..;., Barbara Mulloh Mis. Price/Ridley....,..; .Mildred Cottell Anne Protheroe ..— Alv.vs Maben Lawi^nce Redding..... Reginald 'I’atc ;' • • ■ . Francis RobCrt-i; Jiispector Slack.. ..... . Stanley Van Beei f ^Familiar Whodunit type of play, adapted from art Agatha Christie thrillef, should provide good local eritertainment. Its theme arid status is obvious and will draw its own particular audierice. Having already covered production cost on its pre-London tbur, it should make, good oh popularity of novelist (GontiiiUed on page 60L