Variety (December 1950)

42 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, December 27, 1950 Plays on Broadway Out of This World Saint Subber flc Lemuel Ayers pres- entation of musical comedy in prolog and two pets (18 scenes), with songs by Cole Porter, book by Dwight Taylor and Reg- inald Lawrence. Features Charlotte Greenwood, William By the, Priscilla Gil- lette, William Redfield, David Burns. Bar- bara Ashley, Jaiiet Collins, George Jon- geyans, Ray Harrison. Entire production staged by j\gnes de Mille? choreography, Hanya Holm; scenery and costumes, Lemuel Ayers; musical director, Pem- broke Davenport; orchestrations, Robert Russell Bennett; dance music arrange- ments, Genevieve Pitot: incidental music arrangements, Trudi Rittman. At Cen- tury, N. Y., Dec. 21, '50: $6 top ($9.60 opening). ’ Mercury . ...,.;... i. - William Redfield Jupiter ...... George Jongeyans f t <•••••• < not ideally suited for some of her numbers. They include solos of ‘T Am Loved” and “No Lover for Me,” plus joining in “Use Your Imagination” and “What Do You Think?” - William Eythe, who is second’ billed, is more or less incidental in the non-singing “dual” part of a reporter-bridegroom and of Jupiter in the guise of same. William Red* i field is acceptable as Mercury, though a trifle light as a singer. David Burns gets what comedy he can as an exTChicago gangster who owns a rural Greek inn,^ George Jongeyans’ impressive baritone is Helen . .Priscilla Gillette ^ O’MalleyWi^Uam Eythe 1 wasted in .the role of Jupiter, but • U Aiaiiey • • • < vviuiam. r..vine drwrno Art Night .. ’ Janet Collins Vulcania ... .... ... . Peggy Rea Juno .........Charlotte Greenwood, Ghloo ............. Barbara Ashley " Niki Skolianos... Strophon Singer*!. CoUihs provides some choreographic excitement as Night. Because of the show*s involved David Burns ! writing and directing setup, it’s im- dancers: ‘ Barbarf Reiver", | POSSible tO know Who’s responsible Shirle.v Prior. Enid Hall. Nola Fairbanks. 1 for • W'hat. The program credits B. J. Keatiiig, Lois Monroe, John Schick-j Dwight Taylor and Reginald LaW- ling. JciMi Schmidt. Richard Curry. • rpripp fnr fho hnhk hilt Rpttv Com- Ayers, Orrin Hill. Robert Baird. Joe Hill. ,Tence lor ine DOOK, DUl oeuy Leo ^:ivv"'rth, Michael Kingsley. Gi^eiia-j den and Adolph Green worked on ■ it at one time. Producers Subber and Ayers are also understood to have done some doctoring and F. Hugh Herbert was called . in for revisions during the tryout. Agnes de Mille is billed as stager of the “entire production,” but she was superseded during the tryout by George Abbott, who is not men- tioned in the program. Hobe. Svetlik. Virginia Bosler, Eleanor Fair- child. .To'>n En^ek. Joan Kruger. Ja^oue- lihe Sa^'^r. Glen Tetlov,. Dn^id Nillo, Staniov «;!mmo,p.«;, Paul Lydav, Eric Kris- ten.' Barton Mumaw, Jan Kovac. Doria Avila. It’s significant that the top momenf of “Out of This World,” just before the finale, is. Charlotte Greenwood’s old show - stopping hi.gh-kif'k. Until then, the Cole Porter musical is perhaps the most beautiful show in Broadway his- tory, but mild entertainment. The Twentieth Century American. National Theatre & Academy book, based on the Amphitryon ^ presentation of Jose^ Ferrer production ■1 « j efiff , (in association with Richard Condon) of legend, seems synthetic anil stilt, ' comedy in three acts, by Ben Hecht & the SOnPS are generally disappoint- j Charles MacArthur, bdsed on a play by ing and the performance lacks ' Bruce MUholland.^ Stars Ferrer, Gloria I Swanson. Directed by Ferrer; scenery v^itality. As a conse(iuence, the . lighting, Wolfgang* Roth; costumes. Saint Subber-Lemuel' Ayers pro- I Noel Taylor. At ANTA Playhouse, N. Y., ducHo^ i'; a dubious-bet to recoup ' Bee. 24, 'SO; $3 top (membership rate), its S220.000 investment, although gr- Johnson..... w. Paula, BauersmUh Its sizable advance sale, including ! /.V.V.T.'. "?;'?,? sfdS“ numerous theatre parties, should i Grover Lockwood Ralph Bunker pnahlp it to ffpt a run 1 Anita Highland Betty Bartley enduie it lu gei. «* ^uii. 1 Owen O'Malley Robert Strauss In contrast to the previous Sub- Conductor .Burton Mallory ber-Avers presentation, “Kiss Me, : BBver Webb —......... Donald Foster Kate, this appears to h^ve been j one of those shows that was ' Matthew Clark WilUam Lynn troublesome from the start. Per-! First* Beard (Cnstus) . Werner Klemperer v..vc.:c fWiA r«.-AAir ■ Second Beard (Judas)....... Leon Askm haps its story basis, the Greek ; Qgj.g|. jose Ferrer myth about how Jupiter descends from Olympus and, despite Juno’s wifely kibitzing, has a love affair ^ with a mortal girl, is partly to ^DetecUveTV* .’.'..’i’ili”; ;‘.7."paui LiiTy blame. It apparently promises .^cond D^ectlve../ Charles Summers morf‘ than it delivers-on the stage, ® playing the performance as a whole, including the actors, light cues and scene changes, should be considerably smoother. ; Kobe. King Lear Robert L, Joseph & Alexander H. Cohen presentation of William Shakespeare dra- ma revival In . three acts. Starar Louis (^alherh; features Arnold Moss, Norman Lloyd, Edith Atwater, Joseph Wiseman, Wesley Addy, Martin Gabel, Jo Van Fleet, Nina Foch. Directed by John House- man. .Incidental music, Marc Blltzstein: sets and lights. Ralph Alswang; costumes, Dorothy Jenkins. At National, N* Y., Dec. 25. '50; $4,80 top. Earl of Kent ............Martin Gabel Earl of Gloucester.......... Arnold Moss Edmund .............. Joseph Wiseman .King Lear .. Louis. Calhern Duke of Cornwall ..,, * . Nehemlah -Persoff Duke of Albany Richard Malek GonerU .................. Edith Atwater Regan ..........,........ Jo Van Fleet Cordelia Nina Foch Duke of Burgundy.. .... Martin Waldron King of France... i.,. .Frederic Watriner Edgar Lear’s Fool............. Curan Oswald Loyal Knight Wesley Addy Norman Lloyd .Mitchell Agruss .. Kurt Richards Guy Arbury Gentleman of the Court.. .E. J. Ballantine’ Cornwall Servants .. ..... . Jack Bittner, McGregor, Gibb, Bernard Pollock. Herald ........, . Thomas Ppston Knights and Servants.. ..,. Ted Baden, Michael Bey, Sam Gilman, Jack Ram- sey, Earl F. Simmons, Keith Taylor, Henry Leonard. Waiter Van Prince Sadie .Eva Leonard-Boyne Lily Garland .... * Gloria Swanson George Smith ^ Robert Carroll ..Henry Sherwood as S. N. Behrman discovered a dozen years ago in adapting “Amphitryon 38” for the Lunts. The yarn is only occasionally and mildly funny, and the libretto, with . Its accent on sex. sex, sex, makes that normally stimulating subject seem pretty tedious. Porter’s score lacks melodic sweep. In this in- stance, his emphasis on tricky lyrics and counter-rhythms seems affected, with only a few tunes approaching his best work of the past. The Hanya Holm choreog- raphy is electrifying and the physi- cal production is stunning, but the casting is uneven. Co-producer Ayers, doubling as designer, has created breath-catch- ingly lovely scenery, particularly several gossamer night effects. His costumes, too, are generally strik- ing, esnecially for playgoers who enjoy the spectacle of male nudity (in almost every dance number the girls wear notably more clothes than the men, although diaphanous femme costumes are occasionally used effectively). As the ungo(idess-like Juno, Miss Greenwood is the cast standout. Besides her climactic “Nobody’s Chasing Me” number, she scores with her “I Got Beauty” and “I Slcieo Easier Now” singles, as a femme trio member with “What Do You Think About Men” and in a double duet of “Cherry Pies Ought to Be You.” Barbara Ashley has an attractive personality and proves an . engaging singer with her “Where, Oh, Where” solo and in an assist with “What Do You Think About Men’’ and “Cherry Pies.” Priscilla Giliette, as the mortal chosen by Jupiter, is a looker, has an appealing manner and is an agreeable singer, though perhaps John Byrain Wants to know Why Dp So Moity Legit Producers Think It's lllegiti^ mate to Bivouac Near the Scene of Their Activities qs He Pieods ■ Come Back to Broadway^ Boy An Amusing Byline Feature In the 45th Anniversary Number of U^RIETY OVT NEXT WEEK “Twentieth Century,” a comedy hit of the 1932-33 Broadway season and subsequently a convulsing film with John Barrymore and Carole Lombard, is the third presentation and apparently the first boxoffice bullseye of the- ANTA Play series. With Jose Ferrer and Gloria Swan- son costarre(J, it belies its 18 years, stacking up as a vigorous, hilarioius show. Following its two-week en- gagement under ANTA sponsor- ship it is slated to be moved to the Fulton for a commercial run, with ANTA due for a share of the pros- pective profits. For this revival, co-authors Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, who adapted the comedy originally from a play by Bruce Milholland, have revised the script somewhat, confining the action to a single set- ting and eliminating several bit parts, besides making some mod- ernizing touches which seem of questionable merit. But nothing ba- sic has been done to the riotous story of a fabulous trip of the 20th Century Limited from Chicago to New York, with its assortment of rambunctious characters aboard. Ferrer and Miss Swanson, as the egomaniac producer-director arid the flairiboyantly temperamental actress, the parts played in the original production by Moffat Johnson and Eugenie Leoritovich, provide: the principal vitality and comedy fireworks, particulariy in their scenes together. Both play with expertly broad strokes, pro- jecting the infantile vanity of the characters, yet remaining plausible and somehow captivating. They re- veal not merely, a talent for com- edy, but a disarming sense of hu- mor. There are competent supporting performances by, Donald Foster as the producer’s harried manager, Robert Strauss as the eloquently sardonic pressagent (an affection- ate portrait of Richard Maney); Burton Mallory as the frenzied con- ductor; William Lynn as the re- ligious crackpot; Robert Garroll as thfe actress’ cardboard lover; Eva, Leoriard-Boyne as her understand- ing but loyal maid; Werner Klem- perer and Leon Askin as a couple of hungry Passion Players, and va- rious others in the motley of char- acter hits. ' ' Ferrer’s appreciative staging suc- cessfully skirts the edge of cari- cature; Wolfgang Roth’s multiple setting combines atmosphere with practical playing space and Noel Taylor’s dostumes are suitable for such an uninhibited collection of passengers. With a little more Director John Houseman, with a notable assist from Louis Calhern, has hurdled a major challenge in this revival, with the result that “King Lear,” always tough to stage and hence rarely done, comes off as a stunning production. The chief role has a flrstrate protagon- ist in Calhern, who is supported by a worthy cast, shrewdly chosen^ Staffing, lighting, costuming and incidental music all play promi- nent, cohesive parts. The essen- tiallv talky. Static play moves swiftly un(ier these conditions, holding an audience rapt. The role of the aged, imperious ruler who divides his kingdom be- tween two ungrateful daughters and eventually goes mad at their mistreatment, requires heroic treatment. This C]!alhern provi(ies. i His regal bearing is one asset. His j shifting of moods, from majesty, anger or affection to raving and iriadnes.s. is virtuoso stuff, and Cal- hern utilizes all mOods brilliantly for a searching, sympathetic char- aeWization. Houseman’s sure staging keeps plot and several sub-plots fluid, and the nace of the show is swift. Ralph Alswang’s setting is spa- cious, while his lighting works wonders, creating whole forest and seacoast e.ffects without the use of pron or set. There are standoiuts in the good supporting cast who are especially fine. Arnold Moss is a princely fiffure as the Earl of Gloucester, whose early credulity and later misfortunes at the hands of a treacherous bastard son are always believable and compelling. Joseph Wiseman makes a fascinating crea- ture. of the malevolent Edmund. We.siey Addv paints a sympathetic portrait of the unfortunate Edgar; Martini Gabel is unusually warm- ing as Kent. and Norman Lloyd makes a vivid impersonation out of the difficult role of the Fool. Of the women, Nina Foch is beautiful and appealing in the relatively brief role of Cordelia, and Edith Atwater and Jo Van Fleet are vividly sharp as the cruel sisters. Nehemiah Persoff, as Cornwall, and Kurt Richards, as Oswald, lend individuality to lesser roles. Marc Blitzstein’s incidental mu- sic is in strong keening with the times and mood of the play, and Dorothy Jeakins’ costumes are eye- filling. Broadway has done right by the Bard here. Bron. Inside Stnlf-Jegit Backers of “Elnemy of the People,” Lars Nordenson’s production of Arthur Miller’s adaptation of the Ibsen drama, include bandleader Meyer Davis ancl company manager Morton Gottlieb, $200 each; pho- tographer Richard Avedon, actor Alan Hewitt and producer Nancy* Stern, $400 each; radio commentator Kenneth. Banghart, costumer A. M. Blumberg, producer Mary K. Frank and authors agent Flora Roberts, $800 each; pr()ducer Leoii Broneskyr theatreowner Howard Cullman, attorney Morris Schrier. repfesenting Music Gorp., of America, publisher M. Lincoln S(ihuster anil film executive George Skouras, $1,600 each; film distributor-exhibitor Joseph Burstyn, $2,000; director Robert Lewis, $3,000, and producer Roger L, Stevens, $20,0()0. The venture was cap- italized at $80,000; Connecticut supreme court has upheld a lower state court ruling that the late Walter Huston was justified in canfceling a performance of “The Apple of His Eye” in Worcester Dec, 16, 1946, due to a throat ailrnent. Court unanimously declared that . “Huston was a man with a Sincere desire to carry out his bbllgations.” , Wasserman Theatrical Enterprises, Inc., of Worcester, had sued producer Jed Harris for dam- ages for breach of contract. Suit was instigated In New Haven where show played previous to the Worcester date. Performance is claimed to be the only one Huston ever canceled In his 45ryear career. Huston underwent a minor throat operation in Chi following the New Haven date, before the show opened in the Windy City Dec. 25, ’46. Katharine Cornell pulled a Christmas surprise on yet Clevelancl critic WilUam F. McDermott j who claims he’s never missed a Cornell play in his 29 years of reviewing, and who’s been home 111 for th'e last month. Last Friday (22),; Miss CbrneU, together with Sir Cedric Hardwicke and five other cast members, gave a special “matinee” of her latest play, “Captain Carvallo,” in costiime, for'McDerrhott in the latter’s home in BratenahU suburb of Cleveland. Stagehands moved some of the furniture, while “Mac” and wife Eva sat in the living room as audience. Show closed down in Cleveland Saturday (23). I Lovely ilia Hollywood, Dec. 22. Players Ring production of musical in two acts (eight Scenes)^ by Julius J. and Philip G, Epstein (based on Sheridan's “The Rivals") with music and lyrics by Jay Liyin.gston and Ray Evans. Directed by Terry Kilburn. Musical numbers staged by Nelson Barclift; musical director, Stan Lebowsky; sets, Sidney Rushakoff. . At Players Ring theatre, Hollywood, Dec.- 22 , '50; $3.60 top (opening night $4.80). Croupier ............ Paul Leyitt Johnson-Brackett ;., .Marvin Kaplan Prince John ....John Cx’awfol'd Pabst . Joe Mell Faulkland ....,,........... Ben Strobach Lucy .Bunny Bishop Sir Lucius O'Trigger...,,.. David Alpert RoSencrantz .,,..... Bruce Sheldon Guildenstern . ..;......... Pat Clement King Augustus XXII..,,,.. .King Donovan Bob Acres ...,. . . ....;..... Ted Thorpe Lydia .. Margot Powers Mrs. Mandrake. .....>. .Kathleen Freeman .^lia .........,.. , .Charlotte Alpert Bookie James Ogg Television Man . .Tony lacobuccie Radio Man . Stuart Kearns Dancing Gigolo .......... .Nelson Barclift •First Lndy ...■••#** 4 #*,Lynn Second Lady ............. . . .Jafte Adrian A program note proudly pro- claims that four Academy Award winners are involved in the cre- ation of this musical version of Sheridan’s “The Rivals.’’ That, obviously, is the difficulty. Libret- tists Julius J. and Philip G. Ep- (Gontinued on page 45) Joseph Kipness who holds an option on the Coast production, “I Love Lydia,” plans a Broadway presentation next fall of the musi- cal edition of “The Rivals,” with book by Philip & Julius Epsfein and songs by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. George Abbott will be sought as stager ... John C. Wil- son left over the weekend for a fortnight’s vacation with Noel Coward at Jamaica, B. W. I. . . . Joseph Schildkraut will play Dul- cimer, the part originated by James Dale, in Shepard Traube’s revival of Mordaunt Shairp's “Green Bay Tree,” with Jay Robin- son in the Laurence Olivier part, Rex O’Malley probably playing the butler role created by Leo G. Car- roll and Anne Crawford as the sole femme character first enacted by Jill Esmond ... If Georges Gueta- ry, a tenor, plays the male lead opposite Mary Martin in the Lon- don edition of “South Pacific,” the songs originally sung by basso Ezio Pinza will be rearranged . . . Howard Barnes, drama critic of the N. Y. Heral^ Tribune, was ill last week, but recovered in time to cover Sunday’s (24) preem of “Twentieth Century.” Second- stringer Otis Guernsey, Jr., cov- ered “Out of This World.” Carol Channing has been upped to star billing in “Gentlemen Pre- fer Blondes,” in consideration of extending her contract until Sept. 5, 1952 . . . Cecil Kellaway will play a leading role and Robert Hal- liday is also being sought for the cast of “Three Wishes,” the Albert Lewis production of the Ralph Blaine-C^arles O’Neal musical ver- sion of the latter’s novel, “The Three Wishes of Jamie McRuin”. .. Jennifer Bunker has succeededi Marcia Henderson as Wendy in “Peter Pan” . .. . Paul Groll will be general manager of the Chan- dler Cowles-Brady Farrell proiiuc- tion of “Billy Budd” and company manager of “Make a Wish,” the Jule Styne-Harry Rigby production Of the musical edition of “Good Faii’y” . . . Dwight Deere Wiman has optioned a play, “Vicilets Are Blue,” by comedian Wally Cox, who clicked last season in the pro- ducer’s revue, “Dance Me a Song.” With the signing of William Mar- j shall foil’ the key role of Dei LaWd, Wiman’s revival of “Greeri Pas- tures” will go into rehearsal Jan. 11 under the direction of the au- j thor, Marc Connelly. The pro- ' ducer’s revival of “Romeo and Juliet,” starring Olivia de Hayil- land, is already in rehearsal . . , Dorothy Fields a n d Arthur Schwartz, just back from Nassau, have gone to the former’s place at Brewster, N. Y.; to continue work on the songs for “Brooklyn Story.” Next March has been designated by UNESCO as the second annual “Theatre Month,” during which legit groups all over the country are urged to present plays which typify man’s search for security and peace, on themes related to human rights” . . . Edmund Hock- ridge, a Canadian, has taken over the Billy Bigelow part in “Carou- sel” in London, succeeding U. S. singer - actor Stephen Douglas, whose Labor Ministry permit ex- Pif^d,. Other leads in the show, all British Empire citizens,' now in- clude Patricia Black as Nettie Fow- ler, William Thorburn as Enoch Snow* Sally Gilmour as leading ballerina and Barbara Lee-Smith as Carrie-Pipperidge . . . Michael Redgrave is presenting a one-man show for a limited tour of Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, but is diie to start re- hearsals in January for the new Stratford-on-Avon season . . . Jean Anouilh's “Ardele,” which was a flop on Broadway last season under the title, “Cry of the Peacock,” but was a critical click when pre- sented recently by the Birming- ham (England) repertory, will be presented in London by Linnit & Dunfee, with Fay Compton and Peter Ustinov in the leading parts. A. E. Matthews, recovered from his recent illness; has rejoined the cast of “The Gay Invalid,” Sir Barry Jackson’s adaptation of Mo- liere’s “Le Malade Imaginaire,” which is playing a pre-London tryout tour, with Elisabeth Berg- ner co-starred * . ; Tyrone Power, star of the London production of “Mister Roberts,” was guest speak- er at the December membership meeting of British Equity . . , The Legitimate Theatre Employees union. Local B-813, of the Inter- national Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, will hold its an- nual ball Feb. 21 at the Wood- stock hotel, N. Y., with proceeds going to the organization’s welfare fund for retired doormen, ticket takers, etc. . ; . Basil Rathbone has sold his five-story house, assessed at $50,000, in East 92d street. New York . . . Backers of the Courtney Burr-Malcoim Pearson production, “Season in the Sun,” have received a 5% dividend, the first profits, on the $60,000 investment ... U. S. rights to “Young Wives’ Tale,” the London success, are under option to Louis Boreli, the Dutch actor who recently presented the Ronald Jeans play in Holland, according to Leah Salisbury, the author’s American representative . . . The Workshop Theatre of Long Island U. is inaugurating a policy of hay- ing professional guest leads in its three annual productions . . . Em- ployment and earnings for legit players were up a bit last season, according to the second annual sur- vey conducted by Actors Equity and published in detail in the cur- rent issue of Equity, the union’s irionthly house organ. Exclusivity on “Rodeo” has run out with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but the work is still in that troupe’s repertory, even though its choreographer, Agnes de Mille has turned it over as well to Ballot Theatre. The Dean of Broadway Drohio Critics Kelcey Allen Reprises Some of the Sidewalk Lore He Has Gleaned On the Broadway Sidelines.^ ♦ . ’■*- ■ An Amusing Byline Piece In the 45th Anniversary Number . ' of,. PSfUETY OUT NEXT WEEK