Variety (October 1954)

7® LEGITIMATE ttimiEfr Shows on Broadway The Boy Friend Cy Feuer «t Ernest H.! Martin jJrodUci lion of musical . comedy in three acts, with hook, music and lyrics by Sandy Wilson, Features--Julie Andrews. John Hewer. Erie Berry. RUth Altman* Schteereiv Geoffrey Hubert, Moyna Mac-- GUi; Ann Wakefield. Paulette- Girard. Dilya Lay, Stella Claire, Millicent -Martin, Joe Milan. Jerry Newby, BuddV Schwab, Directed by' Vida Hope, choreography, John Heawood; scenery and .costumes, Reginald. Woolley; scenery: and lighting "supervision, Feder: costume-supervision,, Robert Mackintosh; orchestra, Paul Mc- Grane; musical director, Ahton Coppola; orchestrations, Ted Rayol and Charles L. Cooke-. At Royale, N.Y;> .Sept- 30. at $6.90 top, ($9.20 opening)^ Hbrtense .• • • Paulette Girard Nancy ..... Milliceiit Martin Malsie .................. Ann Wakefield Fav Stella Claire Du'lcie - D i La , y Polly Julie Andrews; Marcel .. . .;........ . -Joe Milan. Alphonse . Buddy Schwab Pierre . Jerry Newby MriVc. Dubonnet Ruth . Altman Bobby VanHusen Bob Scheerer Percival Browne .';.. . • •• ••. • Eric Berry Tony . John Hewer Phil Up e Jimmy Alex ' Monica . -...,........ Berkelej^Marsh Lord Brockhurst Geoffrey Hibbert Lady Brockhurst . ., Moyna MacGiil Susanne ■ Lyn Cdnnorty Guests Phoebe Mackay, Marge Ellis, Mickey. CiUn Gendar Douglas Deane Walter LynRobert P0n(» »J 0^ . iVllltlil, Lolita •..., • Stella Claire Songs: "Perfect Young Ladies," "The Bov Friend.” “Won’t You Charleston With Me ” “Fancy Forgetting.” “I Could Be Happy With You,” “Sur . La Plage,” .‘ A Room in Bloomsbury”. “You Don’t Want to Play With Me Blues,” “Safety irt Num- bers,” "Riviera.” “It’s Never Too Late to Fall in Love.” "Carnival,Tango.” "Poor Little Pierrette.”' Take the “Gladiola.Girl” number from -'Lend ah Ear*' of a few sea- sons ago, stretch it to full-evening le.ngtli and play it straight, arid you have an approximation of “The Boy Friend.’’ It's a sort of‘.-Gentle- men Prefer-Blondes” or “High.But-! ton Shoes” without the Comedy treatment. “The Boy Friend” is. the British musical curio that has been a freak hit in London^ in recent lonths, brought to Broadway by, of all peopl Cy Feuer and Ernest -H. Marti . whose previous shows have been “Where’s Charley?” “Guys and Dolls” and the current “Can- Can.” The new musical was origi- nally done as a kind of caberet show at a private club in London; It was a hit there, was expanded by author-composer-lyricist Sandy Wilson, and. taken to the West End as a commercial venture, becoming something of a rage with a special public, many of Whom have report- edly attended six, ; seven and eight times. Aniazingly enough, “The. Boy Friend” looks like a hit on Broad- way, too. Its “nostalgic” flavor pre- sumably .fits into the current re- treat-to-the-’20s mood in which rich men collect and actually make a point of driving vintage autos, there^s an attempt to reestablish the unattractive'dress styles of. the post-World War I period and there’s been, a small revival of the pop music of that jazz era. There’s unquestionably 'an off- beat appeal in a show like this, which may be taken up by a sort of cult. “The Boy Friend” is unlikely to become a major smash, however, even with, enthusiastic reviews. It’ll leave inany showgoers cold. There’s apparently no middle-of- the-road reaction to ‘‘The Boy Friend.” Last week’s premiere au- dience . either doubled up with laughter in doting recognition of the follies of 30 years ago or stared in silent bewilderment at the anti- quated hijinks. The show, it must be explained, is riot a parody of the 1920s musicals, but .what London stager Vida Hope has described as an “evocation,” a straight-faced re- production.. Wilson, it’s explained, lias a sort of crush on an era he’s too young to remember. They don't play it quite straight, of course, but cheat a little here and there, at least in performance, as the evening wears ^ along—and wears is the word. Whether, this little bit of hokum exaggeration Was in, the original production or was injected here by Feuer & Mar- tin, isn’t clear: But the occasional note, of kidding is apparent, as is the show’s quickened tempo for Broadway. Perhaps that was the issue that led to Wilson, and Miss. Hope being barred from the last week or so of rehearsals. Granted that a certain nostalgic element and the surface comedy inherent in this pastiche of 30- year-qld amateurishness will draw a limited* affectionate public. But a good many spectators will find it not so much a quaint period shew as just a relic that would have been inferior even in its own day;- It’s a one-joke* creation, without a semblance of humor beyond the element of anachronism. There’s not a single smash song, but merely a succession of numbers that sound hot only in period but actually rem- iniscent of specific tunes of that day—“Miss Arinabelle Lee” and “The Girl Friend,” for instance— and no effective dances, but only retakes of the Charleston and such dated gimcracks. > But while an abnormal contin- gent walked out on the opening- night performance,, many others ■stayed to give an ! ovation to the campus caper-type • show and its cast of London and domestic non- names. That’s-likely to be the Way subsequent audiences will split, ex- cept that the cult of I920s-dedi- cated is presumably limited.* By the time the cult is exhausted, of course, the low-overhead “Boy Friend” shqUld have recouped its $120,000 cast and netted a, tidy profit.. By way of detail, the show is located at a'girls' finishing school on the Riviera in 1926, and the arch plot concerns a romance be- tween a poor little rich girl student and a titled young heir posing as a messenger boy. The .men are .generally dressed in flanrieis and blazers, arid the girls in the mon- strosities; of the period. There’s a great deal of giggling, squealing and simpering by the girls and the whole performance ’ self-con- sciously stilted. Julie Andrews and John Hewer, importees from London, play; the leads, and other British, principals include Erie Berry, Geoffrey: Hitn bert, Moyna MacGiil; Ann Wake- field (from the original. West End cast), Dilys Lay, Stella Claire and jMillicent Martin. Principals from the U. S. include Ruth Altman, Bob Scheerer, Paulette Girard, Joe Milan, Jerry .Newby and Buddy Schwab. : John Heawood has repeated his original London choreography, and the scenery and costumes are from the original designs by Reginald Woolley, although, union regular tions have required that’ U. S. de- signers Abe Feder and Robert Mackintosh get program credit for “supervision.” : Hobe. Blues, Ballads and Sin Songs (BIJOU) Libby Holman, with Gerald Cook at piano . Opened Oct. 4, '54, /or six nights at $4.80 top , Libby Holman, long absent from musical comedy, started on the ballads and blues kick about 10 years ago when she appeared in company, with Josh White at a small N. Y. eastside bistro, La Vie Parisiertne. Since then she’s de- voted a major part of her time to the delineation of tunes from the mountains as well as the' lower strata of society, .and has perfected these numbers to a high artistic level. Miss Holman, in her opening at the N. Y, Bijou Theatre for a run qf. six nights, indicates that she can stay considerably longer as a solo performer. While she’s more for the musical cultists, there is still enough of a general appeal so that the public can dig her. Miss Holman, simply dressed in skirt and blouse by Mainbocher and Frank Stanley, works in front of a stark black curtain, with one. single exception during one num- ber. She’s accompanied by a tal- ented Negro pianist, Gerald Cook. However, with; the lighting and delivery, there’s enough histronics and color to make the tunes pa$r off applausewise. Doing a collec- tion under the generic title of “Blues, Ballads and Sin Songs,” her sole prop is a chaiir. Miss Holman, reaches her apex at the opening of the second part of her show. The grouping of “Careless Love,” “The Riddle Song” and “Four Marys” repre- sents the peak of the regular por- tion of her layout. There, the charm, fragility, drama and humor reach a standard which, isn’t ap- . proached the rest of the evening, with the exception of her encores.. A tremendous amount of re- search; has apparently. been made in connection with this exhibit of Americana. There are Eliza- bethean hues in several numbers arid much of it reflects the unhap- piness in the lot the Negro, and in “The House of the Rising Sun,” the low mood of the girl in the sin-spot. Part of Miss Holman’s approach is pedantic, blit these lapses are only periodic, since she’s too good; a performer to tarry too long on that line. Miss Holman also thinks enough of her numbers to sing them without any spoken precedes: In some, the meaning : is too obscure to be com- pletely effective. However,' she speaks the lan- guage of Broadway in her encores when she gives out with some of the numbers from .“The Little Show” series. Her “Moanin’ Low/’ “Something to Remember You By and “Body and Soul,” along with “Love for Sale,” was what the first- nighters seemed to enjoy most. Jose. Opera Review Nelson London, Oct. ,1. Sadler’s Wells Trust Ltd,, (in assocla-.1 tlon with Arts Council) presentation of ] opera in three acts, with, music by Len* : nox Berkeley,, libretto by Alan Prycc- Jones, sets, by Felix Kelly, costumes by Motley. .Conducted by Vilem Tausky; di- rected by George Devine. At Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, Sept. 23* '54; .$2 top. Lord Nelson Robert Thomas Lady. Hamilton- ........ . Victoria • Elliott Sir William Hamilton. •>; .Arnold Matters ; 'Captain. Hardy David Ward Lady Nelson Anna Poliak Lord Minto ............ tanley. Clarkson -Mrs, Cadogan ............ . Sheila Rex [ Majordomo Charles Draper i Madame Serafln , Olwen. Price Surgeon ....,........ ,.. John Probyn • ' Love story of Nelson and Lady Hamilton provides a fruitful back- ground for an operatic production, arid the-subject matter is taken full advantage of by Lennox Berkeley in this, his first full- length opera, with libretto by Alati Pryce-Jones: He is doubly well served by Robert Thomas in the title role, who in addition to his fine tenor Voice conveys the frail, sickly exterior of the famous ad- miral and is of the requisite small .'stature. The score is impressive, arid if the first act showing the couple’s first meeting in Naples' is static, the poignant tragedy of the lovers, expands with . the progression of the story until the hero’s untimely death at the: hands of a sniper in his greatest hour of triumph. Audi- ence reaction at opener was tu- multuous and augurs a successful addition to the company’s reper- toire. Story . is told with reasonable historical accuracy, arid the worlds wide knowledge of the characters written about, staged and filmed, makes for universal appeal. If some of the glamor has been lost- i . the heavier medium of the operatic tempo, it makes up in grandeur and dignity for any deficiency. At times the orchestra tends to drown the voices, but this was probably due to the fact that the premiere was broadcast. Femme lead Victoria Elliott gives a technically firstrate performance, but never quite convinces the audir. ence of her deep devotion. Anna Poliak is Completely satisfying as the deserted Lady Nelson and the remainder of the cast fulfills the high standard associated with the Sadler’s. Wells tradition. Settings and* costumes are tasteful and the whole is superbly directed by George Devine; Clem. (Theatre indicated if set ) On Your Toes, 46th St. (10-11). Fragile. Fox, Belasco (10^*12). ’ Tender Trap, Longacre (10-13), Sing No Lullaby, Phoenix (10-14). Traveling Lady (10-18). I Feel Wonderful, de Lys (10-18). ' In Splendid Error, Greenwich Mews (10-18). Sands In Negev, President GO- 19). Peter Pan, W. Garden (10-20). Stone for Danny Fisher, Down- town Nat’l (10-21). Slightly Delinquent^ Black Friars (10-25). Dybbuk, 4th St. (10-26). Traveling Lady (10-27). Rainmaker, Cort (10-28). Quadrille, Coronet (11-3). Fanny, Majestic (11-4).. Wedding Breakfast; 48th St. (11-16). Living Room, Miller (11-17). Hot Rock (11-22). Sandhog, Phoenix (11-23). Kilgo Run (week 11-29). Mrs; Patterson, National (12-1), On With the Show, Hellinger ( 12 - 2 ). . Witness For Prosecution (12-8). Portrait of a Lady, ANT A Play- house (12-9): Lunatics and Lbvers, Broadhurst (12-13). ' Festival (12-15). Running Mate (12-15). Between Friends (12-16). Black-Eyed Susan (12-16). Thracian Horses (week of 12-20). Anastasia (12-22). What Every Woman Knows, City Center (12-22). House of Flowers, Alvin (12-23). Film Flam (12-24). Painted Days (week 12-27). Silk Stockings, Imperial (12-30), Grand Prize. (week of 1-10) Plain & Fancy (1-20). Desperate Hours (1-26). CAN-CAN (As of Sept. 4, *54) Gross last five weeks, $242,530. Net Profit last fiVe weeks, $42,- 698. Total net profit to date, $457,570. : Distributed profit to date, $392,- 605. Cash available for distribution, $7,706. Wednesday, October 6, 1954 \ The World of Slihlom r Aleieliem (RARBIZON-PLAZA, N. Y.) After a summer layoff, “The World of Sholom Aleichem” rer turned last. Friday (1) to the off- Broadway Barbizon-PIaza Theatre Where it had a moneymaking 40- week run last season. Show, pro- duced by Rachel .Productions (Howard Da Silva & Arnold Perl), is in for only a three-week warm- up for a road tour beginning Oct. 28, in Hartford. Intelligently dramatized by Perl, the presentation, comprising three sketches, has lost nohe of. its out- standing qualities, notably humor, warmth, insight and-- good taste, Trilogy provides a colorful glimpse of Jewish folkways in late 19th century Russia.. Switches In major cast assign- ments froni the /.original roster in- clude Herschel Bernadi, Jacob Ben-Ami, Lola; D'Annunzio aajd Diana Sands taking oyer resp«- tively for Da Silva, Jack Gilford, Sarah Citnningham and Ruby Dee/ Bernardi, who begin his assign- ment last season, is standout as Mendele, the bookseller, who han- dies the off-stage narration. Ben-Ami and Miss Sands appear ini the second of the three sketches, “Bonte Schweig,” based on a story by I. L. Peretz. Ben-Ami is con- vincing as the title character, who after a long life of suffering winds up before Heavenly tribunal, with Mis^ Sands doing an okay job as his defending angel. Morris Carnovsky remains an ihipressive figure as the; presiding angel. In the Windup yarn, “The High School,” the only one of the three pieces based on a Sholom. Alei- Chem story, Miss D’Annunzio is forceful as the mother who refuses to succu ib to the prejudicial quo- tas that make it almost impossible for her son to get a highschool education. Carnovsky again turns in an effective portrayal as her husband, while Jack Banning is good as the boy.. Miss D’Annunzio also has a small Foie in the opener, based on a folk story dealing with a fumbling teacher, excellently , played by Will Lee, with Phoebe Briand giving an able assist as his wife: Other, cast members perform creditably. Not to, be ignored, either, is Da Silva’s expert direction; Jess. Genll^nien Prefer Blondes (NIXON, PITT) Pittsburgh, Sept. 24. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” Which producer Manny Davis has expanded, from his straWhat in- the-roimd version in Allentown, is touring on twofers. It appears doubtful whether the. bargain policy will put it across. Although “Blondes” has a good name as a legit musical and has also been a successful picture with Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe, this cut-price edition isn’t for key city audiences. Particularly audi- ences that have already seen the Carol Channing original. Maybe around the tanks, but nowhere else, is this one likely to have a chance: . It’s a harid-me-down frbm start to finish. Sets are mostly painted fiats; chorus consists of three girls, occasionally four when one of them isn’t on stage in a bit, and the whole atmosphere of the piece is depressing. Those who thought. “Blondes” considerably less than a musical comedy classic in the first place will now be able to see why. Maybe for strawhat consumption this bargain-basement commodity may be satisfactory. But for a reputable legit house with a steady clientele year and year out for legit, it's no dice. Of course it isn't designed for the legit faith- ful, but even the occasional, thea- tregoer with his ey^ out for some- thing fdr nothing -will find plenty missing. Show carries two key musicians, in addition to conductor A1 Evans, and uses only 10 house men addi- tionally, so the score sounds un- comfortably thin. Cast is headed by Jet MacDonald, as Lorelei Lee, and she’s in the John Held-ish tradition and / the Channing mould. She does well enough by the two best songs, “Little Girl From Little Rock” and ‘‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Nothing outstanding about the perform- ance, but. it gets by. Walter Long, as the sugar daddy, is the brightest spot with his ex- pert hoofing. Although the role wasn’t originally a dancing one, producer Davis isn’t going to miss out on Long’s specialty, even if it does make the cabaret scene cockeyed to have Long come in as a celebrating customer and a moment later turns up as part of the floor show. Adrienne Angel as Dorothy, and Marion Weeks and Lawrason Rigg s as the Spoffords from Philadelphia are the best of a generally fight/ weight company. Twofers notwith- standing, it’ll take miracle to sustain this “Blondes” for long, Cohen’ illy 3 Angels (HER MAJESTY’S, MONTREAL) Montreal, Oct; 30; The Bella and . Sam Spewack comedy, “My 3 Angels” based oh Albert Hiisson’s French hit, “La Cuisine des Anges,” opened a tour here last week to poor business, but a good audience reaction. Cast, headed by Victor Jory,. offer per- formances that range from very good to something that might be J seen on any local amateur stage. Victor Jory, who also directed this, production, plays the leading role to the hilt. His glib manner and patter, ith a fine Gallic touch,, is convincing. Royal Beal as the Wife strangler, does much to Carry play over its sagging moments as he underplays his few good, lines, although his offhand performance isn’t always audible. Stiano Braggiotti, as the money- mad uncle Henri Trocliard, is ex- cellent, maintaining relentless course as he seeks to destroy the affair between his nephew, played by Kenneth Paine, and the eh- genue portrayed by Jean. Jory. Miss Jory, the star’s daughter, is properly fluttery, but Herbert Ev- ers as the third convict, bounces around the stage flexing his well exposed: muscles.. Guy Arbery and Jean Inness, as the girl ? s parents, are adequate. The single .set is workable and solid, without the makeshift port- able look usual with this, type of tourer. Although the show’s .playing time is short, a 10:45 curtain fol- lowing two^ intermissions'and an 8:45 opening, the sudden stops and starts could be levelled out for bet- ter playing time, a more restrain- ing hand.on the overplaying and a general tightening by all members of the cast would do much to im- prove this amiable comedy. Newt , Bial M for Murder (ROYAL ALEXANDRA, TORONTO) Toronto, Sept. 27; In an attempt to revive rotary stock in the major North American city circuit/ Charles Harrow, in conjunction • with Rita Alien and Archie Thomson, has brought back “Dial M for Murder/* Harrow was ah associate of the late Jules Lev- enthal. New setup of the Frederick Knott melodrama has Donald Woods as star, with Christiane Felsmann, Denis Green, Bethell Long, Bruce Jewell and Kent Mon- troy. in the cast. All the players of this former Maurice Evans’ hit are new, with the exception of Jewell, who was in the Broadway produc- tion, and Miss Felsmann, who played^ in the Chicago engagement. Miss Felsmann was almost inaud- ible in the first act, perhaps with night nervousness a factor, and her performance of a distraught woman is unconvincing throughout, Jewell* as the teevee scripter specializing in murder yarns, Was also static in the first act opening night. Not until the arrival of the debbnair Donald Woods does the action pick up and maintain interest. With the duel of wits between the husband and the Scotland in- spector, cleverly underplayed by Denis Green, there is evident aud- ience enjoyment. Bethel! Long, as the hired killer of his former Old School Tie mate’s wife, is properly dastardly, and Kent Mon troy is the caricature of a comedy cop. The somewhat shop-worn set is from the original' Maurice Evans’ production. Whoever handles the light-cue sheet requires consider- ably more co-operation. But “Dial M for Murder” is still a satisfac- tory thriller, McStay. Stock Tryouts (Oct. 4-16) xiead of the House, by John T. Chapman—Bucks County Play house, New Hope, Pa. (11-16) (Original stock production, re- viewed in Variety, Aug. 18, '54, under title “The Iron Gate”). Kilgo Run, by Arnold Sundgaara —Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pa. (4r9) (Original stock pro- duction reviewed in Variety, July 9,'52).