Variety (November 1954)

LEGITIMATE 72 ■—Tr Tlie Bad Seed Washington, Nov. 15, • Playwrights Co. production o/ 'dr a ma in two acts (seven scenes),.adairted.t)y iuavwcil Anderson from ■ the William Ma?ch novel. Stars Nancy Kelly; features Luella Gear, Henry. J T ^ T1 ®3* al ? ll SI” r J eC patty Thomas Chalmers, Kendall ClarK, r’auy McCormack. Staged hy^Reginald Dehham. •scenerv and lighting, Geqrge JenWns. Ai National, Washington, Nov. 15, '54; $3.85 Rlaoda Penmark Pat^McCfrmack Col. Kenneth Penmav Kendall Clark Christine Penmark . V-tSuL'Gear- Emorv Wages °' *. .Vi'.V.'V Joseph Holland Emory wages..... Henry Jones SKW :' 'SS/SCS- Mrs ,n DaigTe a? ’ kXl ” ’ " 'i" Eileen Heckart WeU3 G $£"o'M S“ n d e B«»!> ■ Playwrights Co. Inglne an- other hit into New York in The Bad Seed.” and with -it a ne ^ SW? star ; nine-year-old Patty Me Cor- illicit The play is in Jthe tradition of dramatic plays a b 6 u t wicked, amoral children, such as Chil- dren’s Hour,” “The Innocents jind others. The new Maxwell .Ander- son work, from the. novel by Wil- liam March, is solid; hard-hitting drama whose every crawling ..sus- pense reflects fine direction and highly polished performances. The theme .is that criminal tend- ency may be passed on by b a “ blood which can prove stronger than good environment. Miss Mc- Cormack. a blue-eyed blohde with pigtails and the face of a peaches and cream cherub, does an aniaz- ing job as a' cold-blooded killer who ' has three murders dangling from-. her ■ belt" before her. inth-. birthday. .. The bad seed in her is inherited from her grandmother, a Jieautiful slayer of a generation before. The stain has escaped her mother, hut been passed on to the child. When the mother, played by Nancy Kelly, learns about her- little girl she. finds herself a terrified and tor- mented accessory after the fact and cornered into action which lead the play to its. punchy climax. Miss Kelly’s, part builds stead- ily from happy wife and parent to that of: a tortured mother who learns that her. beloved child is a conscienceless killer by her in- herited qualities. The performance is finely timed" throughout and moves u waveringly up- the ladder of drama- It is her show and little Patts McCormack’s, but .the play’s fine- ness must be credited also to some unusually able supporting per- formances. Tops among these is turned in by Eileen Heckart . as the drunken floosey mother of a little boy killed at. a school picnic be- cause he won the medal coveted by the girl. Miss Heckart has two short .scenes, both effectively played. The Veteran Luella Gear does a smooth .iob as the operator of the smalltown southern apartment house where the homicidal.girl and her parents live. She is devoted to the bland little killer, as. is the younsster’s father, played by Ken- dall Clark, an Air Force Colonel who divides his -time between his home and the Pentagon. Another standout performance is given by Henry Jones as the crafty but childish porter in the building, -the only cne. who recognizes the evil in the child. ’Reginald Denham’s direction draws the performances, together to turn the Anderson-March ve- hicle into a fine, whole. ,Loioe, Porlrait of a Lady Boston, Nov. 11. . Lyn Austin '& Thomas Noyes, and Pro- ducers Theatre production dramatization in three act's (seven scenes!, bv William Archibald, from the . novel by. Henry. James. Stars Jennifer - Jones; features Robert ■ Flemyng. Cathleen- Nesbitt, Douglas.-Watson. Directed by Jose Quin- tero: scenery. William Sind Jean • Eckart; costumes, Cecil Beaton. At Colonial, Bos- ,toiv, Nov. 11, '54: $4.20 top: Ralph Touchctt ...... Douglas■ Watson Mr. Toiichett Halliwcll Hobbes Lord Werbut-tori Peter Pagan Isabel Archer Jennifer Jortes Henrietta Stackpole .. .Jari Farrand Mrs. Touchctt Eva Leonard-Boync Serena Merle .....; Barbara O’Neil Caspar Goodwood Grant Sullivan Gilbert Osmond .. /...-.. .Robert Flemyng Pansy Marcia Morris Countess Gemini Cathleen Nesbitt The flaw—and it appears to be a fatal one—in the- dramatization of ‘‘Portrait of a Lady” is the very quality that is essentially the power of the novel. It is all a long preparation for: moment of dramatic revelati . That, moment arrives eventually in the third act, but by this time it is more than apparent that William Archibald’s dramatization, •for all its high literate quality, is primarily a series of dialogs from the pages of the novel. If they are often telling, occasionally amusing in an epigrammatic way, and frequently filled with the upper harmonics, of James’ own sensibili- USSIEST Wednesday, November 17* 1954 ty, they do not make the charac- ters spring to life. All, Including .the lady herself, remain largely enigmatic, a la Chekov, moving through the action as mysterious, destinationless fig- ures in a remote though beautiful landscape;. The play’s appeal con- sequently seems mostly directed to the devotees of the inscrutable, who relish a work of art in direct ratio to its .incomprehensibility.. The plot is simple enough, how- ever, for the dramatist has re- mained close to the novel. He presents the title character as a cultivated ' American girl seeking a more vital sort of life in Europe. She marries an arrogant snob liv- ing as an expatriate in Florence. The marriage is a disaster, and she learns it was engineered by her. husband’s former mistress in order to provide security, for their daughter. James, in telling this stpry, moves on to the moment of dra- matic revelation through a steadily unfolding series of characteriza- tions and motivations, and so leaves the reader in possession of an endless array of insights, into the people and the background of the story; Archibald, on the con- trary, leaves the audience un- certain throughout as 'to the reasons why the people behave as they ‘do,; The play, in short, aside from its almost total lack of move- ment and vitality,, remains ambig- uous and baffling. .. Film star Jennifer Jones, in her first major legit appearance, dem- onstrates ,a considerable flair, for the theatre. Stunning to look at in a procession of Cecil Beaton dresses of the period, she reveals her lack of stage experience chiefly by failing to project her voice and personality, as if expecting a camera and mike boom to accen- tuate them for her. As the play rises to its one- dra- matic moment in the last act, she demonstrates reserve of- emotional power, suggesting that with more experience she might prove to be a real addition to the 0 theatre. Her name, in any case, will be largely responsible for-whatever success this play, may have. Of the others players, the stand- outs are Cathleen Nesbitt; in the one really vital role of the venom- ous Countess of Gemini, and Robert Flemyng as the unbearable husband, * though there are fine portraits by Halliwell Hobbes, Eva Leonard - Boyne,' Barbara O’Neil and Jap Farrand: Douglas Watson as the cousin was barely audible beyond the footlights at. the opener, though all except Miss Nesbit were hard to hear. The staging by Jose Quintero appears to be deliberately static as part of the. special almosphere the play tries to achieve, but it seems to. Suit the low-key mood, while production details, costumes and all, including the off-stage music of Schumann are as elegant as the two scenes themselves. A good deal of work might give the piece more vitality and clarity, but the stage seems hardly suited to the highly inflected overtones of James’ reflections on the path to spiritual maturity. Etie. Tlie Flowering Peach Wilmington, Nov. il. - Producers Theatre production cl ram u in two acts (10 scenes) by Clifford Odets. Stars Mehasha Skulnik. Directed bv the author; scenery and lighting. ' Mofdecai Gorelik; costumes, Ballou; music, Alan Hovhaness. Presented at Plavlmuse. Wil- mington, Del., Nov. 11, ’54: $4.20 top. Nosh Monasbn Skulnik Esther .. Berta Gcrstcn Jtiphelh illiam Smitliers Shem Martin .Hitt “ ar n Leon Jaiiney Osna Palmer Rachel ,, Janice Rule G° 1( Ue ,, Barbara axley Tax Collector Eion idnc.v A'rmus Eawns. . . Patricia Fay Goat,-.. Barbara Kay Burro Sidney Kay ; . Although -‘The Flowering Peach” is brilliantly written, handsomely, staged and beautifully: acted, s its boxoffide chances don't look too encouraging, Clifford Odets has written the kind- of play that will arouse either high enthusiasm or sharp disapproval. There doesn’t seein to be any middle ground for a playgoer’s reaction to the au- thor’s treatment of the Noah’s Ark story. The treatment is modern as re- gards dialog and costuming. The characters speak in contemporary idiom and wear modern dress. The playwright has tried to blend the. Old Testament story with charac- ter studies of one man’s family (in this Case: Noah’s). Most of the time he is successful. The first act covers the building of the ark, with Noah gradually winning over his doubting family to the reality of the impending flood. The second act tok r, s place aboard the ark and is concerned mainly with the family squabbles and crises arising as Noah and his flock impatiently awailt deliver- ance. ■ “Peach” necessarily is episodic, with 10 scenes covering the action. But it is in the writing and acting that the show gets in its real kicks. Odet’s lines at times approach, the poetic and he demonstrates throughout that he is still a master of trenchant dialog. . Menasha Skulnik has a field day in the fat Noah. role. He is the. average man, puzzled that he should be chosen to- be the only surviving patriarch. His comedy moments are: priceless, adding up to a superb performance, Berta Gersten, as Esther, plays her role of loyal wife and peacemaker with dignity and commanding presence. Martin Ritt shows an excellent understanding of the elder son, the eternal businessman and a natural born leader. Japheth rep- resents the nonconformist, the eternal rebel. ,. William Smithers brings to life the character Of the non-conformist Japheth, underplay- ing at just the right moments. .... Of the sons’ wives, Barbara Bax- ley is standout, as ;a flashy blonde who finally wins the love of Jap- heth. Janice Rule, as the gentle Rachel, is decorative,, but other- wise doesn’t register. Osna Pal- mer has several good scenes as the strong-willed mate of Shem. Sidney Annus has a brief scene as a modern-minded tax collector, and later doubles as a bored lion waiting for .the waters, to recede. TWO fawns, a goat, and burro are impersonated in one scener but add little to the play. The author’s direction iS: gener- ally effective, although he still needs to accelerate the pace. The settings and lighting by Mordecai Gorelik help to establish the play’s mood and background music by Alan Hovhaness is expressive. Klep. Black-Eyed Susan Hartford, Nov. 11; Gordon W. Pollock (in; association with James Goodman >nd Everett Hartt) pro" duction of comedy in three acts : (five scenes), by A. B. Shiffrin.-. Stars Vincent Price; features Kay .Medford, Everett Sloaiie, Dana Wynter, Charles Boaz. Di- rected by Gregory Ratoff: scenery arid costumes, William Molyneux. At Parsons Theatre,.Hartford, Nov. 11,-*54; $3.80 top. Dr. Nicholas Marsh Vincent Price Zelda Barry ....... Kay Medford Dr. Louis Bean Everett Slgane Susan GiUesni Dana Wynter Peter Gillespi Charles Boaz Nicky Ira Roberts A fellow named Kinsey discov- ered several yeai-s ago that sex is spelled $sx, and the same may he demonstrated again by “Black- Eyed Susan.” The comedy Will never set the world on. fire for its writing, acting or direction. But, its content might keep, it on Broad- way for some time. S-E-X is spelled out all over the three acts. 'There is no subtlety, no imagination-*-] ust single en- tendre. Story involves a lecherous bachelor doctor,; his amorous femme associate, and a young wpman who wants a baby her hus- band can’t give her. As the doctor, film-legit star Vincent Price exhibits a good sense of timing, Kay Medford, as the associate of the medic, gives an outstanding comedy perform- ance with her attempts to lasso the doc: Charles Boaz. is convincing as the on-the-make gal’s sterile hus- band. British actress Dana Wyn- ter, making her U. S. legit debut, is attractive as the doctor-chasing wench in search of a child. Everett Sloane is also good'as the bachelor-hero’s medic friend and'adviser. And as a product of applied eugenics, moppet Ira Rob- erts, is also okay. William Molyneux’ doctor’s of- fice setting is authentic; warm and liveable, and Gregory Ratoff’s stag- ing is as broad and propulsive as the lightweight material allows, "" ' Erie. Ohp Eyp riosed . Boston, Nov. 13. aila Stoddard . production- of comedy in three ^cts (five scenes), by. Justin Sturm. Stars .Tom Helmore: features Constance Ford, John Baragrey. Directed by Romney Brent: S-eheTy, Eldon Elder: costumes. Virginia VoU^nd. At the Wil- bur. Boston; Nov. ’54: $3.60 .top, Gordon Cnmeron. Tom Helmore Denla Cameron Constance Ford Mary Benson Marjorie Eaton Frenchy Mulligan Harry Ellerbe Trixie Tyson Moultrie Patten Cy Milton . ....., . John Fiedler Sheriff -Meyers Iggfc Wellington Elsji Klnne.v . Parker McCormick Lowell Mrtrko.v , . John ; Bara grey Cokey Mulquee n , George Mathews State Police' S.^t. Charles Beilin State Policem-n Ichard Everhart American Indian Hal Thompson While it i$ possible and; indeed, desirable to close both eyes on the antics of this survival of some doubtless hilarious summer night oh the strawhat circuit, it is unfor- tunately impossible to close both ears to its antic lines. The “new comedy,” as it’s billed, hasn’t a chance, except perhaps as . an idea for a film programmer. A farce typical of Baker’s cata- log-for amateurs, “One Eye Closed” opens on a scene in a Connecticut Barn, complete with a real horse in the stall, Unfortunately there are people there, too, a young writer and his wife, down to their last $6. Presently a trio of Yale men ap- pear arid persuade him to go back to a class reunion clad in convict’s stripes. It goes on and on from there. The cast struggles furiously to give the opus some appeal. Tom Helmore, a very competent per- former, gives some semblance of Credibility to the Writer, and there are bright moments contributed by Iggie Wolfington as a sheriff, Moultrie Patton as the girl friend, John Baragrey; as an escaped con- vice and George Mathews as bis friend. The two sets are admirable,, and so are the costumes. Titer horse is good, too. Elie. Mijllcent’s Castle New Hope, Pa., Nov. 10. Michael Ellis pt-dductioh of comedy in three acts, by: Frederic Morton. Stars Julie Wilson, James Daly; features Karl Redcoff, Rudolf Weiss. Staged by Alfred Prakei scenery. W. Broderick Hackett. At Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, Pa.. Noy. 8-13,. *54; $3.75 top. Maximlllian ....... Rudolf Weiss Maid . ; Lynn Strelzln Dr. Bernard B'eift James Daly Milllcent Grady JulM Wilson 2d Maid Anne Benson Dr. Anne Bolton lllie Lou Watt Prince yon Osterloh. Karl Redcoff Flint Grady Donald Burr ; Despite some obvious weak spots in the New Hope stock production, “Millicent’s Castle” looks like a good bet for Broadway. At least it is composed of the stuff hits are made of and is. certainly the most promising in Mika Ellis’“Fall Fes- tival of New Plays” at the Bucks County playhouse, ... “Millicent’s Castle” is a delight- ful blend of highbrow and lowbrow comedy, with just enough sex. add- ed to make things jell. Despite this, the first act lags slightly, tne secoftd act Curtain doesn’t quite click and the third act is confusing, Millicent is . a dumb-like-a-fox, thrice-wed; showgirl about to take on an Austrian prince . as her fourth. All. is rosy until Millie’s “one-room” castle in the Tyrolean Alps is invaded by a group of visit- ing archeologists. After consider- able lusty bedroom roulette, Milli- cent and her scientist see eye-to- eye, so to speak, while the prince ends up a business partner of hus-. band number three. . The strongest assets of the play are author Frederic Morton’s orig- inal and spicy views on American- versus European sex lores and his deft hand with a sight gag., Julie Wilson, primarily, a singer, seems inadequate in the. name part, which Would require a Judy Holi- day to put across. As. the scientist, James Daly tends to recite the lines, without apparent conviction^ Rest of the cast, sparked by Rudolf Weiss as Millie’s charming butler, is adequate for stock, but a New York production may require more. Production right to the play are held , by Ellis and Alfred Drake, who directed. Present plans call for bringing it into New York if and when casting difficulties are ironed out. Heny. Mother Was a Bachelor Pasadena, Nov. il, Pasadena Playhouse Assn, production of comedy In three acts (four scenes), by Jrvlng W. Phillips: based on" a story by Myna Lockwood. Stars' Billie Burke. Di- rected' bv Beatrice Hnssel; scenery, Rita Glover. At Pasndona Playhouse, Pasadena, Nov. 11, *54; $2.40 top. Tommy. Pierce Gerry Nlbley Virginia Pierce . Reba Waters Emma Pierce . Florence Thomason Jennifer Pierce Dona Lowe Ellen Smith Billie Burke JJr. Frazier Andrew Winberg Harlan Bushfield . . Alan Smith Hiarleen Joyce Susan Seaforth Voice of Jim Barney Richards George Pierce Frank Cadv ?°£ nl £ Hon Sullivan J. R. Bushfield ....... Alex Petrie •Timmv Gibson. Johnny Frank Mrs. Tutbury. .. Em Matthews Christopher Joyce- DaveSShowaiter There’s nothing more than a one-act play in this new. Irving Phillips script, despite labored at- tempts tb string it out to full- length. As a result, “Mother” is likely to attract only some homey attention as an offering of small- town drama groups and little thea- tres. Its •.commercial possibilities are virtually nil. Plot involves a woman who pitches In to raise her sister’s three kids when the . sister dies. She becomes a virtual slave to her brother-in-law and his family, but finally asserts hbr independence after becoming friendly with a visiting youngster, and there’s a curtain hint of romance with the moppet’s father. Billie Burke is charming, though unsure of herself in the central role, and there are good ^perform- ances from Susan Seaforth as the visiting youngster and Frank Cady as the brother-in-law. Beatrice Hassell’s direction 1 is on the Erratic ?ide. Production's best asset is a -tunning fin-de-siecle Iowa farm- iouse set, complete, with practical pump, by Rita Glover. Kap. Marry-Go-Roand Dallas, Nov. 6. . Margo Jones production of comedy In three acts (four scenes), by Albert Dlcka- son. Features Edwin Whltner, Kathleen Phelan. Directed by Ramsey Burch: tech- nical direction,. James Pringle, At. Thea- tre '54, Dallas, Nov. -8,. *54; S3 top, Herman Liggins Charles Braswell Eloise Ettinger .Juleen Compton Minerva Liggins ,. ...... Kathleen Phelan Maurice Ettinger . ,Y.James Field Randolph Fairchild HI,.,.. John Bradford Edwin Liggins ........ .... Edwin Whltner Gertrude Ettinger ..; . Louise Latham Tod Chambers ,; Michael Dolan Melvin Liggins .......... Harry Bergman Ellfreda Stowe . ......... Sadie French Charles Egbert Wicks;.,. Edward Cullen Mrs. Fairchild ..... Lillian Schepps “Marry Go Round,” new farce by Albert Dickason, is the tryout opener, of Margo Jones’. 10th Ideal arena season—which includes two summer sessions since her June 1947, local start. Lightweight three-actor would have fitted bet- ter in the producer’s recent 15- week hot season run, which called for five new comedy scripts. Ignoring Dickason’s pun title, his effort turns out to be a satisfactory “audience” show, but nothing more. Laughs build slowly, with bellies at closing. Frothy fare is based on the stale- mated marriage of a yoUng couple when it’s learned that the girl’s un- conventional grandparents were never married. There’s a. triple wedding at curtain, with the erring elders included to dispel the many, references to illegitimate offspring. Kathleen Phelan, newcomer, at Theatre ’54, walks off With acting honors in the fat part of, the giddy grandma, . Edwi whitner, re- turnee, after a year’s absence, is likable granddad, and Charles Bras- well, returning for only the open-, er; ‘ properly prim as the “ille- gitimate” minister. Ingenue Jul- een Compton, looker, supplies S • Comedy, expertly directed by Ramsey Burch, gets a three-week run of 24 . performances here. James Pringle’s; technical direc- ti , props and lighting are com- mendable assists. Bark. Fly r Away Peter Ottawa,, Nov.. 10; Canadian Repertory Theatre production of comedy in three act? (five scenes),.by A. P.' Dearsley. Directed by Harry Gel- • dard; scenery, Wilf Pegg. At LaSalle Academy, Ottawa, Nov. 9, '54. “Fly Away Peter” a clever domestic comedy - drama which scored a success a few years ago in London. Its author treats a num- ber of fairly stock situations and characters with surprising fresh- ness in plot twists, characterization and dialog. With, some Americanization of the lines, as ^Canadian Repertory Theatre seems to hav6 . done in part, it might go in stock locations where “the family next, door” type of play is popular. And it has enough flip lines to stand a chance with more sophisticated audiences as well, if directed as well as Hari’y Geldard has done it here. A possessive mother and her un- assertive spouse find themselves losing their four children to mar- riage and/or foreign parts in fairly short order, Mom is desolated, but gradually matures into acceptance, and finally—skillfully needled by pop—chases the hesitant, youngest out of the nest into wedlock. Some of the scenes are funny and some are touching. There’s a running gag about a clock which the ' father ineffectually putters with, and all the curtains-are good except for a third-act “going to have a baby” line, which might be, more effective earlier. Standout performance,, in the best role, is by pretty .brunette Jan Campbell as an impish teenager who bounces in with a shiner which she has treated with tb steak her family is about to hav for’Supper. Margaret Braidwood is- admir- able as her mother, Ian Fellows does nicely as the father, and so do Ronald Bailey as the boy next door, John Clark and Douglas Maguire as the brothers, Katharine Hawtrey. and Charles Jarrott as the sister and the handsome Nor- wegian she marries. June Lehmann,, as a pregnant bride-to-be, is directed to over- play her brief, embarrassing ao- pearance, which the author would better have, omitted. Before that, she’s thumbriailed as “amenable-^ she does what she’s told,” which gets the idea over much better, Aside from that flaw. Harry Gel- dard’s direction is deft and inven- tive, and the production nicely pol- ished for weekly stock. Wilf Pegg's single set is unobtrusively apt. Card. McCleery ■* ‘Meeting’ Peterborough. N: H.* Nov. 16. Premiere of “Family Meeting, by William, McCleery/ former Broadway playwright now residing here, was staged N6.v. 5-6 by the local Monadnock Theatre Guild. Production was directed by Al- lan Carman, also of Peterborough.