Variety (January 19, 1955)

68 IKGiriMATE VSrTETy Wednesday, January 19, 1955 Shows Abroad 1/Amour ilrx I ('olsnifll (LOVE OF 4 COLONELS) Paris, Jan. 1, Grcnior Hussenot pronurtion of comedy | n three acts bv Peter Ustinov, adapted bv Mare-Gilbert Sauvajun. Directed by .lean-Pierre Grenier; scenery and cos- tumes. Jean-Denis Malcles. At Fontaine Theatre. Paris. Dec. 3, ’54. Col. Hinder-Sparrow ... Olivier Hussenot Col. Breitenspieyel Jess Hahn Col. Ikonenko Roger Carel Col. Frapot Louis Velle Mayor ot Hergo»enbeurg Jean Rockefort Prof. Diabolikov . .. Jean-Pierre Grenier Virginia Donovan ..... Catherine Erard She Magali Noel Ustinov’s fantastic comedy has clicked very nicely here and is set for a profitable run. Marc-Gilbert Sauvajon’s adaptation has caught the flavor of the witty British orig- inal. and happy casting and under- standing direction have done the rest. Production on tiny stage of the 300-scat Fontame Theatre is a miniature one. but small-scale mounting helps rather than hurts this slight script about the colonels of the Big Four armies, the sleeping beauty and the spirits of evil and good. Tiie graceful production matches the material perfectly. The sleep- ing beauty is a real beauty. Magali Noel, who is also an excellent and versatile actress. Olivier Hussenot plays the Brit- ish colonel with quiet charm. Jess Hahn, an American who has done much French film work, scores as the somewhat yokelish Yankee, Roger Carel is fine as the rigidly protocol-minded Russian and Louis Velle sound as the practical Frenchman. Curt. picture actress wife, Sirfione Sig- noret. Marcel Ayme’s French adapta- tion is a faithful translation that preserves the power of the climatic scenes, but retains the dull and repetitious passages, so that even the able direction of Raymond Rouleau is unable to camouflage the dead spots. Loosely constructed, “Les Sor- cicres” moves slowly, running a full three hours, with only a 15- minute break. Rs main points, the evil of mass hysteria and bearing false witness, are so heavily made from the start that the big scene of the trial, coming late in the eve- ning. is in the nature of an anti- climax. Montand, making his stage debut ! as the defiant man of the soil, scores with natural ease, but Simone Signoret, though endowed with striking looks and command- ing presence, seems grimly deter- i mined to under-act. Nicole Courcel, up-and-coming !egit-pix actress, registers heavily as Hie trouble-making servant wench. Curt. The Dilemma Inside Stuff-Legit B’way Hits Continued from page S3 I nf >uil Jnx BaleaPfk (A NIGHT IN THE BALEARICS) Paris, Jan. 1. Andre Cherrier production of operetta In two acts (six scenes), by Jean Guitton. Geo. Roger. Stars Zappy Max: features. Raymond Cordy. S;>bine Andre. Pierre Miguel. Janaine Andral. Staged by Maurice Poggi; music by Loulou Caste; 1\ lies. Roger: book Guitton; seta. Chev- irux; costumes. Jeanne Sauna); choreog- raphy. Patricia: orchestrations. Jacques Pastory. At Theatre De L’Etoile. Paris; s.; top. Prosper Zappy Max Allredo Raymond Cordy Mathilde Sabine Andre Li.se J -naine Andral Pedro Pierre Miguel Rose Jackie Roll in Archiduc Jean Jacques Bourgois Frajol Rene-Marc This is another evidence of the dearth of the musical here. Hap- hazard staging, nil music and hope- lessly dated book makes this more charade than theatre. The star. Zappy Max, a mugging/ recruit from radi* and commercial films, employs an agitated eye-rolling style, without much suggestion of talent. With the Empire Theatre giving up any idea of importing U.S. musicals intact or adapting them, it looks like this substitute fare will remain in its stagnating niche of turn-of-the-century hash. However, the public obviously wants it, for such shows are a staple here. This has a young girl, forced to marry a Duke, running off to the Balearics with her two servants. A scheming Archduke makes a play lor the maid who masquerades as her fugitive mistress. The Duchess gets a vagabond, and the eye-popping valet gets his girl back from the. Duk'*. It’s all pretty antique and obvious, but will have a moderate run. Mosk. l.fN Soreleros rV ^alem (THE CRUCIBLE) Paris, Jan. 1, A. M. Julien production of drama in four acts, by Arthur Miller: adapted by Marcel Ayme. Stars Yves Montand. Simone Signoret. Directed by Raymond Rouleau; scenery and costumes. Lila de Nobili. At Sarah Bernhardt Theatre. Paris, Dec. 18, ’54. Rev. Parris Betty Pari is Tituha Abigail Williams Susanna Walcotts Mrs. Ann Putnem Thomas Putnam Mercy I.ewis Mary Warren .... John Proctor .... Rebecca Nurse .... Gil les Corey Rev. John Hale Elisabeth Proctor Willard Judge Hathornc Deputy GOV. D Hopkins Eaechiel Chee\ er Francis Nurse Mary Walcotts Eva Barrow Little Jenny ... Sarah Good . Henri Cremieux Christiane Fere/. .. . Miss Darling .. Nicole Courcel .... Picolette .... Denise Clair Raoul Marco BriKitte Barbier rnneette Vernillat Yves Montand !. Coutan-Lamhert Jean d’Yd Pierre Mondy Simone Si-’noret Jean Violette Maurice Nasil Marc Valbel Maurice Chevlt C.era<-d Darrieu Robert Moor Danielle Lebrun Eva Rory Maritza Jeanne Guillemln $43.6 1 4 to recoup. Profit for the weeks ending Jan. 8 and last Sat- urday (15) was approximately $16,000. At that rate it’s figured the capitalization can be recouped in another three weeks. The May Kirshner production cost $72,333 to open in New York. Gross for the first four weeks, end- ing Jan. 1, was $104,986, with orofit for that period totalling $29,477. The Jan. 7 distribution was ac- counted for in the Jan. 1 account- ing. leaving $2,297 available for distribution. The two shows that paid off be- cause of film sales w’ere both $75,000 straight plays, “Tender Trap.” which ended its Broadway run Jan. 8. and “Rainmaker.” cur- rently in its 13th week at the Cort Theatre. “Boy Friend.” musical import, currently in its 17th week at the Royale, recouped its $140,- 000 stake in 10 weeks. Another tuner. “Fanny.” currently in its 12th week at the Majestic, should recover its $275,000 investment by Feb. 17. “Quadrille.” current at the Coro- net. is expected to pay off its $75,000 investment by next Satur- day (12>, while “Bad Seed,” current at the 46th Street Theatre, may pav off its $65,000 stake during its 10th week, ending Feb. 12. “Mrs. Patterson,” at the National, is ex- pected to get back its entire $75.- 000 investment at the end o r its 10th or 11th week, ending Feb. 5 and 11, respectively. To Americans accustomed to thinking of London as having a healthier and traditionally richer theatre than Broadway, a recent column by Kenneth Tynan in the London Observer may be interesting and per- haps enlightening. Writing of a recent visit to Paris, the critic says, “Theatrically. Paris makes all of us sybarites. The English critic! accustomed to begging and yapping for the veriest crumb of quality,’ rapidly finds that his taste for caviar is regarded not as a bizarre craving, but as a natural appetite which not to satisfy would be a gross discourtesy.” - Tynan then describes productions at the three major Paris repertory theatres, the Comedie-Francaise, the Compagnie Renaud-Barrault at the Marigny and Jean Vilar’s Theatre National Populaire, at the Palais de Chaillot, making favorable comparison with Britain’s Old Vic. He concludes. “Where, in the absence of a national playhouse, is i)r Hienkinso n ,il,K ' ’ Fred MiUon V Seller I our ^est *° sought? Must we forever shrink from committing Jennifer' Du bed a t <• rnidinV Fiu-eraH ourselves to a theatre which should enshrine our drama, cradle and Louis Dubcdat Roddy McDowaii nourish it, presenting eight times a wjfk a performance of which we Waiter ".TV.’.'.' Datk^Hook^ say to our guests: ‘This is English at^ng. This is our style.’ If it be Newspaper Man Arthur Andean argued that there is no audience for such an experiment, I answer in secretary Fritz eaver , t ra( jitional maxim of French actors: ‘The public always follows the crowd.’ And in any theatre, from Shakespeare’s to our own, the intelligent public is ultimately the crowd.” Phoenix Theatre <T. Edward Hamble- ton & Norris Houghton) production of comedy in five acts tone intermission) by Bernard Shaw. Features Philip Bourneuf. Geraldine Fitzgerald, Will Kuluva. Roddy McDowaii, Milton Selzer. Betty Sinclair, Shepperd Strudwick, Vaughn Taylor, F’rederic Worlock. Direction. Sidney Lumet; scenery and lighting, Klaus Holm; costumes. Alvin Colt. At Phoenix. N.Y., Jan. 11. ‘54; S4.BO-S3.45 top. Redpenny .. F'rederic Warriner Emmy .... ... Betty Sinclair Sir Colenso Ridceon Shepperd Strudwick Dr. Schutzmacher ... Vaughn Taylor Sir Patrick Cullen Philip Bourneuf Cutler Walpole Will Ruluva As the third production of the season, T. Edward Hambleton and Norris Houghton offer a competent revival of “The Doctor’s Dilemma” at their off-Broadway Phoenix Theatre. As Shaw himself pointed out, his plays require a flamboyant performance of almost musical comedy quality, so mere compe- tence tends to dim their glitter. Under the rather earnest direc- tion of Sidney Lumet, this edition of less-than-major Shaw is mod- erately interesting, occasionally somewhat moving, but never stim- ulating. And though it’s a common- place to observe that Shaw never ages, this talkathon, which the au- thor labelled a “tragedy,” does seem a bit dated. The old master’s familiar garrulousness is intact, but his celebrated brilliance frequently resembles mere attitudinizing. Chiefly because of the vibrant presence of Geraldine Fitzgerald as Shaw’s unbelievable but winning heroine, and to some extent on the mettlesome playing of Roddy Mc- Dowaii as the devastatingly logical, amoral artist and Frederic Wor- lock as the amusingly bombastic quack, the revival seems an accept- able venture for the usual limited engagement on lower Second Av., but it’s no prospect for transferral to Broadway. Among the alphabetically-billed featured players there are vary- ingly acceptable performances by Philip Bourneuf. Will Kuluva, Shepperd Strudwick. Vaughn Tay- lor and Milton Seizer as loqua- ciously baffled doctors, and Betty Sinclair as a crotchety, tyrannical maid. There are also passable sup- porting bits by Peggy Pope as a maid, Arthur Anderson as an imbecilic newspaper man and Fritz Weaver as a vain art gallery flunkey. Klaus Holm has provided budget- dictated scenery and Alvin Colt the costumes. Hobc. Correct gross for the initial two weeks of “Saint of Bleecker Street’* at the Broadway Theater, N.Y., was $41,800 for the preem stanza, ending Jan. 1, and $31,700 for the following frame, ending Jan. 8. Capitalized at $150,000, the Chandler Cowles production cost around $107,000 to open, excluding bonds, can break at $29,000 gross and can make an $18,000 profit at capacity, which is $54,000. Musical gives only seven performances a w’eek. Carpenter’s Lillie Leave For Commitment in U.S. London, Jan. 18. Constance Carpenter, currently In the cast of “An Evening with Beatrice Lillie.” at the Globe Theatre, takes a four-week leave of absence beginning Feb. 5 to fill a commitment in the U. S. Actress last appeared on Broad- way as featured femme lead in “The King and I.” follow ng the death of Gertrude Lawrence. Farmers Roland Carey. Michel Herve Arthur Miller’s melodrama of witch-hunting in 17th century New England looks like a Parisian win- ner. It has been expertly mount- ed in an exacting, exnersive and handsome production that stresses the eerie gloom of its bleak back- ground with ofT-stage nsalm-sing- ing. solemn organ music and the shrill roll of execution drums. It is acted with precision and per- suasion by a shrewd'y-pickcd cast. * headed by the popular s : nger and film star, Yves Montand, and his I Current Road Shows (Jan. 17-29) At Home With Ethel Waters— Erlancer. Buffalo (23); Aud.. Rochester <24-2.')). Dark Is Light Enough (tryout)--Ford’s, Belli. <17-22>: National. Wash. <24-29). Desperate Hours (tryout)—Locust St., Phillv. (17-29). Fifth Season —Erlanger. Chi. (17-29). Cettinn Gertie’s Garter— Erlanger. Buf- falo (17 22). Grand Prize (tryout)—Wilbur, Boston (17-22) Gui* A Dolls—Erlanger. Buffalo (24-29). King and I— Shubert. -Chi. (17-29). Moon Is Blue— Curran, S.F. (20 29). Oh Men, Oh Women —Harris, Chi. (17 2«>. Pajama Game —Shubert, New Haven i (29). Pajama Tops- Eidanger. Phillv. (17-29). ' Plain and Fancy (trvout)—Shubert. Ph<llv. (17-22). Ruth Draper—Shubert, Wash. (17-22); Wi'bur. Boston (24-29). Seven Ye-r Itch —Victory, Dayton ( 17 - 22); Cox, Cincinnati (24-29). Silk Stockings (tryout)—Shubert, Bos- ton (17 29). South Pacific —Shubert. New Haven 07-22); Masonic Temple. Scranton, Pa. (24-37); Binghamton. Binghamton, N.Y. (28-29) Southwest Corner (tryout)—Walnut St., Ph'Hy. (17-22); llanna. Cleveland (24 29). Tea and Sympathy— Forrest. Phillv. (17 22); Royal Alexandra, Toronto (24-29). Teahouse of *he August Moon— Rilt- more. I,.A. (17-29). Tender Trap McCarter. Princeton (21- 22); W alnut St.. Phillv. (24 29). Tonight in Samarkand (trvout)—Colo- nial.. Boston (17-22); Forrest, Phila. (2-I-29). Wayward Saint (tryout)—Colonial, IV»s- ton <27-29i. Wonderful Town - Shubert, Detroit (17- 22>; Shubert. Phila. (24 29). Thp Mprphanl of V<*nU*e (FINCH PLAYHOUSE, N.Y.) Clarence Derwent’s Shylock, with Whitford Kane’s old Gobbo thrown in for good measure, make noteworthy the Club Theatre’s revival of “The Merchant of Ven- ice.” For the most part, the bal- ance of the troupe at the Finch College Playhouse rely on self- conscious externalities, even Les- ley Woods’ winsome Portia staying in the realm of the charming smiles. Given vital direction and sup- ported by a well-schooled company, the Derwent Shylock might con- ceivably be memorable. At pres- ent the performance is extremeiy deliberate, but with ample compre- hension of the Jew’s tragedy. As he stands surrounded by the repre- hensible Venetian sophisticates, this Shylock has nobility, and it is a piteous moment when he strug- gles to murmur, “I am content.” to those who have stripped him of daughter, home and fortune. Directed conventionally by Iza Itkin, little of the play’s lissome quality emerges. Although the company is personable, there seems to be an idea that Shakespearean style consists of standing straddle- legged. slapping shoulders with Legit Bits false joviality, embracing at nose- . distance, and carrying on panto- j a P°l ls . the week ending Jan. 8. Fredd Wayne goes into the cast of the touring “Oh Men. Oh Wom- en” next week, succeeding Larry' Blyden. That will enable the latter to return to New* York and reoc-„ cupy the apartment he has been subletting to Wayne . . . Play- wright-scenarist George Oppen- heimer becomes a drama critic this week, starting a weekly column on the Broadway theatre for News- day, the Long Island daily. The touring edition of “Tender Trap,” presented by Arthur Wax- man, Jay Lurye and Bernard Si- mon, has been financed for $25.- 000. Joe Moss will be company manager, Simon advance agent. Jack Woods stage manager and Phil Schrager assistant . . . Ac- tress-producer Miriam Laserson has returned from London, where she produced and appeared in “Girl on the Via Flaminia.” She has brought several scripts by British playwright B. B. Rigby. Charles Adams announces plans for production of “Friendly Per- suasion,” Halsey Malone’s drama- tization of the Jessamyn West col- lection of short stories . . . Au- thor’s agent Carl Cowl has re- turned from a month’s vacation in Venezuela. Dorothy Chernuck and Omar K. Lerman will present the Canadian Players platform production of “Saint Joan” for a one-nighler Feb. 2 at the Glass Center Thea- tre, Corning, N. Y. . . . Saint-Sub- ber has scheduled a production next season of George Tabori's “Blind Man’s Buff,” to star the author’s wife, Viveca Lindfors. Maurice Schwartz will direct and star in a series-of three plays to be produced in English at the Downtown National Theatre be- ginning Feb. 16 for a 16-week run. Produced by Russell-Farrow Pro- ductions Co., in association with Cy Metric, series will include Sholom Aleichem’s “The Grass Is Always Greener,” Moliere’s “The Miser” and Shakesoeare’s “King Lear” . . . Sonia Torgensen has joined the cast of the Palm Tree Playhouse, Sarasota. Robert Preston was inadvertent- ly tagged Preston Foster in a story mentioning the stars of the recent- ly closed Broadway production of “Tender Trap” in last week’s Variety . . . Dave Lippincott has contributed music and lyrics to “Pleasure Dome.” new musical skedded for Broadway production by Jack Segasture . . . Gross on “Sailor’s Delight” in last week’s Variety erroneously credited show with playing the Lyceum, Minne the production, planes Saturday (22) to Australia to repeat his role in the comedy, which is being put on for 10 weeks at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, under the production auspices of Carroll Fuller. Yul Brynner, costar of “King and I,” has enrolled as a parttime student at Northwestern U. during the show's run in Chicago . . . David Lipsky in Chicago advancing Ruth Draper’s two-weeker at the Selwyn, starting Jan. 31 ... It was visitor's week for “Oh Men, Oh Women” cast members in Chicago last week with Peggy Cass’ sister and Patrick O’Neal’s mother in from New York. Nancy Davids has optioned for production this spring a comedy, “Sylvester.” dramatized by Daie Wasserman and Jack Batch, from the Edward Hyams novel. “998” . . . Louise King, who played the femme lead in the touring edition of “Seven Year Itch” for more tfurn two years, takes over the same rile in the Broadway troupe Saturday (22), replacing Sally Forrest . . . Abe Burrows has taken over as di- rector-librettist of “Silk Stockings,” currently trying out in Boston. He replaces George S. Kaufman as stager and the latter and Leueen MaoGrath as author of the book. Following the recent death of manager Peter Ermitinger, the staff of the Biltmore Theatre, L.A., includes Eddie Oliver, Cy Grody and Harriet Alexander. mimic side-conversations which | Production actually played that lo- distract from the main action. | ca tion the previous week, grossing Whitford Kane’s Old Gobbo. on 1 ar °und $13,000, and took in about the contrary, is a delightful object $14,000 at the Pabst, Milwaukee, lesson in the value of simplicity, a lesson that seems lost, for exam- ple, on Roy Dean in his contortion- in its windup week, ending Jan. 8. The Lambs will present a pro- gram of six skits by legit press- ate portrayal of young Launcelot \ agent and former Broadway col- Gobbo^ Enthusiasm marks Alan umnist S. Jay Kaufman, in associ- Shayne’s fur-trimmed Bassanio, at ion with John Effrat and Julian but despite its buoyancy the per- ; Noa. Show, with music bv Eddie formance lacks conviction. Weber, will be offered next Sun- Iola Llyn, as the handmaiden \ day (23) at the Lambs Theatre Nerissa, gives welcome signs of N Y Amru Sani, Indian chan- neling at home in Shakespeare, teuse. arrived in New’ York Mon- The use of a White Clown in the day <17> aboard the Liberte after Belmont scenes^ to reflect Portia’s an Italian tour in the musical emotions has the unfortunate ten- “Tutte donne Meno Io” . Gerry take the focus f,om Miss | O’Connell back in New York after 68 weeks on the road as general manager for “Time Out for Gin- ‘Tea’ Script Tiff Continued from pare 63 through when the producer-direc- tor was unable to obtain the adap- tor he sought for the assignment. They deny that Mrs. Anderson showed the “Trial” outline to her husband and assert that the play- wright has never, even yet, seen the material. Woods. Using a unit set. John A. Ab- bate has designed eye-catching ger,” wh^ch closed Jan 8 at th*. backgrounds, and Ruth Morle'- R»s ; Curran Theatre San Francisco costumed colorfully. Geor.! Melvyn DoZ g l»% whS starred in It’s understood that extensive pre-trial examination brought out that the final script of “Tea and Sympathy” was based on a short story, “Katherine and Pity and Love and I,” written by Anderson in 1948 and submitted to various magazines at that time, and an earlier edition of the play, also written in 1948. The playwright has voluminous and detailed notes covering various stages of both works, plus a number of letters and memos, etc., to and from dif- ferent legit managements regard- ing possible production of the drama. Except for minor portions of dia- log, all of the final version of “Tea” is covered in the original short story, the first draft of the play and the various notes. It’s pointed out that, whereas both the original story and first version of the play were written in 1948, the Mason-Heller outline was not sub- mitted to MCA until May, 1952. Pending settlement or dropping of the suit, the case is listed for trial March 19. Meanwhile, An- derson is on the Coast, working on a screen treatment of “Tea” for MGM, which has purchased the rights under a down payment, plus additional payments subject to pro- duction code approval of a suitable adaptation.