Variety (November 1957)

72 LEGIT0UTE ■pOBtUtTr Wednesday, November 6, 1957 Shows on Broadway dTamjiiem David Merrick production of musical comedy in two parts (17 scenes), with hook by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saldy, score by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Harburg. Staged by Robert Lewis: choreography. Jack Cole; scenery, Oliver Smith; lighting, Jean Rosenthal: costumes. Miles White; musical direction, fnusical continuity and vocal arrangements. Lehman Engel; or¬ chestrations. Philip J. Lang: dance musical and additional vocals, Peter Matz. Stars Lena Home, Ricardo Montalban: fea¬ tures Josephine Premice. Joe Adams, Ossie Davis, Erik Rhodes. Adelaide Hall. At Imperial Theatre, N.Y., Oct. 31, '37; $8.35 top ($8.20 opening). Koli .. . .Richardo Montalban Quico .Augustine Bios Savannah .Lena Horne Grandma Obeah.Adelaide Hall Ginger . Josephine Premice Snodgrass ... Boy Thompson Hucklebuck .Hugh Dllworth Island Women . Ethel Ayler, Adelaide Boatner Governor .. Erik Rhodes Cicero . Ossie Davis Lancaster .. James E. Wall Ship's Officers.Tony Martinez, Michael Wright Joe Nashua . Joe Adams Dock Worker ... Allen Richards Radio Announcer ..Alan Shayne Lead Dancers...Alvin Alley, Christyne Lawson Singers, Dancers: Ethel Ayler, Adelaide Boatner, Jayne Craddock. Norma Donald¬ son. Patricia Dunn, Doris. Gallber. Lavinia Hamilton, Sandra Hinton. ChsUendra Jones. Audrey Mason, Sally Neal. Pearl Reynolds. Christine Spencer, Carolyn Stan¬ ford, Jacqueline Walcott. Barbara Wright, George Bo reland. Hugh Bryant, Herb Coleman. Hugh DUworth, Frank Glass, Harold Gordon, Nat Horne, Albert John¬ son. Tony Martinez, Jim McMillan, Charles Moore, Allen Rlehards. Claude Thompson. Roy Thompson, Billy Wilson. Michael WrlghJ. Ben Vargas. Numbers: "Savannah,** "Savannah’s Wedding Day." "Pretty to Walk With." "Push the Button," "Incompatibility." ''Little Biscuit." "Cocoanut Sweet." "Pity the Sunset." "Yankee Dollar," "What Good Doe? It Do;" "Monkey la the Mango Tree," "Take It Slow. Joe," "Beach at Night," "Ain't It the Truth." "Leave the Atom Alone." "For Every Fish." "I Don't Think I'll End It All Today," "Napoleon." Here’s a new hit to attract the musical comedy trade for the next; year or so. With a pulsating Harold Arlen score and neat E. Y, Harburg lyrics, it brings a triumphant Lena Home and an attractive Ricardo Montalban In a dynamic, colorful and entertaining show. As the advance report* from out ' of town indicated, “Jamaica” is an uneven musical, with the book the principal flaw. But the assets over¬ shadow the weaknesses to such a decree that the general impression is distinctly favorable. The show is particularly strong iirnts rich score, including a half-dozen or more hit songs, plus its lively dancing, visual splendor and Miss Home’s capti¬ vating performance and personal¬ ity. It’s an enjoyable fandango, will make a fine record album and ultimately a terrific picture. Alien and Harburg have been lavish in the all-important matter of number and quality of the songs for Miss Horne, and she repeatedly wraps up the audience with her knockout performance. The femme star, making her. first Broadway appearance in a leading part, has six solo numbers (including a re¬ prise of a duet) and five duets (in¬ cluding two reprises). Among them are at least three likely ballad pops and two comedy numbers. That’s an unusually generous allotment ^ for the star and the audience. Moreover, there’s considerable range of style in the songs, and Miss Home handles them all with skill and winning projection. Since Miss Home’s voice is not strong by legit standards the stage is microphoned more than normally (except for a balcony, from which she has to sing on several occasions and which is apparently unmiked —a surprising . lapse, considering the star’s importance to the show). Even ■* dancer, sings acceptably and, in short, makes good the promise he indicated a couple of seasons ago in a calamitous musical version of “Seventh Heaven.” Among the feature players, Jose¬ phine Premice is amusing (al¬ though her articulation isn’t clear) as an island hussy, Ossie Davis has an infectious comedy touch as a minor official with brief illusions of being a blgshot, Adelaide Hall is agreeable and sings capably as a matriarch, Erik Rhodes is amus¬ ingly pompous as the impressively mustachioed representative of Her Majesty’s government, Joe Adams is properly suave as a Harlem oper¬ ator trying to exploit the natives, and Augustine Rios is likeable as the heroine’s urchin brother, Robert Lewis has staged the pro¬ duction with obvious feeling for visual style and rhythm, although some of his groupings seem odd, notably placing the final clinch on a lofty balcony and focusing major attention on Montalban rather than Miss Horne. The show’s Jamaica locale has not only given Arlen and Harburg a chance for a wide variety of musi¬ cal styles (although; some of Har- burg’s political-social comment seems jarring), but also has allowed Jack Cole to devise superbly vig¬ orous dancing, for Oliver Smith to design lushly colorful scenery and Miles White tp provide lavish cos¬ tumes. Lehman Engel directs the music expertly and Jean Rosenthal has done a thoroughly professional lighting job. There may be various reactions to the racial aspect of the show. Although most northern urbanites aren’t likely to be concerned (most New Yorkers probably couldn’t care less), there may be raised eye¬ brows and perhaps increased blood- pressure among Dlxiecrats because of the love scenes between Miss Horne and Montalban, even though the latter appears to have been sun-lamped considerably. That won't hurt the boxoffice draw, how¬ ever, and should involve no prob¬ lem for the eventual screen edition of the musical, as the dialog and lyrics are utterly non-committal on the race and color of the hero, so he can be cast any way the studios may prefer. One other fact about “Jamaica’ may be worth mentioning, namely that it apparently makes five hits in succession for producer David Merrick. His previous ventures have included “Fanny,” in partner¬ ship With Joshua Logan; “The Matchmaker,” in partnership with the Theatre Guild, and this sea¬ son’s “Look Back in Anger” and “Romanoff and Juliet,” both the latter on his own and both doing steady capacity business thus far. Hobe. The Square Root of Wonderful Saint Subber & Figaro Inc., presentation of three-act comedy: drama by Carson McCulIers. Staged by George Keathley; setting and lighting, Jo Mlelziner; cos¬ tumes, Noel Taylor. Stars Anne Baxter; features Jean Dixon, Philip Abbott, Wil¬ liam Smithers, Martino Bartlett, Kevin Coughlin. At National Theatre, N.Y., Oct. 30, '57; $5.75 top weeknlghtsf $6.25 Friday and Saturday nights <$9.20 opening). Paris Lovejoy.Kevin Coughlin Mollie Lovejoy..*■.Anne Baxter John Tucker .... Philip Abbott Lorcena Lovejoy.Mar tine Abbott Mother Lovejoy ... Jean Dixon. Philip Lovejoy.William Smithers Joey Barnes ..Kippy Campbell Carson McCulIers ha* written „ - . . two rather odd and greatly admired i. the ouestion of her vocal j pieces, a novel called “The Heart endurance could he a vital matter j i s a Lonely Hunter” and her play, for the success of the production.; "Member of the Wedding.” This Although the Harburg-Fred } new work, no less odd but hardly Saidy book seems curiously static, calculated to be greatly admired, it at least gets the principals on- s has brought Anne Baxter back to stage quickly and provides ample \ the stage after 17 years in Holly- spots for the wealth of song and j wood. It is presented by Saint dance pickups. And because of its Subber and Figaro Inc. (the latter Caribbean locale it also offers wel- comprising film writer-director come scope for vivid scenery and Joseph Mankiewicr, the National costumes. In that connection, of I Broadcasting Co. and former agent course, some purists have objected Robert Lantz). It’s a puzzle, to the visual elegance (Miss Home, | "The Square Root of Wonderful,” especially, wears clothes of a ] sub-billed a love story, is a curious beauty beyopd the imagination of ; comedy-drama of cryptic elements, a native belle), but the same com- uninteresting characters and sur- plaint could obviously be made of; prisingly flat writing. Of course no the original songs she sings and, one who saw “Member of the Wed- for that matter, of the fact that an ding” would mistake Miss McCul- orchestra is conveniently present, lens for a dramatic craftsman. But Miss Horne is irresistible. Al-1 despite its glaring technical flaws ready estab’ished as a looker and i that play had a touching moody potent eaba^Mt singer with person- quality and it expressed undeniable anty and stvle, she demonstrates j emotion. in “Jamaica” that she also act} But this new piece, though per- enough to get by. and has author- j haps a better constructed play, ity and drive. Although she moves j seems lacking in writing style, in- with an p''-dancer’s grace, her nos- ; telligible theme or even compre- ture could be improved consider- j hensible meaning. It’s a rather *b*y- On Lie ofh°r hand, her enun- ! monotonous lot of palaver, with ciation is good in reading lines as jrareiy a raised voice or a particu- well as handling song lyrics. All in ; larly alive character. Under the all, this should establish her as a ' circumstances, the star’s name (and top stage r-M'Lrmer as well as a ; even the author’s) can’t help much, boxoffice (’"aw. . so the production is likely to sur- Montalb n, es costar, has excel-, vive only as long as the limited lent vital* tv and poise, and is a , theatre parties keep it afloat. It skillful enou h actor fqr mu ic'd offers little -for pictures. . comedy requirements. He*s a good , It’s hard to say what ‘ the play is about, or supposed to be about. The author explains in the last few lines. something about the square root of wonderful being love and happiness, and apparently she also approves of faith in others and our¬ selves, as well as of friendship, kindness and honesty and, yes, love of children. - As for the story, it involves love-hungry giri who, after two unhappy marriages to a self-hating writer who has never fulfilled the promise of an exciting first novel (at curtain rise he has just emerged from a mental institution after the one-night flop of his play), finds affection and understanding with a resolute architect she found walk¬ ing along the road near her apple farm in Rockland County, outside New York. Miss Baxter isn’t able to do much with the role of the muddled hero¬ ine, and it seems a poser what she : could have visualized' in it as a vehicle for her return, to Broadway. In any case, it gives her little op¬ portunity' to be either a dazzling vision or a stunning actress. The veteran comedienne’ Jean Dixon manages to uncover an occa¬ sional laugh as the caustic mother- in-law who’s more or 1 less tolerated because she has money. Williams. Smithers gets a chance to. register fairly sharply in the positive role of the bitter, sadistic ex-husband. And Martine Bartlett is plausible as his plain but likeable sister. But Philip Abbott is helpless In the wishy-washy role- of the new flame and Kevin Coughlin is merely inoffensive as one of those clear-headed, straight-talking urchjns. George Keathley, who succeeded Jose Quintero as director during rehearsals, has staged the proceed¬ ings with what seems a minimum of complication, while Jo Mielziner has designed the comfortable-look¬ ing living-dining room setting and the lighting, and Noel Taylor has provided suitably unobtrusive cos¬ tumes. . “The Square Root of Wonderful” is a long and empty evening.. Kobe. David Merrick, producer of “Rbmanoff and Juliet,” introduced a new gimmick last .week in connection with-legit actor appearances on television shows. Bert Fried, an understudy in the 'Peter Ustinov comedy at the Plymouth, N.Y., had a guest date Wednesday night (30) on the “Armstrong Circle Theatre;” on 'CBS-TV. To cover the legit play in case one of the regular cast members had been ill and a per¬ formance had to be cancelled because Fried was unable t#> go on as substitute," Merrick required the video show to take out $4,400 insur¬ ance—the amount of a night’s receipts at ’“Romanoff.” It hasn’-t been revealed who actually paid the insurance premium, whether it was the tele sponsor, the network, or even Frie*d himself. Shows Out of Town The Rope Di ~ New Haven, Oct, 31. Playwrights' Co. tc Gilbert Miller pro¬ duction of three-act (five scenes) drama by Morton Wishengrad, Stars Siobhan McKenna. Art Carney; features Joan Blon- dell, Theodore Bikel, Beverly Lunsford. Joseph Julian. Directed by Peter Hall; setting. Boris Aronson; costumes. Patricia Zlpprodt. At Shubert, New Haven, Oct. 3L *57: $4350 top, Lizzie Hyland.. Beverly Lunsford Margaret Hyland ....~.. Siobhan McKenna Moving Man .William. Edmonson Mrs. Farrow ... Joan.Blondell Clementine .. Barbara Ellen Myers James Hyland ..”. Art Carney Lameshnik .. Joseph Julian Cop .. Joseph Boland Dr. Jacobson .'Theodore Bikel Fair Game Joseph M. Hyman presentation of three- act (eight scenes) comedy by Sam Locke. Staged by >Paul Roberts; settings, Frede¬ rick Fox; costumes. Robert Mackintosh. Features Sam Levene, Ellen McRae, Rob¬ ert Webber. Hugh. Reilly, Sally Grade. Herbert Evers. Diana Millay, Joseph Leon, Shirley Ballard. At Longa ere Theatre. Nov. 2, *57; $5.75 top weekniehts, $6.90 Friday and Saturday nights ($7350 open¬ ing). . Harry Bohlah ..Robert Webber Lucille Bohlan.Mary Alice Bayh Susan Haramarlee. Ellen McRae Lou .Winkler .. Sam Levene Waiter .J....,.......... Ed Bryce Arlene ..... Sally Grade Irene .. Shirley Ballard Janet ..... Diana Millay Speed Meyers ..Joseph Leon Prof. Thornton .. Hugh Reilly Marian Thornton.,... .Sarah Cunningham Rush Potter.£ tri George Waiter . .... Paul Marin Frank Salinder ..... Herbert Evers A divorcee, especially one who’s young, pretty and lives alone, had better keep the door locked. That, at least, is the premise of “Fair Game,” a term applied to gals who shed their mates. It’s a premise that's good for some chuckles, but it’s not strong enough to keep the laughs rolling for three acts. Once tlx e keep-the-wolf-away theme is established, Sam Locke’s new comedy goes all out to prove the point. Ellen.McRae, giving an energetic and pleasant perform¬ ance ini her Broadway dehp^ plays a 22-year-old divorcee whose major activity is warding off proposition¬ ing males. Included in that cate¬ gory, however, Is the character played by Sam Levene, who pro¬ vides the Joseph M. Hyman pro¬ duction with its best moments as girl-hungry dress .manufacturer. In fact, when Levene’s onstage the comedy takes on rohiist propor¬ tions. The trouble, however, is that there are lengthy stretches in which the other cast members are required to go it alone. It’s not that they aren’t adequate, it’s just that Levene runs circles around them by dressing up his lines and charac¬ terization with a shrug, a stance and other appropriate nuances. He’s a likeable lecher. The play’s content, however, is another matter. Sex, as the only factor considered, is overworked. The girl, doubling as a. dress model and City College student, uses her experiences as the basis for a (Continued on page 76) Actor* Can’t Win Referring to “Johnny Sum¬ mit,” an early-seaSon' off- Broadway flop, N. Y. Post re¬ viewer France s Herridge mused last week that it had at least ohe asset in being pleasantly free of the common off-Broadway vice of shouting. The Variety reviewer, how¬ ever. remembered the play as the one at which he couldn’t hear the actors. ’Rope Dancers,” which draws its title from the. analogy .of individ¬ uals walking oh a slack wire throughout life, has a lot of what it takes, and It takes a lot for the audience to take what it has. At¬ tendance at this hew Morton "Wish-') engrad drama is somewhat of a punishing, but rewarding, experi¬ ence. The Show faces a possible barrier from this angle, especially due to sock laugh expectations* built on the cast presence of Art Carney. But if the heavily dramatic mate¬ rial can overcome this obstacle, the .play should have a generally favorable reception. The show tends to be rather som¬ ber. The story includes an 11-year- old child in-the convulsions of St vitus' dance, removal of a sixth finger that marred he? birth; her eventual early death; a mother’s threat to leap from a. fifth-story window ledge; a ruined marriage punctuated . with bitter (Balog; breakdown of the sex reserve* of an emotionally pent-up wife. Although all this is tough to take. It offers Worthwhile drama for playgoers willing to go along with it. That the author is adept at building scenes is evidenced by the number of high spots in the production. Play opens on a sober note and closes on a tragic one, but a lightening line or bit of business manages to creep in here and there. The tum-of-the-century story concerns the plight of an. Unsuc¬ cessful writer and his wife, who blames him for 1 the fact that their only child'is a sympathy-provoking odd. one who shuns normal society and reacts painfully tor the chasm between .her warring parents. There is considerable depth of characterization in the roles of I these three. As the embittered wife, who could never quite warm up to her own daughter, Siobhan McKenna is fanatically but convincingly dour. She gives an overall telling per¬ formance. Art Carney’s version of the thwarted-writer-turned-worth- less-husband stamps him as some¬ thing considerably more than sim¬ ply a tv comic. He offers an affect¬ ing blend of charms weakness, pa¬ ternal love and blarney. In featured support, Joan Blon- dell hits a happy stride a£ a sloyenly neighbor with a heart of gold. The script's best lighter mo¬ ments are assigned to her and she does fine by them. Beverly Luns-. ford is a solid click as the moppet daughter, Theodore Bikel does a good medic chore, and worthy lesser aid comes from Joseph Julian as truant officer, Barbara Ellen M^ers as a neighborhood kid, William Edmonson as a moving man and Joseph Boland as a cop. Peter Hall, English director cut¬ ting his American debut teeth on this one, has paced it Well for sus¬ pense and intermittent letups. Boris Aronson’s setting of an upper floor New York tenement is ap¬ propriately cofrnmonplace, and Patricia Zipprodt’s costumes carry a similar label. Bone. But the composer-lyricist-librettist also appears on stage in the role of the heavy, and this stretches audi¬ ence tolerance too far. . Hennessy and producer Al Johns !_met recently when both were asso- 1 ciated with: a beauty contest, and the production of “El Dorado” is the result. Neither has had any previous credits in the legit field. Book musical is about the Cali¬ fornia gold rush of 1849 and con¬ tains ' some 17 songs. A few are moderately tuneful, but the major¬ ity are derivative and the hook never gets above the hightchool level. Francis Cameron is charged with the direction of the enthusiastic cast. Kdp. Autle Maim (HANNA THEATRE, CLEVELAND) Cleveland, Nov. 2. ’ Constance Bennett’s return to legit as the iree-wheeling belle of “Auntie Marne’s” road company is zestful enough to click with local audiences during fortnight break- in stand at r the Hanna Theatre here. The initial performance, ac¬ cording to reports, was marred by. technical backstage fluffs and the obvious tension of the star. The actress seemed to have caught the bouyant spirit of the engaging madcap heroine last Saturday night (2), however, playing her with a humanizing grace that was blithely comic as well as touching. How Miss Bennett compares with the original Rosalind Russell portrayal is another question. There were times when she had to' caper desperately hard to tighten the sketchy, inulti-scened Jerome Lawrence-RObert E. Lee dramati¬ zation of the Patrick Dennis best¬ seller. When those stuttering Kaleidescopic scenes are greased with more pace and the eccentric characters swing into higher-keyed patterns, the thin comedy should generate louder laughter. Chuckles already come with satisfying reg¬ ularity as the star, who has the frothy personality for the role, casts her spell over men and favor¬ ite nephews she adopts. r The actress gives a stylized, antic performance that gets sympathy while. Mame raises the orphaned young Patrick in a unpredictable 4-play-girl fashion. Miss Bennett looks stunning in a baker’s dozen of gorgeous costumes which keep her hustling in rapid changes. Al ¬ though she sometimes reminds'vet drama-goers of a younger. Billie Burke in zany coquetry, she knows - how to kick across a crisp funny line without being brassy. The supporting cast comes through with enjoyable effective¬ ness despite opening-week hitches. - An ingratiating performance is given by Robert Lindner as the- boy. Michael Thomas does Kke- able ernest work as the growh-up Patrick, Jane Van Duser offers ' a salty, witty characterization of. a wacky actress-friend.. Agreeably capable are Kendall Clark’s faithful suitor, Blaine Cordner’s indignant bank trustee, Mark O’Daniers caricatured South¬ ern Loqhinvar, Gerald Metcalfe’s blarney-filled ,ghost writer, Ann Sullivan’s housekeeper, and Mar¬ tha Randall as interior decorator. Caricatures by Bernice McLaugh¬ lin, as a frowsy secretary and Dor¬ othy Sefton as a* snobbish debutante are corn-juiced. Pullen. El Dorado Hollywood, Oct. 26. Al Johns production or a .musical in two acts (seven scenes). Book, muric and lyrics by Ed Hennessy. Staged .by Francis Cameron; settings by William DeForgst;. costumes by Meyers Costume Co.; light¬ ing by Charles Taylor; musical director, George Goulding, At Las-Talmas Theatre, Hollywood, Cal., Oct. 23, 1857: $3.85 top. Cast: Luther Durham, Robert Newkirk, Richard HUleary, Ron Schroeder, Joan Schoenfeld, Norma French, Flora May, Ed Hennessy,’ Bobs Watson,- Harry Ray- bould, Diane DeLaire. The charitable interpretation of ‘EL Dorado” is that Ed Hennessy may have intended it. as a satire. Joe Gotten to B’way In ’58 in ‘Feeling’ Hollywood, Nov. 5. Joseph Cotten will return to Broadway next season, after a live year absence, to star in“Once - More, With Feeling,” new play by Harry Kumitz. Martin Gabel and Henry Margplies have slated,the production - for the fall of 1958, Cotten will costar with Arlene iYancis, portraying a symphony orchestra conductor. The actor was last on Broadway in 1953* as costar with Margaret Sullavan in ’Sabrina Fair/’