Variety (July 1958)

68 LEGITIMATE Wa&iety Wednesday, July 9, 1958 Show Out of Town At the Grand Los Angeles, July 7. Los. Angeles Civic light Opera ASsn. presentation of Edwin Lester production of musical drama, in twc: acts. Book. Luther Davis; music and lyncs, Robert Wright and George Forrest: based on Vicki Baum's novel and play. ; Grand stunning and often Intentionally amusing. “At the Grand” opened cold here, of course, and could pick up pace as it plays, but the opening ran more than three hours, with one intermission... It HoteL" Stars Paul. Muni; features. Joan ; CQU j d benefit from some rowdy Diener, Cesare Danova. Neile Adams, George Givot. David Opatoshu, Vladimir SokOloff. John van Dree^n.^John Ban¬ ner. Donald Lawton. Production staged by Albert Marrje: dance and ensemble staging. Ernest Flatt; settings. ^Rouben Ter-Arutuhian: gowns. Adrian: lighting. Feder; technical direction. Richard Bodda; musical direction* Jay Blackton; orchestrations. Albert Sendrey ana Ar¬ thur Kay; dance and. incidental music, ar¬ rangements* Trude RiUman; conductor. Jaye Rubahoff. At Philhar¬ monic Aud., Los Angeles. July 7,. o8, Gtorgfo ... Diki Lerner Raoul ..,.. Truman Gaige Paul ...-_Shevlin Rodgers Luca .- David Opatoshu Kringelein ..PauL Muni Direttore Inglehardt. John. Banner Pianist ... .Edmund.llorit Suzette ...Belle Mitchell Sig. Stlpo . ..'.; Donald Lawton Sig. Manfredi -.'Vladimir Sokoloff Isola Parelli........ ... Jpan Diener. Dottor Muzi . .... .John van Dreelen Brig. E. S. L. Kellers. - Joseph St ember Sig. Rantani. -- - ■ Shevlin Rodgers The Maharanee ------ - *^ eU , e Mr. Singh .........Robert Turk Capitano Realdo...Adriano Vitale Signora Sela ..Paula Anderson Mile. Angele ..._...... Carole Reed Lady GertrudeRenee Guerin Lady Dolly...... Sandra Stahl Percy____Norman Edwards Percy's Wife-- Carolyn. Curry Mme. Vinans............Jeanne Redding Chauffeur ....-......... Stanley HaU Felke -... Diki Lerner Bell Boy.. — .Gerald .Cardoni Ricarde .'....Arthur Tookoyan Page Boys_ . : . Gene' Kelton. Buddy Spencer Elevator Operator......... .Robert. Lamobt Rodolphe . . --.....Truman Gaige Barone de/Bernard! ..... Cesare Danova Music Festival Winner.... Arthur Rubin Porter .. . ...... Earle MacVeigh Sophia Celesta ...— ... NeUe Adams Chambermaids -.. Allegra Varron, Sandra SlahL Renee. Guerin Pierr# ........: Robert' Lamont Cicco........Arthur Tookayan Sig. Sicilono...George Givot Meyer . -. Arthur Rubin Starlets . . Elizabeth Jonson. Marsha Reynolds. Bette Graham musical numbers, more humor, arid some of the flavor of the original or a substitute of its own. Albert Marie’s direction is not distinguished. Poire. Carabiniere _ Maitre d'Hotel..... Filippo ........... Masseuse - Manicurists ........ Assistant Valet .. 2d Assistant Valet. Chasseur ... Shevlin Rodgers ...... Kirby Smith . ... .Rico Froehlich .....Paula Anderson .. Estelle Aza, Carolyn Curry ....Norman Edwards ;.... .Buddy Spencer __ ....... Stanley HaU London Times Reporter .. Truman Gaige Other Reporters . . ., David London, Shevlin Rodgers, Gerald Cardoni, • Rico Froehlich, Earle MacVeigh. Arthur Tookoyan, Robert La- ■ mont, Kirby Smith Musicals numbers: "Feeding Time," “End of Aria from "La Saracena," "Blest?" "A Table With a View." The Grand Tabgo, "Isola." “Sophia," "At the Grand," "La Saracena." “We'll Take a Glass Together." “What You Need," “The Bare Necessities." "Crescendo.". Va Bene/' “I Waltz Alone." Press Con¬ ference. "At the Grand,’** which opened at the Philharmonic Auditorium here tonight (Mon.) is many more than 3,000 miles from Broadway at the moment. It is, theatrically speaking, light years away. It will take sharp cutting in al¬ most every department, plus the addition of elements presently! lacking to make the musical a pos¬ sibility for success in New York, or anywhere, else. It would be worth this is at good show whose virtues are now obscured in a turgid haze. The book by Luther Davis has been drastically changed from Off-B’way Review . N. Y. Othello . ... _. Shakespeare Festival revival : of three-act tragedy by William Shakespeare. 1 Produced by Joseph Papp; staged by Stuart Vaughan; settings and costume.?, Eldon Elder; lighting. John Robertson;, music and songs. David Amiram. At Belve¬ dere Lake Theatre. Central Park, N.Y., July 4, '58; admission free. . * r . ■ • Cast: Paul Shyrc. . Robert Geiringer, < Albert Quinton. William Marshall, Edwin Staerin. Louis Lytton. William Hindman. Don Gunderson, David ZirlLn. Steven- Gil- born. Ellen HoUy, Arthur Watson. George Morfogen, Don Lamb. Gerry Jedd, Daniel Durning. Peter Bogdanovich'. Patricia Falkelhain. William ! Alexander, Vivian Boardman. Walter Bonnet; EUie • Cham¬ berlain. John Hillerman. Merrie Leeds. David Marguli'es. Frank. Melfo.- Rosalind Nester, Lila- Orleans. Harvey Phillips. Teddy Quihtara; Gordon Shomaker. David Starkweather. Judy Stein. Maria Tuccl. ' Andrew WoUersheim. ' J Whal’d He Say? . Howard Teichmann, who co-authored “Solid Gold Cadil¬ lac’’ with George S. Kaufman and has written a new play,‘ “The Girls in 509,” due for Broadway production this fall, was lecturing recently before a group of drama instructors at the Phoenix Theatre, N.Y. During the period for ques¬ tions from the floor, the dis¬ cussion. inevitably got around to the critics, and . someone asked what the playwright thinks of Brooks Atkinson, of the N. Y. Times. “What I think or say about Brooks Atkinson is inconse¬ quential,” Teichmann replied. “What matters is. what he says about me.” .William Becker has resigned as president of The Playbill, the official program of the Broadway legit theatres* to. devote full time to his duties in the realty office of Boger L. Stevens. His name no loqger appears on the publication masthead, but he remains board chairman of the venture. Gilman Kraft is publisher of Playbill and Elinor Green managing editor. The publication is owned by Producers Theatre, in which realtor-producer Stevens is partriered with producer Robert Whitehead and realtor Robert W. Dowling. Shows Abroad The N.Y. Shakespeare Festival’s “Othello”. has three heroes. They are director Stuart Vaughan, who has staged a broadly sweeping pro¬ duction admirably suited- to al fresco playing; Robert Geiringer, whose invigorating Iago keeps the pace electric and driving, and pro¬ ducer Joseph Papp, whose unwav-r bring faith in free Shakespeare is affording local citizenry a capital inducement to forsake tv on nori- rainy summer evenings. Since fund-raising is prohibited in Central Park, Papp advises his audience at the curtain call: that as they exit the park they may ob¬ tain from strategically: placed vol¬ unteers donations envelopes ad¬ dressed: to the NYSF. Since for continued life the production is dependent upon goodwill contribu¬ tions, each donor in a sense helps finance the next performance. It’s a triple threat philanthropy, ex¬ pressing appreciation for the pro¬ duction seen, paying for somebody else to go another night, and help¬ ing perpetuate a cultural activity that also happens to be resounding, theatre, “Othello” probably can never be completely satisfying. . It has the odd distinction of being one of Wm.’s second-best great plays. Not the least problem is that of casting the name ,role. In the park. William Marshall is Othello, an erect, dignified, strong, albeit, rather ponderous, Moor. Although Marshall finds passion for the climactic scenes, the words and emotions do not flow from him swiftly enough earlier, so that the effort, however, for basicallyj Othello appears to be moving this 4c a 1 crrwnrl rfinii- urhnca h;, i.tn.M nrithnnf hoincr nf through his >vorld without being of it. r - .. In some casting, Vaughan has not been as fortunate as in earlier MvFair Lady (SHUBERT, CHI) Chicago, July 1. ... After a major cast change, the “My Fair. Lady” tourer seems a more pointed masterpiece. than it was when it first , docked in the Windy City last November. What has been lost in suavity and name values from the departure of Brian Aherne is compensated by a more ‘'heartless,” and thereby better realized Prof. Henry Higgins, The effect of the stronger characteriza¬ tion is to sharpen the intrigue of the storyline and to . etch the themes of G. B. Shaw’s original “Pygmalion^ more clearly. Michael Evans, who was Aherne’s standby, offers a Characterization of more vanity, than his predeces¬ sor, consistent, with the arrogance and selfrcentredness of the role. As Evans portrays him, the auto¬ cratic tutor of Eliza Doolittle is a cad, but still sympathetic, and his guarded gentleness is etched in subtle touches: This more credible “heartless¬ ness” of Higgins adds point and punch to Eliza’s song “Just You Wait, ’Enry Tgginsraising to a high spot in the show- Similarly, it underscores the irony ; of Hig¬ gins^ own numbers, "I’m An Ordi¬ nary. Man” and “A Hymn To Him.” The show itself seems to have lost little of its : opening night spirit , and splendor. After some 275 local performances it seems just as precise. Anne Rogers con¬ tinues to betwitch as Eliza, and the featured parts have strengthened enough to keep Charles Victor from having a walk-away in the low comedy role of Alfred P. Doo-: little. The ensemble has stayed bright and spunky, Les. The Trial of Mary Dugan London, July 3. ... Peter Saunders revival of three-act melodrama by Bayard Veiller. Stars Betsy Blair. David Knight, Cec Linder, Patricia Budke. Staged by Wallace Douglas; decor, Michael Weight. At Savoy Theatre. Lon¬ don, July 2. '58; $2.35 top. Court Attendants Joseph Wise, Keith CampbelL James Bulloch j Cleaners Joyce Carter, Norah Crawfurd 1 Assistant D.A........ Robert Long Reporters Ian Gardiner, Patrick. Durkin, Eva Stuart Court Stenographer.. Kenneth Pauli Court Clerk .... -.. .. Robert MacLeod- Spectators. ... Lionel Gadsden, George Burrell, June Catto. Sbelagh Holland, Bruce Howells. John Hunt, Jonathan Fryer; Andy Reed, Tom Rich. Brenda Fernley, John Wesley Vicki Baum’s novel, and the me-;forays for NYSF, yet he has kept morable film version. The setting > the play alive, vivid, often blazing, is now Rome. Paul Muni plays [Ellen Holly’s Desdemona is more Kringelein, the below-stairs serv- f an actress speaking lines,, embel- ant who learns he has only a few: Iishing. them with a mannered mu- months tg live and decides to fling S sical inflection at the end of each away his life savings on a” few phrase, than a virtuous woman -weeks...of high living. The world;caught within the toils of her hus- of fashion he enters is now made: band’s giant jea:lousy. UP of pen^i»ess nobility, temper-j As a fatuous Rodeirigo, Paul mental o. / i stars and deported | Shyre adds an overlay of buffopn- Ameriean 0 angsters, and the com-ierj' that detracts from what he bination does not pay off in humor [ might do with the part. Gerry or charm. Jedd, as the faithful Emilia, finds Muni is tender. whimsical and [ emotional scope in her .final scene engaging, lending a wispy gaiety i that offsets an earlier brittle, and charm to his dancing and sing- 1 quaintness, while Edwin Shenn is ing. Joan Diener as the diva, un- J swashbucklingly alert in the cata- corks a .powerful and expressive! lytic role of Gassio, and his drunk voice, but has nothing to w'ork ! scene. , has humor . without pathos. with. . Cesare Danova supplies style and dash and a rugged masculinity as an impoverished baron, while Neile Adams is a standout as the fluff elevated by Muni to be his secretarj'. Others who contribute include. George Givot, David Opa¬ toshu and Vladimir Sokoloff. . Among lesser roles well served are Don Gunderson’s . crisply au¬ thoritative : Lodovico, Arthur Wat¬ son’s vital Montano, and Patricia Falkenhain’s, the; swift-moying courtesan, Bianca. , John Robertson has provided precise lighting, and Eldon Elder has. designed ramparts that en- . .. . , . hance the landscape hy repeating There is disappomtmgly little j. the pattern of nearby Belvedere dancing, only two modest, proauc-rTower. Geor . tion numbers, one in each act. Certainly with a hotel locale there could be more, perhaps including, specialty numbers. There is space enough in Ter-Arutunian’s lavish settings. In fact, the production is all but overwhelmed by the vari¬ ety and immensity of the sets, some of which could be discarded for simple traveler curtains that might refocus attention pn the 1 princioais ; whose recent “Verdict' was a ' Music and lyrics' by Robert! ^? ck fl °P» ha s already come up Wright and George Forrest are; a new meller. often *prp htlv. in fact mrst of t’ie 1 The new -play. “The Unexpected humor is m bv : ~s, fict the d ; a-f Guest,” goes into rehearsal next log. Adrian's - gowns are visually i Monday .114).: HERB EISEMAN FORMS' A€ENCY WnH ELKINS Herb Eiseman, general manager for Frank Loesser enterprises f.% the past four’years, is switching at the end of July ta head a new Coast office, which he and personal manager Hillard Elkins have es¬ tablished as an affiliate of the lat¬ ter’s New York operation. The new firm, utilizing the simi¬ lar initials of both partners, is called H. E. Management & Pro¬ duction Associates Inc. Eiseman, as vice president and general man¬ ager of the operation, will transfer Aug. 1 to the . Coast. His initial Chore will be to work with actors Robert Culp and Steve McQueen on their Four Star tv series. Elkins goes - to the Coast for three weeks beginning Aug. 18. He’ll then retiirn to New York for rehearsals of the concert edition of “Candide,” . which he’s co-pro¬ ducing with Lester Osterman, A one-niter tour will be preceded by a week's run at the Bucks County Playhouse. New Hope, Pa-.* start¬ ing Sept. 22. Dr. Welcome ..... Jemes Mn«lisoa ... Edward West . . Lawyer .. Police Inspector' District Attorney Mary Dugan .. Judge Nash . . Launce Maraschal ....... Clive Farel . Alan • Tilvern . Frederic Milstein .Larry Cross ...__ Cec Linder .. Betsy Blair . Robert Henderson Pauline Agguerro ...- Olivia Irving Police Captain ... Dagmar Lome .. May Harris ...... Feme Arthur .... Jimmy.. Mrs. Edgar Rice- .. Patrick Kearney , Marie Ducrot _ Henry Piaisted . . John Bloomfield ... Sheens Marshe ... Constance Wake .. Beryl'Hammond ..... David Knight Patricia Budke .. Erroll Mackinnon ... Ina De La Haye . Mark, Baker With Unexpected Guest’ London, July 8.- Agatha Christie, Whose “The Mousetrap” continues at the long¬ est-run play in London history but Cameron Mitchell Exits As ‘King’ for State Fair Dallas, July 8. . Cameron Mitchell has been re¬ leased from his contract to appear at the State; Fair Musicals here Aug. 18-31 as the: male lead, in “The King and I.” The actor^ w r ho shaved his scalp to play the mon¬ arch in the recent Civic Light Opera Assn, production of the musical on the Coast requested the release?, which was granted by State Fair Musicals managing di¬ rector ' Charles R. Meeker Jr. Mitchell gave no reason for wanting to bow out of the assign- merit, but it’s under stood he’s been suffering from a respiratory ail¬ ment. . “The Trial of Mary Dugan” has not been seen in the West End since 1928, when it had a healthy run of 311 performances. Peter Saunders’ revival may score an¬ other success, for though audi¬ ences are by now conditioned to court dramas, “Dugan” remain^-! good entertainment. It has drama, humor, suspense and sex, and of¬ fers plenty of opportunity for crisp acting. The gimmick of turning the the¬ atre into a courtroom, with the curtairi never falling and with ush¬ erettes dressed as policewoman and commissionaires as cops, is no longer a novelty. Brit it helps to create a realistic atmosphere arid the audience, described as the jury, can really feel an integral part of the rough and tumble of a murder trial conducted by Yank couFt methods. The story, involving the murder trial of a “Follies” girl accused of stabbing her rich lover, does not date too much, and only. minor changes in dialog have been made. Wallace Douglas’s staging is taut and compelling, arid. he is well served by the large cast. U.S.! film actress Betsy Blair* making her London stage debut in the difficult title: role, does well. r For a large part of the play she j has nothing, to say, but merely has to sit around registering emotions. She tends to underplay the terror to be expected in her predicament and seems too nice a person to have a string of lovers or to have bumped off her. protector in a fit of jealous rage. Nevertheless, Miss J Blair brings intelligence and emo¬ tion to her outstanding witness box scene. The dramatic highlights of the play mainly concern the clashes between the District Attorney and the prisoner’s younger brother, who takes over his sister’s defence brilliantly. These two roles are magnificently sustained by. Cec Linder and David Knight* respec¬ tively. Linder, who made an impact on [tv recently when he subbed for Paul Douglas as- Capt. Queeg in “The Caine Mutiny,” is ari incisive actor. "He plays the D.A. with sar¬ donic liumor and relentless energy, rightly hamming the role where necessary. Knight brings a youth¬ ful, gangling charm and sincerity to the role of. the defense attorney. Patricia Burke also scores heavily a? the suspect wife of the deceased. Minor performances that are noteworthy are those of Ina De. La Haye, as a French witness, in a part which could easily have slith¬ ered into burlesque; Sheeria Marshe, May Harris and Feme Ar¬ thur as assorted chorines; Larry Cross as a cop and Clive Farel in the dual role of first-a defending counsel and then a subpoenaed witness. Michael Weight’s decor seems appropriately realistic and the court-spectators also add their mite to a satisfactory evening. Rich. Die .Lady Mit der Lamp* (The Lady With A Lamp) Zurich, June 28. Schauspielhaus production of drama in six scenes by Elsie Attenhofer. Directed by Karlheinz Streibing; sets. Teo Otto; costumes.' Elisabeth Schmid; technical di¬ rection. Ferdinand Lange; lighting. Wal¬ ter Gross. At Schauspielhaus. Zurich. June 26. *58; $2.55 top. William Nightingale.._Herman Wlach Fanny Nightingale ...... Traute Carlsen Parthenope ...., - ■ Anne-Marie Blanc Florence . Rosemarie Gerstenberg Sidney Herbert ........ Peter_ Schuette ... Alfred Schlageter ... Richard Muench .'. Hanns Krassnitzer ... Wolfgang Stendar ., Otto Maechtliriger . Claus A. Landsittel : Anneliese Betschart Lord Panmure- Dr. John Hall ... Dr. Sutherland ... Richard Ashley ... Michael Morion .. Robert Watson .... Mabel Watson -- Elisabeth a Court . Marla Magdalena Thiesiof Miss Galton - Margrit Winter JuUa Woolton .. Edith Gojay Rose ... Valerie Steinmann Terry . .:... Elisabeth Wenger Kate ---- --.... Eva-Maria Bing Emma .Anneligae Egger Soldiers. .Hans Jeditachka. Kurt Brunner Warden ..... Armin Schweizer Voices. .Albert Gemperle, Max Wuethrich A photographic exhibit of the highlights of last season’s Broad¬ way productions, prepared by the American National Theatre & Academy, is on display at Brooks Costume Co., N.Y* As a woman’s tribute to one of the great humanitarians of her sex, Florence Nightingale, this new play by Swiss cabaretist-diseuse Elsie Attenhofer .is a sincere, effort* Whether it’s also theatre, is ques¬ tionable, Too many of its numer¬ ous characters are merely sketched instead of worked out* arid many passages are on the trite, cliche- ridden side. With a thorough re¬ writing job, it might be screen or video material; Plot spans the period between Florence’s vocation as a nurse by war minister Sidney Herbert, with whom she is in love, over her self¬ less devotion to nursing during the Crimean war until her tenacious fight. to improve the army’s sani¬ tary conditions after the war. Play ends on a thoughtful note, indicat-- ing that Henri Dunant who was to create the Geneva Convention and Red Cross, will pick, up where she had to leave off. Sequences of genuine • emotion • and dramatic impact alternate with others betraying the authoress* lack of leg;t experience (this is her second play). Some charcters, notably the heroine’s featherbrain, mother and hysterical sister, art almost caricatures. Title role is the most convincing one, especially as played by im¬ pressive newcomer here, Rose¬ marie Gertsenberg from Hamburg, Germany. Peter Schuette is con¬ vincing as Sidney Herbert, and lesser parts are well handled by Traute Carlsen. Margrit Winter and Richard Muench. Direction by‘ Karlheinz Streibing is reasonably smooth in view of the Uneven ma¬ terial, and sets by Teo Otto (who recently did “The Visit” on Broad¬ way) are excellent. Elisabeth Schmid contributed some eyefilling , period costumes. Mezo. . . Ah, Quello FoUf London, June 30. James T; Laurie (in association with JulesBorkon) presentation of reyue of Folies-Bergere de Paris. Staged by Michel Gyarmarthy; decor. Tod Kingman and Key Studios: English adaptation. Leslie BrlcusSe. At Winter Garden Theatre; London, June 28, *58: $3,50 top. Cast: Veronica Bell* Colette Fleuriot, Dolly Pick. Gerard $ety. Duvalei* et DeL fosse,. Leila et Ivenjus, Denise Dsrius, Madeleine Jaguar. Gerard Marceau. Henri Barjac, Andre ToiiatL PhiUp. Molyneux. Gerry Atkins. Dorothy Hall, Joanna Davies,. Maxine Spyrou, Joy. Norton. , Louise Baker.. Sonia Creighton, Bernard ' Jamieson. Bill Richards, Kevin Regan. Geraldine Lynton, Marieila Capes. Bar¬ bara Haydon. Hazel Gardner, Anne Darby. Anne Hedley, Christine Reynolds. Ann Franklin, Corinne Garner, Zelinda Jeppe. Kathryn' Keeton, Antonia Romsby. Jenni¬ fer Ruddock; Delia Wicks, Sam Gold-. - stein, Pamela Austin, Dorothy Penny, Patricia Lang, Christine Phillips,. Joan Cartwright; Bobbie Naylor, Rio Serafini. With the recent spread of thea¬ tre clubs, nudity has become fash¬ ionable around the West End, hut there is something about a Parisian show which has an authentic ring, and “Ah, Quelle Folie,” which has come from the Folies-Bergere, should arouse enough curiosity to make the Winter’Garden a rendez¬ vous for those in search of aji easy- on-the-brain night out “Folie” is a stunning eyeful, glit- teringly dressed and staged with color and good taste. There is rather less nudity than customers might expect, but what there is is enhanced by graceful goodlpokers. The 1,581-seat Winter • Garden is riot large enough to stage a show of this dimerision and on the first night there were many signs of under-rehearsal and lighting and (Continued on page 70)