Variety (October 1958)

56 LEGITIMATE PfiRIET? Wednesday, October 29, 195ft Shows Out of Town Flower Drniii Song Boston, Oct. 27. Rogers Sc. Hammerstein (in association with Joseph Fields) presentation of two- act (14 scenes) musical; music by Richard Rodgers; lyrics, Oscar Hammerstein 2d; book. Hammerstein and Joseph Fields, based on the novel by C. Y. Lee; direc¬ tion, Gene Kelly; choreography, Carol Haney; scenery, Oliver Smith; costumes. Irene Sharaff; lighting, Peggy Clark; orchestrations. Robert Russell Bennett; musical direction, Salvatore Dell’Isola; dance arrangements, Luther Henderson Jr. Features Miyoshi Umeki, Juanita Hall, Ed Kenney, Keye Luke, Larry Storch, Arabella Hong. Pat Suzuki. At Shubert Theatre, Boston, Oct. 27, '58. Madam Liang . Juanita Hall Liu Ma ... Rose Quong Wang San . Pat Adiarte Wang Ta Ed Kenney Wang Chi Yang.Keye Luke Sammy Fong . Larry Storch Dr. Li.-. Conrad Yama Mei Li . Miyoshi Umeki Linda Low.Pat Suzuki Tailor .Harry Shaw Lowe Mr. Huan... .. Jon Lee Helen Chao.V Arabella Hong Prof. Cheng . Peter Chan Frankie Wing. Jack Suzuki Waiter .George Young Mr. Poon . Chao Li Dr. Lu Fong .Eileen Nakamura Old Man .Harry Shaw Lowe Dancers: Fumi Akimoto. Paula Chin, Helen Funai, Pat Griffith. Mary Huie. Marion Jim, Betty Kawamura, Baayork Lee. Wonci Lui, Joanne Miya, Denise Quan. Shawnee Smith, Maureen Tiongoo. Yurigo, Jose Ahumada, Victor Duntiere, George Li. Robert Lorca. David Lober, George Minami, David Toguri, George Young. / Children: Twins: Linda and Yvonne Ribuca; Susan Lynn, Luis Robert Her¬ nandez. Musical Numbers: "She Is Beautiful." *'A Hundred Million Miracles," "I Enjoy Being a GirL" “I Am Going to Like It Here.” “Like a God," “Chop Suey," “My Best Love," “Grant Avenue." “Love Look Away," “Gliding Through My Memories," “The Other Generation.” "Sunday," “Wedding Parade." The much heralded Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein 2d (with Joseph Fields) show, an offbeat Oriental musical, opened in Boston to a wham reception. It delivers a one-two click punch with petite, winsome Miyoshi Umeki winning all the way and Pat Suzuki belting out songs. The production is an achieve¬ ment of pure delight, coming up with absorbing, exciting musical of conflict betwixt the old and new In San Francisco’s phinatown. The music is exuberant, although there are a few dull moments, but they are offset by a dozen rollicking songs, a teijifico dream sequence ballet, unique choreography by Carol Haney and an overall sense of audience acceptability. The show' should send Ed Ken¬ ney, the personable romantic juve¬ nile, to stardom. He comes across solidly with “She Is Beautiful,” the outstanding ballad. Jukeboxes will be jingling aplenty with ‘Grant Avenue,” “Chop Suey,” “Hundred Million Miracles.” “I Enjoy Being a Girl” and “Sunday.” Film possibilities are definitely sock, with the obvious scope of the panoramic Frisco background, Chinese home interiors, niteries and wedding processions. Gene Kelly achieves prestige success with his directing. Miss Umeki as the picture bride from the other side, is enthralling, qute as a doll, turning in aa out¬ standing acting stint and piping “Hundred Million Miracles,” “I Am Going to Like It Here” in sweet voice. Pony-tailed Miss Suzuki walks off with honors as she slams over “Grant Avenue” and “I Enjoy Being a Girl,” plus a torrid strip-tease dance in a Chinese niterj'. four handsome children who have a spot for the comic song, “The Other Generation.” It’s a fundamentally basic show, built around family pride, love and the right man for the right girl, should please the family trade, and despite a few side meanderings, looks a sure winner for a long run. Guy. The Mght Circus Detroit, Oct. 27. Jay Julien production of tjiree : act (six scenes) drama by Michael V. Gazzo; stag- in", Frank Corsaro; scenery and lighting, David Hays; costumes, Patricia Zipprodt. Stars Ben Gazzara, Janice Rule; features Shepperd Strudwick, Arthur Storch, Al¬ bert Morgenstern, John Harkins. At Shu¬ bert Theatre, Detroit, Oct. 27, '58. Waiter ... Michael St. John Owner-Bartender ..... A1 Lewis Robert W'elden . ArtHur Storch Jade ... Albert Morgenstern Hank-'.Ron Harper Whore .... Patricia Roe David Davidson . John Harkins Nellie Barbara Loden Daphne Bau . Janice Rule Mr. Bau.Shepperd Strudwick Drunks . Albert Paulsons, Richard McMurray Joy . Ben Gazzara Policeman . . Hazen Gifford Nuns . Jane Moultrie, Judith Loomis Customer . Robert Hacha Rock . Bart LaRue “The Night Circus” is a shallow', tedious and undigested exposition of the “beat generation.” As it now stands, the new Michael V. Gazzo melodrama is not jeadv for any stage, least of all Broadw'ay. It is such a shapeless mass that -its potential for films, tv or stock can only be imagined and a complete rewrite would be required to bring it into focus. The Jay Julien production, star¬ ring Ben Gazzara and Janice Rule, gets laughter at the wrong places, and restless boredom during long monologues, w'hich are barely audible and say little or nothing. A few walked out of the premiere, a rare occurrence w'ith Detroit the¬ atregoers. Gazzara, Gazzo. and Julien, w'ho teamed successfully in “A Hatful of Rain,” have missed this time. Profanity is used extensively for whatever shock value-it w'ill pro¬ duce, and sex is discussed end¬ lessly. When it is all over, nothing worth remembering has been said, but there is a great deal to forget. If there is any message, it has been completely lost in long-winded dis¬ courses about rebellious . youths, who apparently are confused about what they are fighting. The plot concerns some bums, referred to nowadays as members of the beat generation, w'ho hang around a saloon. Mixed up in the confused jumble is the sexual union of two casual bar patrons the night she was to have married another man, the father of her un- bo r n child. There are assorted prosties. nuns, a weakling . father, and drunks w'ho don’t act as if thev were. Following an abortion and the death—whether by heartbreak, suicide or accident is not made clear—of the girl’s father, the principals somehow find love and apparently resign from the beat generation. Gazzara shouts and rants appro¬ priate! v in a fine but wasted job of acting. Miss Rule also does a competent job, although what Is given her is not enough to make her role convincing. The audience .finds many of their more serious and supposedly profound remarks merely funny. Shepperd Strudwick as the weak¬ ling father of the pregnant girl, Albert Morgenstern as Gazzara’s pal and ArtHur S.tofch as a hen¬ pecked husband can’t be heard clearly in their soliloquies. Per¬ haps it is just as well, as the few phrases enunciated properly aren’t worth the strain. Patricia Roe scores as a prostie. John Harkins, as the left-at-the- church bridegroom w’ho finds his intended bride in the bedroom of a man she just met, unhappily gets laughs rather^ than sympathy in what is apparently intended as an emotional scene. . - Director Frank Corsaro shares with Gazzo a great deal of blame for this undigested mishmash. He lets the action drag to the point of inertia. There are two well-done sets by David' Hays—a saloon and one-room apartment. Costumes by Patricia Zipprodt are appropriate % Tew. La Plume de Ma Tante Philadelphia, Oct. 22. David Merrick & Joseph Kipness presen¬ tation of Jack Hylton production of two- act revue, written and- devised by Robert Dhery; music, . Gerard Calvi; English lyrics, Ross Parker; choreography, Colette Brosset; overall staging, Alec Shanks; orchestra conductor, Gershon Kingsley; orchestrations, Gerard Calvi, Billy Ter- nent, Ronnie Monro; lighting, Alec Shanks: scenery supervision, Charles Elson. Stars Robert. Dhery; features Col¬ ette Brosset, Pierre Olaf, Jacques Legras, Roger Caccia. Jean Lefevre, Nicole Parent. At the Forrest Theatre. Philadel¬ phia, Oct. 21, *58; $4.80 top week nights, $5.7o Saturday. Others in -cast: Michel Modo, Henri Pennec. Pamela Austin. Michael Kent, Ross Parker, Mary Reynolds. Yvonne Constant, Coka Brossecola. Genevieve Cou- Jombel. Brigitte Peynaud, Jill Hougham, Genevieve Zanetti. Anna Stroppini. Na¬ dine Gorbatcheff, Francoise Dally, Claude Perrin, singers, dancers. The American preem of this im¬ portation came off well despite a handicap caused by a serious acci¬ dent to one of the featured play¬ ers. Jean Lefevre, at a rehearsal the day before the opening. How¬ ever, the performer insisted on appearing, though some of his more rugged dance routines had to be cut. The incident and resultants changes had the members of the French (and English) troupe upset, but. on the whole, they reacted ablv and there, were very few serious breaks in the tempo or slips in line or 'business. “La Plume de Ma Tante” is a combination of a series of success¬ ful Paris revues in which star Rob¬ ert Dhery and his choreographer- comedienne wife- Colette Brosset have appeared. The cream of the crop was assembled for the English presentation, which also acquired Ross Parker’s English lyrics. It’s understood that this American pro¬ duction has even less of the orig¬ inal Gallic wordage than did that of London, figuring on the lack of bilinguals in this country. The show is a gay stage romp and should add to David Merrick’s string of legit successes. It stres¬ ses slapstick comedy of the Key¬ stone and “Hellzapoppin” variety and the vocal or dance numbers that do appear during the evening are almost invariably kidded gen- (Continued on page 60) Juanita Hall is epic in her por¬ trayal of Madam Liang who studies U.S. citizenship, and socks over a rousing “Chop Suey." Keye Luke is accomplished as the dignified patriarch who has difficulty under¬ standing western w r ays, and .sur¬ prises with fine rendition of “My Best Love” and in a duet with Miss Hall of “The Other Generation.” Larry Storch is neatly cast as the unwilling suitor, a nitery oper¬ ator, and makes most of his comedy opportunity. Arabella Hong is fine as a spurned femme and comes across strong with fine “Love Look Away.” Conrad Yama turns in a nice supporting performance as the bride’s father and Jack Suzuki also turns in a funny bit. The story line involves the usual family goings-on between the old -and young generations. In this case it’s a Chinese family, which makes for some funny stuff along bop lines, and affords an absorb¬ ing insight into behind the scenes facets of Oriental life. A mixup of the mail-order bride and strip-teaser, both vying for marriage with the same youth, re¬ sults in big family squabble, a nitery blowup scene, a family con¬ fab and a switch wedding in which tv plays a part. The story is up¬ dated with even an outer space joke and hula hooping. The musical is handsomely mounted. Oliver Smith’s scenery is opulent and fluid, with break¬ away sets for continuous action. Peggy Clark’s lighting is gay and bright. Irene Sharaffs costumes are eye filling. The cast of 59 in¬ cludes tainted dancers who lean and bound all* oyer the stage, and ri • u -i o o d KftiMi ,Vu tnfcK «.*•'« » b . Broadway Boxoif ice Personnel Treasurer assignments thus far set at New York theatres “for the 1958-59 season are as follows: Alvin: Gordon Cramer, Luis Valle, Jerry Sheehan. Ambassador: Max Sager, Joseph Gillespie. ANTA; Rod McMahon, Robert Carr, George Beatty. Barrymore: Lewis Harris, Julius Specter, Jean Cohen. Beck: Dan Callahan, Edward Smith, Ethel Archer. Belasco: Jack Melnick, Peter Meyers. Booth: Jack Peral, Gladys Ronchetti, Anna Yurdin. Broadhurst: Betty Barker, Paul Ruppert, Geo.. Metz.. Mary Ack¬ ley. Broadway: Jack Wolff, William Wiegand, Herman Fallik. City Center: Angelo Casalini, Leo Caspare, Robert Majeska. Coronet: C. C. Whiteman, Mrs. M. R. Williams, Raymond Jaffie. *Cort: Cora Gibbs, Richard Surace, Mrs. Georgia Fursman. 54th St. (Adelphi): Thomas Burke, Leonard McElhoney, George Ollendorf. 46th St.: Charles Bowman. Paul Meyers, George Handy. Golden: Nellie Beamish, Anna Hirsh. Hayes: Herman Lewin, Robert Burke, Gerard Connell. Hellinger: C. Walters, J. Stone, A. Kiefer, W. Kirby, R. Hickey. Imperial: 'Mitchell Kanter, 'Ben Chasin. Longacre: Harry Steinberg, Lew’is Melnick, Essie Friedman. Lunt-Fontanne: Abe Baranoff, Henry Bonis, Norman Baruch. Lyceum: Lillian Peabody. Mildred Anker. Majestic: Irving Morrison, Philip Smith, Frank Youngs, Rocco Lofaro. Miller: Frank Frayer, John Bowman. Morosco: Wm. Rinaldo, Pearl Keyser, Dora Chamberlain. Music Box: Walter O’Connor, Ray Metz, Arthur Wright. National: Margaret Hildreth, Herve Biodeau.. Playhouse: Thomas Brotherton, Louis Appel. Plymouth: Constance Coble, Philip Kenney, Irene Bolte. Royale: Chas. Thomas, Arthur MeyeYs, Murray Saks. St. .James: Hugh McGauley, Arthur Feme, Morrie Seamon. Shubert: Murray Helwitz, Wm. Stuis, Josephine O’Brien, Kath¬ ryn Walsh. • . Winter Garden: Wm : . Goldharcft, A1 BUg£ri, Gdrievieve StewArt! * Inside Stuff—Legit In connection with Maurice Zolotow’s upcoming biog on Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne it should be clarified that the monograph .that George Freedley, curator of the Theatre Collection of the N.Y. Pub¬ lic Library, w'rote on the Lunts was likewise authorized. When Freed¬ ley was approached in 1956 to write- a Theatre World monograph for Rockcliff Publishers, London, he acquiesced on condition it would be with full cooperation of the Lunts and the actor quickly acquiesced* The Variety statement last w'eek that Zolotow’s book was the “first authorized biography” is in error. , In the recent Variety review of “Cock-a-Doodle-Dandy” in To¬ ronto a reference was made to the “excellent” performances of the three girls of the household, with Carroll Conroy Inadvertently listed as one of the trio in place of Rae Allen. Shows on Broadway The Pleasure Of His Company . Frederick Brlsson Sc Playwrights Co. production of two-act (four scenes) com¬ edy by Samuel Taylor and Cornelia Otis Skinner; staging. Cyril Ritchard; scenery and lighting, Donald Ognslager; costumes, Edith Head. Stars Cyril Ritchard, Cornelia Otis Skinner, Charlie Ruggles; features Walter AbeL George Peppard, Dolores Hart. At the Longacre Theatre. N.Y., Oct. 22. *58; $6.90 top . $7.50 opening). Toy . Jerry Fujikawa Biddeford. Poole.Cyril Ritchard Jessica Poole . Dolores Hart Katharine Dougherty Cornelia Otis Skinner Jim Dougherty . Walter Abel Mackenzie Savage ....... Charlie Ruggles Roger Henderson ..George Peppard Once More, with Feeling Martin Gabel Sc Henry Margolis produc¬ tion of three-act (five scenes) comedy by Harry Kumitz; staging, George Axelrod; scenery, and lighting, George Jenkins; men*s_ clothes, Michael Travis; Arlene Francis’s clothes, Scaasi. Stars Joseph Cotten, Arlene Francis; features Walter Matthau, Leon Belasco, Ralph • Bunker, Frank Milan. Rex Williams. Paul E. Rich¬ ards. At the National Theatre, N.Y.. Oct. 21, '58; $6.90 top ($8.05 opening). Chester Stamm.Paul E. Richard* Gendels .. Leon Belasco Victor Fabian .;. Joseph Cotten MaxweU Archer.Walter Matthau Luigi Bardini .Rex William* Mr. Wilbur . Ralph Bunker Dolly Fabian . Arlene Franci* Richard Hilliard.Frank Milan Interviewer . Don Frazer There-s somethin g infectious about a skillful light comedy like “The Pleasure of His Company.” The Samuel Taylor-Cornelia Otis Skinner play has something of the quality of the Philip Barry hits of 30 or so years ago in its picture of prosperous (without a sense of guilt), witty and attractive people, and its superior craftsmanship. The show has just about every¬ thing. It’s entertaining and enjoy¬ able, is beautifully played, hand¬ somely produced and has a strong b.o. name cast. With such potent assets it’s a cinch for smash popu¬ larity, a long Broadway run, juicy road tour, film adaptation and years of stock revival. Although it’s practically old- fashioned in the glitter of its set¬ ting and Sparkle of its characters, “Pleasure” has a reasonably con¬ temporary point of view and bright-as-chromium-button dialog. Probably no group of people today (or. ever?) could actually *be as gay and amusing and invariably ingratiating, but at a $6.90 top and in contrast to the morbid tone of most current drama, the illusion is welcome. A San Francisco mansion dating from the pre-earthquake era is the locale of this tale of a charm¬ ing, irresponsible father who drops in from the other side of the world, ostensibly to attend his long-neglected daughter’s wedding, but actually to try to prevent it and carry her off himself. It’s a diverting premise and although the final scenes suggest scrambled re¬ writing during the tryout, with still-fuzzy motivation, the comedy skims along with a satisfying sup¬ ply of droll lines and just enough sentiment for seasoning. Cyril Ritchard, an old pro at light comedy, has staged the play deftly ^and gives an expert per¬ formance as the charming prodigal father who instinctively makes love to his ex-wife as well* as their daughter. Cornelia Otis Skinner, doubling as co-author of the play, gives a thoroughly skillful por¬ trayal of the irritated ex-wife and understandably anxious mother, and Charlie Ruggles, look¬ ing like Buffalo Bill without the goatee, clicks off every laugh as the grandfather who sees every¬ thing. keeps.his sense of humor and has a quotation to fit every circumstance. Top-featured Walter Abel is ex¬ cellent* in the workhorse role of the justifiably annoved step-father of the prospective bride, and Do¬ lores Hart makes an admirable Broadway debut as the impression¬ able daughter (at least two of her longer speeches are a cinch to be¬ come standard ingenue audition material), especially in her scenes 'with Ritchard. George Peppard registers nicely as the fiance and Jerry Fujikawa is an acceptably cheery butler. Donald Oenslager has designed and lighted the handsome San Francisco living room with an atmosphere-creating view of the bay and Golden Gate (or is it Oak¬ land?) Bridge through the window, occasionally obscured by heavy fog streaming by. Edith Head has provided the decorative costumes for the Frederick Brisson-Play- wrights Co. production. Some unbecoming maneuvering about authorship billing before and since the premiere is covered else¬ where in the Legit section. One other item of note is that the screen rights to “Pleasure” were acquired by William Perlberg and George Seaton (for Paramount re- • lease) In -a pre-production deal. . >>*.•. v..t* : V ’v « -* Hobfe. - Not that it’s exactly news, but Harry Kumitz is a very funny fellow. In his new comedy, which reached Broadway last week, he uncorks an evening of laughs as he just about kids the fur-collared cape off the longhair music racket. Kurnitz, who’s become a minor legend as a screen writer, novel¬ ist, world traveler and amiable character, cracked the playwright ranks several seasons ago with a hilarious but uneven jape, “Reclin¬ ing Figure.” about the shenanigans of art collectors and dealers. “Once More, with Feeling.” is even fun¬ nier, and what’s more to the point, is better conceived and con¬ structed. It also has a better cast in terms of boxoffice draw. “Once More, with Feeling” is more compact, and keeps interest better focused. There are, at a guess, fewer characters, and the essential story concentrates on the two leads. Moreover, the char¬ acters tend to be real people—a bit crazy, perhaps, and somewhat exaggerated, for after all, they’re concert artists, but people none¬ theless. , Probably some of the characters are drawn at least partly from life (Kurnitz -was a newspaper man in Philly during the 1930’s, when the town had at least one notably color¬ ful musical personality), with suffi¬ cient author’s license, no doubt. There’s an egomaniac symphony conductor, personally infuriating but a fine musician. There’s also his wife, without whose irresistible blandishments and genuine charm he’s practically a dirty word to musicians and managements alike (“He uses orchestras the way I use Kleenex,” his manager explains). And there’s the Machiavellian manager himself, always on the verge of apoplexy, and readv to shed every drop of anyone else’s blood for his artist- meal ticket. The situation is that the wife, who turns out to be not really his wife, having never gotten around to committing herself to marriage, has walked out on the genius. The problem is to get her back, so he’ll be acceptable, for a contract to conduct the Chicago symphony. Matters are complicated bv the fact that she has returned with the in¬ tention merely or arranging a “divorce.” so she can marry the president of the college where she now teaches music. It’s not very much of a story, but serves as a framework for a string of Kurnitz jokes ahout the frauds and idiocies of longhair music and its hysterical followers. There’s .the conductor’s penchant for assaulting violinists, for in¬ stance, and the self-absorbed fiddler who wears two pair of gloves and carries a hand-warmer so his precious fingers won’t get I a chill. a current mixup is a crisis, “even for us,” is indignant when accused of being tense. “Me tense?” he shouts. “Nonsense. Look how slowly I’m twitching.” Later, re¬ calling that he’d once Refused an offer to manage Leonard Bern¬ stein, he marvels, “Such a nice young man—he talks so pleasantly —^who’d imagine he’s a genius?” ‘My mother has a head on her shoulders,” boasts the tone-deaf orchestra board-chairman. “Ab- . solutely,” confirms the manager, . “Ive seen it.” And as the con¬ ductor leads the orchestra in “The Stars and Stripes Forever” as a special favor for the old lady listening at home; the old-maidish . * '*• ' ^Continued* ;