Variety (November 1958)

68 Wednesday, November 26, 1958 KICMT €UJ1 Hofei Plaza, IV. Y. Jacqueline Francois, Jack Elliott ensemble (4), Ted Streeter and Mark Monte Orchs; $2.50 cover weekdays, $3 weekends. Among a plethora of French, j chanteuses, Jacqueline Francois stands out for the simple, reason that she r s an accomplished artist as well as a very competent and appealing performer. This is her third return to the Persian Boom of the Plaza, and once again she weaves the kind of magic that has the customers mitting for more. It’s a topnotch show that Miss Francois’ puts on, and in a sense it’s an unusual one, too, because she’s distinctly not a personality kid trying to get by via the charm act. It’s one of the most engaging aspects of her act that she’s billed as a singer—and she sings, viva¬ ciously, with a fullthroated Par¬ isian verve and a sort of “take me or leave me” attitude towards her public which is unique and refreshingly different. Her repertoire is full of lights and shadow, and possible a little heavy on the sad and dramatic side. That’s a pity, because she’s never better than in a comedy routine, in which her voice gets support from an expressive face and a pair of hands that know at all times where they belong. Be¬ ing no technique at all, i.e. t nothing more than a desire to get up there and sing, it’s the best technique of ’em all. There’s little time wasted In this show with patter, and—for¬ tunately—equally little time with that frequently tedious boite habit of making English lyrics fit French tunes. Miss Francois does some of that, of course, as a gesture to those who don’t dig the French accent, but she % knows where to draw the line. “Ppm* Une Femme” gets the show off to a fast start This segues into “Le Ciel,” “La Vie Mondaine” and a well-paced med¬ ley which in turn becomes “Bil¬ bao,” a fun number, exquisitely performed- Chason des Rues and Gerry Mulligan’s “Jern” go next and after that the w.k. “September Song” (in French) and “On Ne Sait Jamais,” sung with a lilt. “ZOmbo” is a nice rhythm piece and “Un Jour Tu Yerras” has' the French schmaltz everyone expects. “Lullaby of. Birdland” (in French) and ‘‘Mademoiselle de Paris” bring up the rear. Miss Francois is backed up by her arranger. Jack Elliott, at the piano, and a male trio on drum, bass and xylophone. The combo is very effective and Elliott’s back¬ ing on the keys is both clever and expert. Whole show is fresh and im¬ aginative and Miss Francois capti¬ vates the ringsiders in this attrac¬ tive room. Ted Straeter and orch provide the very danceable music alternating with Mark Monte’s Continentals. Hift. Riviera, Las Vegas Las-Vegas, Nov. 18. •*Ziegfeld FolliesJane Morgan, Dickie Henderson , Helen Wood, Andrea Dancers (3). Ving Mer¬ lin & Lynda, Bill Shirley, Sue Ann Langdon, Dorothy Dorben Dancers (18 )Jlay Sinatra Orch (12); Pro¬ duced by Lou Walters; presented by Sammy Lewis, $3 minimum. Lou Walters and Sammy Lewis have brought a handsomely mount¬ ed musical revue to the Clover Room which they have tagged “The Ziegfeld Follies/’ It’s reminiscent of the Ziegfeld extravaganzas in that it is an omnibus of music, songs, dancing, comedy, lavish sets and pretty girls—and it pays. off as one of the best shows ever to play the Riviera. Jane Morgan and Dickie Henderson headline. Miss Morgan seems to be just right for this type of show—she’s a sophisticated looker who socks showmanship into her excellent s nging voice. She combines con¬ fidence and ease into her turn, offering “Friendship,” a medley of American songs sung in French (“No Business Like Show Busi¬ ness,” “Yellow Rose of Texas,” “Mr. Sandman” and “Davy Croc¬ kett”), “Fascination,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “The Day The Rains Came,” a Ziegfeld medley (in which she does okay impreshes of Ziegfeld stars and their trade¬ mark songs), and “All The Way.” She flashes an expensive wardrobe, and she knows how to wear it - Ernest Bragg gives her a strong assist on the 88. Henderson, the British .comedian, is a fine balance for the singing star. His suave, low-pressure com¬ edy got off to a slow start on open¬ ing night, but once he got the audience with him, he could do no wrong. His takeoff on tv westerns, bis impresh of Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger, his pantomime of a Venus de Milo sculptor, bis hurley skit as an insurance man, his im- REVTEWS presh of a “gold record” singer and a singer who...sots entangled in the microphone cord are all very funny—and he gets solid’ yockstoprove.it. The Andrea Dancers, two males and a femme, are graceful adagio- ists with split-second timing high¬ lighted by the girl doing a triple somersault before landing in the arms of her partners. Show’s pace is slackened some¬ what by violin team of Ving Merlin & Lynda, an archaic-type act fea¬ turing talking fiddles. Helen Wood, a beautiful ballerina, fits neatly into the festivities with brilliant fluidity of motion whiofr stamps her as an embryonic great Bill Shirley and Sue Ann Langdon carry the production chirping chores with finess, and the show¬ girls and ponies -618) would have had no trouble being approved by Mr. Ziegfeld. Hay Sinatra and orch (12) do a topnotch job of backing. Show is skedded for eight weeks, with Red Skelton replacing Miss Morgan for the final two frames.. Duke. Tidelands, Houston Houston, Nov. 18.. Marie McDonald with Ted Fio Rita, Jackie Miles, Don Cannon Orch (10); No cover or minimum. Miss McDonald has a successful right night at the Tidelands Motor Inn’s private Tidelands Club only because the management set aside three nights (17,18-19) as ‘‘opening night” for the new club. On night caught (18) the thrush’s act had body (37^-24-37) and warmth, and she responded well to heavy palming. But not so on the first opening night, which was one of those things. Enroute to Houston for the engagement, the star’s plane made a forced landing, delaying her arrival and causing her to miss the rehearsal. She ap¬ peared nervous and had a cold, the mike seemed to want to get into the act, and lighting cues were missed. When a ringsider heckled, Miss McDonald said, “Why, I could buy and sell you!” To some, this was the funniest line of the night, as she directed the barb at one of Texas’ better known millionaires, j As the thrush was leaving the! club, she fainted and fell forward on her face. ; At the next opening night. Miss McDonald came on to a warm ovation and had the crowd with her from her opening “Wanting to Know You” to the appropriate closing, “Body and Soul.” She does a medley entitled “Around the World in Eight Min¬ utes,” another medley from a new disk album and such standards as “It’s the Wrong Time” and “Some¬ where Over the Rainbow” during her 35 minutes. She shows better when her voice is strong and her dialog soft. Miss McDonald’s per¬ sonal musical director, Ted Fio Rito, plays a medley of seven songs he penned while she makes a costume change. Jackie Miles gets good mileage from his Las Vegas, gambling and cartoon characters gags, and he begs off with the aud wanting more. The beefed-up Don Cannon house orch (10) backs the show in good style, but the band’ll be better when Cannon is tipped that his mnsic is too loud for this house. The Rose Murphy Trio with Slam i Stewart will move in Dec. 1. Skip. Steuben’s* Bos ten Boston, Nqv. 20. Cordalins (4), Eddie Garson, Don Dennis, Laurie Stuart, Tony Bruno Orch (5); $2.50 minimum. CordaRns, four auburn-topped femme lookers, three on violins and one on accordion, win big rounds in Max & Joe Schneider's nitery. Boniface Arnold Benak had the ropes up opening night (20), and the foursome—Betty, Dorothy, I Nancy and Teresa handsomely ! gowned in green—took the and on ; a musical toot around the world terping to the appropriate music of each country. Proceeding from Baghdad to Dublin to Paris to Tennessee, they whirl, swoop and tap to their own music, doing Ori¬ ental style terp, Irish jigs, can-can, etc., and wind up with terrific square dance, oldfashioned hoe- down with appropriate verbiage. Act has great visual impact and gets over big with family trade. Don Dennis, singing emcee, gets off a rousing “Wunderbar;” and segues to “With a Song in My Heart,” rounding off With solid “Bluebell” for heavy mitting. Eddie. Garson, clever ventrilo¬ quist, yocks it up with his Latino dummy, Chico Chico, gamering I large- laugh segs. Laurie .Stuart opens the show with trick, unicycle riding, juggling atop a high bike, and bringing on a dog in a suitcase for some cute tricks. Tony ^^mo cuts the show expertly. Th : ~ ut I exits Dec. 3. Guy. Cocoannt L. A. Los Angeles, Nev;-21. Eartha Kitt f The Dunhills (3), Freddy Martin Orch (17); $2-$2.50 cover. $3 minimum , In a flame-colored gown,- with her flame-colored voice, Eartha Kitt made her Cocoanut Grove bow; Wednesday (19) night- for a two-week stand. It is a fast act and. Miss Kitt does not waste her time or the audience’s with between- sohgs chatter. The act has ap¬ parently been altered somewhat as a nod to the decorus standards of this room, hut it still swings wide and wicked. Entertainment direc¬ tor Gus Lampe reports good ad¬ vance reservations for* the show, which has the dancing Dunhills as a strong opener. Miss Kitt weaves her turn around the songs that have been identified with her, special mate¬ rial and special treatment of stand¬ ards. She starts high and fast with “Independent,” . runs through “Witch,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’ ” “Love Is a Gamble,” “Let’s Begin,” and “An Old-Fashioned Girl.” She does a “Fever”-ish rendition of “Little White Lies,” and segues into a monolog from her new film, “Anna Lucasta.” It fits well and will probably be a show-stopper after the picture is released and it has more association for audi¬ ences. Miss Kitt strips down to a glamorized hula skirt for “Sister Kate,” and finishes with three of her best-known numbers, “I Want to Be Evil,” “Santa Baby” and “C’est Si Bon.” Opening night, the singer re¬ called that her last (and only pre¬ vious) appearance at the Grove was five years ago at a “command performance” for visiting Queen i Frederitka of Greece. At that time, her rendition of “Evil” stirred L.A/s Mayor Norris Poulson to deplore her choice in the per¬ formers entertaining the queen. Miss Kitt now deadpans that “Mayor Poulson made me a star” by bk comments. The Dunhills, three male danc¬ ers, do the kind of act too seldom seen these days. Properly done— as these boys do it—it is both nostalgic and exciting. They use precision tap, done with ease and humor, a specialty based on South African dance rhythms, and finish with a straw-hat-and-stick sand- shuffle that makes theirs a su¬ perior opener. Freddy Martin and his orch do a smart overture of “Cumana,” and provide their usual bright dance sets. Miss Kitt’s turn runs about 40 minutes, the Dunhills take 15, and the overture rounds it out to about an bour a show. Powe. Americana, Miami B. Miami Beach, Nov. 22. Jose Greco & Co., Lee Martin Orch; $2.50-$5 minimum. Jose Greco and his talented troupe are playing their annual date in the Bal Masque of this plushery and pulling them in as if it were the height of the winter season. His potency at the b.o. is matched by the 60-odd minutes of Spanish folk and flamenco terpings he^ has devised. Although display¬ ing concert stage overtones, Greco has staged his troupe with a com¬ mercial flair that is tailored for a smart cafe and he keeps the “oles” and table pounding on high throughout,, whether it be solo or with members of the company. There’s no break as he moves his troupe through its paces. The group numbers are deftly balanced and smooth flowing, the patterns achieved with a casual air that adds to impact. Best of these is the interp of Ravel’s “Bolero,” * palm-pounding sequence. Rosario Caro is an outstanding exponent of the Iberian art, as is Lupe Del Rio. Sequence of a folk dance with Greco and two femmes is a 'delight in its panto-storytelling. Finale, a wedding, festival, is a fitting cli- f maxer to a sparkling performance ['•by Greco and his aides including Paco Fernandez, Ramon. Velez, Dolores Del Carmen, Maira An¬ geles, Teresa Montes, Curro Rod¬ riguez, Pablo Medina, Maria Medi¬ na, Paul Haakon. Guitar solo by Ricardo Blasco is stamped With virtffftsity! Due end of week is Jonathan Winters. Lary. Q«een Elizabeth, Momt’l Montreal, Nov. 18. Monique Van Vooren (with Les 3 Gat cons), Denny Vaughan Orch (12), Les 3 Bars; $2.50-$3 cower. When Belgium ebanteuse Mon¬ ique Van Vooren first played, the Ritz Cafe in Montreal seyeral years ago she was just an attractive chirper with little out of the ordi¬ nary except a well-endowed ap¬ pearance. A slight comedic strain came through occasionally but . was never developed.. However, at cur¬ rent stand in the elegant Salle Bonaventure of the Queen Eliza¬ beth Hotel this latent talent comes to the fore with a phis to make her one of the most entertaining performers yet to grace this room. Fashionably gowned, as usual, and backed, by three males who can both dance and sing. Miss Van Vooren whams over a solid-JfSO min¬ utes to score heavily to a capacity house at show caught. Material for the most part is of a special nature and all dealing, natch, with the foibles -and fancies of love. Belting something rowdy like “Talk To Him,” thrush switches to a sultry torchant “If You Only Knew” with the finesse of a pro and then to “Marie the Mink” for salvos.- A softshoe routine by the three boys | gives her a breather for change of costume and she returns in a sim- | pie black dress to do a satire-com¬ edy bit on the melodramatic chirp¬ ers found in the cellar boites of Paris. A third costume change for her finale is effective but at the moment lacks the individuality shown in previous offerings. Although the basic talents of Miss Van Vooren are ever present, kudos go to her manager-husband, Gerry Purcell, for an attractive staging job; to Lee Sherman for his choreography and to Allan Jef¬ fries and Carl Eugster for their songs and arrangements. Additional plus to femme is the music of Denny Vaughan and his orch. 'Vaughan, who opened the room several months ago, returns for an indefinite stay and between shows, a new trio, Les 3 Bars, spells the Vaughan orch for cus¬ tomer dancing, Miss Van Vooren is in until Dec. 6 with the Dornan Bros, to follow. Newt. Riverside, Reno Reno, Nov. 21. John Raitt, Sid Krofft, Starlets. (8), Eddie Fitzpatrick Orch (10); $2 minimum. Auditor reaction to the powerful and emoting lyrics as expressed by John Raitt—making his debut be¬ fore the saloon set in the River¬ side’s plush Olympic Room—indi¬ cates but one conclusion: solid suc¬ cess on the bistro circuit. The personable singer (estab¬ lished on Broadway, in tv and in Hollywood) scores effortlessly with a style and command exuding stage perfection and unquestioned vocal capabilities during his varied 11- title melange. _ From opener Shad Rach to his closing soliloquy from “Carousel,” the darkhaired singer holds posi¬ tive attention through 30-minute turn before the spot. An empathlc delivery of “Hello, Young Lovers” —sans mike—affords early assur¬ ance of plaudits from the girl gender as Raitt effects stageside intimacies. His offering of “Boll Weevil” adds novel diversion to the half-hour onstage, and an Eng¬ lish version of “Barber of Seville” rates superlatives—what with its diction problems. Taking advantage of past pro endeavors, Raitt shows his big voice to full control and volume on “Hey There,” “The Girl That I Marry,” “Oh, What A Beautiful Momin’” and “If I Loved-You” At the piano for the Raitt debut is spouse Marge, introed from stage and endorsed for looks and ability. -Warmer for the Raitt headlining is Sid Krofft, the most accom¬ plished puppeteer ever to play a Reno house. With well - planned lighting (and • Krofft in non-dis¬ tracting black suiting) his puppet world is animated into life on a string. Opener with five Oriental mannequins manipulated at the same time proves ability. The smart, well-costumed figures in¬ clude boy-girl Negro team, a blonde stripper and her- dressing [table, and a disjointed skelton in a phosphorescent offering. Effec¬ tive begoff is a puppet in a Sid Krofft mhnic, with his own puppet. Bracketing the doiible bill are the Starlets In Moro-Landis pro¬ ductions. Eddie Fitzpatrick’s orch handles difficult show more than capably. Bill runs to Dec. 3. Long. Crescendo, Houston Houston, Nov. 18. Marquez Sisters, Jose Ortiz ,Orch (5); no cover or minimum. The lively Marquez Sisters, Olga, Carrie and Tina, found a small opening audience but heavy mitt¬ ing for their nine-number, 30-min¬ ute act at Club Crescendo. The Cuban sisters run through a Cuban medley, “Isle of Paris” in efia cha tempo, “BabalU,” VApambichao,” “Granada,” a. rock ’n’ roll go- round, “Jalisco,” -“Hey Cumpare” i and “Mambo No. 5.” Brunet Olga does some , comic mugging and sometimes bandies the maracas, while Carrie and Tina play guitars and the bongos. The girls display fine harmony and solid shapes, and their'dancing is: nearly as good. Skip. Palmer House, Chi Chicago, NOv. 20. \Los Chavales de Espdna (11) with Isabela & Miguel; Ben Arden 'Orch (11>; $2 cover. Purely in terms -of-musical ex¬ pression, Los Chavales de Espana (the Elids From Spain) are as fine a cabaret toroupe as before. Louis Bona’s flamenco guitar is. Still, skillful and sensitive, for example,. and the Catalonian flavor of all hands is still very much to the taste. But the pacing,.per their Empire Room preem kicking off their third stand here ; isn’t what it was. Presentation has become almost static—absent is the quasi¬ spontaneity and such droll inven¬ tions as there once were. And Bona’s “For our next number. . .” announcements only accent this condition. Program includes Franco and Russian melodies‘as well as Span¬ ish titles. Check-payers found the best of the bunch to be a gypsy- type Bona original, scored for solo gditar and flamenco footwork to instrumental accorap: Dancers Isa¬ bela & Miguel are spotlighted twice earlier to provide virtually the only excitement via flamboyant twists and turns. Theirs is high- style commercial terping, and duo should be used to better advantage. Ben Arden’s tunesters provide their usual sharp dansapatlon be¬ fore and after shows. Harpo & Chico Marx are next Dec. 21. Pit. Hotel Astor, IV. Y. Irving Fields Trio; $3 minimum, Fri.-Sat. after 9:30. After experimenting with a jazz mood for about a month, the Hotel Astor’s renovated Broadway Cock¬ tail Lounge is Striking a more familiar note with the Irving Fields Trio. Combo has been on the hotel room grind for close to 16 years and has the musical demands of such spots down pat It’s also fa¬ miliar with the beat that goes over in New York, having put in long stretches at the St. Moritz and the Park-Sheraton, so it looks like the Broadway Cocktail Lounge is now on the right melody track. Fields is a capable keyboarder with a wide musical range. Ballads, rhythm and Latinos are easily and swiftly delivered for cocktail and dinner listening. On weekends after 9:30 p.m., when the minimum goes into effect, management rolls up the rug for the terp crowd. Although Fields was caught for review during the cocktail session, it’s a safe bet to assume the trio would do okay by the dancers, too. The Fields’ style is crisp and neat and even when he dresses up an item with a production styling, it comes across in clear melodic strokes. He gets expert aid from his bass and drums backing. The service staff, too, is a plus that ought to help the room build as a- pre-and-post theatre spot. Headed by maitre d’Jan, whose credits range from London’s Siegi’s to New York’s Little Club, the seating and serving are. ran off in a slickly tailored style. Gros. Le Sexy, Paris Paris, Nov. 25. Gerard Sety, Wasta, Potassi, Ra - vik & Raps, Ruman & Kita, Julien, Carole Ryva, Lucia Berry, Corine Chambord, Rita Cadillac & Roger Stephani, Rita Renoir, Tilda Hel¬ ene, Simone ClarySj Lucia fc Jose; $5 minimum.' As the name of this Champs- Elysees cellar club implies, there are plenty of strip acts—height, in fact. But the youthful chassis and production invention make this all rather amusing and palatable rather than straight erotic. With a solid bevy of straight visual acts, this shapes as a show for tourists and regulars alike, and it looks to keep its popularity in these days of fading chibs here. In spite of all the nudity, Ger¬ ard Sety is the real red meat of the show. Tall, personable comic patters drily and wittily while he transforms himself, by deft cloth¬ ing usage, into an Indian chief. Samurai warrior, onelegged pirate, etc., to make this a most engaging offbeat act and a natural for Yank . boite and tv chances. Sety speaks English well and, if he can fit his patter to it, is ready lor the U.S. Wasta does a drunk-aero act that is daring and unique on the tiny stage and the confines of Ibis small room. Potassi is a' glib, suave magico and Ravik & Raps "enliven proceedings with zesty, fast- naced rollerskating series of are- besquep easy on the dahee bit with more grinds than a coffee mill, and Rita Renoir cavorts behind a ‘ beaded curtain' for her. exotic effect. The rest of the peelers are : all well-balanced and frenetic and shgw up: well. Show ,ls in for. the. season. Mosk.