Variety (March 1959)

72 LEGITIMATE t^ARIETY Wednesday, March 25, 1959 Stock Reviews Dear Liar Mary Howes & John Lane presentation of Guthrie McClintic & S, Hurok produc¬ tion of “reading” version comedy by Jerome Kilty, adapted from the George Bernavd Sliaw-Mrs. Patrick Campbell correspondence. Direction, Jerome Kiltv; costumes, Cecil Beaton; music, Sol Kap¬ lan: lighting. Jean Rosenthal. Stars Kath¬ arine Cornell, Brian Aherne. March 14-16, '59. at the Four Arts Society Auditorium. Palm Beach. To audiences whose frame oC reference includes some knowledge of the now almost legendary George Bernard Shaw. "Dear Liar” adds considerably to his substance as a man. What merit this work has for the average theatregoer stems from the brilliant editing and connotations of Jerome Kilty, who adapted and directed the pro¬ duction. Kiltv’s compilation and narration { are ablv handled by Katharine I Cornell and Brian Aherne, who j occasionally' breathe considerable I life . into the intangible romance j and Mrs. Patrick always just around, the corner, and particularly riotous are Del Close as a zany and rambunctious writer with a head full of offbeat crusades Thomas Aldredge as an archtype beatnik, Zale Kessler as a mil¬ lionaire with poetic tendencies, and David Sallade as a prancing south¬ ern literary genius. Barry Primus, featured in several previous Crystal Palace produc¬ tions, is also a one-man riot as Bummy Canvell, one of the beatest of the beatniks, and Florence Gass- ner, a St. Louis actress, makes great fun out of her high-jinking tussle with Del Close in the frenetic “How Do You Like Your Love?” number. Theodore J. Flicker, the Crystal Palace’s producer and director since its inception some months ago, has done his usual deft joo of getting everybody doing the right thing at the right time, and Dave Moon’s flair for imaginative sets is evident again, from ths Campbell ^ a'iong-distance affair j shabby world of the beat people covering a period of 40 years. | to the glittery realm of high so- The letters are presented as: ciety. . . icu.i. u ; “The Nervous Set is set for a friendly relations are traditionally a basic element in local theatre oper¬ ation, New Jersey Playhouse opera¬ tor Robert Ludlum does not bill himself as producer and, at least at the show caught, apparently made no effort to greet patrons, either in the lobby or with between-acts cur¬ tain speech. The Playhouse is an at¬ tractive theatre, and it’s in a popu¬ lous. prosperous area, although its proximity to Manhattan may be more handicap than help. Kobe . Show on Broadway First Impressions George Gilbert & Edward Specter Pro¬ ductions presentation of two-act (15 scenes) musical comedy, based on the Jane Austen novel and Helen Jerome play. “Pride and Prejudice,” with book by Abe Burrows, songs by Robert Gold¬ man, Glenn Paxton, George Weiss. Over¬ all direction, Abe Burrows; choreography, Jonathan Lucas; scenery, Peter Larkin; costumes, Alvin Colt; musical director, Frederick Dyonch; orchestrations, Don Walker; lighting, Charles Elsom; dance music arrangements, John Morris; vocal arrangements and direction, Buster Davis; hair sty!e=. Ernest Adler. Stars Polly Ber¬ gen, Farley Granger, Hermione Gingold; features James Mitchell, Mary Finney, Found in Your Pocket Palm Beach, March 10. Frank J. Hale & Paul Crabtree presenta-, featu r es James Mitchelli Marv Finney, tion of two-act (11 scenes) c h °"* ; Phyllis -Newman. Don-Id Madden, Chris- edy. .vith book by S. I. Ahelow and Kobe.t . tophcr Hewitt> Sibyl B owan, Lynn Ross, Cenedella; music by Chm.cs S-r'Kr.e, ,■ Mrrti S r eV ens. Bill Carter. Ellen Hanley, l.vnes by Lee Adams. Du ection, Ph h? ; Laur5e Main> Lois Bewle.v. Mauri Peters. Burton; decor, James t Rl ‘ c e ;' c m ^cal ci.n ()ocpcd ^. rc i, lg . * 59: s8 r . 5 too W eek- ductor, Marshall Gram. Stars Hele.^ G. - njoMs . $o 2 o Friday-Saturday nights (S12 lagher,’ Dody Goodman, Me.ville Copper features Paula Laurence, David Dan-els, Ksv Loring. Rubee Raymon, Bert-Ber¬ tram. G. Wood, Eddie Peak, RcvnoHs Evens. Bruce Macka.v. Opened March 10. ’59. at the Roynl Poinciana Playhouse. Palm Beach: S6.50 top. readings. w ; th narrative asides which skillfully bridge the inter¬ ludes ioften a period of years*. This unusual and somewhat static technique i^ relieved by scenes from two Shavian works. In the first act Shaw rehearses the actress as Liza Doolittie in “Pygmalion.” a part he wrote expressly for her. In the second act they run over part of the script of “The Apple¬ cart,” a bit said to be based on a particular afternoon he and his “Stella” had spent together. Miss CorneT pictures Mrs. .Campbell much in the month’s run at the Crystal Palace and is slated for a fall opening on Broadway. Bob. Small Servant ... Sally Erass - Sampson Bra<=s ... Dick Swiveller . . Sophie Woekles .. Mrs. Wrnsp - Mrs. Tubb .. Mrs. W'rasp . Mr. Tubb ....... LampUghter „ Rev. Garland . R-vnoIds E-.vns Sgt. Padgett . Bruce Mr.cKny Helen CrUagber . Paula Laurence . Mclvi”? Corner . David Daniels Dodv Good men Kay I.-.-Li' . E :, b'e .. Bert Bertr am C. Wes. : opening) ‘ 1 *r. Bonnet . V-”»ry Rennet _ Mr«. Bennet .... T."dia Bennet ... NiUv Rennet ... Jane Rennet .... Maid . E!’-rb‘'*h Bennet Lady Luces -... Chci-Totle Luces . Caroline Bindley . Charles Bindley . ’•'’t?” illi“m Darcy Coachmen . • Ce.pt. Wickham . ; T.t. Dennv . Lt. Cerkinghem . William Lucas If the first act of this tuner can Butie; brought un to the pace and quality . of the second. this Frank J. Hale- c 0 iMns „ . rm _ i Paul Crabtree production which *?uMcr at Rosings . - 7,°!? arrfS H Z t ° r0 f fh ■ ■ the Palm Beach entrepreneurs are i l^v Anne Robert I.udlum production of A thi\.e- for Broadwav, might ! Dangers: Arl proximately as funny—and fatal— as Bert Lahr would be in the role. As. the independent, willful heroine, top-starred Polly Bergen has the looks, singing talent and appropriate directness for the role, but her style of speaking and play¬ ing and her personality are about as “period” as Mickey Mantle. Sec¬ ond-starred Farley Granger looks the part of the haughty but gen¬ erous Darcy, and he’s believable in the early scenes,' but seems" to lack inner fire for the big scenes. He’s an indifferent singer. Of the supporting _ players, James Mitchell gives conviction and interest to the role of Capt. Wickham, the rascally dance-lead; Ellen Hanley gives dimension to iu ««« the part of the dutifully docile, .. t nuri Peters I generous-hearted “other” girl, and ■ ; Phyllis Newman j s j n g s her one number agree- Be ' erl< 'rAily 6 Bergen ! ably; Sibyl Bowan lends definition - .. Sibil Bowan I to the role of her marriage-con- .^len Hadley j sc i ous mother; Marti Stevens is Donald Madden j plausibly feline as a snobbish .Farley Granger! upper-class schemer for a rich •'John sS&wJather j husband, and Donald Madden is . James Mitchell : suitably ingenuous as her sitting- .„ £ 5r j er I duck-for-romaince brother. .BifSrJiSSSi' In addition . Mary Finney makes . Norman Fredericks j a musical comedy figure of the . casDer Roos ■ arrogant Lady Catherine de ' 'Christopher Hewett Bourgh, Christopher Hewitt plays n starkweather ] the caricature, part of the fawn- Martha Mathis in § Collins for what it’s worth, ■lere Avrii, Janie** Gardner, I Laurie Main gets by in the . Laurie Main . . Lois Bewle.v Hermione Gingold Lynn Ross grooming, for Broadway, Christie*. Direction, J. Robert bietz, 1 prove an attiact.On at a Small thea- • j 3 01 .Q tbv j eanne M-attis,~W 7 endy Nickerson. : scenery, Robert Conley; lighting, Charles hag some ‘Threepenny >i v ; n Beam, Tim (?orbett, Stuart Flemin*?, ! PhjlllS Newman La Martin. Features Brennan Moore, * n overtones Richard Cain. S»uart Hodes, Garrett ; dances vivaciously) and Lois Be\V- Kather'ne Cuilford, Richard Abbott, John,'JPera OVenq lLb. I Lewis, John Starkweather. j lev Lvnn ROSS and Lauri PeterS Scanlan. Carole Macho. Frankly m Cover,. It u - a <j originally written as a. Singers: Adrienne Angel. Suzie Baker, ! Lawrence Spector. At North Jersey Plav- n i av but S I Abe^OW and ; Mar'an Hara'dson, Jeannio** Masterson. - do little to register as the five BlSO- „ - ... March 10-12. *59; straightpla>, Dut b i ADeGw ana ; Tj0uise Peirl Beverley Jane Welch . smart j ran younger Bennet husband-bait. ■ Robert Cenedella ha\ e adapted the j o-mon. Norm-n Fredericks. Warren Hays, On the basic of an initial hear- . Franklin Cover i Victorian background and Dicken-j Ce-ner Poos. Tony Rossi. Jay Stern. i . Un ./ ne D3S1S °* 3 ^ ™ .... Carole Macho : mu ^; cal cettin-’l M usic a l numbers: ‘^ive Daughters ” ^g there are no standout pop Norma BeU ,?ian characters to a musical seuin a . „ T . m Me „ «. Have You Heard th( , NeW s?” - . .. ,. Richard Abbott Charles Strouse and Lee Aciams j The A--mWv "Dance. “A Perfect Eve- house. Palisades, N.J.; S3.50 top. Thomas Royde , I Kay Slrange ... popular , Marv Aldin conception as to voice, and as the ; Matthew Treves ....... legendary star grow older, in ap-! i-dv Tressiiian. pearar.ee. However, the tea gowns | Audrey strange .. designed for her by Cecil Beaton! 7.\7. .“ are too drab for Miss Cornell. [His Assistant .. \v s Uiout ne benefit ^cf ^ostume^or ’ Agatha Christie. Britain’s grand due to the scripting) from veteran matPiin h- nroW; the GBS of ! dame of whodunits, w’as obviously : comedians Paula Laurence SS Stew Variously as 'selfch.!;n a slump with “Towards Zero ” irritable and deeply philosophical.) her dramatization (purportedly Aherne’s finest bit is Shaw’s ae--with the- unbilled collaboration of count of ihe c.'cmnion of his . GeraM \ ernon) of her own mystery mother plavcd with lust the right; rove 1. Although the meller had a Gum. Ha*-riet Leigh. Martha Mathes, i desicated role of Mr. Bennet, and (who at least o„ CCJ » c . have contributed catchy tunes. Katherine Guilford notably “Someone Who Cares,” the Lawrence Spector theme song, “Sleeping Dreams” Charles CaffaU and “It’s a Topsy-Turvy World.” With small assistance (largely teran .and tunes, but the songs are fair enough, with “I’m Me” (the char¬ acter-setting solo for Miss Bergen!,. “As Long as There’s a Mother” (done by Miss Gingold and her five-month run in London in 1956- 57, it was a boxoffice failure, in striking contrast to her longrun- record “The Mousetrap” (still playing in the West End in its sixth year), her more recent and also current British hit.* “The Un¬ expected Guest.” ?."d the U.S. and English s™~~h. “Witness for the Prosecution.” ! “To\va r ds Zero” is r.ot simoly _ .. _ _ of j an old fashioned play, with the 5S5P 1 ;*»**'« sS . aQd , ard "-? 0 ; — - - * j - -niteir® fiiimt? niir tc Qimnfv a h.^n mixture of humor and sadness. H s rich voice, with a touch of brogue, adds to the illu ion. Jean Rosenthal’s lighting is ef¬ fective and Soi Kaplan’s music helps set the different moods of the production. Culm. T!:e ?*rrvGi:s Set St. Louis. March 11. Theodore J. Flicker presentation by Tommy Wolf. Direction, Flicker; musi- j n]av in ar v cla c Sificatioi air p Su^:! all 'Mirs Chr’stie’s yarn Fficker. lM-irs bv” Fran L ndesmi n, music ■ clunitS. blit IS also simply a bad ' “ . " _ ‘ ’ ’fication. As with j all Mirs Chr’stie’s yarns, the em- Alian Mar.koff. Opened March 10. ’59, at ohisis is on plot, with the invari- LOUi 6arry Primus fabl® CTrfteh e-idlnj PBd little COB- Brad WiUiams . .. Don Heller ; cern for character, motivation or Danny . Thomas Aidrease i semblance of reality. When, as in . Arlen Dei Co ciose ! this ease, the storv is synthePc, sari'Shaw ' .V.V Janice Mesh'^ r f | the theatrical effect is negligible. Millionaire Max . Zale Ke? nroduction bv the North Henry Calhoun . D.vid Sallade : T TTf t tv- t Joan Beards'v Jaine Gilbert [ Jersey Playhouse, at Ft. Lee. N.J., Katherine sioan-whittakfr _ i (just adiac-'P.t to the George Wash- Fiorence^Go^ner j j n gt on Bridre from Manhattan! Melville Cooper, the burden of both music and comedy falls on the slender shoulders of Helen Gal¬ lagher, who is a delight. Her grace, comedy sense and flexible voice breathe life into an otherwise two- dimensional vehicle. Jane Austen’s pre - Victorian novel. “Pride and Prejudice.” has been made into a handsome, spas¬ modically entertaining « musical comedy called- “First Impressions.” Miss Laurence and Cooper play 1 which opened at the Alvin Theatre a pair of scoundrels. The former j last Thursday (19) after a road ip°her acrdu fi lOT/roie h and e c°00Der C !: tuneu P- M's a questionable bet for part needs considerable padding • Broadway, beyond the theatre party for him to score at all. Tims.” “A*. I.ons As There’s a MAther,' “LAve Will Fmrt Out the Way,” “Gentle¬ men Don’t F-Rl Wi'^ly in Lo'-e,” “This Really Isn’t Me," “Fragrant Flower.” “I p eel Sorry for the Girl.” “I Suddenly Find Vn<i Agreeable.” “This Vasn’t It a Simply A t^e U Game,” 0 “Let’s ^etch^he : Way’’ (another solo for Miss Ber- Carriage.” j gen and the first really effective 1 moment of the show), and “I id Vn>i Agreeable." “This Isn’t Really i five “daughters” as a sort of vaude- ” “Wasn’t it a simply Lovely Wed- : vi u e turn); “Love Will Find a Dody Goodman sustains a choice j sale, a slim possibility for pictures ■ Jl^ta e Benne? net part which could have been tailor- made for her special brand of comedy and (intentional) cater¬ wauling. David Daniels, as the leading man. has an adequate voice, but needs further comedy direc¬ tion. Reynolds Evans is properly Victorian as a preacher, as is Bruce M a cKay as a policeman. Philip Burton’s direction is weak in spots, but presents a good over¬ all picture, and the Crabtree trick i to • rows' has taken unusually promi- cidental to the show, “Pound In Your Pocket” has excellent pos- Culm. Danny’s GUI j * ; - _ . , ■ „ Bartender Joseph Douglas : the L.S. premiere fcr the meller. Beatnks. Squares. Partv People, etc.: it’s not a ShO’V to make anyone Pai'as. Ray Reese. Joseph Douglas, Jaine ; hapD\. either the audience, actors . sibilities as a ■ tentuner. Gilbert. :■ or management (the 900-seat con- 1 - J verted f; lm house was about a “The Nervous Set ” a locallytenth filled at last Friday’s <20> written musical comedv, has pre- J performance). ~ ' the meller in- of using an unseen quartet bolster up the theme song is nent dou ble billing as 'librettist especially effective in this pint- . and director, he invites the rap size musical. ■ . | for these shortcomings. As the settings are merely in-, „ First Impressions .. mlgh , have been greatly improved if the f Prldo and Prejodlce’ Max Gordon presentation of three-act (five scenes) comedy-drama by Helen Jerome, adapted from the Jane Austen novel; direction. Robert Sinclair; scenery, Jo Mielziner. Opened Nov. 5, *35, at th« Music Box Theatre, N.Y.; played 219 per¬ formances. Mr. Bennet . Percy Waram Hill.Harold Thomas Mrs. Bennet . Lucile Watson Lady Lucas. .Frances Brandt , , . , . , , Charlotte Lucas ... Brenda Forbes bookings and mail order advance j Jane Bennet . Helen Chandler . - Elizabeth Bennet . Adrienne ,AUen Lydia Bennet . Joan Tompkins Dr. Darcy ..... Colin Keith-Johnson Mr. Bingley .John Halloran Mr. Collins . Harold Scott Ame ,; a .Edwin Wise Mr. T/ickham ..John D. Seymour Belinda .. Kathleen Moran Amanda -.1. Gail Bolger Young Man . Hugh Nevill Capt. Denny.James Jolley Miss Bingley.Nancy Hamilton Agatha ..Jeannette Chinley Another Young Man.Ferdi Huffman Maid . Dare W’right Maggie .Chouteau Dyer Mrs. Gardiner .. Viola Rohche Lady Catherine de Bourgh..Alma Kruger Col. Guv Fitzwilliam-Stephen Appleby Mrs. Lake .Dorothy Scott and so-so-prospect for stock. The show lacks a‘consistent ap¬ proach. the treatment ranging from straight to broadly comic. This weakness of Abe Burrow’s’ adaptation is accentuated in the slapdash quality of his direction. The staging has a feeling almost of extemporization, as if each scene were played for its own effect, without regard to any point view- as a whole. Since Bur- miered at the Crystal Palace saloon-theatre to ecstatic packed- house enthusiasm. Adapted from a book of the same name by Jay Landesman. one of the owners of the Crystal Palace, with lyrics by his wife Fran and music by former Crystal Palace pianist Tommy Wolt, “The Nervous Set” deals with “the beat genera¬ tion,” sometimes tenderly, some¬ times spicily, sometimes hilarious¬ ly. but always entertainingly. The cast of refreshing young people, mostly from New York,, gives it a zingy performance. Mrs. Landesman’s lyrics and Tommy Wolf’s music (he also di¬ rects the three-piece combo for the show) are polished to a fine sheen, either on the tender “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” or the ribald chant, “How Do You Like Your Love?” The show has some 20 tunes, tailored to the assorted beatniks, square and snobs who populate the three acts. The musical numbers punctuate a tragi-comic scene that shifts back and forth from “square” Connecti¬ cut to “beat” Greenwich Village to Manhattan’s Tony Sutton Place. Don Heller, as the intense young editor of the magazine Nerves, and Arlene Corwin as his gal are the appealing hero and heroine, storm- tossed between the wachy world of the editor’s milieu and the sane domesticity the girl craves. Janice Meshkoff as the femme rival is a pretty lass with winning w r ays. Although there are some shining moments of pathos, hilarity is For the record, volves the murder of an imperious old ladv at her seaside home in Cornwall. Besides the wealthy victim, who appears only in the first act, the characters including her athletic prospective heir, his aloof-seeming former wife and re¬ sentful present spouse, these lat- ters’ respective suitors, the custom¬ ary devoted housekeeper, the in¬ evitable family solicitor and a cou¬ ple of detectives. Considering the hackneyed story and the inadequately defined and poorly motivated characters, as well as resident director J- Robert Dietz’ unimaginative staging (and the rehearsal limitations of two- w r eek-engagement stock), the per¬ formance tends to be routine. However. Brennan Moore at least has vitality as the vain young heir. Carole Macho projects emotion as the positive second wife and Norma Bell makes a human being-of the enigmatic role of the housekeeper. Katherine Guilford plays the ex- wife virtually as a sleep-walker. Franklin Cover seems bloodless as her endlessly patient old beau. Lawrence Spector is somewhat mannered as the second’s wife’s urgent admirer, and Richard Ab¬ bott. Harmony Sweeney. John Scanlan and Charles Caffall go through the stock motions as the respective solicitor, the old lady and the two • gumshoes. Robert Conley’s single setting and Charles ■La MarPn’s linhtin** are adequate within budget limi't^ions. Although personal identity and The Douglas Crawfords Sign for Dayton Spot Douglas Crawford and his wife, Nancy EUio’.t Nugent, producers of the current. off-Rroadway revival of “On the Town,” will be the fourth.management in a three- year period to undertake the pre¬ sentation of summer sljock in Day- ton, O. They’ll operate the city’s Memorial Hall, putting" on a pro¬ gram of six musicils and six straight plays during the summer. A summer stock ‘policy was initiated at the Hall in 1957 by John Kenley. who ohdrated at a $2 top. He lost the "theatre last year to Paul Winston, who took it ever in an arrangement with local officials and business men. Win¬ ston ran the spot in conjunction with another stock setup in Colum¬ bus, but both operations collapsed during the season. A local group, Dayton Productions, Inc., took ever the Hall to play out the sea¬ son, but; closed three weeks earlier than scheduled. The {lack of sufficient bond money to cover actors employed by Winston was a primary factor in spurring an Actors Equity re- evaluation of its stock bonding policy. Incidentally, ' regarding Memorial Hall, Montgomery County commissioners have been seeking a rental of $1,750 weekly, but have indicated they would consider a percentage arrange¬ ment. flavor of the original novel had been consistently retained. The core of the sentimental story is the antagonistic romance between the genteelly impoverished, spirited, _ smalltown English girl,- intelligent | and plain-speaking Elizabeth Ben¬ net, and the insufferably smug but essentially decent young aristo¬ crat, rich and thin-skinned Mr. Darcy. But despite Peter Larkin’s ornately decorative scenery and Alvin Colt’s sumptuously colorful costumes, a fairly passable score and even a number of the original Austen lines, “First Impressions” frequently seems more Broadway show biz than early 19th century English social comment, and occa¬ sionally more of a vaudeville sketch than a musical play. In general, the serious moments, especially the scenes between the romantic leads, are . the more satisfying. Choreographer Jona¬ than Lucas (with an unbilled try¬ out tour assist by Herbert Ross) has contributed two notable dance numbers, an assembly ball and an elopement routine. One of the reasons for the mon¬ grel quality of the show is that what should be a secondary char¬ acter, the vacuum-headed, prat¬ tling Mrs. Bennet, is overplayed, or rather over-clowned, by Her¬ mione Gingold, whose talent and instinct are obviously toward broad comedy, and who has ap¬ parently been encouraged rather than restrained from turning the part into a music hall turn. With the comedienne comically mouth¬ ing the lines and doing hokum antics, the part takes over the pro¬ ceedings and becomes the audi¬ ence-sparking element. It’s ap- Suddenly Find You Agreeable.” “Wasn’t It a Simply Lovely Wed¬ ding?” and “The Heart Has Won the Game” reasonably effective for plot reasons. As noted in the program credits, the show is based not only on the Austen novel, but also on the Helen Jerome straight-play adapta¬ tion, which Max Gordon pro¬ duced on Broadway during the 1935-36 season (see accompanying box) and which w’as subsequently filmed by Metro, with Greer Gar- son and Laurence Olivier as the hostile-but-infatuated leads. Both play and picture retained the essential flavor and quality of the novel, and both were successes. Hobe. Musicals, Dine-Dancing At Dailey’s Meadowbrook Dailey’s Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove, N.J., formerly a top show¬ case for name dance hands, will offer a season of musical stock, combined with a dinner-dancing policy, starting April 21. The project is being sponsored by Gary McHugh, Carl Sawyer and Clifford Dailey. The minimum tab, cover¬ ing the show, dinner and dancing- to two orchestras, will be $3.50. McHugh was formerly connected with the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, N.J., and Sawyer has been involved in musical tent man¬ agement. Dailey has been running the Meadowbrook as a banquet hall and restaurant. The opening bill, skedded to run through May 10, will be “Guys and Dolls.” Performances will be given Tuesday - through - Sunday evenings, with matinees Wednes¬ day and Saturday.