Variety (September 1960)

7* LKCITtMATfi Pfi&iWJff Wednesday, September 218, I960 Shows to of Town and Mitchell Gregg as France's nobility. (Insinkaliie Molly Brown 1 DaJmes a Theafr. i“*8S* 0l WW|* 'W 't>»drtd up tion of two-act <18 numbers' musifcai com-, Oliver Smith’s terrific sets with an • arra >' of ewTOMtlv* p«toi e«s- bv Schary: #, hort"*ra T rtiVa T*prev Geimarn: tUttlCS and PcggV Cl3rk S lighting settings. Oliver Smi»h: liKhting^ Pes?y j s a feature. Peter Genriaro has SSJ SS^&Ji?Z^rSn’SiSSi-i hMKlfed, the choj-epsraphy well,: ami musical direction. Herbert Greene: There are 110 Set ballet OT specialty t1^^*V?S«5SwVu^m!K dances.', but several, fast cherus Crimes, Karv® Prc-moll. Omcron numbers. SX The Theatre Build.and Schary S roIa.^Jt.-'cia Kellv. Rod Roeersi Opened have a fine prospect in ‘The; LT1- Scnt. •»■' ”‘0. at the "Shubert /Theatre., sinkable Mdllv Brown.’.’ Waters^ T*h»Jad.:*In ’ia. _ _ t • - iU 11 .. ... Marvin Gnodis ■ —*—--■ — Mifv Tobin Ti«n'.T.ii (iriiacj ' Nada. Powand ■V/.i’tndcd S'’*l;cr Rill Stair T'h' , 'i S>% '* 1 mil S'art- ! Alan Pakula presentation of three-art r -.' “n ..u Norman Fjr.-Wuks drama by Stanlev . Young, from the St imi.e'"'! >t n pr'irrbomii’* biography - by Marguerite Courtney. 5 Norman prp.Hor : «-Vs Staged b'* Jose Quintero; settings. Peter - Larkin; lighting. _Tharbn Alusser: Laurel 4 New .Haven. Sept. 27. Alev Sevens'. , Larkin; lighting. - Tharon Alusser: cos-‘ u:* Jflr Pmn'o tumes. Patricia Zipprodt: hair styles. !gOO(l llttle-biothoi bit. f u,,.;:n. Y.onrtv H;ii-st i Ronald rie Mann; incidental music. Elmer ; William Pitkin’S , settings Of ..twtf rhrtetmM J T& h T*r*S S Long Island: beach, houses,are. ef- Pin’o B’hv Faier Kimbrough. Bibi OsterwaM; Nancy . Alar- .fcctivelv simnlb. The-.-lighting by rroinvu-s ggnj. R p ^ a B ||b [ Paul Morrison and some iujaaina- J.lmrv -LeasHill?** rown‘ / bert Theatre. New Haven:- $4.30 top. . j tive niUSlC by Stephen SonallQim Harvei Presneu 'i-*add ; flavor to th'e 'action. - '"Lucinda ronto ! — Ta> - or ' ■ • Ballard^;ebstumes for Miss Fonda i terous burden: of the action with fine humor. Miss Sherwood, as an Army general’s widow who Wants her daughter to have ail the happi- ness money can buy* also scores New York. City Genter, via its publicity shop, Dbrfmart Associates, tellingly ' third-act; mother- hag notified reviewers that there were only rear or side locations for daughter scene with Miss Fonda. the opera season opener tomorrow night. (Thurs:), When “Orfeo” and Miss Winters, although top- “The Prisoner’’ will be presented. The. management is copping a pica starred as a live-life-to-the-hilt for sympathy on the grounds of having a sellout to. a charity (namely, child of nature, lias a role that' itself). Since the house is notoriously handicapped by limited sight never conies alive. Roaring exple- j lines and faulty accoustics, the side locations tend to go begging. . The tive.s seem ’un?uited to her wbndev- decision of City Center, which badly needs goodwill and support . from fully soft, voice; and trite, ne-key tlie press, raised - eyebrows that the premiere would get this kigd of lines give hoi* little chance to de- brushoff. velop - th ■.warm., human person* ——— Laurents must have had. in mind, j “Thomas Becket” will be given in Vienna at the same time that Richard Derr, as the : father of ! Manhattan will see it. Stage: .director will, be Leopoul Lind,tberg and the*.--heroine’s illegitimate sop* i^.i Oskar W erner will play, the' lead, ••at. ; , , Vienna’^--*Bu ; i‘gtheater.V The- 'next stuck with an interminable rehash j forthcoming “premiere” will be ..O’Neill’s “Moon, for the Misbegotten’*, scene w ith her. It’s an uneven role, j staged, by Gunther Rennert, same one who will .stage; “Nabucco” at Miss; Fohda; Jaiites .MacAr.thiir-.andx the Met.operai Oct, 24:: “Harvey” find. “Death d.f a Salesman’-’ with the Tom Hatcher give competent per-| very popular actor Heinz’Rueihiria : will also have new productions formances. ih limited , parts,, and ‘ ar ciund .Christmas time: Jeffrey Rowland adds little Myei Si-vrir 1 * Mrs. V«-Gb>n» V i*v=!‘?aor van _ .... Ciinlob Kiiilbrou;. .Marsuenui Taylor . ... .loan Racket. EVcl Powers . Laurette .. . ... Judy^Holliday p- iu l Flovd : Elizabeth Coonev .. Marvin Goodis i •)• Hartley Manners . .... Meisi-r ; -erry .... Geoffrey Johnson m Prof. I'ardella T!ap Hostage [ reference- ' ^including a few - clum- I.eoriard S. Field & Caroline’ Burke ! sily ,inserted-for HiS*.: GohsiimptionV . ,. . . . ,ISsK ibi Osterwaid I an( j Sherwood are fetching, tation’of London Theatre Workshop pr - /smaIl.. boys scrawl . lley walls. f^johS’but- Miss Heckart’s be jeweled I'of it>is ;furniy,:and in its .lane'Peyton ....... .... Naiuy’Marcband -pants aind the g0\vns for MiSS W’in-; Acturs - Jane Barry. Von,old de Ma.nn, V . - . Givyda Donhowe. Willnni Goodwin -. , „ . .. „ u . . . .. , 0 . Behan. Staped by Joan Littlewpod;. SeL .Tack Han-old , Jane Peyton ........ ... Nancy Marchand -pants and the goWns for MlSS Win-;, tine and lishting. Frederick Fox; tos- -- -- ...- --- ChristooHer Hewett J Actors - Jane Barry, vonaid tie Ala.r.n, . _ ova' iirfintt^rih<r I »nines. Margaret Bury>. supervised by -relish of earthV cnioVmeht: 1 D.*.1> Malone \ Givyda. Donhowe. \V.l)nni Goodwin, ters aie ynijaueung s Frederick Fox. Opened, Sept. 20. *60: at^ V .Tune Card Ellen Alahoon. Jacqueline Michaels Laurents, as director as w ell as the--Corf Theatre. N.Y.; S7.S0 top Friday infectious and even ie\yardlllg. RSJTm^S"* ."SnSS ?o r ; .Bob^SirS • author, has a touch job on 0.00 wt-einiights It - S t:-c sort ot show, that* will c.iir,te'- E»h;>notoi>s'..Wanda Saxon - T »hn GTbert- --- -- - .. Patrick 0‘Neai ;..hands-Jn botlt categdries, Murij. ;p a t , v .°.’*.. Makweii s.brw .offend a number of proper pl:t . J.MV’b-rc-hros . Maryin Gnndis Intel v.cwers.... Paul *Ravts. Ceoffrev-. _:_^^ Me * Dillon .. :i;;*.-. Avis Bunnage -boers causin® at 'least a few wnlk- r.rinrl U ichess Alarie. Patricia KeUv . Johnson. William Goodwin . , . 'Monsewer .........i.Giyim Edwards *>VC1S, causing ai JLea. t a ICW K C iunt Ferarti Michael Davis \oung Director James Olson BiaiftgnS and.lNOOr KVOfilS Old: ilrtpecn Leila Greenwood UtS at every performance. But. if p,, r hpsc of Rm-H^me BartoDt N>wn«ar - . j ' ; Toronto. Sept. 2^. . >v ’*’*“ r ''likely to. amuse and pleasandy* . Bob Vialov "L-ailreUc” needs is yace; I juartin. Tabs*- presentation o^-WO'-Part . RFi^Rifa " r . . Dudley Stitton | Scandalize.. Others, arousing ' ' C, ‘“ ‘ " J “■ . o._ ,... J]r- Mullet'.pAvbrey Mijms: dinner!able : conversation: »w- toncT Wbd thorehy becoming the thing.to D'ik 1 * of Builinga P. »ror> of Auld M»*!ct*lm Broderick Atrs. W'-^-lini’ton Mr. WaiW T n<»ii.n Toting V- ailer .. -:- Maltre ’ . Paa>e.- -- June Card. poo iwiev W'hat “Laurette" needs is nace ; j , Mariia Barnew* Johnston The Stanley Young dramatizftioh • one-man. revue, stars Stanlev Hollowas. I.vnre Osborne f ATnr^nprito -Cnnrtnpv'q hhnk i- : Staged ahd-ch.oreogrjp*hed by .Toni tTiar- * orman Fredericks _ Jia rgU eijife^L 0111 ^ b 1 j l *_ rrioiii;.-settings*, and. lighting. ^Idhn Robert Finch. Marian Haraldson. Patricia Kelly. T.\ one Osboum. Nada Rowland. AVanda Doris ixon. Michael Davi« N’m- ■m-n Fredericks. Marvin Goods. Wnodv Hurst. Barnev Johnston. Tom I.arson. D de Malone- Louis Polacek. Dancers- B:»rhars Gine. Diapa Hunger. T.vnn Gav T.or ; no. Susan Mav, Anna Mane 1 Alovlan. R-e .McLean. Barbara Newimn. NmeUe Rnp-n. Ted Adkins. Steihng Cb-k. Bob Da'ev. Vito Durante. Den Finn- >n*. Joe Pronto. Mark jiRoss, Bill . S* ’i r. A’ex S'evens. Tcrrv Violino. Musical numbers: r ‘I Ain’t Down Ye*.” **BelIv Vo. »o the Bar. Bovs.”, ‘-‘Colorado. Mv Home.” ‘‘I’ve ATeadv Smarted In.” ‘Til N-ver Say No to You,” “Mv Own r.rass Bed.” “Read the Label on the Do*tie.” *• Beautiful People or D«nver." •Tlanpv Birthday. Mrs. J. il. Brown.” “Bob Jouv.” -Chi.k-a-Pen.”':;‘‘\re \ou 5 ;mv J * u *‘Kpep-3-*Hoppin.” T ?'«qv>U^ Jehnnv Brown.” ‘'Dolce Far .'iente,” “Up Where the Joke’s Coin* On.”!: . ' Ali*'Hael Davis episodic, and the necessary speed Lloyd;^ pianistSi Richmond ,Gale^ and Ar- Diile Malone hold segments toeether- inter- ■' .thur*-Siegel;*- guitarist,. Jerry- Sil-.ernian. - - avnell noia v^meins togeintr I O pened Sept, 26. m at the Royal Alexan- Pat estingiy has not been achieved. ; dra Theat Toronto: The premiere impression is that _ .. . ,. . the script falls short of its pot™: , Bcpakms »■ ta» one-map £! 0 « tialitics. Certainly the career of ^f 0!e ^ l h oa ^-- a ,'* Laurette Tavlof. the vortett.of this Stanley Ho loway keeps the auci- ■ • - - - • -y” - ence convulsed with lus blend of and recilaiions, sitting at literary whirlpool, provides fodd' British Soldier.---- . .. w _ Teresa ... —.... Celia s$ikei4 i see,. So the jdirt.ving-up for Broad- TRA Officer Victpr Spmettr • Volunteer _.... Michael Forrest I > vd J Russi ” Kate ■J-.vmi Mac. may . succeed .in sparking at- lance. ■ The players, including:tlie leads Warren G’Conrjeii rfyom the London' production under w . .. ... - ” i*.' .--’Miss; Li(tIew*ood‘s freewheeling di- ; _ P v . en ••WA'cfoS»°?i*- i rectibii, enact the assorted wliores; for nVorp tiiorT flip qnnttv interiire sbfigs and recilaiions, sitting ai i L 1 ondon eiattion, ^Tne Hojage imps, homosexuals,.bisexuals and tMinn^nnu- ivhibiT 1 ‘ 1 r^ 11 ^ iand l and also doing his dance ] cxt ^>^ : ra^ta.® denizens.,of the rtindow* tal i°n now on oxuibit. ^ ^ . # ; trpp;, ' Though* pot alloivod to do '^ .Willinni Saroysn find EugcnB , rjiiKij dl^’p ■*TIi a iiw'fofmannp 'fi nrndiirtinri n'mnr^en^nel in" ‘ his ‘ V My. Faif Lady” bits, The star r Ionesco. Brendan Behan’s exhuber- j as unevek a/tlie Writing, ivith what SiD‘h win hi the abili'tv <o l .nrobe • ha 4 first-nighters here listening ' antl.v .untidj, irie\erent ! appears to .be considerable extern-. ? " ■ t 1 , , . * rp, ^ rapily to. his. lively, songs, and re-; comedy, previously R StibstanLial jporaneous acting. Th haracters ca^onal 1 flashes 0 of” merit are not., citations, although'^ his cockney ' i jjj 1 5 v? LQndQ n , opened I meahder ; about, ' teri’.upt and ’.1 1 j qent may npt suit New Yorkers. [: 3t -*| le Goit Theatre, ii.Y,, an.fi^Jharahgu >qh -other, address t’e Miri«atin«» against sustained in- 1 T he s how includes 31 shortpOUfd conceivably have a compar- | aiI( jiehc e . break into sonss. for toS! S arP ;,h— sh^lvails : «!'■.such classic, yvn.um.able S ucc« ? . . by himself as ‘:Battle of Trafalgar,’' Morris, gorgeous sceptc Dacs.- CO nceived; grounds by Oliver South and a. The dialog runs from, simple magnetic and vibrant performance to tenselv dramatic scenes, hv Tammy Grimes, combine to ..... make “The Dm-inkable Molly Brown” a bright pr spect for Broadway. players carry props, on and off in hhw s;-ini” At Waterloo” ahd r tw semi-darkness. That can be elimi- !: <->Ia Sam.. At W aterloo ana tw nated with further plavipg as the novel system of multiple turn during short. McStciy. Nbthinj . zest like, the play’s , derisive for life and headlong which' the author has supplied goofy words to standard tunes, and; generally create an .impression of’ A superior score bv Meredith ... Willson, an unexpectedly forceful, tables i^worked.out. The sets, inei- ._-- H . ortf K llc .- 0 c tl> . often off-beat book by Ru-naid dentnllv. are lavish and uniquely ;*. ’ r ^ 1 *.-■ Morris, gorgeous scenic back- PnnrP]V( > d - . perfoimance. * : ‘ pf the ‘'Albeit and The Lion” bits. Y vitality have been seen on Broad-i determined pandempniurii ' . i The. rest, is a potpourri of short: vva y years. If “The Hostage” j Amoh-T the nritablo nlbverc - [ songs and/ recitations -hat keep F Hcks in New York, it could be a/ MaWpirkhaw Throepraiiy Oppra Sari Francisco, SCpt, 21., and the latter must be emphasized, i . •f- i"irioc frni-n n-'deitrian ' . -.Actor’? Workshop presentation (By ar- 1-. \ t nes II om p^ae r lian l,0 ! rangement^-with -jC armen Capalbu.&: St;<n- .Crossing. ,i.iev Chase' of tnurini; production of niusi- Tlio tI iIa rrlp ic n ttrniv^ e’-iltl- oal drania: tilth hook .by Bert .Brechti qlinw that can be , Tile title role IS a Stron.,^ enai atlj - Wetl int0 English by Marc lnzsteuv: s1 . 10 ''. ltl ? 1 C r an D * lenge for Judv Holliday. She hasn.t i r r.is:c by Kurt WeiU. Btasctl bv Capalbo; ... fornrl th« heort nf this chat*- ■. sf.^neryi -costumes and li^htiiic. ■ William touna in. neatr or inis c-uu.. ?; ., ilk!n nivl ^ ca i^^ direction:- s-iinuet--Mat-. actor, hut her inttial performance ibvsk''on best rat ions, '-weiii. Fenuies proems optimistic po.^ibiimj-. MclSr- Jack Gwilnms work m the Hart- —- -- lev Manners part is smooth.: _. u . , n'inton Kimbrough has a' good : ’ third act scene as Lauretle’s son. /stree»:si:i«oi- . and Patrick O’Neal is co'nvinnpg ' i;i the John Gilbert Foie. The bah , *'trc.‘ Pejtbu ance of ca. t is merely incidental, :- ^ c c '' e v lh Unle, ’ find the key to .tivi^ i roiiy ro.u'hMiri production. “Laurette” could •• •• eirerec as tter film than play .--Bob iv aiv possibii' B • j Walt '*fJT^at v , - - -: • • • ... i Maxweil Shaw r as the lodging hbus tounng dem; (possibly with vary- pr o prie t or and authbr’s mouth¬ ing-local censorship problemsV and p i ece ; Avis Biinnage as .his spirited irnght even be the basis Tor a. |distress: Glynn Edwards as •wildiy unorthodox picture (with j <Jemeri.tedly pro-Irish ex-Britisher, even greater revisions). { Aubrey Morris as a bo.wler-wearirig The author, already something ' English undercover: man. Patience of an ln.ternationai figure because ./Collier as : a psalm-singing : social It i't not taken for gran’ed. Plenty of work remains to be done in sharpening., c.iiting and rearrangement But. the ingredients are all;: here and under Dore Schary‘s i directorial hand the new tuner [should- be ready after, its five weeks here, probably before. ! Advance word had drifted in about Willson’s superior score, and it did not disappoi 1, although the show might stand another time of the quieter ballad variety, now only represented by “Colorado. My Home” and “Chiek-a-Pen.” both sung by I’.arve Presnelljthe r onion- tic male lead oppb-Ii? Miss Churne.-. Most of the [outstanding songs are robust, rois'eiing he-man 1 ,|: of lils wildly drunken escapades in /worker of .doubtful 'morals; Alfred io: London last , year" (including sev- : . Lynch as the British soldier 1 and eral invasions of the theatre where Celia -Salkeld as ia devout .country; the- show was playing, to heckle girl. Ay ho fall s in love witli hi) l ' the cast and audience*, has re~T h )««n r . r , 1 i ( , c . .i rn aW;+=. J:r AVitrier. Fredwio Oowns. Lrtciie rar- • ,,. r -a-KI^K l ; * ln .- ivSSer-1 OiCS are Anita Dangler sons. Gr? s e .i.ve vvh tnw. RkbaTit -Ver- j Vf'*4A • b-coihg an overnight e.oleb- a g a . jmosti-o witli'' -lesbian- tendc ney. Jqs'ip; EJic.. Leii I esspr. Onencd'Bent, rity in Ntnv YOt’k. With hlS..Strictly/Icins Lq. GV-ennwnhd a? .13.' '601 at the Mavines* Theatre. San -u„»...*„« s „u*iKS^- * _- *V iCS> * .Giteenwooa. as.. ^ jn ; non-alcoholic but uninhibited teryiews. He’s a lively personality ! Ir.viL'ition to a [ Columbus'; Sept.-22.. | Theatre Guild presentation of thro* art . . ,_ t « in tl.A ' comedy- by Arthur T;-uirents Staged by KUinoei.s SUCh as Belli Lp to tlie ; l.-<i,ronts: settines. William"'Pitkin:' lishf- Bar, Bovs,” “I Ain’t Started Yet. inj». Paul Morrison:' costumed Lucinda “V.nn \ TTa linin'’ 'miH : “1-oadviile Ballard: incidental musir-. Stephen.Sohd- iveep a lloppm uP.CV i-caavuie . h?jrtl S!li . s Shei^v Winters: feature* Johnnv.” I Eilc«n Heckart, Madcleme Sherwood. Tolripcf nn’bir.fl- awav from Will-' Richard Derr. Jan«* Fonda,. James, Mac- ian.U‘S nO.lURrt away liom win , Anliur Opened. Sent. 21. son. the happy surprise of the eve-, n..,tni:rn Thea tie . Cotumbu*. ning was the warmly/sympathetic ; p!* y ,. libretto by Richard Morris, which [ [^i^Grn^an . ' is not hased on anv bdolc but uses ■ schuvitF Gro«an the figure of Mr>‘. Brown as its .•■5S a J ?bPm”ki V pro?, gonist. The sh.OVVj Opens, with- 1 Camilla .TablonskI; out overture, with a realistic scene . Tlltl:er of a tossing lifeboat from the sink-j T1Q „. Jng Titanic, with tlie 1 indefatigua-! ^>n present _vidence, the. new Brow. Betty VJpliv Bollv .. Chaver* . der. Smith ise Andrews !.?defh n i)o S %vTis on the local scene, and “The Hosr :stoiie Parsons tage” is a stimulating item of.-ien-' “ :v j5?S°Mel?i!i ’le-rviiinmeiit, , ‘ J :*» * Vil / ,ei ; Like-so many of his countrymen, pV,Tr Afnoiii Beiia j. is essentially . a serioiis: ... ; .ciy-is Pnoti . uritor under the,,-brash, strident, " DonaW^JEison'^f'’^Pb-''F't-ly'. ribald clowning of- ; his . Richard v.crney j I; . Thus, w’hile ‘‘The HostagC’U ancV Yitar'reh'.O’Cbhneirih .bit'parts, ° HMen ri Goodman : localed. in'a Dublin; brothel,, and j /Frederick Fox’s setting and lights. ->->•— j:-i j ->.* nic ;] V ■-■Rke the elut- rigihal, and,. Mar- brostie,. vvith... /niilar. inclinati Dudley, v tton as an arrant homo, Melvin Stewart as/his: Negro priz fighter . . theart, ; Yictor Spipefti as' a . sclf-iniportaht IRA officer, Michael Forrest .as a. dimvyit v.oitm- teci\ Metro/ Welle/ a up idly ' amiable .Russian sailor/ and, Kath-. leen. O'Ccnnbr, James A. Reach''"" . 4'./'. •:,*.^ Gait Lucas; t he Characters,/.dialog; and action Img/lbok ve ;• :/'ii a v < !Lm il N 9 rm^n » are obviously-' iritended -to shock-■.(ereii Lbnd tered .London at the JMadeleme Sberwood ..Jeffrei’ Rowland .. Eileen. Herkart Tom llptcber ..; . Jane F.oiida Janies MaoAitlnir .. Shelley Winters Richard Derr Constables “Threepenny ppera” is, bv something of a pre-sold presenta¬ tion, by virtue of “Mack.the Knife.” The audience readily identifies with the-shw when, as: the curtain goes up/ the cockney strectsinger .(Tige Andrews) skulks about sing¬ ing the ballad which every pops voice,/ from Louis Armstrong to Bobby Darin, has been- blaring at tlie Amei.ican public for a Iialf- dcCade. The rest- of the performance conics, as something , of a shock, however, unless the spectator has i some .familiarity. With . John Gay’s ■ “Beggar’s, Opera,” ori .which it is based, and with the w r ork and con-: cepts of Bert Brecht. For “Three¬ penny'’ is sivage satire, and as the Her i Columbus reacted well to the play’s j Hogarty-Gay vievv of England had iolej bright lines and stayed around for considerable validity in its time,. bio Molly taking charge f ivillAhe ; Arthur Lauyents play “IpvitaHqn help of guns* and helping row. to a Maich 1 ,-, going to diaw ic- Acniallv. Mrs. Browii was much ^’ets ’ from a good many theatre- clder and a widow, but here she Goers. The comedy is wifty in spots, is a voting wife- rushing back to generally well acted, but weakest be reconciled with j her wealthv m its baste premise, a defect which mir-'r-husband 1 an - v amount of pre-Broadway sur- ‘There is onlv one 1 ’ criticism of . S^vv will be hard to put to repair. Miss Grimes’ tull-blopded and en- i _ The opening night/audience in c.ge.ic portrayal of Molly. Her lines aren’t always intelligible, either in her prose scenes or her a generous round of curtain calls, deliverv of Willson’s striking, But “Invitation” doesn’t offer much iM’ics. On the M'holeJ: however, for [ to take hoiue. The impression is a young woman who has no great ‘ that Jane Fonda; as the soon-to-be- Lucy Brown . . V..".-.//Grace 'whUni?y/and outrage the respectable piib?-.;garct/Bury’s costumes, are cbior- Curista'oles ... Matson,; Mike F r : lie. there’s a gerrrt of emoti ; even i fully ta^erecL. ..TJnli'w. voice, the actress scores a major triumph in the juicy;’role. Presnell,* in addition to his able vocalizing, is a personably mascu¬ line lead. Notable contributing per¬ formances are given hy Edith Meiser as a sneoty Denver social¬ ite. Cameron Prud’homme as Molly's- bibulous papa and Mony bride, has little choice among the conflicting philosophies of three oddly-assorted mamas played -by the Eileen Heckart, Shelle.v Win¬ ters and Madeleine Sherwood. Miss Heckart, playing a new-rich caricature addicted to skinny pants and blue hair, has some of the. show's best lines, carrying a bois- so the Brecht/view, qf England (and by extension^ the Western World) probably had" some -validity ait the time of the Weimar Republic. Whether that view is still valid is a politically debatable question. “Threepenny” at least raises it, which makes it a rarity.bit today’s musical stage. One fact is sure. “Threepenny,” as staged by Carmen Capalbo, is an enormously satisfjdng entertain- IContihued on page 72) Iie, there’s a germ of enioti ; even idealism, in the . vyriting.- The slight story of a simple, un- cbinprehendihg Britisher who ; is held as a hostage for the life/bf a condemned Irish Republican Army terrorist in Belfast, and who is tlie innocent victim of war’s stu¬ pidity, ' , presented in. terms of unrestrained farce,; blit, with an underlying note of pathos. And. though the youth: is sehselessly killed at the end, he rises, at the curtain to join the other charac¬ ters in singing the. author’s defiant salute to life. “The Hostage” is almost, com¬ pletely formless, and also crude, garrulous, occasionally tiresome and frequently vulgar, if not down¬ right levyd and.sacreligio.us> On the basis of .personal observation,: it seems considerably dirtier than the original London version, as though the author (probably with the con-: currency of British stager Joan Littlewobd) had tried to make the most of the more lenient censor¬ ship situation in New York for box- office-boosting^ sensation purposes: Behan has the sort of traditional Irish, gift, of gab that can lapse., into the curse of gabbiness. : He's packed “The Hostage” with jdees on whatever subjects occurred to him, with a number of topical Hbbe. LONDON SHOWS (F icjurv denote dponinq-' dates') Amorous Prawn. Saville llZ-H-Sfl). Art cf Living, Critisrion (8-18-60). Brides, of March; St. Martin’s (7-1S-60). Candida; W T yndham*s (6-13-60). Caretaker, .Duchess (4-27-60).. . Finss Ain't, Garrick (2-11-60): Flower Drum Song, Palace (3-24-60). GasebO, Savoy VJ^-eO). ■ Happy Haven, Royal Court (9-14-60L Horses Midstream,' Vatide. (9-22-60), Irma-La Douce,; Lvrie (7-17-58) Life of Galileo,:Mermaid (6-16-60). Maiority of. One, Phoenix (3.-9-60). Man for. AH Se-sons, Globe (7-1-60)/ Most .Happy Felld, Coliseum (4-21-60). Mousetrap, Ambassadors (1L25-52 . Mv Fait Lady, Drury .Lane (4-30-58). Oliver, New (6-30-60), Once Upon Mattress, Adelphi (9-20-60). Passage to India, Comedy. (4-20-60). Pieces of Eight; Aoolto (9-23-59).. Princess, Strand (8-23-60). Repertory. Old Vic (9-3-59). Rose Marie,..Victoria Pal; (8-22-60). Ross, Baymarket (5-12^0).. Sample Spvmen, Whitehall (3-19 58). Sparrers Sing; Th’tre Royal E. (8-24-60X Sukie Wong. Priucc Wales (U-17-5B). : Stars in Eyes, Palladium 76-3-60).. Tiger &. Horse; Queen's (8-24-60). Visit; Royalty (6-23-60). * Waiting in Wings, nuke York's (9-7-80L Watch It,. Sailor, Aldwych (2-34-60). West. Side Story. Majesty's 12-12 58). SCHEDULED OPENINGS La at Joke, Phoenix (9-28^0). Mt*. Johnson, Lyric Opera (9-3040). ..Naked Island, Arts (9-29-60). Mr. Burke M.P., Mermaid (HL6-60). Ami Anothar Thing, Fortune (10-8-60). Playboy W. World, PiccadUlv 00-12*60). Platphov,' Royal Court (10-1340). CLOSED* Italian Strew Hat, Lyric Op. (MHOt Reportory, Lyric . Opera (8-23-60)- Zoo Story, Arts (8 : 25-60)-