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| Ron House, Diz White, John Neville-Andrews, Alan Shearman, Louisa Hart. |
"In Lieu of Reviews"
For background on how this previously
unpublished series—introducing all mainstream New York shows between 1970 and
1975—came to be and its relationship to my three The Encyclopedia of the New York Stage volumes (covering every New
York play, musical, revue, and revival between 1920 and 1950), please check the
prefaces to any of the earlier entries beginning with the letter “A.” See the
list at the end of the current entry.
BULLSHOT CRUMMOND [Comedy/British/Crime]
A: Ron House, John Neville-Andrews, Alan Shearman, Diz White, and Derek
Cunningham; SC: an idea by Ron House and Diz White; S/C: Mary Moore; P: Gil
Adler and Jack Temchin in the Low Moan Spectacular Production; T: Theatre Four (OB);
10/29/74-11/3/74 (8)
This
is a work concocted by five persons, four of them actors in it, and several of
them responsible for the long-running Off-Broadway hit El Grande de Coca Cola. Their effort lasted only a week, however.
It was a sappy, sophomoric takeoff on the old 1930s Bulldog Drummond English detective films in which Ronald Colman had
often starred. There was little of substance and, despite occasional funny
lines or business, its essential triviality defeated it.
The
plot concerned the efforts of a monocle, Erich von Stroheim-like German officer,
Otto von Bruno (Ron House), to snatch a secret formula from an unassuming
English professor, Algy Longwort (John Neville-Andrews, who also played six
other roles), only to be pulled up short by Bullshot Crummond (Alan Shearman).
Clive
Barnes said it showed “a weary contempt towards its subject material,” and
urged his readers to save their money by avoiding this “drab and strangled
gurgle” of a farce. Douglas Watt called it “unadulterated junk,” but Dick
Brukenfeld thought that it “accomplished precisely what they set out to do,”
and he found himself laughing constantly. Martin Gottfried felt similarly,
calling it “awfully delicious,” with wonderful” performances and hilarious
comedy routines.
Previous entries:
Abelard and
Heloise
Absurd Person
Singular
AC/DC
“Acrobats”
and “Line”
The Advertisement/
All My Sons
All Over
All Over Town
All the Girls Came
Out to Play
Alpha Beta
L’Amante Anglais
Ambassador
American Gothics
Amphitryon
And Miss Reardon
Drinks a Little
And They Put
Handcuffs on the Flowers
And Whose Little
Boy Are You?
Anna K.
Anne of Green
Gables
Antigone
Antiques
Any Resemblance to Persons Living or Dead
Applause
Ari
As You Like It
Augusta
The Au Pair Man
Baba Goya [Nourish the Beast]
The Ballad of Johnny Pot
Barbary Shore
The Bar that Never Closes
The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
The Beauty Part
The Beggar’s Opera
Behold! Cometh the Vanderkellens
Be Kind to People Week
Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill
Bette Midler’s Clams on a Half-Shell Revue
Black Girl
Black Light Theatre of Prague
Black Picture Show
Black Sunlight
The Black Terror
Black Visions
Les Blancs
Blasts and Bravos: An Evening with H,L.
Mencken
Blood
Bluebeard
Blue Boys
Bob and Ray—The Two and Only
Boesman and Lena
The Boy Who Came to Leave
Bread
A Breeze from the Gulf
Brief Lives
Brother Gorski
Brothers