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| John Glover, Charlotte Moore. |
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| Curt Kaibalis, Ellen Tovatt, Charlotte Moore, Bonnie Gallup, David Dukes, John Glover. |
Philip Barry’s 1928 success had not been revived in New York
since its original mounting. In this revival by the New Phoenix Repertory
Company, as part of their three-play season, it proved moderately worth the
effort. Barry’s language was still “dazzling,” thought Clive Barnes, its ideals
remained intriguing, and its story amusing.
The play, best known for its 1938 movie version starring
Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, tells of the conflict between the
iconoclastic young lawyer, Johnny Case (John Glover, in the Grant role)--engaged to the wealthy socialite Julia Seton (Robin Pearson Rose)--and her
father, Edward Seton (George Ede), who believes in a life devoted to the
never-ending pursuit of the buck. Johnny meets a like-minded ally in Linda (Charlotte Moore, in the Hepburn role), the
unconventional sister of his fiancée. (Moore, today, is the extremely capable
artistic director of the Irish Repertory Theatre.)
Despite widespread critical enjoyment of the script,
this production was short of fulfilling its requirements. Edward Burbridge’s
scenery was fine, and Michael Montel’s direction on target, but the acting was
uncertain and lacking in the polish and depth of Barry’s drawing-room style.
Walter Kerr called the show “lightweight,” and Barnes said the performances
were not “secure.” David Dukes, Bill Moor, Thomas A. Stewart, Bonnie Gallup, Ellen Tovatt, and Curt Karibalis were among those in the cast.