First produced in 1934, playwright Samson Raphaelson’s effort was well received, as were his seven other plays that reached Broadway, including Skylark, starring Gertrude Lawrence and The Jazz Singer, later made into the first “talkie” motion picture with Al Jolson. He also wrote some noted screenplays, including Hitchcock’s Suspicion, and The Shop Around the Corner.
Successful middle-aged playwright Steven Gaye (David Hyde Pierce) is encountering difficulties writing his latest script. He enlists the aid of a young leading man, Dickie Reynolds (David Furr), and character actor Frank Galloway (Byron Jennings). But it’s no use. Gaye seems to have reached a dead-end.
Enter the glamorous actress, Genevieve Lang (Rosie Benton), who tries to convince Gaye to go abroad with her, to Finland no less. Impulsively, Gaye promises to dump his writing project and take Ms. Lang up on her idea. Then, quite unexpectedly, his unassuming and rather plain secretary, Linda Brown (Mary Catherine Garrison), takes center stage in his life and offers inspiration for his writing project. Forget Finland.
What should Gaye do? Should he nobly give up his love, Linda, and hand her over to a man closer to her age, or fight for the woman he loves, no matter the difference in their ages?
There are some amusing scenes that deal with the above, until it’s resolved to almost everyone’s satisfaction.
What keeps the production interesting are terrific performances by the entire cast, under Dan Sullivan’s tightly paced and perceptive direction. David Hyde Pierce, particularly, endows his character with a sense of style, but never goes “over the top.”
Charles Kimbrough as the butler, Flogdell, contributes some nice moments, going from a well-mannered, controlled servant to an aggressive fisticuff specialist, as he leaps in to preserve the honor of the household. Byron Jennings’s drunk scene is hilarious.
Mary Catherine Garrison and Rosie Benton lend style as well as pulchritude to the production.
Wonderful enhancement is supplied by two top-rate designers: John Lee Beatty for sets and Jane Greenwood for costumes. Beatty, whose extensive resume includes numerous theatrical awards, has created the living room of an upper class, successful writer. There’s wood paneling, built-in bookshelves, an elegant fireplace, an adjoining room seen partially at upstage, all in subtle fine taste, reminiscent of the art nouveau period.
Ms. Greenwood, with more than l00 Broadway and Off Broadway productions, as well as numerous theatrical awards to her credit, has dressed the women in glamorous and elegant dresses of the 30s, with dazzling shoes and bags to match.
For this production, the “look” is important and the sets and costumes lend a very effective finishing touch.
Overall, the show is frothy and fun, just as it should be.
Accent on Youth
Manhattan Theatre Club
Samuel J. Friedman Theatre
261 West 47th St.
Tickets: (212) 239-6200
Running time: Approximately 2 hours
Closes: June 28
Diana Barth writes and publishes New Millennium, an arts newsletter. For information: diabarth@juno.com. She also reviews for TotalTheater.com
