[NEohioPAL]Berko review: LEGENDS (Playhouse Square Foundation)

[Roy Berko]

‘LEGENDS’:  legends trying to play legends

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

The late James Kirkwood,  author of ‘LEGENDS,’ which
is now on stage at the Palace Theatre, is a former
resident of Elyria.  In fact, the moorish house in
which his mother, movie star Lila Lee lived on
Washington Avenue, was supposedly the setting for his
book ‘THERE MUST BE A PONY.’  He is also the co-author
of the much awarded ‘CHORUS LINE.’  But, it’s not the
Kirkwood name that is bringing in patrons to the
Palace Theatre, it’s the monikers of Joan Collins and
Linda Evans.

Joan Collins and Linda Evans are best known as the duo
who starred as rivals in ‘DYNASTY,’ the 1980’s late
evening soap opera.  In the play, as in the TV show,
they play characters who hate each other.

This is not ‘LEGENDS’ first showing in Cleveland.  In
the late 1980s a production starring Carol Channing
and Mary Martin appeared here.  The show had negative
reviews for both the script and the performances and
closed before the run of the tour was completed.  Part
of the reason for the closing was real-life conflicts
between Channing and Martin.  The friction is
recounted in Kirkwood’s book ‘DIARY OF A MAD
PLAYWRIGHT.’  

As with the previous version, the producers intend to
bring the show to Broadway after it finishes its tour.

‘LEGENDS’ centers on two desperate movie stars who are
courted by an unscrupulous young producer to star in a
Broadway show.  He convinces them to be in the play
because it would star Paul Newman.  He also knows that
both are financially destitute.  Collins is Sylvia
Glenn, the acerbic star originally played by Channing.
 Evans takes on Martin's part, the seemingly sweet
Leatrice Monsee. 

The script is not great.  Parts of it are funny, but,
in the main, the ideas are forced and predictable.  
Of the two stars, Collins is the more capable.  She
keys most of her laugh lines and seems to be having a
great time.  On the other hand, Evans is emotionally
flat.  She appears uncomfortable on stage.  Her soft
voice and underplayed personality worked on
television, but the stage requires more.  She’s like a
wind-up Barbee doll with a mechanical voice.

The high points of the production center on three of
the supporting characters.  Tonye Patano is hilarious
as Aretha, the caustic maid.  

Joe Farrell is extremely funny as Martin, the
producer.  The scene, which follows his eating some
hashish-laced brownies, is one of the funniest that
you will ever see.  There was spontaneous and
prolonged applause following this segment.  

Will Holman as Boom-Boom, a stripper hired to
entertain at a bachelorette party, who errantly shows
up during the negotiation between Sylvia and Leatrice,
is dynamic.  A scene in which he makes his
well-developed exposed pecs dance brought extended
laughter .  At one point he wears only a small red
heart on each buttock and a high hat covering his
privates.  The audience loved it.

Capsule judgment:  Don’t go to see ‘LEGENDS’ expecting
a well written and performed play.  But don’t let that
stop you.  You will laugh, you will probably enjoy
yourself, and that’s what many theatre-goers want. 
The chances of this production making it on Broadway? 
Nil!!

The show runs through April 1 at the Palace Theatre in
Playhouse Square.  For tickets call 216-241-6000,
800-766-6048 or go on line to www.playhousesquare.com.




Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


 
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