Evening star., 1952-01-08

AAS AoAANC OAACoCC1 4d0t Al1SIlG db J
be an American citizen of Spanish
origin, has brought with him from
Spain an art far too lively and
joyous to be circumscribed by any
such inept art as politics.
Last nights large and distin-
guished audience filled the Gayety
with ecstatic "oles," a rapturous
word which echoed strangely in
the atmosphere so long dominated
by the slow, sinuous undresSings
Of strip-teaSers.
Greco's variety show, represent
ing the other end of human Gre
ativeness, marks the theater's A.
nal conversion into a center of cul-
ture that should be packed for the
next fortnight. His gay and gifted
associates provide a wonderful en-
tertainment in the eloquent and
universal language of pantomime
In no area of the program is
1t conceded for a moment that
this fresh and passionately vital
entertainment might not be un-
derstood. It is far more under
standable than the most elaborate
of the brash night club revues
purporting to be Spanish. More
over it is polished and paced in
a fashion that reveals these do
mestic limitations for the tawdry
fakes they are.
This is the authentic Spanish
and the most skeptical will find
it inconceivably inviting.
Greco and his brilliant COL
leagues present beautifully
streamlined show, a program of
ballet excerpts, folk and flamenco
numbers that cover the full range
Of the Spanish dance. It repre-
sents the complete illustration of
the truth that the Spanish are
the most vivid and fiashy dancers
extant. True they lend themselves
to the discipline of the classic
ballet when that is required, but
in their moments of frequent and
extravagant improvisation they
dance even with their hair.
X X X X
Thirteen numbers comprise the
two-part program which Greco
and his company dance. Each has
been chosen with the eye of an
expert Snowman and the program
is ordered to provide striking and
dramatic contrasts, a passionate
gypsy number followed by gentle
folk item, a classic ballet gem
drifting into a spirited jest.
An 18th-century Juerga, choreo-
graphed by Greco, opens the pro-
gram and is exquiSitely designed
to show the caliber of the COM
pany. It begins with a rapidly
paced seguidilla, flows into
merry solo bit by Ballerina Mia
Amparo, classic bolero by Ca
rola Goya, and ends with a tenn
pestuous improvisation by the en-
tire group.
A flamenco number, featuring
LaQuica. an astonishing gypsy
dancer, follows. This is succeeded
by Grecos first appearance in the
dance of the miller, or grain
grinder, from the ballet, lie Tri-
corne."
The f1rst-act number which
shows the true brilliance of the
soloists and the ensemble excel
lence of Greco's group, however, is
the bolero which brings it to a.
close-and brought the audience
to its feet with delight. This dance
to Ravel's enormously favored mu-
sic was choreographed by La Ar
gentinita, Grecos late renowned
dance partner. It is beautifully
dressed and produced and danced
with indispensable elegance and
spirit. The final movement involv-
ing the Misses Amparo and Goya,
Greco and Luis Olivares is as close
to representing unleashed light
ming as the dance can come.
y X X X
The comedy highlight of the
evening opens the second act.
This is a number titled "Old Mad
rid" a park scene which invites
the playfulness of the Spanish
temperament to assert itself, and
to prove that Madrid is not the
inhibited capital one may have
thought.
Another fiery gypsy number by
GaQuica, a humorous folk f1irta-
ton dance, and a quietly elegant
bit by Miss Goya bring this part
of the program to a brilliant
climatic number, the zapateado.
This quartet item, representing