Evening star., 1960-05-29

more.
firing Hospitality
Moscow audiences-l,80
every night and matinee for
81 performances-streamed
down to the orchestra pit ap-
plauding wildly and shouting
Bravo" cheering the cos
tunes, scenery, music and
dancing.
In fact. the hospitality of
Soviet hosts has threatened
to wear out the hard-Work-
ing performers.
Actors used to playing late
shows and having a midnight
snack afterward, then Sleep
ing late in the morning, find
themselves in somewhat Of a
mad race, hauled out Of bed
for sightseeing at factories,
museums or building projects.
Coupled with irregular eat
ing hours and different food,
the MY Fair Lady" COM
pany finds itself frequently
threatened with fatigue.
AS American artists, they
got the full treatment from
the Ministry of Culture
which put on a bangup party
for them.
They Like Shaw
First the Russians staged
a number of novelty acts-a
15-member precision violin
ensemble; Bolshoi dancers,
Ukrainian Balalaika players.
Then the artists were
called on to respond. At a
similar party in Moscow for
the New York Philharmonic,
Leonard Bernstein played
boogie woogie on the piano.
The My Fair Lady" cast sang
songs from "Oklahoma!"
and Miss Fisher sang Il
Could Have Danced All
Night" in Russian, a num-
ber she learned for the tour.
One reason given for the
shows success is that George
Bernard Shaw's "Pygma-
lion," basis of the Lerner-
Loewe musical. has long been
a favorite in Russia.
I'm playing Shaw, a
Shaw they know and love-"
says Lola. "We're telling a
story that I think means
something to the women Of
the Soviet Union, Shaw's
battle between the sexes. It's
something more than rags to
riches, it's a woman estab-
fishing herself at a higher
level than the gutter she
came from, earning the re-
spect of men,"
Tokens for Lola
There's always a knot Of
youngsters at the stage door
waiting shyly to give Lola
some token: A girl gave her a
plastic doll that plays a little
tune, a youth handed her a
noSegay. One night after she
finished singing. "Therell Be
Spring" a man rose from
his seat to shout. Bravo,
Lola!"
Joe Grossman, stage man
ager of the show. bore the
brunt of complaints from
players worried about the
audience response.
"I just let it go in one
ear and out the other" he
says, sitting in his portable
Office with the bookkeeping
records that will give him an
at-a-glance payof when the
company opens in Washing
ton June %.
I'VE contracted to do a
show here as they saw it in
the States. There was an
agreement there wouldn't be
a single change in routine or
language - either on the
Russians request or ours"
Backstage Fellowship
Grossman feels the shows
success proves the wisdom Of
sticking to the script.
The Americans are un-
stinting in their praise Of
Russian stagehands, electri-
clans, carpenters and other
technicians who augment the
shows own stage crew.
They catch on fast" says
Arthur Warning, head car
penter. They know their
stuff. There are women
stagehands who grip a piece
of scenery like a man."
In the theater there has
been camaraderie unlimited.
In Moscow, one Russian
stagehand nightly brought in
chocolates for the American
guests. And there we're
mutual toasts in vodka and
anUnon affar Hha yoionf's