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Hog flttgcleg ?½imt$ sun., ocr. 21,1956-*artv 3 THE jj/The -Beverly Hills Citizen Fri., Sept. 20, 1957 ARDEN'S TARISCOPE' EPITOME OF SPECTACLE AT SENNES' " Pariscope," Donn Arden's [new extravaganza, starring Maine McDonald and featuring the (Treniers and Billy Wells and [the Four Fays, opened electrically at Frank Sennes' Moulin I Rouge last night. Arden, who has been tabbed lias "the world's foremost creative showman,'' has again surpassed, his previous productions [at the Moulin Rouge. The spectacle which parades on the Moulin Rouge stage Is almost overwhelming in its lavishness. He offered some of the most beautiful women in the world and staged them in a magnificent opening number, "To Paris With Love." However, the closing production, "The Saga of Frankie and Johnny," placed in San Francisco at the turn of the century, is the "piece de resistance." Through the years, we have seen this familiar folk story danced, sung and enacted, but Arden's conception is by far the most moving interpretation we have ever encountered. Special credit must be given dancer Ffolliott Charlton for her thrilling portrayal of the jilted Frankie. Not only is she an accomplished dancer, but her dramatic ability is spine-tingling. Larry Maldonado is excellent as the two-timing Johnny, and Diane Varga is perfect in the role of Nellie Bly. Arden's unusual twist for the finale is the San Francisco earthquake, when the huge stage bursts w7ith smoke and fire, and the entire cast is thrown into bedlam. It's difficult to describe the overall impact of this spectacle, for it must be seen to realize the almost impossible task accomplished; the blending of talent with the technical. As for the featured acts, the! instrumental Trenier group give! a solid beat to their music. Their] j clowning, while nothing new/ I is precise and lively, howevei their stint could be considerably shortened. Billy Wells and the Four Fays are particularly enjoyable with their amazing feats of tumbling. The star of the show Marie McDonald, enters with her shapely figure poured into a gold lame gown. She is a beautiful woman with a sparkling personality, but perhaps due to opening night jitters, she sang flat and breathy, and mucli too long. Hal Borne conducted during her portion of the show. Credit must also be given to Pony Sherrill and Phil Moody for the original music and lyr-. ics, particularly for the "Frankie and Johnny" sequence, and to Madame Berthe for the magnificent costumes, which seemed to be authentic to the last detail. The flexible scenery was conceived by Harvey Warren!, and choreography by Joe Milan and Bonnie Hunt. Due to limited rehearsal time "on stage", naturally a few light and sound cues were missed, and the pigeons (not yet familiar with their routines), roosted in the soprano's ostrich plumes rather than in their cage backstage. However, when these minor mishaps are remedied with in the next day or two, we feel that this production at the Moulin Rouge will be the greatest achievement to date at Frank Sennes' showplace.?╟÷SABEL 'C'EST LA VIE' This Moulin Rouge show achieves a big climax with the singing by Helen Traubel, augmented by the clever comedy of the Wiere Bros. Another clever performer is Pony Sherrell who provides her own material A Spanish number staged by Donn Arden is sensationally .glamorous . ?╟÷E.S.,-Oct. 11 CITIZEN-NEWS ?╟≤ * Thursday, September 12, 1957 SPE CTAC- ULAB ?╟÷ Don Arden works out a routine with Ffolliott C'h o r 1 ton (center) and Diana Varga for the Frankie and Johnny s eg- ment of the N e w Moulin Rouge show, "P a riscope," opening Sept 19.