ent001648-018

l The Star-Ledger^ FRIDAY; July % OPENING ON BROADWAY High stepping carries joyous By WILLIAM A. RAID Y l NEW YORK?╟÷Like its cinematic predecessor, ?╟úSeven Brides For Seven Brothers,?╟Ñ a new Broadway musical Based on ah old MGM movie, isj happiest when it?╟╓s dancing, ?√ß' (?║ g|| I 11 ?╟úSeven Brides,?╟Ñ with exuberant h Its story lineisas predictable .as . snow on the Rockies, Will those rough-as-| scrub-pine PonUpee boys take those slick I?╟úcity?╟Ñ girls as their brides? ?╟ Course they , ?╟≤' will! ' ?√ß y'J%, The'musica! is offoureefbased?╟╓on i the 1954 film, ?╟úSeveb Brides For Sevan % oeveilv ???╟úuf> - ???╜f ?╜?╟úgsy Brothers,?╟Ñ inspired by Stephen Vincent Air!ffh?vPby^ ~ ?╟≤' Bend?╟╓s poem? ?╟ The Sobbm?╟╓. Women,?╟Ñ )?║t, lfe| I which starred Jane Powell and Howard and highjinks {mainly of the lumber camp variety) to make the occasion a?╟╓ wholesome hoe-down. When this amiable musical, which looks like an old fashioned color'calendar scene of anOfegon ^shnset, stops hoofing, it?╟╓s in trouble. | j?½ s David-James.Carroll and Debby Bbohe iri-'Seven Brfdes for.Seyen Brother^,'which opened last - night at the Afvin theatre on Broadway Keel.; . . ?√ß?√ß?√ß?√ß?√ß?√ß?√ß | Benetusedtheancient Roman leg-, end of the Rape of the Sabine Women, | who yere abducted to provide wives for ?╟≤ /the womanless followers of Romulus, as '.therspringboard for his poem about, a.- " **i*~**~family of rough Oregon<??untrybrothers Teeter, Jeff Calhoun, Michael Ragahand in the 1850?╟╓s who try fo steal, instead of Craig Peralta. ^ lW0ft?╜CT!ii^d-lfe'wive8ra^^l.#J^^--* While ?╟úSdvep Brides?╟Ñ will certainly ?√ß ?√ß The boys aredomestiCated; almost * appeal to those, in search of jummer /out of necessity< by a spunky young fron- ,4, entertainment of the sweet-lemonade 1 tierswoman who marries. the,' eldest -: variety {and fig all for this), the show ; brother not knowing that he has six more ^ could have been greatly improved upon. 1 like him at home who need washing, | The second act, which contains most of i mending and feeding. S -.H. .*.yh P | Pat Boone?╟╓sdaughier, Debby, makes /a most appealing, ma% tamer.. Miss ?║ Boone, who. at timesv recalls a younf s^Debbie Reynolds with al! that stage get-fup-and-go (and yet one fdels she really - has Julie Andrews as her model) has a pleasant voice and unquestionable: ^VHpHHJ|PNN|Q| i, charm. David-James Carroll, who plays-'patience (and bavid-James Carroll?╟╓s ; the oldest of the seven brothers^ also has vocal cords). Well, Miss Boone has to suf-, .an exceptional stage appeal and a good f strong voice to go with it . > mm m; * r . Gehe de. Paul (music) and Johnny ?√ß Mercer (lyrics) created the original film v score (none too memorable).to roupd out t tfieoccasion. ?╟  - |g| : ?√ß | f | The book is by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, who, incidentally, are also the show?╟╓s producers. * v-| The rest of the brothers, who capture not only their brides but the entire audience with their ?╟úfancy dancin?╟╓,?╟Ñ which the new music, has little of the spectaca lar energy of the first' a*. And as the whole plot?╟úconflict?╟Ñ has more or less been settled in the first stmiza, everything painfully slows down. This situation is not helped by such tones .as, ?╟úA Woman^Ought To Know Her Place,?╟Ñ a soliloauv which strains one?╟╓s fep through, ?╟úLove Never' Goes Xway?╟Ñ (?╟úit plays oh like a song?╟Ñ) along with Car-roll in the first ad. r. ||j?║ig If Robert Randolph?╟╓s ?╟úsettings have a deliberate, and rather happy, old, fashioned quality about them^ which perfect, ly melds with the mood of the musical, 'and Robert Fletcher?╟╓s- Pacific J^ftb* west circa 1850,^ 'costumes , are delightful, ?║.. - '.I 1ft As for the musical itself, it?╟╓s circa 1954, but without the inner g|p ?╜ a 1500 Broad w. 9155 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90069 *(213)273-4464 includes dazzling somersaults, sensation- Rodgers and Hammersteih score. Ad d as al leaps and jumping over ornmous axes,?╟╓fo). Summ*er' entertainment, ?╟úSevea more than carry ttieir.weigh|^ this ?i- Brides For. Seven Broftera^might (eel most breathless musical; They are: D. more at home at Long Island?╟╓s Joses , ?╟úCS!. iffLara .Bsach'thanonBroadwsf:,;;;/ 100 Boylston Street, Boston, Mass. 02116 ?╟≤ (617) 482-9597;