ent000812-041

PAC?╜ 18 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1958 MIAMI BEACH SUN - MILTIE?╟╓S HI-JINKS CONVULSE OVERFLOW PALM ISLAND CROWD PAriety Latin Quarter, M. B?╟╓ch Miami Beach, Dec. 27. Donn Arden production of ?╟úHoliday For Love," with Sue Carson, Bernard Bros., Queti Clavijo, Bob DeWoye Trio,Rudy Cardenas, Gina Gerardi, Martha Errolle, John Ju-liano, Gene Varrone, Tony Mack, , Ray Kyle; staged by Arden; original'music and lyrics, Pony Sherrill, Phil Moody; costumes, Freddie Wittop; musical direction, Walter Nye. j By PAUL M. RRUUN Through a series of events, Milton Berle?╟╓s long awaited open* ing at E. M. Loew?╟╓s Palm Island Latin Quarter was taken oyer by the Hibiscus Mason Lodge, Past Master?╟╓s night. Every seat was sold but the Bruun perseverance made room for . those of the press who wanted to be present. Even though I might like a night With ex-partner Lou Walters gone to his own spot up-beach, E. M. Loew has brought in Donn Arden as producer for his refurbished Palm Island landmark, and i obvTouJX%-'&?·^,.han<?e!d him ?½ hand_ some budget foT'ffi&al stagmg un^ der the new regime. ArdenTias come through in great style. His production is an opulent, glittering affair that sustains pace and imagination in group concepts throughout the 90-odd minutes it takes up the ceiling-mirrored new stage installed. The solo acts around which the whole is framed are all worked in smoothly, and on their own average out as show-stoppers to heighten overall impact on the audience. Impression is left that this is probably the best show seen in this room in several seasons. The Bob DeVoye Trio initiate the show-stops with their fast, modern-adagio routines; Sue Car-son Whams with special material tailored to her ?╟úwide-eyed ^ innocent?╟Ñ approach to the sly lyric and the broad, incisive lampoons of top singers styles, notably Lena .Horne and Pearl Bailey; arid the third of the topliner three; the Bernard Bros., are back after a couple of years to again big-hit with panto-biz to nutty recording mixups that befit their flair for burlesquing their platter subjects. The heavy mitting is on a*continuous rise. Credit Arden?╟╓s artful stagings for building the click aura via his colorful groupings and clever concepts in the basic book. It?╟╓s an international grabbag to allow for addition of set-pieces and backgrounds, integral parts of the production. Tiny Gina Gerardi provides the soubret role with verve and excitement; Martha Errolle is a handsome soprano who lends grace to her numbers, notably m the ?╟úLa Seala -Time?╟Ñ operatic insert with tenor Gene Varrone. Rudy Cardenas and his fast and furious ball-and-hat tricks end sock novelty; Queti Clavijo raises tabler cheers with her expert flamenco stomps worked out on a' tiny drum as stage. The line and showgals are all lookers who handle assignments in assured, effective manner. Arden?╟╓s choreography is fluid and as noted; imaginative and original in the patterning. He makes excellent use of the male contingent, both in vocal and dance stuff, to stamp the revue as one of the best in town and a strong lure for attracting the patronage to the Island location from the hotel-row mainstem. Walter Nye rates a special nod for his batoning, a chore made the more difficult by use of a scrim to separate the orch from the production up front. The principals remain until mid-January, when Milton Berle and company arrive for a six-week stay. Lary. Beverly Hills, Newport Newport, Ky., Dec. 27. Jack E. Leonard, Trio Shmee<L Tippy & Cobina, Donn Arden Dancers (10) with Clay Mondeyj Ronny Meren, Elite Sta tin; Gardner Benedict Orch (10/ Jimmy j Wilber Trio, Larry Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 Sat. A merry variety blend is concoc-j ted for Greater Cincinnati cafe j society during the holiday fort-i nighter by John Croft, impresario of northern Kentucky?╟╓s ace casino. Jack E. Leonard, portly, needling punster, and the Tippy & Cobina monkeyshines whip up. gales of laughter and the Swiss Shmeeds supply a delightful musical novelty. The highly talented Donn Arden ensemble, /with Clay Mondey as new singing emcee, tops off two production routines with a candlelight number for Noel trim. This is Leonard?╟╓s second visit with ?╟ ?╟ New Thin Fat Man billing j and high-speed delivery. Barbs at patrons and management and blue- 4 plate stag spicing wind through his half-hour yockcycle. J Manuel & Marita Viera?╟╓s monks, Tippy & Cobina, are up to their old tricks with toggery changes, bike riding, roller Skating, piano pounding, organ playing and imitations of Durante, Liber ace, et al. With them this trip is a chimp, Toto, who is heavy on name takeoffs. The Shmeeds, chic blonde Claire and her brothers Willie and Werner win favor in an 18-minute session of Alps singing, yodeling and piano and clarinet capers with dixieland and cha-cha beats. Show opening Jan. 3 has Patti Moore & Ben Lessy, and Eddie Peabody. Koll. oft, my first obligation is to my readers, hence another prompt review, found only in the Amusement Section of the Miami Beach Sun. -f The regular Donn Arden Revue was lavishly praised when this show opened. Still iii place is the original music and lyrics and elab-j^rate productions which are accompanied by eye-filling beauties, both male and female, by cos? I fumes that are breath-taking, ditto | as to what is in them. It is an elaborately lighted show that had last night?╟╓s audience cheering and cheering and calling for more and more and more. The petite Gina Genardi is still there and in better voice than ever, and when she got involved with Milton Berle in the Baby Carriage number, well, it was something. As we have reported time and time again, E. M*. Loew took the rubber bands off his bankroll and had the bothersome posts removed from the Latin Quarter which makes for a complete change. It not only seats more now, but there isn?╟╓t an obstructed seat in the house. There are two more firsts in our town, a rain curtain, which is used to advantage in the Tobago Island of Love routine, and there is an overhead track on which two L.Q. beauties ride over the ring-siders. The only thing Milton Berle didn?╟╓t do in this show was to replace one of the beauties in the ?╟úBaby Carriage?╟Ñ number and to take a ride in one of the carriages overhead, hut give this boy time and I will wager that he will. Milton Berle told me that he engaged Fisher for his ?╟úroad?╟Ñ company when he read this re-~view. Stan has tremendous ability and showmanship with harmonicas. In fact, part of his showmanship is that he doesn?╟╓t eycn look like an entertainer, but more like a businessman. Uncle Milty might like to know that the young lady seated next to me during the first show became quite incensed at his ?╟úslapping?╟Ñ Stan when he came up with gags, etc., Stan Fisher is far too nice for anybody to slap, is her verdict. So, there, you mean h e a d l,i n e r. Hope you feel spanked, dr is it slapped. Uncle Miltie borrows one of Fisher?╟╓s harmonicas and joins him in a duet, or something simulating one, and this is giving Milton the best of it. The Metropolitan Sextet, whopl Uncle Miltie introduces as ?╟úcourtesy of Rudolph Bing of the Metropolitan Opera Association,?╟Ñ was next. They belt out some opera selections and Uncle Milton in an ?╟úalike?╟Ñ costume, joins them, h i s hair plastered down, a black tooth in front, and with his outfit torn where it best serves his comedy.1. Uncle Miltie brought his own show with him. vThe principals aren?╟╓t strangers to regular cafe patrons, but based on the deafening applause which greeted this entire show last night, this was the greatest the patrons had ever seen, and., they aren?╟╓t unseasoned patrons/1 imagine I knew 95 per cent of those present. ... ?╟÷?╟÷?╟÷ xoa ?╟÷ - mo , wiucuyi In the sextet of three and three there is a tail and. shapely girl singer, and Berl^ haS himself anther hilarious time} They p u s h him around generously for they do manage to get in some solid singing ?╟úin-spite?╟Ñ of Uncle Miltie. Their varying heights add to the good humor of ^the whole. ||fe Dunhills are the closing I act of Berle?╟╓s show and of the whole revue. This trio Of talented male dancers turn in some mighty solid tap dancing and routines. In fact, thqy come nearer doing their act than any of the others. But before long (he trio becomes a quartet and without comedy, Berle joins them in some strenuous routines. Each does a solo and Uncle Miltie does as they do, in a straight tuxe&b such as the Dunhills 13A M 8VJ 3ZIS1NVI9 if *^V uo46ihi|S0M lZS i miiwn U!iJf|gLJUJIHHI u INVt