Word: novotna
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Sherlock Holmes did so as a museum piece that was being gently spoofed. But the spoofing, unfortunately, came off only at moments: for the most part the play, however rife with crime, merely swirled with inaction. It was lavishly produced. As Irene Adler, Metropolitan Soprano Jarmila Novotna warbled arias; there was much social chatter, much wearing of evening dress, many period fripperies and titled ladies with pasts. As much as anything else, it seemed like a tedious drawing-room play, with a dead body in place of a butler...
...waste of considerable talent, talent scarcely evident in the ragged performance on Monday night. With Basil Rathbone cast in his famous role, a script by Ouida Rathbone based faithfully though eclectically on five of Conan Doyle's best stories, and the rather curious but impressive attraction of Jarmila Novotna in the cast, it is hard to believe that the producers can't eventually come up with something better than they have...
...exaggerations of acting in the minor roles. In the meantime, Ouida must straighten out the story line, which now leaves justice inexplicably triumphant in the last act. Certainly the present state of Sherlock Holmes, with the sole assets of Steward Chaney's sets and the charming, if superfluous Mme. Novotna, will not satisfy Doyle addicts, who have waited since the days of William Gillete for Holmes' return to the stage...
Omnibus (Sun. 4:30 p.m., CBS). Fledermaus, with Jarmila Novotna and the Metropolitan Opera orchestra...