• • In the month of February, a Broadway revival of "Diamond Lil" opened at the Coronet Theatre [5 February 1949 — 26 February 1949]. This hugely successful revival was interrupted, alas, after a few weeks. Mae West broke her ankle on February 26, causing performances to halt.
• • This is the reaction of The New York Times's drama critic. His column [below] was published on 7 February 1949.
• • • • Mae West Back in Town as 'Diamond Lil' • • • •
• • Gallantly supported by four or five handsome, muscular leading men, Mae West has brought "Diamond Lil" back to New York, where it began its renowned career twenty-one years ago. She wriggled through it at the Coronet on Saturday evening, attired in some of the gaudiest finery of the century — — the femme fatale of the Bowery, bowling her leading men over one by one with her classical impersonation of a story-book strumpet.
• • When Miss West restored her study of society to America last November, a bus-load of the Broadway nightwatch rolled out to Montclair, New Jersey to pay their respects to her artistry. It must be confessed that "Diamond Lil" is a tough play to see twice in one season. Any fairly observant theatre-goer can penetrate its subtleties with a single visit. It does not take long to understand what Miss West has in mind.
• • But she is a fabulous performer and her saloon singer is an incredible creation — — a triumph of nostalgic vulgarity. She is always in motion. The snaky walk, the torso wriggle, the stealthy eyes, the frozen smile, the flat, condescending voice, the queenly gestures — — these are studies in slow motion, and they have to be seen to be believed. Lazy, confident of her charms, Diamond Lil does not move fast, but she never stands still; and Miss West paces her performance accordingly.
• • There is an attitude of sublime fatalism about the whole business. Miss West extends her hand to be kissed with royal assurance. Even in the clinches she is monumentally disinterested, and she concludes her love scenes with a devastating wise-crack before they are started. Although Miss West is the goddess of sex, it might reasonably be argued that she scrupulously keeps sex out of her acting by invariably withdrawing from anything but the briefest encounters. "Diamond Lil" is a play about the world of sex, but there is very little sex in it.
• • Like an old dime novel, it is full of crime, drink and iniquity. After beating about the bush for two sluggish acts, it settles down hospitably into an old-fashioned vaudeville show in the last act; and Miss West, billowy and swaying at the piano, sings a few sinful ballads in a small voice but with plenty of style. It is performing in the grand manner.
• • After thoughtfully studying her performance twice in a little over two months, this reviewer is still puzzled over one thing. Is Miss West serious or is she kidding? Not that it matters. She is obviously a good trouper, which is probably the reason she has been able to hold this ramshackle melodrama together for twenty-one years.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • "Diamond Lil" • • April 1928 • •
NYC
Mae West.
No comments:
Post a Comment