'Great to Be Back!' Again

Hearing through channels that the HDC had labored throughout the week revamping its musical revue, I returned last night to Great to Be Back! It was one of my wiser decisions. The truly atrocious spots which earlier had marked the production have been shuffled off the stage: the opening half-hour is now a pleasing burst of song, not a dirge; and the cumbersome sketches have been pared to size. Through their expert cutting and repasting, Gross-Charnas-Weller have produced a musical of well-paced comedy and song. Great to Be Back! has become possible to enjoy and possible to recommend.

Nothing much has been added actually. The new introduction has the twin virtues of being crisper and spoken by Clare Scott. Miss Scott promises fun with a light touch which the rest of the evening can now deliver pretty consistently. The "To the Manor Bron" sketch and the concluding bit could both be shaved again, but with the changes already made in the show, these slow-ups are by far the exceptions. The pace is dazzling now: director Ed Golden being responsible for the production's sharp aim and high gloss.

The versatility of the cast becomes more apparent upon a re-viewing. Colgate Salsbury's Treasure Island scene, for example, is a high point of the first act. Barbara Forester as Red Riding Hood is a far cry from Mona Lisa, and a good thing too. Miss Forester is a muggy, engaging comedienne. Sheila Tobais' comic talents also struck me more last evening, especially in the opera parody. As for Clare Scott, were the HDC not egalitarian and had Peabody Playhouse a marquee, her name would be at the top, she is certainly the star.

As opposed to the jokes, the music gets more pleasant upon each hearing. The few ballads have the only genuine distinction, however. They seemed to linger on after the rattle of the fast numbers had died away. The HDC has also censored itself, with the result that Great to Be Back! now is a family show. Except that one verse of "Mogambo Rag" has been lost, the clean-up served only to boost the entertainment value. Since there has been more cutting than adding, the whole evening is considerably shorter at Peabody this week. It is also much brighter.