Anniversary Waltz

Despite its name, Anniversary Waltz is neither a musical comedy nor a sentimental ditty about fifty years of happy marriage. The play does concern itself with marriage, however, but only incidentally with as anniversary. Any further resemblance to its musical namesake ends with the opening curtain. Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields have taken a wornout family comedy theme and used it to glue together a formidable number of jokes about six, child psychology, and television. They have written a farcical Date with Judy, funnier than its television counterparts but a little pointless for two hours in the theatre.

With authors Chodorov and Fields employing almost every stock comedy angle, the case has no alternative but to play the comedian continually. The typical American family of Anniversary Waltz represents an inconceivable collection of wits, from the husband to the handyman. The play races along through jokes and slapstick with no member of the cast willing o able to take a straight man part. It leaves the audience limp after able to take a straight man part. It leaves the audience limp after one act and pondering the question of which party, authors or cast, can keep up the pace.

At the finish, Chodorov and Fields seem to be lagging behind. They have used up most of their gimmicks, some three and four times. Starting with a stereotyped family situation (a harried father, plagued by his precocious children, his inlaws, and his television), the action moves through several disconnected crises. Father kicks the TV set in the tube three times, argues with his wife, and discovers that his offspring talk knowingly about premarital relations. When these gags falter, there are always the in-laws to lampoon, not to mention a dumb blonde, included just to make sure no comical opportunities are missed.

To the credit of the cast, the actors try every bit as hard as their script writers. Kitty Carlisle, fresh from innumerable operettas, can get laughs without musical accompaniment, while MacDonald Carey, as her husband, is properly harassed. Lesser roles are handled by Phyllis Povab, a neurotic and amusing mother-in-law, and blustery Howard Smith. These leads produce a smooth performance from an almost unrelated series of family squabbles.

By playing nearly every stock angle, Anniversary Waltz works for its humor at an exhausting pace. It would be surprising if the play failed to produce some extremely funny moments. The odds are for it. And because of its bright spots, the odds also favor the play with moderately successful prospects.