Marco Millions

Marco Polo was liked, but the wasn't well liked until be made valuable and lasting contacts in Cathay. But the question Marco Millions also asks is whether a girl can be happy in life as daughter to a wealthy and titled Tartar (Kublai Khan). Unfortunately author Eugene O'Neill insisted on going beyond the circus, the soap opera and the spirit attendant to the School of Business Management, and when he does, his biting condemnation of souless materialism lacks teeth and interest. After a rather exciting first act, capped by Marco as an artless youth in the Khan's Grand Throne Room, the play's action gives way to generally boring dialogue which skillfully blends triteness and repetition.

The drag of Marco Millions is especially regrettable since it is the Harvard Dramatic Club's grand effort. Not wholly betrayed by its own ambition, the HDC almost manages to supplement the play's inadequacies with skillful acting, brilliant sets and costumes, imaginative direction, and a specially composed score. As a tour de force for the HDC, Marco is a definite, if quiet, success: the theatre group shows a good store of technical achievement. But Marco Millions is shabby entertainment for an evening.

Most praise for what is good in the production belongs to Webster Lithgow for his really magnificent sets. Ingeniously exploiting the vastness of Sanders' stage, Mr. Lithgow uses with distinction that space which has dwarfed less skillfully-designed scenery. Essentially, the set consists of three frames, descending in size from the right side of the stage. With this arrangement, even a scene aboard the prow of a junk--projecting into the middle frame--does not seem out of place.

Also deserving special recognition were the costumes by Leslie Van Zandt and the make-up by Jack Stein. Both were rich in concept and boldly executed. Caldwell Titcomb's music is also excellent, almost covering the tedium of a few scenes.

Excepting the first act performance of Robert Schwarz as Marco, and Robert Beatey's entire job as Chu Yin, court savant, the actors were very competent rather than inspired. Only these two gentlemen showed originality or real spark in their tasks, and Mr. Schwarz stumbled after the first act.

In the other two leading roles, Thomas Gaydos as Kublai, and Phillipa Scott, as his granddaughter Kukachin, were quite up to the level of performance required. The shame was that their talent went begging, and there was no challenge for them. The fact that neither of them improved much upon their poor, stock parts is a telling count against them, but both have proven themselves in better roles. Among the more minor actors, only Andre Gregory is outstanding.

Richard Heffron, the director, has done well just to keep the play moving at all. In the mass scenes his staging is particularly effective, with carefuly-controlled groups well placed and directed. Toward the end, Marco shows no signs of having been paced, directed or planned. But I suspect that is more the fault of O'Neill than of the present director. Mr. Heffron's real failing is a ragged second act that not only seems never to end, but shows no intention of trying. Had Mr. Heffron exerted his right here to cut the script and invent some business for the apparently rooted actors, he would have done real service.

Talent was not lacking for the HDC's production. But the best actors and technicians could not have rescued Marco Millions. As producer, and president of the club, Peter Shoup must take the greatest blame for the evening--although his was probably not the sole decision in selecting this play. One hopes that the cause of the Theatre Committee will not suffer from the infirm choice of a vehicle. The HDC has come too far to be undone by a single ill-advised production of a reliable playwright. Nevertheless, those who want to support the current example of Harvard Theatre face a long evening.