Anouilh and Brel at Court

Press, 11 December 1981, Page 3 (Supplement)

Anouilh and Brel at Court

One of the funniest plays of the French theatre, now showing at the Court Theatre, is Jean Anouilh’s "Ring Round the Moon,” which is an hilarious version of the “Cinderella” plot. The players are caught in the infinitely complex game of deceit arid intrigue. Extremely funny and beautifully presented, “Ring Round the Moon” is ideal Christmas entertainment.

The lavish costumes and spectacular set make this a visually exciting play. Isabelle, a young ballet dancer from the country is asked to the chateau to impersonate the “belle of the ball.”

Two identical twins, Frederic and Hugo, are both in love with the same lady, Diana, the nasty little rich girl. Physically identical, yet the emotional opposite of his placid brother, Hugo schemes to cure Frederic of his infatuation by making him fall in love with Isabelle.

On January 2, the Court Theatre opens with "Jacques

Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.”

Eric Blau, an American poet earning his keep ghost writing sporting autobiographies, was on one of his frequent trips to Paris in the early 60s when he heard a Brel L.P.

“I was knocked out when I heard his work, I had never known a songwriter to address himself so to the human condition, a guy writing pop songs who was really poetically informed,” Blau said.

“Brel did two things: He took the song form seriously and he knew that although the lyric is not poetry, the songs, as such, could be art.” Back in New York, Blau was able to get two Brel songs, “Ne me Quitte Pas” and “Carousel,” into an offBroadway revue called “0 Oysters,” but in 1960 they were not greatly admired. The songs ran against the American grain then, he said. Elly Stone continued to sing the songs after the revue closed, to an increasingly enthusiastic response. She later commented in an interview that the acceptance of Brel’s songs had a lot to do with what the kids were doing and what they were saying. Bob Dylan’s coming on the scene changed American tastes considerably. People began to listen to the lyrics and that made it easier for Brel. Personal appearances by Brel in 1966 and 1967 in New

York and London added to the popularity of his songs. The “New York Tribune” commented in January 1967 that Brel performed with “the drama and personal intensity that marked the style of Edith Piaf.”

After Brel’s 1967 appearance, Mort Shuman and Eric Blau began the translation of the 25 songs that comprise the revue, “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” which opened at the Village Gate in January. 1968.

Productions were presented all over the world. The New York production was filmed and Brel appeared in it singing his most famous song, “Ne me Quitte Pas.” The piece has had several successful productions in New Zealand, notably by Theatre Corporate, in Auckland.