ARTS STYLE DESIGN FILM PHOTOGRAPHY AOL MUSIC Michael Giltz Freelance writer and raconteur Posted: March 12, 2011 04:19 PM BIO Become a Fan Get Email Alerts Bloggers' Index 0 55 0 0Amazing Inspiring Funny Scary Hot Crazy Important WeirdTheater: Cactus Flower Wilts Read More: Abe Burrows , Cactus Flower , Cactus Flower Adaptation , Cactus Flower Review , Cactus Flower Reviews , Comedy , How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying , Lois Robbins , Maxwell Caulfield , NY Around Town , NY Culture , Theater , Arts News CACTUS FLOWER * out of **** WESTSIDE THEATRE So many things went wrong during one of the press nights for the revival of this comedy directed by Michael Bush, I thought perhaps we were seeing Noises Off (a show about a problem-plagued theater company) insteadof Cactus Flower.</p><p> Star Maxwell Caulfield struggled with his lines (messing up one bit at the beginning about astewardess that should have had a pay-off at the veryend), a music cue blared into action too soon, and someprops clattered around.</p><p> You might be tempted to dismissthis comedy as a tired work that was dated when itopened 35 years ago; it should have been left on the shelf instead of (finally) being revived for the first significant production in New York, right? Except for one notable exception.</p><p> I'd heard of the show but never saw it or the film adaptation.</p><p> It certainly has a terrific pedigree.</p><p> Cactus Flower was adapted from a French play by Abe Burrows (who should get a much happier revival with How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying ).</p><p> In it, a dentist tells his ditsy but sweet girlfriend that he's married so she won't get serious.</p><p> When he gets serious, his nurse has to pretend to be his wife to reassure the girl she's no home-wrecker.</p><p> It's no surprise that the nurse loves her dentist and the nebbishywriter next door (Jeremy Bobb) loves the kooky girl.</p><p> Complications ensue.</p><p> Somehow, it was a smash hitand ran for more than 1200 performances.</p><p> Lauren Bacall and Brenda Vaccaro starred, but they were bothshafted when it became a film and their roles were played by Ingrid Bergman (such a great comedianne!) MOST POPULAR ON HUFFPOST 1 of 2 WATCH: Two New Yorkers Take A Taxi To Los Angeles 9/11 Responders Warned They Will Be Screened For Terrorism Ties (EXCLUSIVE) Poll Shows One Potential Presidential Hopeful InFOLLOW USBIG NEWS: Film | Theatre | Photography | Sculpture | Royal Wedding | More...</p><p> Obama, Hipsters & Ruin Porn: Highlights ThisArt Bites: Japan Benefit, Trippy Paintings and Bombs, Comics And Sartre: Haiku ReviewsThe Experience Of Posing Nude News Web Like 276K April 24, 2011 | Log In | Sign Up Get Alerts SHARE THIS STORY Submit this story Get Arts Alerts Sign UpPHOTO GALLERIES Like 2K Like 20K FRONT PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY SPORTS STYLE WORLD FOOD LIVING IMPACT EDU LOCALand Goldie Hawn, who won an Oscar, though even the trailer for the film is quite leaden.</p><p> The film was a smash hit too; one of the big hits of 1969/1970.</p><p> Caulfield plays the dentist here, jauntily running around the set to create a little energy (and perhaps joghis memory at times).</p><p> For all I know Jenni Barber has never even seen the film, but her performance(not so bad) certainly evokes Hawn.</p><p> The set by Anna Louizos is an all-purpose wooden affair that ismeant to double as an apartment, a dentist's office (the closest to success they come) and a nightclub.Despite all the flipping of posters and moving of furniture it remains stolidly, boringly familiarthroughout.</p><p> Pop songs from the era punctuate every scene -- as the show progresses, they have a nominallink to the action (like playing "Born Free" when the nurse stands up to the dentist and walks out).</p><p> But that just underlines the many times when the songs feel random and without purpose, just a noisy way to distract us from the lack of action.</p><p> So why the caveat? Because in the midst of this mess, Lois Robbins (a mainstay with roles on four different soaps) somehow manages to deliver a solid, funny performance.</p><p> While everyone else is playingfor laughs and delivering punch lines, Robbins is playing a character and delivering dialogue -- andnaturally, that means she garners most of the laughs.</p><p> I don't mean to oversell her work here.</p><p> Justmaintaining your dignity would be accomplishment enough.</p><p> But Robbins is good enough to make me think that -- who knows? -- maybe Cactus Flower could be revived with the right attitude and cast, a la Boeing Boeing.</p><p> Not that I'm eager to see it brought back anytime soon.</p><p> But I am eager to see Robbins again in a show that let's her show her real talent at its best.</p><p> THE 2010-2011 THEATER SEASON (ratings on a four star system) Angels in America revival at Signature *** out of **** Beautiful Burnout at St.</p><p> Ann's Warehouse ** Blood From A Stone ** 1/2 The Broadway Musicals Of 1921 at Town Hall *** Devil Boys From Beyond ** The Diary Of A Madman with Geoffrey Rush at BAM *** Driving Miss Daisy ** Elf * Elling ** A Free Man Of Color ** 1/2 Gatz *** Good People with Frances McDormand ** The Grand Manner ** The Great Game *** Gruesome Playground Injuries *** The Hallway Trilogy: Nursing ** The Hallway Trilogy: Paraffin *** Striking Distance Of Obama Popeater: Brad and Angelina's Strict Nanny Requirements Shelterpop: Unplugging Appliances: Do I REALLY Have to Do This? 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The Horatio Alger Musical ** 1/2Show Choir **Tess: The New Musical **Trav'lin' *** Without You *** 1/2 ***** Thanks for reading.</p><p> Michael Giltz is the cohost of Showbiz Sandbox, a weekly pop culture podcast that reveals the industry take on entertainment news of the day and features top journalists and opinionmakers as guests.</p><p> It's available free on iTunes.</p><p> Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog.</p><p> Download his podcast of celebrity interviews and his radio show, also called Popsurfing and alsoavailable for free on iTunes.</p><p> Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews .</p><p> Follow Michael Giltz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelgiltz HUFFPOST'S BIG NEWS PAGES NBA Afghanistan Fast Food Gas & Oil NASA Hockey Brian Williams Gabrielle Giffords Mexico MORE BIG NEWS PAGES » you tickle a little penguin? http://j.mp/dEZjCM via @huffingtonpost twsuccess Antoine Dodson Arrested ForMarijuana Possession http://huff.to/edLaIo TOP LINKS ON THIS TOPIC 1 of 5 Regina Weinreich: Cactus Flower Abloom Off Broadway BWW TV: Broadway Beat Covers CACTUS FLOWER Opening NIght! 2011/03/14 Theater review: "Cactus Flower," 1 star - am New York Obama, Hipsters & Ruin Porn: Highlights This... 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FDXNews8.com apurvnagpal Just Go With It : hilarious derivative of Cactus Flower , v funny ! http://apurvbollywood.bl... 1 hour ago from web number1producer My review for ' Cactus Flower ' on Rotten Tomatoes: 5 stars- #Cactus #Flower is absolutely one of the best movies from... http://bit.ly/gm7Fn7 2 hours ago from Rotten Tomatoes ARTS STYLE DESIGN FILM PHOTOGRAPHY AOL MUSIC Advertise | Log In | Make HuffPost your Home Page | RSS | Careers | FAQ | Contact Us User Agreement | Privacy | Comment Policy | About Us | Powered by Movable Type Copyright © 2011 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. | "The Huffington Post" is a registered trademark of TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.</p><p> All rights reserved.</p><p> Get AlertsFRONT PAGEPOLITICS BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT MEDIA TECH COMEDY SPORTS STYLE WORLD FOOD LIVING IMPACT EDU LOCAL
