Accent on Youth, a play by Samson Raphaelson at the Manhattan Theatre Club Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. In this mostly superb production, with a fabulous set by John Lee Beatty, the stage looks just like 1930's Vandam photos of Broadway's Golden Age of which this 1934 comedy by Samson Raphaelson, a playwright we had not been familiar with, is a stellar example. An expert crafstman, Raphaelson penned some of the most beloved movies in history including "The Shop Around The Corner." Starring David Hyde Pierce in a role that could have been written for him, "Accent on Youth" is a rare treat, a look into drawing room comedies of the 1930's, a genre that is seldom seen on Broadway.
The starring role of Linda Brown is nicely played by Mary Catherine Garrison, a cute ingenue, but considering it was the name role in 1934 when it starred Constance Cummings, it's a pity that an A list star like Kristin Chenoweth wasn't cast. Garrison and Pierce do not strike any sparks, so the best work is done when he's playing against the excellent Byron Jennnings and the hilarious Charles Kimbrough who nearly steals the show as the muscular elderly butler.
We had a great time as did the audience. Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test Grade. B