by Steven LaVigne

A century ago, the theater was thriving. The Great War had ended and there were five art movements around the world. In London, there was the Bloomsbury Group; in Paris, by way of Russia there was the Ballet Russes and the Lost Generation, those writers, artists and composers who gathered for salons hosted by Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas at their flat at 27 Rue de Fleurus.

In New York, there were two art movements. Uptown, there was the Harlem Renaissance, and in midtown, the Algonquin Hotel hosted another. There were 19 daily newspapers and 85 theaters on Broadway (there are now 41). Frank Case owned the hotel at 59 W. 44 th Street and he loved artists. Because of its savory pastries, Case had no trouble luring Alexander Woollcott, the renowned theater critic at The New York Times. Respected, but never one to mince words, at one point Woollcott was banned from theaters owned by the Shubert Brothers, so he castigated them in print. When audiences stayed away from their productions, Woollcott was welcomed back.

Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley were writing for Vanity Fair; sports writer Heywood Broun, playwright Marc Connolly and Harold Ross, who created The New Yorker magazine would join Woollcott for lunch daily, so Case had a large table placed in the center of the room and The Algonquin Round Table was created. Here, the group who called themselves “The Vicious Circle” ate, gossiped and collaborated on projects, which would lead to successful plays, musicals and movies, resulting in eight Pulitzer Prizes, volumes of humor, poetry, novels, plays and awards.

However, this article is concerned with novelist and playwright Edna Ferber and her collaborator, George S. Kaufman.

Edna Ferber (1885–1968) is quoted as saying that “being an old maid is like death by drowning, a not wholly unpleasant sensation once you cease to struggle.” This old maid was the most productive member of the Round Table and with George S. Kaufman she wrote six plays, including “The Royal Family.” “Stage Door” and “Dinner at Eight.”

George S. Kaufman (1889-1961) wrote comedies, dramas, political satires, screenplays and several musicals. He wrote for The Marx Brothers, and “Of Thee I Sing” was the first musical honored with the Pulitzer Prize. He wrote this with Morrie Ryskind and the Gershwin brothers. With his most famous collaborator, Moss Hart, he was awarded the prestigious prize again for “You Can’t Take It With You.” He won the Tony Award for Best Director for staging the original production of “Guys & Dolls.”

“The Royal Family” is a thinly disguised satire on the Barrymore-Drew acting family, here renamed Cavendish. Fanny, the matriarch, is recovering from a long illness, but plans on touring the country again; Julie is the toast of Broadway, busy with rehearsals for one play while starring in another. Her daughter, Gwen is in a quandary about her career as Fanny’s son, Tony returns home after a notorious escape from Hollywood. In their midst their agent, members of the family, a trainer, a nurse and potential partners participate in the day-to-day chaos of these renowned performers.

“The Royal Family” premiered at New York’s Selwyn (now Todd Haimes) Theater on 42 nd Street and played 345 performances. When it played in London, the play was directed by Noel Coward. Over the years, the play was revived on Broadway in 1975 and 2009, and in 2001 in London. The film version, now available on YouTube was retitled “The Royal Family of Broadway,” released in 1930 and was directed by George Cukor and starred Fredric March and Ina Claire.

Sadly, the Algonquin Hotel was renovated recently and the beautiful interior has been whitewashed. A library was added to an alcove, and among its artifacts is Woollcott’s typewriter. Hamlet, the hotel’s cat, still rules the roost, but having some pictures, painting and drawings on the walls doesn’t replace the magical feeling of the Rose Room.

The Oscar-winning documentary on the Round Table, “The Ten Year Lunch” is also available on YouTube. Celebrities such as Ruth Gordon, Helen Hayes and Marc Connolly talk about their colleagues who were regulars at the Algonquin Round Table. The movie is theatrical magic!

Classics Lost ‘N’ Found Theater Company is pleased to present “The Royal Family” by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber, directed by Steven LaVigne, opening 7 November at 7pm at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church, 1620 E. 46 th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Additional performances will be 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 November at 7pm, with a matinee on Sunday 15 November at 2pm.