Director: Steven Moskovic
Genre: Biography/ Comedy
How many people can say, “I was president of the United States?” Well, the answer is four, but it’s really a rhetorical question. Who can say that they’re the Queen of England (aside from the Queen herself) or the Prince of Wales (except for the Wale himself), or the fifth Beatle or anything else so high and lofty? Nobody! Who can say that they’re the next Groucho Marx? Frank Ferrante can say “I am” with certitude. He is the next Groucho Marx. I’m willing to bet that if the first Groucho were alive to see Ferrante portray him in this stage production of his life, he would surely say, “better him Groucho than me.”
This production, written by both Robert Fisher and the ultimate authority of Groucho Marx-his son, Arthur Marx- portrays Groucho in four acts.
The first act portrays Groucho’s life with his brothers in their Vaudeville days, including the Marx’s relation to Al Shean of the Vaudeville act, Gallagher and Shean.
Act two shows the Marx Brothers that so many educated people with a classy taste in films are still familiar with today. In this act, Ferrante as Groucho (Julius Marx) talks about how he and his brothers, Harpo (Adolph Marx), Chico (Leonard Marx), Zeppo (Herbert Marx) and Gummo (Milton Marx) got their nick names.Act three covers Groucho’s You Bet Your Life days. You Bet Your Life was Groucho’s quiz show that ran for about 12 years on NBC. (You Bet Your Life) He discusses how the show helped Groucho make a financial comeback as war was not only breaking out in Europe; it was breaking out in Beverly Hills. The jokes, ad-libs, songs, dances, and all that other Marx Brothers stuff- namely, from Groucho’s routines- are perfectly mirrored from the Marx Brothers. It’s remarkable.
Harpo and Chico are both portrayed by co-star Roy Abramsohn. He could use some work on mastering Chico’s artificial Italian accent, but why get nit-picky about it. He’s got all the rest of Chico Marx down, especially his fanciful, artistic piano playing. As Harpo, he needs no improvement. He can pluck the harp like Harpo and move his face like Harpo. He plays them both well.
Actress Marguerite Lowell portrays all 10 female roles in the show, including that of the real Groucho’s leading lady from his pictures, Margaret Dumont.
Act four portrays Marx in his last days, when he had lived through four marriages, and world-wide fame.
James Lipton commented in the Actor’s Studio that imitation is a high form of art…or something like that. Ferrante has Groucho down to a “T”. His voice, his mannerisms and his looks are all perfectly Groucho Marx. It’s amazing to watch.
His show ranks right up there with great performances such as Hal Holbrook’s Mark Twain Tonight. Ferrante takes all the familiar and best of Groucho’s routines and jokes, even in his portrayal of Marx during his grey days. His voice impersonation of Marx at this point of his life is dead on.
What I find most remarkable is how well Ferrante portrays the underlying sadness that Groucho disguised so well in his wit and humor. Ferrante quotes Groucho in the fourth act when he says, “For me, there’s a very fine line between sadness and comedy. Most comedians are very sad people. Well, if I didn’t know sadness, well… I wouldn’t have spent all these years trying to make people laugh.”
I think Ferrante pays too much attention to dirty jokes Groucho may have told. I’m sure Ferrante is aware that Groucho had told Dick Cavett in an interview anybody can tell a dirty joke and get a laugh. But making people laugh without being dirty is a real comedian. It was too easy, Groucho said. In fact, Groucho said he was very sensitive on the issue. I think Ferrante could have paid some homage to that instead of telling some of those dirty jokes he told. Groucho on Dick Cavett
Otherwise, Ferrante is so extraordinary in portraying Groucho Marx. He can truly say he is the next Groucho Marx.
*The real Groucho taken from the 1933 Paramount film Duck Soup. Right: Frank Ferrante in his portrayal of Groucho.
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