The Theater: New Musical in Manhattan, Apr. 22, 1957

Shinbone Alley (book by Joe Darion & Mel Brooks; music and lyrics by George Kleinsinger & Joe Darion) celebrates Don Marquis' reasonably immortal archy and mehitabel. Supreme among literary cockroaches is the archy who typewrote free-verse memos to his newspaper-columnist "boss" by hurling himself head-downwards on the keys (though he could never manage capital letters). Gamest and gamiest of cats is the mehitabel that archy reported on, who insists that she was once Cleopatra and though bedraggled and back-alleyish now, is always a lady and toujours gai. The two friends are an easy pair to feel tender toward, but much less...

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