“Yeah, and it’s big-a-me, too.”
June 1, 2016 12:31 PM   Subscribe

How a lost Marx Brothers musical found its way back onstage. [SLNYer]
posted by Chrysostom (20 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
In need of brothers to join him in the pursuit, Diamond enlisted Seth Shelden, a brilliant young intellectual-property lawyer who was just returning from a Fulbright fellowship in Latvia. Improbable though it seems, Shelden’s secret ambition had always been to become Harpo Marx.

As someone who used to practice law, I'm delighted by this. (I imagine his parents are less so.)

I hope this show does very well, although I don't know that I think it will, simply because it is such a period piece. I truly wish I could see it. I've been a Marx Brothers fan since I was a kid, too.
posted by Countess Elena at 12:50 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


You have to sort of wonder how bad a show is that even Encores! hasn't done it.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:55 PM on June 1, 2016


You have to sort of wonder how bad a show is that even Encores! hasn't done it.

Rufus T. Firefly: So, you refuse to shake hands with me, eh?
posted by storybored at 1:06 PM on June 1, 2016 [7 favorites]


I've been following this for a while. Kills me that I probably won't get to see it, but I can comfort myself that the best bits from the original were probably cannibalized for later Marx Brothers projects.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:15 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


In need of brothers to join him in the pursuit, Diamond enlisted Seth Shelden, a brilliant young intellectual-property lawyer who was just returning from a Fulbright fellowship in Latvia. Improbable though it seems, Shelden’s secret ambition had always been to become Harpo Marx.

That is so meta that I'm surprised the Marx Brothers didn't already do it.
posted by Etrigan at 1:16 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


They may be able to get reasonable substitutes for the brothers, but they will never find another Margaret Dumont.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:24 PM on June 1, 2016 [11 favorites]


At first I thought somebody had discovered a print of Humorrisk but this seems really exciting too.
posted by Joey Michaels at 1:34 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Say! I'm going to be in town during the current run and may have to go to one of the Sunday afternoon mutinies.
posted by usonian at 2:42 PM on June 1, 2016 [3 favorites]


Came here to say what Joey Michaels said. Still, this is great MOAR MARX BROTHERS ALWAYS PLEASE
posted by Melismata at 2:50 PM on June 1, 2016


Opening scene on video. Not good, but hey! Marx brothers.
posted by IndigoJones at 2:53 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


Not good, but hey! Marx brothers.

The rhymes were annoying, but I thought "Merchant of Wieners" was pretty good.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 3:15 PM on June 1, 2016


TheWhiteSkull: "They may be able to get reasonable substitutes for the brothers, but they will never find another Margaret Dumont."

OOOOHHHH, Professor FIREFLY!!!
posted by Chrysostom at 3:18 PM on June 1, 2016


I thought "Merchant of Wieners" was pretty good.

Early days. They perfected the Chevalier bit in Monkey Business.
posted by IndigoJones at 3:32 PM on June 1, 2016


"They may be able to get reasonable substitutes for the brothers, but they will never find another Margaret Dumont."

"OOOOHHHH, Professor FIREFLY!!!"



The one we've got now is plenty.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:39 PM on June 1, 2016 [1 favorite]


The rhymes were annoying, but I thought "Merchant of Wieners" was pretty good.

"Did you ever get hit with a coconut pie?" is a pretty good comeback. Gets me every time. I always think of it when I'm hanging around with Shakespearean types.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 7:46 PM on June 1, 2016


Topical as always, buried in the middle is an immigration joke.
posted by sammyo at 9:03 PM on June 1, 2016


OMG Harpo's "hold my leg" thing... I used to do that to classmates in junior high. None of them ever got the reference.
posted by hippybear at 12:46 AM on June 2, 2016 [2 favorites]


"Someone threw an apple at me!"
"You're lucky watermelons aren't in season."
posted by Billiken at 8:26 AM on June 2, 2016


OMG Harpo's "hold my leg" thing... I used to do that to classmates in junior high. None of them ever got the reference.

According to Harpo's autobiography (the highly recommended Harpo Speaks!) the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VIII) did the leg thing when they met. Apparently he was a big fan.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:08 AM on June 2, 2016 [1 favorite]


The leg thing still kills me. Every single time.
posted by usonian at 1:24 PM on June 2, 2016


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