• Source: The Squall (play)

      • The Squall is a 1926 play by Jean Bart. It has three acts, one setting, and twelve characters. The story concerns the impact a conniving young girl seeking refuge has on a previously content family. The title refers both to a natural storm and the girl's effect. This was the first play by Jean Bart to be produced.
      The play was first produced by a summer stock company in Madison, Maine during 1926, with staging by Howard Lindsay, and starring Blanche Yurka. The Squall was then produced for Broadway by A. L. Jones and Morris Green, with new staging by Lionel Atwill, settings by William Castle, special effects by Langdon McCormick, and again starring Blanche Yurka. After a one-night tryout at Mamaroneck, New York, it had its Broadway premiere in November 1926, running for 443 performances, and ending just over a year later.
      It was adapted for an early talkie film of the same name in 1929.


      Characters


      Characters are listed in order of appearance within their scope.
      Lead

      Juan Mendez is the son of Jose and Delores, heir to the Mendez wealth.
      Delores Mendez is the middle-aged wife of Jose and mother of Juan.
      José Mendez is the middle-aged head of the distinguished Mendez family.
      Nubi is a pretty Spanish Gypsy who speaks in an odd pidgin.
      Supporting

      Manuella is the maid in the Mendez household.
      Pedro is a hired hand for the Mendez farm, engaged to Manuella.
      Featured

      Dona Paca is a tiny old woman who gossips about the new Mendez guest.
      Finito is rotund and short, a foxy young man whose wiles are hid by a lisp.
      Anita is a young blonde girl, who dares to challenge Nubi.
      Padre Molina is the village priest.
      Don Diego is a local notable, who has a wooden left leg.
      El Moro is head of the Spanish Gypsy clan from which Nubi has fled.


      Synopsis


      This synopsis was compiled from contemporaneous newspaper reviews.
      The Mendez family, their servants and retainers, are a content group living on their land in the village of Queano, near Granada. During a squall, a fearful Gypsy girl seeks refuge with the family. Her name is Nubi, and she is being pursued by a large fierce-looking Gypsy called El Moro. He is chieftain of her family group and wants to take her back to them, but the Mendez family hides her and claims she went elsewhere. Nubi persuades Delores Mendez to let her stay. She is striking looking, with curly black hair and large gold hoop earrings, which seem to bedazzle Juan Mendez, and Pedro the hired hand. As a servant, she soon proves worthless. She stands about, hands on hips, bewitching the men and urging them on with promises. She drives a wedge between Pedro and Manuella, while bewitching Juan, and even tempting José. She is causing gossip among the village folk with her wanton behavior. Delores is at a loss what to do. If she throws Nubi out, the men might follow her. Delores prays to the Virgin Mary for help, but is appalled to see Juan come out of Nubi's bedroom in the morning. He has given Nubi a valuable necklace for her favors. But El Moro returns, having been secretly summoned by Delores, carrying a large whip. This time the family yields up Nubi when he tells them she deserted her husband and baby. He drags her off by her hair, and the Mendez family tries to regain their previous contentment.


      Original production




      = Background

      =
      Jean Bart, the nom de plume of Marie Sarlabous, was a French-born writer of film scenarios and operetta librettos. This was her first play to be produced. Her husband, Dr. Emile Sarlabous, was a staff physician for the Metropolitan Opera, a specialist in ear, nose and throat issues. She was fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian besides her native French. Blanche Yurka, who took singing instruction at the Met, came to know her and persuaded A. L. Jones and Morris Green to give her play The Squall a tryout. Jones and Green, who as The Bohemians (Inc.) had produced The Greenwich Village Follies since 1919, were able to get Howard Lindsay to add The Squall to the summer schedule for the Lakewood Players during August 1926. Lindsay also staged the production, with assistance from the author.


      = Cast

      =


      = Tryouts

      =

      The Squall was first performed at Lakewood Theater in Madison, Maine on August 9, 1926. Supplementing the regular stock company were guest stars Blanche Yurka, Pedro de Cordoba, Hortense Alden, and Murray Alper. The regular company included Arthur Byron, Dorothy Stickney, Nedda Harrigan, Albert Hackett, Walter Connolly, Katheryn Keyes, and Cornelius Van Voorhies. The play was well-received, but the producers were unable to sign all cast members for Broadway.
      The producers hired Lionel Atwill to direct the Broadway production of The Squall, and signed new cast members Suzanne Caubet, Harold Barham, Lee Baker, and Mary Fowler. They also decided on a one-night tryout with their new cast at the Mamaroneck Playhouse in Mamaroneck, New York on November 3, 1926. The local reviewer commended the acting and setting, but thought the first act slow to establish what proved to be an interesting story.


      = Broadway premiere and reception

      =

      The Squall had its Broadway premiere at the 48th Street Theatre on Armistice Day, November 11, 1926. Ray W. Harper noted the storm effect created by Langdon McCormick, and said "This hectic drama of sex, love, and passion in Spain had many fine moments and then again some tiresome stretches". Arthur Pollock said "The play is nicely calculated trash and ought to prosper". Rowland Field was less cynical, calling the play "absorbing" and praising the performances of Blanche Yurka and Suzanne "Caubert" [sic], while reporting the enthusiastic audience's "prolonged and genuine" applause.
      Burns Mantle called The Squall "an actors play", with good principal roles and colorful bit parts. He praised the performances, Langdon McCormick's storm and Lionel Atwill's direction, and concluded by suggesting of the author's first play: "She has no reason to be ashamed of it. Nor any to feel unduly optimistic." Brooks Atkinson called The Squall a "meretricious drama, one of an old, old lineage". He felt the outrageous speech and actions of Nubi distracted from the fine performance of Blanche Yurka, "who deserves a play commensurate with her ability." He did admire the setting by William Castle, and called the storm effect "elaborate" and "noticable".
      The producers often scheduled extra matinees, and as the run lengthened, began cutting the weekly salaries of performers. When this was done a third time, during June 1927, Blanche Yurka gave notice to the producers. The matter was resolved to her satisfaction, for she continued with the show. The play received renewed national attention during late July 1927, when well-known screenwriter June Mathis died during the performance she was viewing.


      = Broadway closing

      =
      The Squall closed at the 48th Street Theatre on November 19, 1927, after 443 performances. The production then started touring, beginning with the Majestic Theatre in Brooklyn, with the original Nubi actress, Suzanne Chaubaye, returning to that role.


      Adaptations




      = Film

      =
      The Squall - 1929 film directed by Alexander Korda, who transferred the setting to his native Hungary, starring Myrna Loy, Richard Tucker, Alice Joyce and Loretta Young.


      Notes




      References




      Bibliography


      Jean Bart. The Squall: A Drama in Three Acts. Samuel French, New York, 1932.

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