"Tiffany's Attic," an elegant theater restaurant operation, opened Wednesday night to bring new glamor to Salt Lake City's entertainment scene.
The theater, which is fashioned partly after a Shakespeare Globe Theater and reflects the era of knights and ladies in its decor, is located in Arrow Press Square, at 115 South West Temple. It shows taste and richness in the remodeling of an old structure at the cost of a half million dollars.
It has been constructed so that audiences of tables on the two floors have unobstructed views of •the stage wherever they are seated.
Tiffany's Attic is the third restaurant-theater of its type to be opened by Dick Carrothers, who has two such operations in Kansas City He and Dennis Hennessy are local producers with the assistance of Howard Clark, Salt Lake developer and owner of the building.
"Tiffany's Attic" opened with a mystery, "Catch Me If You Can," which had hammy but professional acting in a story that had suspense to the final minute. However, it was like presenting Starsky and Hutch, a police comedy of television this year, or Car 54, Where Are You? a police comedy of the past, in a -Shakespeare theater or in a music hall.
This isn't to say the audience didn't like the show or that it wasn't attention-getting or well done, acting-wise it was. But it didn't seem like the right play for the theater.
As a production, "Catch Me If You Can" has a story that holds attention to the very end. An advertising executive is at the private resort of his boss for a honeymoon.
His wife disappears and a stranger appears to claim she is his wife. Other characters show up, including a police inspector, a priest and a delicatessen owner as the ad man tries to convince the policeman that the imposter really isn't his wife.
It appears that she and the priest are trying to frame the ad man to gain an inheritance.
The show has many surprises and the plot many turns, but the solution doesn't come until the final five minutes, and woe unto anyone who discloses the ending.
Just as a person thinks he knows the solution to the mystery, someone else pops up as the guilty party.
The cast, which has as much fun as the audience, includes Al Lewis of the old Munster series; John Carlyle, who has been in many television shows; Dennis Allen from the old Laugh-in and many other television programs, and Tani Guthrie, who has appeared on many stages. William Alan Nash and Robert E. Wood, veteran Utah performers have small but important roles. Darwin Knight directs. The play is enhanced by some excellent lighting and by simple sets and properties.
The play could be shortened with much benefit. Also, there is no need for two intermissions.
Adding to the fun at the new theater operation is a musical group, the Attic Kazoos, made up of talented local singers and actors, who double as waiters.
Tiffany's Attic will be open every night except Sundays and Memorial Day, May 31. Reservations must be obtained. They may be made by telephoning, 533-8888. "Catch Me If You Can" will be presented until July 19. "Never Too Late" will open July 20 and continue through Sept. 19, when "I Do, I Do" will be presented.
A criticism of the food operation will appear in the Dining Out column of Jay Livingood in the Saturday Deseret News Weekend section.