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Melo
A drama in three acts adapted by Arthur Pollock from the French play by Henri Berstein. Opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, April 16, 1931, and lasted 67 performances. Produced by Lee Shubert, staged by Marcel Varnel.
Cast of characters
| Romaine Belcroix | Edna Best |
| Marcel Blanc | Basil Rathbone |
| Pierre Belcroix | Earle Larimore |
| Christiane | Ruth Abbott |
| Jeanne | Marion Wells |
| Dr. Remy | Harry Davenport |
| A Priest | Fuller Mellish |
| François | Stapleton Kent |
| A Professional Dancer | John Worthington |
| A Gigolo | Pierre Vistaud |
| A French Woman | Henriette Douvier |
| Another French Woman | Marie Maurier |
| A Maitre D'Hôtel | François Amiard |
| A Man | Robert Noble |
| Another Man | Arthur Stenning |
| Act I — Scene 1 — Garden of Belcroix's Home Near Paris |
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| Scene 2 — Marcel Blanc's Studio, Paris. Scene 3 — Russian Cabaret Scene 4 — Marcel Blanc's Studio. |
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| Act II — Scene 1 — Living Room of Belcroix's Home. | ||
| Scene 2 — Marcel's Studio. Scene 3 — Pierre's Bedroom Scenes 4 and 5 — On the Terrace of a Small Café |
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| Act III — Scene 1 — Terrace of Small Café. | ||
| Scene 2 — Home of a Priest. Scene 3 — Marcel's Studio. |
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"The Belcroix, Romaine and Pierre, are living happily in a suburb of Paris
when Pierre's boyhood friend and fellow student at the conservatoire, Marcel
Blanc, comes to visit them. Romaine and Marcel are immediately attracted, each
to the other. Especially Romaine. After many visits Romaine and Marcel know that
they love each other helplessly. Marcel, a great violinist, is leaving on a
concert tour. When he returns to Paris he will expect Romaine to be freed from
his old friend, Pierre. Romaine can think of no way to be rid of her trusting
husband except by poisoning him, which she tries. Caught in the act she realizes
that she can neither go with Marcel or go back to Pierre. She throws herself in
the Seine. Pierre and Marcel thereafter patch up their friendship, both mourning
the dead Romaine."
[from The Best Plays of 1930-31, ed. by Burns Mantle (Dodd, Mead and
Co., 1931), page 517.]
