European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 13, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Onstage with it the Many lives of Acline by Deedee Doke staff writer he imperious Battle axes of terms of endearment steel magnolias and guarding toss stayed Home last saturday night allowing the dance Hall Queen from Sweet Charity to show up instead. Or was it Gittel Mosca from two for the Seesaw or fran the elevator girl from the apartments or Irma la Douce. No matter. She s lived Many lives a in this life As Wellas in All those reputed past lives a but the Shirley Maclaine who High kicked belted out Standard after Standard and flirted coyly with a Frankfurt Germany audience last weekend at the alte oper was still the girlish Broadway Hoofer who made Good and never stopped moving. A a a a a a. A a a a a a a a a. A. A a a and even if each of the movie Star s trim legs is 30 years old As she joked Early on in her 90-minute show the rest of us can Only Hope to look so Good. Maclaine discovered m the 1950s when she understudied Carol Haney in the Panama came on Broadway is going Strong with a tour of Europe and continues to stake out major roles in movies. In her films of the last 10 years she s created a third act career of playing Cranky and or Majestic women of late Middle age but onstage she s Raggedy Ann in a sparkly dress who smiles through tears wears her heart on her spangled Bolero sleeve and dances the blues away in Black stiletto heels. A a red haired and Frisky Maclaine performed without an intermission focusing on concept pieces such As a song and banter montage love in three acts scenes and songs from the musicals Gypsy and hello Dolly and wry dashes and bits from her 40-year career. The great irony of that career was that the trained Singer and dancer was most often cast in straight acting roles in non musical films. Of those non musicals several tie apartment two for the Seesaw were later turned into Broadway musicals promises promises Seesaw. When a the musical Irma la Douce was made into a movie starring Maclaine director bitty Wilder took the songs Arit to e n t e r t a i  e n t Shirley Maclaine takes a Bow at Frankfurt s alte Oscr. Outi Only in can can and Sweet Charity did Maclaine get to sing and kick up her heels As Well As act Feis tily she asserted her Singer s rights to songs from promises promises Seesaw and Irma la Douce As Well As confirmed her hold on Sweet Charit a Brassy hits hey dig spender i m a brass band and if they could see me now by incorporating them into her act As if to say Quot i dare you to take them away from me now Quot. In her 50 movies Maclaine reflected she specialized in a certain kind of part the Kooky Good hearted Gal who Falls for the often married wrong kind of Guy. She claims to have played 12 prostitutes and five housewives Quot and three of them the housewives were Day trippers she added ass Mochnol  extended can Carr number Maclaine referred to he r Quot h of Ker Doo r m at vict i m period Quot and cracked breathing hard Quot it was easier playing hookers at least i got a Chance to lie Down Quot switching costumes As often As characters Maclaine Slid in and out of gowns Slit up in Thart Quot i feel just like Sharon Stone in this dress Quot she cooed As she sat Cross legged on a High Stool changing at one Point to an Early 1900s dress with a Bustle to play the matchmaking Dolly Lori then stripping Down to  Bodysuit and Tuxedo jacket for in a still Here one of several encores a it was old fashioned show Ijaz Rale dazzle. But such Energy polish and style never go out. Of fashion a in any life. V \ a the stars and stripe5 Friday january 13, 1995