t ▁ter r ific , ▁because ▁he ▁believed ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁lead ." ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁do ▁the ▁play ▁Red ford ▁pulled ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁three - picture ▁deal ▁he ▁had ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Sand ers ▁brothers ▁to ▁make ▁War ▁H unt ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁law ▁suit ▁that ▁kept ▁him ▁off ▁screen ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁ ▁Re he ars als ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁In ▁Washington ▁during ▁try - outs , ▁a ▁teacher ▁attended ▁a ▁production ▁during ▁pre views ▁with ▁school ▁children ▁and ▁walked ▁out ▁claim ing ▁the ▁play ▁was ▁inde cent . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁called ▁it ▁" in vent ive ▁and ▁ch ic . ▁Only ▁the ▁subst ance ▁is ▁familiar ▁and ▁thin ." ▁Walter ▁K err ▁called ▁it ▁a ▁" sent iment al ised ▁far ce ... ▁precisely ▁the ▁kind ▁of ▁echo ▁chamber ▁exercise ▁that ▁drives ▁intellig ent ▁young ▁theatre go ers ▁to ▁complete ▁desp air ." ▁ ▁Red ford ▁later ▁said ▁he ▁liked ▁the ▁j okes ▁but ▁felt ▁the ▁play ▁was ▁" not ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁standard ▁of ▁a ▁Kan in - G ordon ▁script ". ▁However ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁review ▁was ▁positive ▁enough ▁to ▁ensure ▁a ▁semi - de cent ▁run ▁and ▁give ▁Red ford ▁his ▁first ▁significant ▁stage ▁success . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁closed ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁after ▁ 1 8 9 ▁performances . ▁ ▁The ▁play ▁ran ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁Paris , ▁and ▁had ▁a