The premise of two New York High Society ladies meeting to exchange gossip may hardly seem theatrical, unless their chatter is penned by Dorothy Parker: writer, theatre critic and female wit of the famous Algonquin table in the twenties and thirties.

Susanne Draxler and Stephanie Schmiderer play two (fictious) ladies who recite and sing some of Parker's essays and poems (music by Herbert Tampier) in New York Ladies. As Draxler points out: "We are dressed in today's fashion to show how Parker's words still have relevance today."

Andy Hallwaxx directs these New York Ladies for the last time in Vienna's Tanzbar Gerald (Lederergasse 11, A-1080 Vienna, Tickets at: (43)-1-526 82 90) March 2 and 3.

Parker's life was the subject of the 1994-movie Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle with Jennifer Jason Leigh in the title role.

-- By Bernd Freimueller Austria Correspondent