The New York Times called it "inventive and chic. Only the substance is familiar and thin."[2]Walter Kerr called it a "sentimentalised farce... precisely the kind of echo chamber exercise that drives intelligent young theatregoers to complete despair."[3]
Variety wrote "the show has ribtickling lines and farcical situations."[4] Another review in the same magazine called it "a synthetic, frivolous, amusing comedy."[5]
Redford later said he liked the jokes but felt the play was "not up to the standard of a Kanin-Gordon script".[6] However the New York Times review was positive enough to ensure a semi-decent run and give Redford his first significant stage success.[7]
The show closed in May 1962 after 189 performances.[8] The play was estimated to have lost $35,000 on its $125,000 investment, even including sale of the film rights.[9][10] However subsidiary presentations may have helped push the production into the black.[11]
The play ran for two years in Paris, and had a successful run in Los Angeles in a production starring Marlo Thomas.[12]
^2 SHOWS PLANNED BY BLOOM GARDEN: ' 1,000,000 Bank Note' and 'How Much?' Due in '63 ANTA Has New Project Three Attractions to Close Eva Gabor Starts a Firm Bouwerie Lane to Open in Fall Merrick Negotiates By SAM ZOLOTOW. New York Times 9 May 1962: 45.
