An intriguing mixture of dadaistic dances and Jerome Kern melodies form the gossamer-like substance of "Very Warm For May," the new Kern-Hammerstein musical which began its Boston run last night. The result is most pleasing, for just as the incongruity of surrealistic ballet and fine music strike a humorous note, so does this musical comedy give the impression that it is laughing at itself and having a delightful time all the while. A fresh and often amusing plot jogs in and out and around a score of singing and dancing sequences formidably staged by Vincente Minnelli, reaching a high when Hiram Sherman narrates in something akin to blank verse "The Strange Case of Adam Standish" and a "Ballet Peculiare" in fantastic costumes acts out his words with fantastic action.

A breath-taking surprise was the eight-piece jazz unit known as Matty Malneck's orchestra which captivated the audience with its novel rhythms featuring a Harpo Marxish accordion player called Milton Delugg. Eve Arden as a wealthy patroness of odd theatricals proved to be a front of witty dialogue, Grace-McDonald and Frances Mercer are attractive ingenues, Jack Whiting appears as an adequate song-and-dance man. The dancing of Don Loper and Maxine Barrat provides dynamic climaxes for several of the sequences. "All the Things You Are" is probably the standout among the ever-original and entrancing Kern tunes that seem destined to play an obligate for this gay company for a good many Broadway weeks.