| When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | portenopete 04:36 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | Hal Prince and I at The Visit - Ann 10:12 am EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Ann, you mention missing an opportunity to see the play, but did you ever actually have a chance? I shuddered when I looked on ibdb.com and saw that the Jane Alexander/Harris Yulin production was 23 years ago! (I was thinking 10.) And before that was 1973 with Rachel Roberts and John McMartin (who 28 years later did the premiere of the musical in Chicago). Curious that none of the grandes dames like Maggie Smith, Judi Dench or Diana Rigg ever did it. It would be a great part for Kristin Scott Thomas or Harriet Walter, who drip with sang froid. Glad John Kander is enjoying the moment. I remember going to a panel on orchestration at Lincoln Center and him being introduced as "the nicest man in show business". | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | Ann 09:52 am EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | When was the last time someone did the play? - portenopete 04:36 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Yes, that's what I meant. There was a regional production I meant to get to, but never got around to it. I'll try reading it. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | GarthSparkle 08:38 pm EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - Ann 09:52 am EDT 05/10/15 |
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| Anyone around from 1958? I find it odd on a theater site subject The Visit no one mentions Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt. An actress upstairs said she studied The Visit in school, thought Marion Seldes would have done a good job. I read it this weekend; lovely play. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 08:50 pm EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - GarthSparkle 08:38 pm EDT 05/10/15 |
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| For some of us, it looms so omnipresent as a theater event of the past that there is no need to mention it every time. I personally have repeatedly cited it on this site as my top time-travel choice. I don't think there is any lack of awareness of that production among the regular posters on this site. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | Snowysdad 11:02 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | When was the last time someone did the play? - portenopete 04:36 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I've had the great fortune to know many wonderful people in the business so that John Kander might not be THE nicest, but certainly he (and Fred Ebb) belong(ed) in that group. I was appearing in a production of Chicago and they were kind enough to come and see it. NSMT at the time was considering a future production of Zorba which was done. They gave permission for me to play The Chorus Leader, first time it was played by a man. After the show, Mr. Kander, Mr. Ebb and most of the company retired to the restaurant that was on the grounds but was not open at that hour. I sat at the piano banging out one after another K&E songs, much to their delight, including many that were not that well known. Finally Mr. Kander sat down and we played 4 hands. He delighted in reaching around me and playing on either side of me, which because I was tired gave me a severe case of the giggles. They came back to see the production of Zorba which because the two leads we wanted became unavailable after 9/11/01 was not as good as it might have been. Still they were complimentary and pleased with my singing (thank you guys). Everyone I know who knows them says that they are (were) just this nice to everyone. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | larry13 12:28 am EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - Snowysdad 11:02 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Thank you for this beautiful story. What a fabulous experience for you, especially that piano session with Mr. Kander. It's nice to know that Mr. Ebb was a wonderful person too. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | whereismikeyfl 05:48 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | When was the last time someone did the play? - portenopete 04:36 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| In Britain Complicite's 1989 production was so widely acclaimed that England saw no major production since (as far as I know) and many actresses who might have played the part in the 1990s/early 2000s (like Rigg, Dench, and Smith) did not have the chance. But maybe now that time has passed maybe will will see Kristin Scott Thomas or Harriet Walter take on the role. Or maybe even Kathryn Hunter might revisit it since she was only 33 when who won the Olivier for playing Claire in Complicite's production. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | portenopete 06:48 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - whereismikeyfl 05:48 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I have never heard of the Complicité production! Kathryn Hunter must have been extraordinary, even at 33. (Who was Anton? Simon McBurney?) | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 07:11 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - portenopete 06:48 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Yes, Simon McBurney. Link below to a cast list. | |
| Link | The Complicit Visit |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | AlanScott 06:05 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - whereismikeyfl 05:48 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| I'm seeing the Complicite production having been in 1990-1991. Was it done outside London before it was produced at the Lyttleton? In 1995, Terry Hands directed a Chichester production with Lauren Bacall and Joss Ackland. I suspect there were hopes of a London move, but the reviews were mediocre. Going backwards and into other media also: In 1981, Alexis Smith and William Hutt played it under Jean Gascon's directed at Stratford, Ont., but the reviews were not good for that production either. In 1998, it was announced the Liz Taylor would return to acting in a television adaptation but (obviously) that never happened. If you look up Durrenmatt on imdb, you find many television productions. As I mentioned here the other day, you can view a 1959 German television production (possibly adapted from a stage production) on youtube if you search Der Besuch der Altem Dame. There was also the excellent 1992 Senegalese film version titled Hyenas, which I've been mentioned here before. | |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | sf 01:14 pm EDT 05/10/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - AlanScott 06:05 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| "In 1995, Terry Hands directed a Chichester production with Lauren Bacall and Joss Ackland. I suspect there were hopes of a London move, but the reviews were mediocre." Justifiably. There was nothing wrong with the staging, and Ackland was very good, but Bacall sleepwalked through the performance I saw. | |
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| Roundabout production in 1992 | |
| Posted by: | Charlie_Baker 09:06 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - AlanScott 06:05 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| With Jane Alexander and Harris Yulin. I didn't see it. But Frank Rich reviewed it. See link. | |
| Link | The Visit review by Frank Rich |
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| re: When was the last time someone did the play? | |
| Posted by: | portenopete 06:51 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
| In reply to: | re: When was the last time someone did the play? - AlanScott 06:05 pm EDT 05/09/15 |
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| Yes I knew the Bacall/Ackland and Smith/Hutt productions but missed them both. (I wonder if Maggie Smith had been envisioned at Stratford: that was just a year after she finished her five-year association?) Speaking of Stratford, it's a shame they never programmed it for Martha Henry. | |
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