The play, based on true events, is set in 1960 London. In his declining years, Orson Welles is directing a production of Eugène Ionesco's Rhinoceros, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright. Olivier is fresh from his triumphant theatrical portrayal of vaudevillian Archie Rice and is about to reprise the role in the film adaptation of John Osborne's The Entertainer. He and Plowright are in the early stages of a romantic liaison; Olivier's tumultuous marriage to Vivien Leigh is all but ended. Critic Kenneth Tynan also figures in the plot, which debates the merits of stage versus screen, the internal struggle that theatrical performers endure when contemplating a leap to films, and the ways that the studio system frustrated the careers of individual artists.
It is a study of theatrical egos, each of the protagonists living more on the stage than in real life, each one feeling insecure while jockeying for power.
The off-Broadway production, directed by David Cromer, opened on March 13, 2005 at the Barrow Street Theatre, where it ran for 349 performances. The cast included Jeff Still as Orson Welles, John Judd as Laurence Olivier, Susan Bennett as Joan Plowright, Lee Roy Rogers as Vivien Leigh, Tracy Letts as Ken Tynan, and Ian Westerfer as the stagehand Sean.
^"Orson's Shadow at the Unicorn Theatre, a Review - Kansas City infoZine". Kansas City infoZine. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
^Fleming, John. When the Stars Start to Dim March 1st, 2007
^Stratford, Brice. Review: 'Orson's Shadow' makes its European debut, Wellesnet. July 8, 2015
April 12, 2024
orson, shadow, play, austin, pendleton, play, received, lucille, lortel, award, nomination, outstanding, play, drama, league, award, distinguished, performance, poster, from, broadway, productionwritten, byaustin, pendletondate, premieredjanuary, 2000, 2000, p. Orson s Shadow is a play by Austin Pendleton The play received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Play and won the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance Orson s ShadowPoster art from the off Broadway productionWritten byAustin PendletonDate premieredJanuary 2000 2000 01 Place premieredSteppenwolf Theatre CompanyOriginal languageEnglish Contents 1 Plot 2 Production history 2 1 United States 2 2 United Kingdom 3 External links 4 ReferencesPlot editThe play based on true events is set in 1960 London In his declining years Orson Welles is directing a production of Eugene Ionesco s Rhinoceros starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Plowright Olivier is fresh from his triumphant theatrical portrayal of vaudevillian Archie Rice and is about to reprise the role in the film adaptation of John Osborne s The Entertainer He and Plowright are in the early stages of a romantic liaison Olivier s tumultuous marriage to Vivien Leigh is all but ended Critic Kenneth Tynan also figures in the plot which debates the merits of stage versus screen the internal struggle that theatrical performers endure when contemplating a leap to films and the ways that the studio system frustrated the careers of individual artists It is a study of theatrical egos each of the protagonists living more on the stage than in real life each one feeling insecure while jockeying for power Production history editUnited States edit The play debuted at the Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago in January 2000 and was performed at the Westport Country Playhouse that summer and the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in September of that year 1 The off Broadway production directed by David Cromer opened on March 13 2005 at the Barrow Street Theatre where it ran for 349 performances The cast included Jeff Still as Orson Welles John Judd as Laurence Olivier Susan Bennett as Joan Plowright Lee Roy Rogers as Vivien Leigh Tracy Letts as Ken Tynan and Ian Westerfer as the stagehand Sean Since its New York City staging Orson s Shadow has been mounted by a number of regional theatres including Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley California 2 Round House Theatre in Bethesda Maryland 3 Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City Missouri 4 and the Gorilla Theatre in Tampa Florida 5 United Kingdom edit In 2006 it received a rehearsed reading at London s Old Vic Theatre and in July 2015 received its European premiere directed by Alice Hamilton at London s Southwark Playhouse as part of the Orson Welles centenary The cast included John Hodgkinson as Orson Welles Adrian Lukis as Laurence Olivier Louise Ford as Joan Plowright Gina Bellman as Vivien Leigh Edward Bennett as Kenneth Tynan and Ciaran O Brien as the stagehand Sean 6 External links editOfficial website Internet archive copy actual domain ownership lapsed Lortel Archives listing 2005 New York Times review 2015 Wellesnet reviewReferences edit Citron Cynthia Orson s Shadow Review Curtain Up 2008 Talking Broadway Washington Post 2007 Orson s Shadow at the Unicorn Theatre a Review Kansas City infoZine Kansas City infoZine Retrieved 23 July 2015 Fleming John When the Stars Start to Dim March 1st 2007 Stratford Brice Review Orson s Shadow makes its European debut Wellesnet July 8 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Orson 27s Shadow amp oldid 1162941101, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
