''La Bête'' is a 1991
comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* P ...
by American playwright
David Hirson
David Hirson (born 1958) is an American dramatist, best known for his award-winning Broadway comedies, ''La Bête (play), La Bête'' and ''Wrong Mountain''.
Biography
Hirson was born in New York City to actress Alice Hirson, Alice and playwright ...
. Written in rhymed couplets of
iambic pentameter
Iambic pentameter ( ) is a type of metric line used in traditional English poetry and verse drama. The term describes the rhythm, or meter, established by the words in each line. Meter is measured in small groups of syllables called feet. "Iambi ...
, the
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (; 15 January 1622 (baptised) – 17 February 1673), known by his stage name Molière (, ; ), was a French playwright, actor, and poet, widely regarded as one of the great writers in the French language and world liter ...
-inspired story, set in 17th-century France, pits dignified, stuffy Elomire, the head of the royal court-sponsored theatre troupe, against the foppish, frivolous street entertainer Valere, whom the troupe's patron, Prince Conti, wishes them to bring aboard. Despite Elomire's violent objections, the company is forced to perform one of Valere's own plays, which results in dramatic changes to the future of Elomire, Valere, and the company itself.
Performance history
Following 15 previews, the
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...
production, produced by
Stuart Ostrow and
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...
and directed by
Richard Jones, opened on February 10, 1991 at the
Eugene O'Neill Theatre
The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, previously the Forrest Theatre and the Coronet Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 230 West 49th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. The theater was designed by Her ...
, where it ran for only 25 performances. The cast included
Dylan Baker
Dylan Baker (born October 7, 1959) is an American actor. He gained recognition for his roles in films such as '' Planes, Trains and Automobiles'' (1987), ''Happiness'' (1998), '' Thirteen Days'' (2000), '' Road to Perdition'' (2002), ''Spider-Man ...
,
Michael Cumpsty
Michael Cumpsty is an English actor. He is known for his work in Broadway plays such as '' Artist Descending a Staircase'' (1989), '' Racing Demon'' (1995), ''Copenhagen'' (2000), ''Democracy'' (2004), and '' Machinal'' (2014).
Cumpsty's film ...
,
John Michael Higgins
John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor, comedian and game show host whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's '' The Late Shift'', and a starring role in the ...
,
Tom McGowan
Thomas McGowan (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He first became known for his stage career both on and off Broadway. In 1991, he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor i ...
,
William Mesnik,
Suzie Plakson
Suzie Plakson is an American actress.
Career
Plakson began her career on the stage, and played four characters opposite Anthony Newley in the national revival tour of '' Stop the World, I Want to Get Off''. She also played Marquise Theresa Du ...
, and
James Greene.
Its Broadway run generated a loss of $2.3 million, making it one of the biggest lossmakers for a non-musical play on Broadway at the time.
The subsequent
West End production was a critical and commercial success and won the
Laurence Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...
for Best Comedy. The London cast included
Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming (born 27 January 1965) is a Scottish actor, writer and presenter. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he has received numerous accolades including a BAFTA Award, two Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and an Olivier Award. He re ...
,
Jeremy Northam
Jeremy Philip Northam (born 1 December 1961) is an English actor. His film credits include '' The Net'' (1995), '' Emma'' (1996), '' An Ideal Husband'' (1999), '' Amistad'' (1997), ''The Winslow Boy'' (1999), ''Gosford Park'' (2001) and '' Eni ...
,
Timothy Walker and
Simon Treves
Frederick Simon Treves (born 19 June 1957) is an English actor, director and writer, best known for playing Harold 'Stinker' Pinker in three series of ITV's ''Jeeves and Wooster''. In 2018 he played Aleister Crowley in the short film ''Boc ...
.
Despite its failure on Broadway, the play has been a popular choice of
regional theatre groups throughout the years.
Mark Rylance
Sir David Mark Rylance Waters (; born 18 January 1960) is an English actor, playwright and theatre director. He is known for his roles on stage and screen, having received numerous awards including an Academy Award, three BAFTA Awards, two Oliv ...
,
David Hyde Pierce
David Hyde Pierce (born David Pierce; April 3, 1959) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting A ...
and
Joanna Lumley
Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley (born 1 May 1946) is an Indian-born British actress, presenter, author, television producer, activist and former model. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom ''Absolutely Fabulo ...
starred in a new production in 2010, which premiered in London's West End before transferring to Broadway.
Matthew Warchus
Matthew Warchus (born 24 October 1966) is an English theatre director, playwright, and filmmaker. He has been the Artistic Director of London's The Old Vic since September 2015.
Early life and education
Warchus grew up in Selby, North Yorkshir ...
directed the revival, which played from June 26 until September 4, 2010 at the Comedy Theatre, and then transferred to Broadway. Previews began at the
Music Box Theatre
The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1921, the Music Box ...
on September 23, 2010 with an official opening on October 14, 2010.
[Probst, Andy]
La Bête, Starring David Hyde Pierce, Joanna Lumley, Mark Rylance, to Play Broadway's Music Box Theatre"
theatermania.com, May 24, 2010
Awards and nominations
;Awards
* 1991
Outer Critics Circle Award
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town news ...
for Best New Playwright
* 1992
Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...
for Best Comedy of the Year
;Nominations
*
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
for Best Actor in Play (McGowan)
*Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (Baker)
*Tony Award for Best Scenic Design
*Tony Award for Best Lighting Design
*Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
*
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...
for Outstanding New Play
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play (McGowan)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Baker)
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Play
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Costumes
*Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design
References
*
Further reading
*
External links
*
1991 plays
Plays based on works by Molière
Broadway plays
Comedy plays
Plays by David Hirson
Laurence Olivier Award–winning plays
West End plays
Plays set in France
Plays set in the 17th century
{{1990s-play-stub