Variation on a Theme (play)

Variation on a Theme is a 1958 play by the British writer Terence Rattigan. It is a reworking of Alexandre Dumas, fils's nineteenth century novel and subsequent play La Dame aux Camélias.[1]

First edition, Hamish Hamilton, London, 1958

Original production

Directed by John Gielgud, the play opened (after a pre-London tour), at the Globe Theatre, London, on 8 May 1958, with the following cast:[2]

Reception

While not received well by the critics,[3] the play ran for 132 performances.[4] Kenneth Tynan wrote in The Observer:

"As far as I could see the star of the show was Norman Hartnell, from whose contributions – a white diamanté sack, a shocking-pink cocktail dress in pleated chiffon, a casual ensemble of blouse and pedal-pushing slacks, and a two-tiered ball-gown in navy-blue pebble-crèpe – the lean extremities of Margaret Leighton nervously protuded [sic]."[5]

gollark: Are iron doors air-sealed?
gollark: If I join I'll just have to reshape mine into a flying brick with more airlocks.
gollark: Are the "claw" bits at the front good for anything but obscuring vision?
gollark: There's still the possibility of, say, weapon strikes on the bridge, and it's beneficial to put it in a central location.
gollark: Anyway, even in scifi a bridge at the front makes little sense.

References
  1. Pattie p.232
  2. "Production of Variation on a Theme - Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  3. Billington, Michael (3 March 2014). "Variation on a Theme review – first revival of Rattigan's take on Dumas" – via www.theguardian.com.
  4. "Variation on a Theme @ The Terence Rattigan Society". www.theterencerattigansociety.co.uk.
  5. Tynan, Kenneth (14 February 2014). "Kenneth Tynan on Terence Rattigan's Variation on a Theme" – via www.theguardian.com.

Bibliography
  • David Pattie. Modern British Playwriting: The 1950s: Voices, Documents, New Interpretations. 2013.
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