Difference between revisions of "M. Butterfly"

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Loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer and inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera ''[[Madama Butterfly]]''.
 
Loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer and inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera ''[[Madama Butterfly]]''.
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The action of the play takes place in a Paris prison, 1989, and in recall, the years 1960-1986 in Beijing and Paris.
  
 
The play premiéred on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on March 20, 1988, winning the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play and closing after 777 performances on January 27, 1990.
 
The play premiéred on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on March 20, 1988, winning the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play and closing after 777 performances on January 27, 1990.
  
Published by Plume and in an acting edition by Dramatists Play Service.
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Published by Plume and in an acting edition by Dramatists Play Service, and Penguin Publishers in 1993.
  
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
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Hwang adapted the play for a 1993 film directed by David Cronenberg with Jeremy Irons and John Lone in the leading roles.
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
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1990: The production at the [[Theatre on the Bay]] on 20 January.  
 
1990: The production at the [[Theatre on the Bay]] on 20 January.  
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1991: Produced by [[Helen Mann]] for [[CAPAB]] and the [[Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival]] at the [[Port Elizabeth Opera House]], September 16 - 21. Starring [[Yvonne Howell]] and [[Nicky de Jager]] (Kurogo Props People), [[Jeremy Baylis]] (Rene Gallimard), [[Karel Leerink]] (Song Liling), [[Brett Adkins]] (Marc/Man 2/Consul Sharpless), [[Linda-Louise Swain]] (Renee/Woman at Party/Girl in Magazine), [[Bob Law]] (M. Toulon/Man 1/Judge), [[Marlene Pieterse]] (Comrade Chin/Suzuki), and [[Helen Wilkins]] (Helga).
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Henry_Hwang
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Henry_Hwang
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Butterfly_(film)
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Theatre programme (1989) donated by [[Tony Fletcher]], held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: FLETCHER, Jill]: 2005. 75. 19. 9.
  
 
''M. Butterfly'' theatre programme, 1990.
 
''M. Butterfly'' theatre programme, 1990.

Latest revision as of 09:27, 13 February 2019

M. Butterfly is a play by David Henry Hwang (1957-)[1]

Not to be confused with the play Madame Butterfly by David Belasco.

The original text

Loosely based on the relationship between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Shi Pei Pu, a male Peking opera singer and inspired by Giacomo Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly.

The action of the play takes place in a Paris prison, 1989, and in recall, the years 1960-1986 in Beijing and Paris.

The play premiéred on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on March 20, 1988, winning the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play and closing after 777 performances on January 27, 1990.

Published by Plume and in an acting edition by Dramatists Play Service, and Penguin Publishers in 1993.

Translations and adaptations

Hwang adapted the play for a 1993 film directed by David Cronenberg with Jeremy Irons and John Lone in the leading roles.

Performance history in South Africa

1989: First performed in South Africa 1 October at the Alhambra Theatre, Johannesburg, presented by Pieter Toerien by arrangement with Stuart Ostrow and David Geffen. Directed by Robert Whitehead directed with Sean Taylor, Jeremy Crutchley, Chris Buchanan, Gina Benjamin, John Whiteley, Charlotte Butler, Christine le Brocq and Gideon de Wet and Warren Philips alternating as Kurogo. The director assisted by Gina Benjamin, lighting design by Jannie Swanepoel, set design by Patrick Noomé, costumes designed and co-ordinated by Margo Fleisch. Music by Giacomo Puccini [2] and Lucia Hwong.

1990: The production at the Theatre on the Bay on 20 January.

1991: Produced by Helen Mann for CAPAB and the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival at the Port Elizabeth Opera House, September 16 - 21. Starring Yvonne Howell and Nicky de Jager (Kurogo Props People), Jeremy Baylis (Rene Gallimard), Karel Leerink (Song Liling), Brett Adkins (Marc/Man 2/Consul Sharpless), Linda-Louise Swain (Renee/Woman at Party/Girl in Magazine), Bob Law (M. Toulon/Man 1/Judge), Marlene Pieterse (Comrade Chin/Suzuki), and Helen Wilkins (Helga).

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Butterfly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Henry_Hwang

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._Butterfly_(film)

Theatre programme (1989) donated by Tony Fletcher, held by NELM: [Collection: FLETCHER, Jill]: 2005. 75. 19. 9.

M. Butterfly theatre programme, 1990.

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