Difference between revisions of "Subject to Fits"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 1: Line 1:
''[[Subject to Fits]]'' is a play by American actor, producer, director Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Montgomery_(actor)]. The author calls his play not an adaptation but "a response to Dostoyevsky's ''[[The Idiot]]''".
+
''[[Subject to Fits]]'' is a play by Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Montgomery_(actor)].  
  
 
== The original text ==
 
== The original text ==
  
 +
The play was inspired by ''[[Идиот]]'' ("Idiot") by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoevsky], a Russian novel telling of Prince Myshkin, a young man whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight. The novel was originally published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–69, it has been widely translated (usually as ''[[The Idiot]]'' in English) and often filmed.
  
''[[Идиот]]'' ("Idiot") is a Russian novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoevsky], telling of Prince Myshkin, a young man whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight.  
+
Montgomery says of his stage play that it was not an adaptation, but "a response to", to the Russian novel.  
  
Originally published serially in the journal ''The Russian Messenger'' in 1868–69, it has been widely translated (usually as ''[[The Idiot]]'' in English) and often filmed.
+
''[[Subject to Fits]]'' premiered at the Pubic Theater (''New York Shakespeare Festival'') in 1971 and was published by Samuel French, ISBN: 9780573700354.
 
 
Published by Samuel French, ISBN: 9780573700354.
 
 
 
Premiered at the Pubic Theater (New York Shakespeare Festival) 1971.
 
  
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
There is evidence of a pre-1974 production starring [[Robert Gordon]], [[Beverley Melnick]], [[Michael Richard]] and [[Leonie Hofmeyr]] staged at the [[Arena Theatre]], Rosebank.
 
  
1974: Performed by [[PACT]] in the [[Alexander Theatre]], Johannesburg, with a cast that included [[Errol  Ross]], [[Michael Richard]], [[Robert Gordon]], [[Beverley Melnick]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[Lindsay Reardon]], and [[Reza de Wet]],
+
1974: Performed by [[PACT]] in the [[Alexander Theatre]], Johannesburg, with a cast that included [[Errol  Ross]], [[Michael Richard]], [[Robert Gordon]], [[Beverley Melnick]], [[Leonie Hofmeyr]], [[Lindsay Reardon]], and [[Reza de Wet]]. (There is mention of an earlier run, before the [[Alexander Theatre]] season - probably an experimental production at the [[Arena Theatre]], Rosebank, the cast also including [[Robert Gordon]], [[Beverley Melnick]], [[Michael Richard]] and [[Leonie Hofmeyr]].)
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==

Revision as of 06:21, 17 April 2020

Subject to Fits is a play by Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) [1].

The original text

The play was inspired by Идиот ("Idiot") by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)[2], a Russian novel telling of Prince Myshkin, a young man whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight. The novel was originally published serially in the journal The Russian Messenger in 1868–69, it has been widely translated (usually as The Idiot in English) and often filmed.

Montgomery says of his stage play that it was not an adaptation, but "a response to", to the Russian novel.

Subject to Fits premiered at the Pubic Theater (New York Shakespeare Festival) in 1971 and was published by Samuel French, ISBN: 9780573700354.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1974: Performed by PACT in the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg, with a cast that included Errol Ross, Michael Richard, Robert Gordon, Beverley Melnick, Leonie Hofmeyr, Lindsay Reardon, and Reza de Wet. (There is mention of an earlier run, before the Alexander Theatre season - probably an experimental production at the Arena Theatre, Rosebank, the cast also including Robert Gordon, Beverley Melnick, Michael Richard and Leonie Hofmeyr.)

Sources

Samuel French [3].

Go to ESAT Bibliography


Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page