The Parisian Woman is a 2013 play by Beau Willimon. It premiered at the South Coast Repertory in April 2013 and centers on Chloe, a socialite armed with charm and wit, coming to terms with politics, her past, her marriage and an uncertain future. The play opened on Broadway on November 30, 2017. The play is inspired by Henri Becque’s La Parisienne (fr).[1]
| The Parisian Woman | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Beau Willimon |
| Date premiered | April 14, 2013 |
| Place premiered | South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California |
| Genre | Drama |
| Setting | Late Fall, Washington, D.C. |
Production history
editIts premiere production was at the South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California, from April 19 to May 5, 2013, with previews from April 14, directed by Pam MacKinnon.[2]
The play opened on Broadway for a limited engagement at the Hudson Theatre starting November 30, 2017, following previews which began November 7. The play closed on March 11, 2018. The play, directed by Pam MacKinnon, starred Uma Thurman in her Broadway debut.[3]
The Parisian Woman went through significant rewrites since its first production at South Coast Repertory. Willimon said: “When [the election] did happen—this cataclysmic shift in the country,” says the playwright, “I felt that if I didn’t address it, the play would instantly feel anachronistic. It would be disingenuous to the here and the now to not acknowledge the fact that we’re living in a very different landscape.”[4]
Characters and original cast
editSource:[5]
| Character | South Coast Repertory (2013) |
Broadway (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Chloe | Dana Delany | Uma Thurman |
| Peter | Steven Culp | Marton Csokas |
| Tom | Steven Weber | Josh Lucas |
| Jeanette | Linda Gehringer | Blair Brown |
| Rebecca | Rebecca Mozo | Phillipa Soo |
Critical response
editMarilyn Stasio, in her review for Variety wrote of Thurman that "the effort to play the naughty heroine in a drawing room comedy (which is how director Pam MacKinnon has misdirected her) is beyond her skill set....he [Willimon] fails to draw on any of the many issues bedeviling the president and his minions, missing his chance to turn this mannered trifle into a substantive political drama."[6]
The Guardian reviewer wrote: "The play’s at its best when characters trade wisecracks about Beltway politics and make shrewd observations about what motivates its power-hungry practitioners; it’s at its worst when it reaches higher, for emotional beats that feel clunky and strained..." and noted Thurman's "electric presence".[7]
References
edit- ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Get a Glimpse of Uma Thurman’s Broadway Debut in Clips From 'The Parisian Woman'" Playbill, November 29, 2017
- ^ "Press The Parisian Woman" South Coast Repertory, retrieved May 4, 2018
- ^ McPhee, Ryan. "'The Parisian Woman', Starring Uma Thurman in Her Broadway Debut, Ends Run March 11" Playbill, March 11, 2018
- ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Why House of Cards Creator Beau Willimon Re-Worked His 'Parisian Woman' To Reflect the D.C. of Today" Playbill, December 2, 2017
- ^ Clement, Olivia. "Hamilton’s Phillipa Soo and Marton Csokas Join 'The Parisian Woman' on Broadway" Playbill, September 5, 2017
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn. "Broadway Review: Uma Thurman in 'The Parisian Woman'" Variety, November 30, 2017
- ^ Nevins, Jake. " 'The Parisian Woman' review – Uma Thurman shines in Trump-inspired Broadway debut" The Guardian, November 30, 2017