Don Juan in Soho - Amazon Web Services Juan In... · Hamish Pirie, Assistant Director on DON JUAN...

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Study Guide Written by Sophie Watkiss Edited by Hannah Clifford Photographs by Hugo Glendenning This programme has been made possible by the generous support of Universal Consolidated Group Don Juan in Soho By Patrick Marber After Molière

Transcript of Don Juan in Soho - Amazon Web Services Juan In... · Hamish Pirie, Assistant Director on DON JUAN...

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Study GuideWritten by Sophie WatkissEdited by Hannah Clifford

Photographs by Hugo Glendenning

This programme has been made possible by the generous support of Universal Consolidated Group

Don Juan in Soho

By Patrick MarberAfter Molière

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Contents

Section 1: Cast list and creative team 3

Section 2 The authors: Patrick Marber and Molière 5

Section 3 The character of Don Juan in dramatic literature 7 The Trickster of Seville and His Guest of StonebyTirsodeMolina

Don JuanorThe Stone FeastbyMolière

Section 4 The Donmar’s production of DON JUAN IN SOHO 9 PatrickMarber‘sresponsetoMolière’splayforamodernaudience

Approachingthecharactersinperformance

ComparingScenes

Sohoasasetting

Section 5 Further reading, footnotes and bibliography 32

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Castlistandcreativeteam

Cast: in order of speaking

STEPHEN WIGHT – Stan

DJ(DonJuan)describesStanashis‘accomplice’.HeisDJ’spaidemployer,whosejobitisto‘enableandfacilitate’DJ’simmorallifestyle.

RICHARD FLOOD - Colm

Elvira’sbrother,whosemissionintheplayistoprotecttheinterestsofhissister,whomhebelievestobe‘apersonofgreatpurity,ofquality…acolossalhumanbeing!’

RHYS IFANS - DJ

IsfromaveryoldEnglishfamilyandissettoinherithisfather’sEarldom.IsdescribedbyStanas‘asavage’,‘aslag’and‘acheating,betraying,lyingdog.’

LAURA PYPER - Elvira

Atthestartoftheaction,ElvirahasbeenmarriedtoDJforjusttwoweeks.Welearnfromherbrother,Colm,thatDJ’spursuitofElvirawas‘allanelaboratepose,adiabolicalstrategyforseduction.’HecampaignedfortwoyearssimplytoravishElviraforafortnight.

ABDUL SALIS - Pete/Vagabond

SEROCA DAVIS - Lottie/Ruby

JESSICA BROOKS - Mattie/Dalia

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CHRIS CORRIGAN - Aloysius

Elvira’sotherbrother,whowantstoseeDJ‘gotohell’.

TIM EAGLE - Charles

DAVID RYALL - Louis

DJ’selderlyfatherwhois‘soashamed’ofhissonand‘soashamedtobesodisappointedinmyownboy.’

Creative Team

Director MICHAELGRANDAGE

Designer CHRISTOPHERORAM

LightingDesigner NEILAUSTIN

Composer/SoundDesigner ADAMCORK

CastingDirector ANNEMcNULTY

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Theauthors:PatrickMarberandMolière

Patrick Marber

BorninLondonin1964andeducatedatWadhamCollege,Oxford.

Heworkedasastand-upcomedianforanumberofyearsandthenco-wroteandappearedinthecomedyprogrammes‘OnTheHour’(Radio4),‘TheDayToday’(BBC2),‘KnowingMe,KnowingYou’(Radio4andBBC2),and‘PaulandPaulineCalf’sVideoDiaries’(BBC2).

Hisfirstplay,Dealer’s Choice,wasfirstperformedattheRoyalNationalTheatreinFebruary1995,transferringtotheWestEndlaterthatyear.

Marber’ssecondplay,Closer(1997),premieredattheRoyalNationalTheatreinMay1997,transferringtotheWestEndinMarch1998.Theplaybecameaninternationalhitandhasbeenproducedinmorethanahundredcitiesinoverthirtydifferentlanguagesacrosstheworld

Howard Katz,openedattheRoyalNationalTheatreinJune2001.

After Miss Julie,hisfreeversionofStrindberg’sMiss Julie,wasstagedattheDonmarin2003.ItwassubsequentlybroadcastonBBCTelevisionaspartofthe‘Performance’seriesinNovember2005.Acollectededitionofhiswork,Plays One,waspublishedin2003.

The Musicians,commissionedaspartoftheShellConnections2004Festival,wasalsostagedattheNationalTheatre.

Inadditiontodirectinghisownplays,MarberhasdirectedCraigRaine’s1953(Almeida),DennisPotter’sBlue Remembered Hills(RoyalNationalTheatre,Lyttleton),DavidMamet’sThe Old Neighbourhood(RoyalCourt)andHaroldPinter’sThe Caretaker(ComedyTheatre).In2000heactedintheWestEndrevivalofDavidMamet’sSpeed-the-Plow,directedbyPeterGill.

In2004headaptedhisplayCloserforthescreen.OtherfilmsincludeanadaptationofPatrickMcGrath’sAsylumandZoeHeller’sNotes on a ScandalwhichwillbereleasedintheUKin2007.

PatrickMarberlivesinLondon.

Molière

BornJean-BaptistePoquelinon15January1622andeducatedattheCollegedeClermontinParis.

Attheageof21hefoundedtheIllustriousTheatre,forwhichhewrotehisfirstmajorwork,The Blunderer.

InOctober1658,MolièreandhistroupeperformedThe Love-Sick Doctor,afarce,beforeKingLouisXIV.HewassubsequentlygrantedtheuseoftheHotelduPetitBourbonwheretheyperformedsocialsatiressuchasThe Pretentious Ladies

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whichdelightedaudiencesbutmadepowerfulenemiesofsomeoftheKing’sfollowers.ThePetitBourbonwascloseddowninanattempttodriveMolièrefromthecitybuttheKingimmediatelygrantedMolièreuseoftheTheatreduPalaisRoyalwherehecontinuedtoperformfortherestofhislife.

TheIllustriousTheatrebecamethemostrespecteddramatictroupeinParisandwaseventuallyawardedthecovetedtitle‘TroupeoftheKing’.

On17February1673,MolièresufferedahaemorrhagewhileplayingtheroleofthehypochondriacArganinThe Imaginary Invalid anddiedlaterathishomeontheRueRichelieu.Havingbeenexcommunicatedbythechurch,localpriestsrefusedtoallowhimtobeburiedinholyground.FourdayslatertheKingintercededandMolièrewasfinallyburiedintheCemeterySaintJoseph.

OthermajorworksincludeThe School for Husbands(1661),The School for Wives(1662),The Misanthrope(1666),The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666),Tartuffe(1664,1667,1669),The Miser (1668)andThe Imaginary Invalid(1673).

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ThecharacterofDonJuanindramaticliterature

The Trickster of Seville and His Guest of Stone by Tirso de Molina

TheplayinwhichthecharacterofDonJuanfirstappearedwasThe Trickster of SevilleandHis Guest of Stone (El Burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra),writtenbyaSpanishmonk,FrayGabrielTellez(1581-1648)usingtheprofessionalnameofTirsodeMolina.TheplayisbelievedtohavebeenfirststagedinSevillein1616anditwasfirstpublishedin1630.ItisconsideredtobeoneofthemostpowerfuldramasofthetheatreofthegoldenageofSpainandhasbeendescribedas‘thegreatestofallSpanishplays.’1ThecharacterofDonJuanwhoappearsinthisplayis,asthetitleindicates,atrickster,whoadorescheatingonwomenandbelievesheissociallyinvulnerable.AccordingtoIanWatt,theplaywright’saimappearstobetoshowhisaudience:

…that a world of complete moral and social vacuity necessarily produces, in a young man of exceptional ability, energy and social advantage, a more or less unthinking contempt not only of the established social codes, but of all other human beings; he lives for himself alone and without fear of retribution.2

Theplayisverymuchofitstime,commenting,throughthebehaviourofDonJuan,onthegeneraldemeanouroftheprivilegedyouthoftheSpanishcourtoftheday,whodevotedthemselvestopersonalgainandbrutallechery,impervioustotheconsequencesoftheirconductandimmunetoanyformofretribution.Indeed,theplayhasbeenconsideredtotypifytheinnermeaningofthehistoryofitstime.AsthehistorianWilliamC.Atkinsonhassummerised:

Immorality, beginning at the top and seeping downwards through the whole fabric of society, becomes the dominant mark of this age of retribution.3

Discussion Point

To what extent would you say Atkinson’s statement about seventeenth century Spain could apply to Great Britain in the twenty first century?

Tirso’sDonJuanispunishedwhenthestatueofaCommander,whohehaskilledandwhosedaughterhehasseduced,inviteshimtosupperanddragshimdowntoHell.

‘Tirso’s Don Juan is not a comic rogue but an unredeemed villain; not a single good act or generous reflection can be laid to his charge. Tirso’s aim was to force his audience to face corrective conclusions from the pitiless punishment God meted out to Don Juan’s sole.’

Ian Watt4

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Did you know that . . .

ItisbelievedthatTirsoborrowedtheideaforDonJuan’sretributionfromanancientEuropeanfolktaleknownasThe Double Invitation.Themainoutlineofthestoryisthatayoungmanissointoxicatedbylifethatheinsultsadeadman,usuallyintheformofaskull,andtheninviteshimtodinewithhim.Thedeadmanuncharacteristicallykeepstheappointmentandthenoffersareturninvitation.Atthissecondmeal,thedeadman,accompaniedbyspiritseitherterrifiestheyoungsinnerintorepentance,orpunisheshimbydeathormadness.IanWattscitesanimportantstudybyDorothyEpplenMacKayinwhichshehascollectedeightyoneexamplesofThe Double Invitationfolktale.InfouroftheSpanishversionsthatsherecords,thedeadmanisrepresentedintheformofastatue.5

Don Juan or The Stone Feast by Molière

Tirso’splaywastakenupbyItaliancommediatroupes,whobroughtittoFrancewithtouringperformances,andthisisprobablywhenMolièrehadhisfirstcontactwithit.ItwassubsequentlyadaptedfortheFrenchstagebytwowriters,DorimondandVilliers,bothin1659.Theirversionsarehardlyeverperformednow,buttheyintroducedtheinnovationofcondensingtheplaydownintooneday,DonJuan’slast.Asthestorywasretoldindramaticformoverthegenerations,thefigureoftheservantgainedgrowingimportanceasacounterbalancetoDonJuan.Thedramaticactionwasfocussingonthetwocharactersasacouple,withtheservanthavingequaldramaticstatustothemaster.ThefocuswasalsomovingawayfromthemessageofTirso’smoralityplay,withDonJuanemergingasamodernpsychologicaltype.6TheseelementsareallpresentinMolière’sversionoftheplay,whichwasfirstperformedinParisin1665.

Molièrechosetodiscardtheverseformoftheotherversions,verseformbeingthestandardformfortragediesandtragic-comedies,aswellas�serious’comedy.Theresultisaremarkableflexibilityoflanguagewhichgivesasharpnesstotherhythmsofthemaster/servantexchanges.

Inessence,MolièretookTirso’splayandadaptedittothemannersandideasofhistime.PatrickMarber,inturn,hastakenMolière’sversionoftheplayandadaptedforhisowntime.

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TheDonmar’sproductionofDONJUANINSOHO

Patrick Marber’s response to Molière’s play for modern audience

‘What’s really shocking about the play, though, is Molière’s audacity in leaving its hero so blithe and impassive at the centre of it. Stan, DJ’s servant and tireless facilitator of a lifestyle that sickens him, is something like our voice on stage, and he can’t help bleating his disapproval when his master’s depravity reaches new depths. But it’s a match flame next to the breathtaking bonfire of this man’s untroubled hedonism. He is so perfectly unanimous with himself that it’s obvious where the drama comes from.’7

‘Molière’s anger was directed against the people who cavorted on the moral high ground’s lush pasture in the fancy dress costumes of priests and bishops. Replace those with suits, limousines and jets of today’s political cardinals and it’s clear that Molière’s teeth are still sharp.’

Simon Scardifield8

HamishPirie,AssistantDirectoronDONJUANINSOHO,pointsoutthattheconceptofGod,heaven,hellandeternaldamnationwascentraltoMolière’soriginaltext,forexample,thestatuewasthesourceofeternaldamnation.AsGoddoesn’texistinthesamewayinmoderntimes,thecreativeteamhadtofindtheirownversionofhellwhichwouldbeacceptedbyanaudienceasathreatofcomparablemagnitude.So,inDONJUANINSOHO,thestatuebecomesDJ’salteregointhepredatoryshapeofCharlesII,whosestatuestandsinSohoSquare.

DJ (To Statue)Whatareyou?

STATUE Recognition

Pause

DJ Areyoualive

STATUE Icomefromthedead.

Pause

DJ Why?

STATUE Youknowwhy.Youhavealwaysknown.

DON JUAN IN SOHO, Act Three

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�0

STATUE Yousummonedme.

DJ When?

STATUE Lastnight.Inthesquare.Youinvitedmetojoinyou.

DJ Iwasnotmyself

STATUE Youarealwaysyourself.Itisthatyoucannotbear.

DJ Idon’tbelieveinyou.Ichoosenottobelieveinyou!

STATUE Iamyou.

They stare at each other. DJ understands now:

DJ Recognition.

DON JUAN IN SOHO, Act Five

Inhisversion,MarberaccentuatestheroleplayedbyElvira’svengefulbrothers,sothattheybecomeDJ’sultimatenemesis.Inthisway,insteadofDJbeingconsumedbythefiresofHellasheisinMolière’soriginal,heisbrutallystabbedbythebrothers.

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Thecreativeteamalsohadtoconsiderthebelievabilityofthecharactersforacontemporaryaudience.Forexample,howtomakeElvirapureinamodernworld,whichwaswhythechoicewasmadetogiveheranIrishCatholicbackgroundandmakeherapassionatemissionarytothethirdworld.AndsoMarber’sElviraiscleverlyre-imaginedforamodernaudience:ratherthanDJscalingthewallsofaconventtoseduceher,theplaywrightgivesusimagesofhim‘hoppingbetweenrefugeecampstospringherfromthatverymoderncitadelofvirtue,thelifeoftheforeignaidworker.’9

Approaching the characters in performance.

‘DON JUAN is very much a bawdy comedy, so Michael focused on making the characters more real in a modern world. He worked on backstory a lot with the actors to achieve this, while at the same time making sure we didn’t lose the comedy. The outward physical movements and gestures of the actors – the sort you would see in Molière’s stock characters – very much came from the actors during the rehearsal process. Michael referenced the term farce*, allowing these elements to emerge and pull them out. So the farce was brought out rather than labelled on. It was a lot to do with pace. It is very important to have momentum in farce. There were also the practical considerations of making it a comedy with the asides; we had to work quite hard at finding where they should be placed on the Donmar’s stage with audience on three sides.’

Hamish Pirie, Assistant Director, DON JUAN IN SOHO

*FarceisfromtheFrench,meaning‘tostuff’.Farceisanextremeformofcomedythatdependsonquicktempoandflawlesstimingbytheactors.Sincefarceis‘stuffed’withimprobableeventsandfarfetchedcoincidences,theaudiencemustnotbeallowedtimetothinkthingsthrough.

Discussion Point

After you have seen the Donmar’s production of DON JUAN IN SOHO, try and identify at least two scenes that could be termed as farce. Justify your choices.

‘He (Molière) worked out that you could spend an interesting evening at the theatre with a group of people who simply represent attitudes. All of his plays are about people who limit themselves with a series of false strategies and get their comeuppance because of it. It’s a way of looking at the world which is very effective dramatically and very satisfying for the audience because they always control more of the facts than any of the characters on stage.’

Christopher Hampton10

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‘Molière’s characters have both universal and particular characteristics: they represent both timeless human types and types belonging to his own age. “It is the business of comedy”, Molière wrote in L’Impromptu de Versailles, ‘to present a general picture of all the defects of men, and especially of the men of our own age.”’

Andrew Calder, Molière: The Theory and Practice of Comedy11

Ascanbeseenfromthesequotations,Molièreusedstocktypesandstocksituationswhichhisaudiencecouldreadilyrecognise.Thismeantthathisworkwasneverfarawayfromfarce.ThechallengeforthecreativeteamofDONJUANINSOHOwastomakethesecharactersseemrealtoacontemporaryaudience:thestock characterisonlyjustifiedonthegroundsofitsvitality.Ifitdoesnotspringtolife,itbecomesastereotype.

Did you know that . . .

A stock character is a character who represents a particular personality type or characteristic of human behaviour. Stock characters appear throughout the history of theatre, with Greek new comedy and Roman comedy providing the original examples, such as the intriguer, the parasite, the sceptic, the virgin, the courtesan and the wily slave. The commedia dell’arte elaborated on these types in the characters of Harlequin the wily servant, Capitano the braggart soldier, Brighella the intriguer, Pantaloon the cuckold, and Olivetta the doxy.

A stereotype is a character based on the assumption that all members of a particular race, creed, or class behave in the same way, so that a few devices – an accent, religious article, jargon words – serve to delineate the character.

Character work

InL’Impromptu de Versailles(1663)Molièredescribeshimselfandhisactorsatworkcreatingtheirroles.Hebeginsbygivingincisivecharactersketchesofeachrolesothattheactorswillhaveaclearunderstandingofthepartstheyhavetoplay.Hecontinuesbyofferingsuggestionsastohowtheyshouldlook,moveandspeakinordertorepresentthem.ListedbelowarecharactersketchesforthreeofthemaincharactersinDONJUAN

INSOHO,DJ,StanandElvira,devisedbylistingfirstlyeverythingthattheysayaboutthemselves,andsecondlyeverythingthatissaidaboutthembyothercharacters.Readthroughthemcarefullyandthenworkonthepracticalexerciseswhichfollow.

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Character Sketches

DJ What DJ says about himself

•Downwithselfishnessandupwithme–adippyoldhippywho’sgenerouswithhislurve.Yes,I’veapenchantfortheperversebutwhodoesn’t,intheirdreams?AllIseekispleasureinallitsrichandvariousforms–where’stheharm?…I’mnotabaddie,I’mgoodnews!What’snottolove?I’mtheKofiAnnanofcopulation!

•You(Stan)knowIdon’tbelieveinanything.

•IknowwhatIamandIunderstandit.I’machild,acreatureonlyofwant.Iblamenoone.IchoosethislifeandIownit.Andnooneownsme.

•Ilovethiscity.Iloveallcities.I’minlovewitheveryoneandeverything.

•ThiswillbethefirsttimeI’vesleptalone…foraslongasIcanremember.

•Iam‘uberly’human.Thisishomo sapiensinhisnaturalanimalstate,existingonlyinthepresentmoment.

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What other people say about DJ

STAN

•(aside)CanIbetraythemanwhohasclothedandfedmethesetenyears?

•Oh,themodernmonsterconcealshimself.Don’texpectafiendtobefanged.

•Everseenadictatorwithbloodonhishands?

•Yousee,whatyou’redealingwithhereisasavage,he’sapirate.Forgivemylackofdiscretionbuttheman’saslag.

•…he’sacheating,betraying,lyingdog…He’shadeveryprivilegeknowntomanandpisseditupawall–asapointofprinciple!

•Iwishtherewasahellhecouldburninforever.

•…hedoesn’twanttobeloved.

•(aside)Pleasedon’tbecharmed,he’snotaloveablerogue.Hereallyisn’t.

•He’sfromaveryoldEnglishfamily.

•Don’tyoucare?Awaiterdiedtonight,thrownoverboard!Andthatotherfeller,Adam,he’sagonner.He’snotwakingup…youcausedit!

•Ithinkyou’reamisogynist.

•Becauseyourmumdiedyou’realwaysexpectingwomentorejectyou.

•Youfearbeingalone.Youcan’tbealone.You’reneveralone.That’sthetruth.

•(aside)Yousee,justwhenyou’rebeginningtowarmtothemanherevealshistruecolours.

•Youjustdon’tgetit!Yourfatherdrovefivehours!Andnowhe’ssobbinginthestreet!

•Iknowyoudon’tcare!It’sjustIhadhopes!Lastnight,therewasgenuinecompassioninyou!

•…you’renothuman.

•Theworldisabetterplacewithouthim.

ELVIRA

•…you(DJ)pursuedmetothebleakestplacesonearth;Rwanda,Darfur,Baghdad–whereverIwasworking…Youmarchedagainstlandmines,ranamarathonforOxfam,heldthehandsofleprouschildren.Youforsookleatherwareandconvertedtoveganism.YoudidYoga!

•He’smy husband.’Tildeath.Ican’t‘unlove’him.

•Iknowyourdarkpurpose,butIcannothateyouforit.Youareyouandthisiswhatyoudo.

•IknowyouhavenobeliefinGod.Youscornhim.Ithinkyouareanihilistposingasalibertine.

•Whatterribledarknessyoumustinhabittobesomorallydeformed.

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•Thoughyoudonotbelieve,Ibegyoutotry–swearperhapsonyour‘unbelief’–totrytolivehumanely,tojoinourstrange,desperate,contraryspeciesinsteadofsettingyourselfapart.Weneedyou.

•Myfearisthatsomethingdreadfulawaitsyou,that‘horror’willfindyou.

•Youareentrancedbysensation–yousharethissicknesswiththesocietythatspawnedyou.

COLM

•Itwasallanelaboratepose,adiabolicalstrategyforseduction.Hecampaignedfortwoyearssimplytoravishyou(Elvira)afortnight.

•Hesavedmylife…Hehasdoneagooddeed…

ALOYSIUS

•YOUARENOTFAMILY!

•Iwanthimtogotohell.

•Youcansaveyourselfifyouapologize.Wewillkicktheshitoutofyoubutwewillletyoulive.Ifyouapologize–andconvinceusyoumeanit–thenyouwon’tdie.Wewantyourapology:forwhatyoudidtooursister.Forwhatyoudidtocountlessothers.Forhowyoulive.Forwhoyouare.

LOUIS

•IwishedIwereshockedbutnothingyoudosurprisesme.

•…you’renotyounganymore…Yousimplycan’t,youjustcan’tcontinuetoliveforpleasureanymore…Asidefromthedecadentselfishnessofitallyouhaveresponsibilities.

•Continuity.Belonging.Family.Home.Whydoyousodespisethesethings?Whyaresimplehumanvaluessoabhorrenttoyou?…Whatstrangepathpresenteditselftoyou?

•Youdemeanthehumanspirit…You’veneverdoneanhonestday’sworkinyourlife!Youhaveponcedandpreenedandprimpedyourwaythrough…

•Youstandtoinheritafortune.Don’tforcemetocutyouoff…

•Honour!Itmustbeinyousomewhere.

•I’msoashamedofyou…andsoashamedtobesodisappointedinmyownboy…

•Whatterribledarknessyoumustinhabittobesomorallydeformed.

•Iwillnottolerateanothervowelofhisabuse.

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Stan What Stan says about himself

•I’vewastedthebestyearsofmyyouthmoppingupafterhim(DJ).I’vehadenoughofhisbroodyByronicbullshit.

•Iampaidtoenableand…facilitatehislifestyle!IamthekeeperoftheBlackberry.

•Iamwhatyou(Colm)mostrefutemetobe:amanofintegrity…suckedintoacycloneofdepravity.

•I’manunfuckabletroll.

•Myfamilyhasworkedforhis(DJ’s)forcenturies

•I’lldriveaminicab,Idon’tcare!Ijustwantaquietlife.Nicewife,kids.Alittlegarden.Theoddholiday.

•Tobeinyour(DJ’s)orbit,it’sso…Ican’tgiveitup!

•Thenightskyusedtoterrifyme.It’ssohuge.

•Theabuse.Iwon’ttolerateanothervowelofit.

•Iwanttobeloved.Ithoughtyou(DJ)LOVEDme!IthoughtIwasspecial!

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What other people say about Stan

DJ

•Youhilarious,littlemunchkin.

•There’sanarttoseductionand(forgiveme)afellowwhoisnooilpaintingmightprospermorebywhinginglessandlearningfromthemaster.

•…you’reaprude.

•Thinkofmeasamanonahumanitarianmissionandyou’llceasetoresembleawetcod.It’snogoodstompingaroundlikeRumplestiltskin.

•Iknowyourlittlebelly,you’realwaysnibblingonsomething.(Stan takes a chip. And another. And another)Havethebag,oldchum.

•Andwherewereyou,trustedTonto,whileIwasupagainstit?(Sees the lit joint)Ah!Ahha!(Stan tries to hide it)Morality’sasee-sawisn’tit?Upanddown!

•Youwickedlittlegnome!

•Youmaybeadisloyal,littleruntbutyourollanabsoluteripperofajoint.

•Wecan’tbeparted,we’rejoinedatthegroin!

•You’remyaccomplice.

•I’mfondofyou,whatmored’youwant?

•IwillnotpretendtoloveyouwhenIdon’t.

COLM

•Howcanyouassociatewiththisloathsomecreature?Aren’tyouashamedofyourself?

•Maggot!Everypartofyouiscorrupted,you’reamoralblackhole.

•You,Sir,arealowcrawlinginsect.

•You’rejustadogsbody!

•You’renothingbutaflyonahorse’sshiteyarse!

•…thesidekickisbiddable.Heloatheshim(DJ),wouldwelcomethejusticewe’llexactuponhim.

LOUIS

•Justbecauseyou’reaservantitdoesn’tgiveyourbetterstherighttotakethepiss.

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Elvira What Elvira says about herself

•he(DJ)haspervertedme–defiledme,spunmefromfeartoferocity.

•heunleahedme…Oh–thesinful,filthyfantasieshedrewoutofme!WhatIwoulddo,whatIwouldhavehimwatchmedo–ohh!

•histerribledisdain–apunishmentformydebauchery.Hehasusedme,brokenme…andnowhespurnsmeasaspoiltchilddiscardsaoncefavouredtoy,so–so-socasually,sobrutally…oh,Iamnotlikethis.Iamstrongbuthehasobliteratedme.

•Iamcleansed.Youhaveburnishedme.IamclearerthanIhaveeverbeen.AndIthankyouforthat.Iknowtheshapeofmylifenow.Mypurposeisdefinedforme.Iwillreturntomyvocationanddedicatemyselftoendingpovertyinthisworld.Therewillbenotimeforotherloves.Ilovedyou.Istillloveyou.

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What other people say about Elvira

COLM

•Elviraisapersonofgreatpurity,ofquality–she’sacolossalhumanbeing!

•Elvirastillsloveshim.

•Oursisterisdyingofabrokenheart.

ALOYSIUS

•Mylittlesisterissuicidal.

STAN

•Youwerevirginal,there’snotalotofthatabout.Andyou’re…verylovely…

•Elvira’sbeenharmed,she’llbedestroyed.

DJ

•…I’mafraidyourrelentlessdo-goodinghasdonemyheadin.YouliveinaworldofbrownriceandBirkenstocks,yourfavouritedrinkisagoat’smilklatte.

•…she’llrecover.She’satoughcookie,tougherthanyouthink.

•Wasn’tshefantastic?Thesaucyminx!Herdishevelment,herpassion,thatrambling,studentyspluge.

LOUIS

•Elviraisjollyniceandsodedicatedtoyou(DJ).Andto‘people’ingeneral.Sheisnobleofbirthandofspirit…Anangel!Whycausehersuchappallingsorrow?

Practical Exercise

Read through the studies carefully, and, by building up a picture of the characters, decide what qualities and physical characteristics you would look for in an actor when casting these roles.

Choose one of the characters from the studies above, either DJ, Stan, or Elvira, who you would like to approach playing in performance. Identify one quote from your character and decide what the appropriate movements and gestures would be to accompany this line. For example, DJ could deliver his line, ‘I’m in love with everyone and everything’ with open arms, as if embracing everything in the space around him.

Share these as a group. What similarities emerge from members of the group playing the same character? What ideas does this exercise give you for playing your character in performance?

In pairs, playing your original choice of character, take one of the short extracts from DON JUAN IN SOHO listed below and experiment with staging it, incorporating the relevant physical movements and gestures discovered in the previous exercise.

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Extract 1. Afternoon. Winter. The large open plan lobby of a swank, modern hotel in Soho. DJ enters the lobby, observing his wife’s brother just leaving.

Enter DJ, immaculate in a bespoke suit. He stares at the exit. Then eyeballs STAN.

DJ Wasthattheportlyoirishfarmer?

STAN Where?

DJ Justexciting.Trailingpeat.

STAN …Ithinkitmight’vebeen…

DJ Wellwasit?Don’tlie,you’reafeebledissembler.

STAN Itwashim.

DJ Youcoveredforme?

STAN ThebestIcould.

DJ Hmm.(Sits)Furnishme,please.

STAN palms him a wrap, sticks a cigarette in DJ’s mouth, lights it and pushes the scotch two inches towards him.

DJ Godblessyou.

DJ luxuriates a moment, content. STAN hovers, tense.

STAN Wemightwanttoskedaddlefairlyscene.IthinkElvira’sonherway.Despitemyguileit’spossiblethebrotherinferredacertain‘furtivity’inthebuilding.

DJ seems unconcerned, smokes, drinks, puts his feet up.

DJ Haveyoupinedformethislastfortnight?Youhave,haven’tyou,youhilarious,littlemunchkin.

STAN Actually,Ididsomequiteseriousthinking.

DJ (mock concerned)Ohhh.Well,ooh.You’reperfectlyfreetoleave.

STAN HowcouldIwhenthemoney’ssogood?

DJ I’vetoldyou,youwillhaveyourwages.

STAN Yeahbutwhen?

DJ Oh,don’tbesomercenary!Yourperksaremorethangenerous…

DON JUAN, Act One.

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Extract 2. Setting as above. Elvira confronts DJ over his adultery.ELVIRA Isittrue?

DJ stares at her, distantly.

ELVIRA ‘I’mjustgoingoutforapacketoffags’.Thatwastwentyfourhoursago.

DJ (holds up a packet)Andheretheyare.

ELVIRA Andyou’vebeenherewiththis…this…Latviansupermodel.*Well?(pause)Well?

DJ Me??Oh,yes.Yes,indeed.Iamthattrouper.

ELVIRA Wegotbackfromhoneymoonyesterday.We’vebeenmarriedafortnight.

DJ Isitreallythatlong?

ELVIRA YoumadeavowbeforeGod.

DJ (mock apologetically)Notknownatthisaddress.

ELVIRA Are–what–isit–areyouhavingapanicattackaboutgettingmarried?

DJ No!Lord,no!Ihugelyenjoyedourmarriage.

Silence. ELVIRA absorbs the information.

ELVIRA So–so–do–soyouwantto–toseparate?Orto–to…d-divorce??

DJWhynot?

ELVIRA Well…which?

DJ It’sallmuchofamuchness.

ELVIRA Noit’snot!WhatdoyouWANT,damnyou!

DON JUAN, Act One.

*InPatrickMarber’sscript,thislineisattributedtoColm,who,forthepurposesofthisexercise,hasbeenomittedfromthescene.

Discussion Point

Molière’s protagonists all have a dominant passion, a fixed idea, a mind locked frenziedly into a single track. From working with the character of DJ in the above exercise, what would you define as being DJ’s dominant passion?

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Did you know that . . .

DJ could be described as an antihero because he is a protagonist who possesses none of the qualities, such as honesty and unselfishness, of the traditional hero.

Observation point

Stan is DJ’s close confidant. His dramatic function is to reveal the true Don Juan to the audience.

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Comparing scenes

OneofthethingsthatmadeMolière’splayseemshockinginitsdaywasDonJuan’sabsoluteindifferencetoChristiancodesofbehaviour:ReligionandmoralityarelefttobedefendedratherineptlybyDonJuan’sservant,whocannothopetosucceedinargumentagainsthismanipulativeandeloquentmaster.OneofthescenesthattheauthoritiesforcedMolièretomakechangestowasinActThree,whereDonJuangoadsavagabondtoblasphemeagainstGodinexchangeformoney.Thesceneisprintedbelow,followedbyPatrickMarber’sversion.Readthetwoscenesthroughcarefullyandanswerthequestionswhichfollow.

Extract from Act Three, Don Juan, by Molière. Setting: a forest.DON JUAN: …allthetimewe’vebeenarguingIthinkwe’vebeengettinglost.

Getthatman’sattentionoverthereandaskhimtheway.

SGANARELLE: Hey,you,themanoverthere.Mate,myfriend,canIhaveaword,please.Couldyoushowusthewayintotown.

POOR MAN: Allyouhavetodoisfollowthisroad,sirs,andturntotherightwhenyoureachtheendoftheforest.ButIwarnyoutobeonyourguard,therehavebeenrobbersaroundthesepartsrecently.

DON JUAN: We’remuchobliged,myfriend,thankyoueversomuch

POOR MAN: Ifmonsieurwouldn’tmindhelpingmeoutwithalittlecharity.

DON JUAN: Ah,Iseeyouradvicewasn’tentirelyselfless.

POOR MAN: I’mapoorman,monsieur,I’vebeenlivingonmyowninthiswoodfortenyears,andI’llbesuretoprayGodtogiveyouallkindsofblessings.

DON JUAN: Don’tworrytoomuchaboutotherpeople’saffairsandjustprayforhimtogiveyousomeclothes.

SGANARELLE: Youseeyoudon’tknowmymaster.Allhebelievesinistwoandtwoarefour,andfourandfourareeight.

DON JUAN: What’syourtradehere,inamongstthetrees?

POOR MAN: Ispendalldayprayingfortheprosperityofallthepeoplewhogivemesomething.

DON JUAN: ThenIcan’timaginethatyou’renotprettywell-off.

POOR MAN: Alas,monsieur,no-oneisinmoredireneedthanme.

DON JUAN: Youmustbejoking.Amanwhospendsalldayprayingmustsurelyhavehisaffairsingoodorder.

POOR MAN: Icanassureyou,monsieur,thatmostofthetimeIdon’tevenhaveapieceofbreadtoputbetweenmyteeth.

DON JUAN: WellIthinkit’sveryoddthatyouaresopoorlypaidforyourpains.I’llgiveyouagoldcoininexchangeforacurse.

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POOR MAN: You’dhavemecommitasinlikethat?

DON JUAN: It’sjustamatterofseeingwhetheryouwanttoearnagoldcoinornot.Here’soneyoucanhaveifyoucurse.Thereitis.Butyouhavetocurse.

POOR MAN: Monsieur.

DON JUAN: Youcan’thaveitotherwise.

SGANARELLE: Ohgoon,justalittleone,there’snoharminit.

DON JUAN: Takeit,look,thereitis.Butgivemeacursefirst.

POOR MAN: Nomonsieur.I’dratherdieofhunger.

DON JUAN: Alrightthen.I’llgiveittoyoufortheloveofhumanity.

Parallel scene from Act Three, DON JUAN IN SOHO, by Patrick Marber, after Molière. Setting: Soho Square.DJ: Now,weneedsomerizlas.Askifhe’sgotsome,theyusuallydo.

He points to the sleeping vagabond.

STAN: He’sinhiskip.

DJ: Noaskee,nospliffy.Onefinaltaskbeforeyouterminateyouremployment.(flirty)I’llgiveyouabonus.

STAN: Howmuch?

DJ: God.You’revenal!I’llgiveyouagoldfarthing–nowgetonwithit.

STAN approaches the sleeping VAGABOND. Gives him a little nudge. He stirs. STAN shakes him a little and he falls off the bench.

STAN: Sorry,mate.

The VAGABOND wakes, scared.

VAGABOND: Wh-what?!

STAN: Easy.Peace!VerysorrytodisturbyoubutIdon’tsposeyou’vegotarizla?

The VAGABOND searches his pockets and finds some.

STAN: Cheers,mate!

DJ hands his tin to STAN who starts rolling a joint. DJ nods his thanks to the VAGABOND.

DJ: Thanksforourgenerosity.Damngoodofyou.

Pause

VAGABOND: MayitpleaseAllah.

DJ: Excuseme??

VAGABOND: MayitpleaseAllah.

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DJ: Imustwarnyouthatyourrizlawillbeusedtoconsumetheweedoftheinfidel.Idon’tknowifyourGodwouldapprove…

VAGABOND: Allahismerciful.

DJ: ThankChristforthat.

STAN looks up, senses trouble…

VAGABOND: Andifyouweretomakeasmalldonationhewouldbemostgrateful.

DJ: Wouldhenow.(Sighs)Isnothingfreelygiveninthisworld?

VAGABOND: Justasmallcontribution.

DJ: Tellyouwhat,I’llgiveyoumywatch.It’sworthsixgrand.

He takes it off and dangles it before the vagabond.

DJ: Youmayexaminethegoods.

The VAGABOND does so. Then he reaches for the watch but DJ whips it away.

DJ: Uhuh!(pause)Youcanhaveit…ifyoublasphemeagainstAllah.

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STAN: (aside)Oh,Lord.

VAGABOND Idon’tunderstand.

DJ: IwillgiveyouthiswatchifyouinsultyourGod.Afterall,what’sheeverdoneforyou,eh?Honestly?

VAGABOND: Heisinmysoul.Heprotectsme.Ipraisehim.Always.

DJ: Lookatyou!You’reabeggar!You’vegotnothing!Yousmell.You’vegotpooonyourtrousers.Asnailhasslimeditswayacrossyourshoulder–orisitspittle?WhatthefuckhasAllahdoneforyou?!

STAN: Pleasedon’t!

DJ: Wemustberealisticaboutthesethings,it’sthebullshitIcan’tstand.

He dangles the watch.

DJ: You’llgetagrandfromanypawnbrokerintown.

The VAGABOND stares at the watch. Wants it.

DJ: Nowplease.I’dbedelightedtogiveittoyou.It’saveryspecialwatch,aweddinggiftfrommywife.Look,theinscription:(Irish)‘Myheart,mysoul,forever.’Yousee?Nowwebothknowyouwantit.Sojustoneteeny,littleblasphemeandit’syours.Say...‘Allahhascrappedonme.’

VAGABOND: No.

DJ: Buthehas!It’strue.

VAGABOND: Allahismerciful.

Pause

DJ: Callhimacunt.

STAN: (aside)Yousee,justwhenyou’rebeginningtowarmtothemanherevealshistruecolours–Itoldyou!

DJ: Alright.Ifthat’stooharsh.Callhimanaughtyoldsoandso.

VAGABOND: Iwillnotinsulthim.

DJ: Callhimatwerp.

VAGABOND: Iwillnotblaspheme.

They stare at each other. A long time. Finally:

DJ: (casually)Thenhaveit.

DJ gives the VAGABOND the watch. He quickly slips it into his pocket. Stan hands him back his rizlas and he goes on his way.

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Practical Exercise

To make the blasphemy work for a modern audience, what changes does Patrick Marber make to the character of the vagabond?

How does Stan’s role differ in the scene from that of his counterpart, Sganarelle?

What other changes does Marber make and what impact do these changed have on the audience’s reception of the scene?

Are the shifts in status between the characters the same in each version?

To what extend does the vagabond come out as the honourable party in each of the scenes?

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Soho as a setting

‘In this Sodom and Gomorrah you people call ‘Soho’

Colm, Scene One

TheactionofMolière’splayissupposedlysetinSicily,buthisaudienceswouldhaveeasilyidentifiedDonJuanasrepresentativeoftheuninhibitedFrenchnoblemanofthemid-seventeenthcentury.PatrickMarberlocatedhisversionoftheplayinSoho,ashefeltthatitisaplacewheretheeventsoftheplaycouldhappenandwhereyoucouldfindthecharacterswhoinhabittheplay.’12TheaudiencecanbelievethatamanofDJ’swealthandseedinessexistshere.

Intheplay,DJalludestothehistoryofSoho:

Do you know the derivation of ‘Soho’? It’s rather good: it’s a hunting cry, (imitates a hunter) So-ho! So-ho! In the seventeenth century this was all fields, a gentleman would hunt fox and deer, right here. So-ho!

DJ, Act Three

NowitisDJwhoisthehunter,chasingandcatchingwomenwhosecontactdetailsarestoredinhisBlackBerry.Indeed,heevenreferstooneofhisfemalepreyas‘thefox’.

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Designing DON JUAN IN SOHO

Molière’splaywassetinadifferentlocationforeachofthefiveacts,requiringchangesofsceneryforeachact.Atonepointthescenechangesinthemiddleofanact,aswemoveintotheCommander’smausoleum.Allthiswasarareextravaganceatthetime,andsuretobeabox-officedraw.ItwasstillquiteaninnovationintheFrenchtheatretodrawontheinfluencesoftheItaliantheatrebymakingextensiveuseofadeepstagewithwing-spacetocreateanillusionofdepthwithsuccessiveflats,andabackdropwithacut-awaysectionforevendeeperperspective.AninventoryofworkstobecarriedoutbythescenepaintersforMolière’scompanysurvives,anddetailsthefollowingscenery:

Act I: Apalaceconsistingoffiveflatsoneachside,andthenagardenconsistingoftwo,withthefirstflat18feethigh.

Act II: Asmallhamletmadeoffiveflats,withacavetohidethebackdrop,beyondwhichweseetwoflatsshowingthesea.

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Act III Aforestofthreeflatsoneachside,andonefull-widthflatshowingatempleovergrownwithgreenery.

Followedby:

Theinteriorofatemple(fiveflats),withthebackofthebuildingonthebackdrop.

Act IV: Aroomconsistingofthreeflatsoneachside,andafull-widthflatforthebackwalloftheroom.

Act V: Atownwithfiveflatsoneachside,andonthebackdropacitygateandtwosmallflatsshowingmoreofthetown.

What’smissingfromthislistisanyideaofhowtheflamesofhellwererepresented.Molière’scriticsatthetimetalkedoftheirobjectionstohis�paintedflames’,soweknowthatsomefairlytinnytheatricaltrickwasused.13

MichaelGrandagewasverykeenseePatrickMarber’sversionoftheplayalsousedifferentlocations,becausehe‘directsusingspace,bycolouringspace’14.Thelocations,asspecifiedinMarber’sscript,are:

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Act I Afternoon.Winter.Thelargeopenlobbyofaswank,modernhotelinSoho.Alongslabofstrange,blackslateforthereceptiondesk.Afewstoolsshapedlikegardengnomes.AfauxLouisXIVsofa.Apreposterouslamp.

Act II Latenight.Ahospital.Accident&Emergencydepartment.Striplighting,rowsofchairs.

Act III SohoSquare.Twointhemorning.AStatueofKingCharlesII,facedimlylit.

Act IV Sixinthemorning.DJ’shouseinMeardStreet,Soho.Themainroom.

Act V Agentleman’sclub.Themorningroom.7.30pm.

Thestreetoutsidetheclub.

VerydistantsoundsofSoho.Seeminglymilesaway.

SohoSquare

Practical Exercise

As a designer, how would you accommodate all of the different locations of the play into your design? Pay particular attention to Act V which requires four different settings to flow seamlessly into each other.

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Furtherreading,footnotesandbibliography

Suggestion for further reading

PatrickMarber,Plays One,Methuen,2003.

Molière,Don Juan and Other Plays,OxfordWorldClassics,2003.

DavidWhitton,Molière, Don Juan,PlaysinProductionSeries,CambridgeUniversityPress,1995.

Footnotes

(Endnotes)

1 GeraldBrenan,The Literature of the Spanish People(Cambridge,1951),p.218,quotedinIanWatt,Myths of Modern Individualism,(CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),p.92.

2 IanWatt,Myths of Modern Individualism,(CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),p.112.

3 WilliamC.Atkinson,A History of Spain and Portugal(Harmondsworth,1960),p.168,quotedibid,p.111.

4 IanWatt,Myths of Modern Individualism,(CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),p.118.

5 SeeDorothyEpplenMacKay,The Double Invitation in the Legend of Don Juan(Stanford,1943),citedinIanWatt,Myths of Modern Individualism,(CambridgeUniversityPress,1996),p.113.

6 SeeDavidWhitton,Molière: Don Juan,CambridgeUniversitypress,1995,Chapter1foracomprehensivebackgroundtoMolièreandthelegendofDonJuan.

7 DonJuan–350yearsofoffensivecharm’,bySimonScardifield,programmeforDONJUANINSOHO,byPatrickMarber,afterMolière,DonmarWarehouse,2006.(SimonScardifieldisatranslatorandwriter;heprovidedtheliteraltranslationforthisversionoftheplay).

8 ‘DonJuan–350yearsofoffensivecharm’,bySimonScardifield,op.cit.

9 DonJuan–350yearsofoffensivecharm’,bySimonScardifield,op.cit.

10ChristopherHamptonquotedinAlistairOwen,ed,Hampton on Hampton,FaberandFaber,(London),2005,p.36.

11SeeAndrewCalder,Molière:The Theory and Practice of Comedy,TheAthlonePress,(London),1993,p.16.

12InterviewwithHamishPirie,Assistantdirector,DONJUANINSOHO.

5section

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13SimonScardifield,introductorynotestoDon JuanbyMolière,literaltranslation(unpublished).

14InterviewwithHamishPirie,Assistantdirector,DONJUANINSOHO.

Bibliography

DavidWhitton,Molière:Don Juan,CambridgeUniversitypress,1995.

IanWatt,Myths of Modern Individualism,CambridgeUniversityPress,1996.

AndrewCalder,Molière: The Theory and Practice of Comedy,TheAthlonePress,(London),1993.

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TheDonmarWarehouseisanintimate

(notforprofit)251seattheatrelocated

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theatrehaspresentedsomeofLondon’s

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andAmericandramaandmusictheatre,the

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