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 The show, based on the 1998 Hollywood movie starring Gwyneth
Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, received a standing ovation from its
opening night audience on Wednesday at the Noel Coward theater
in London's West End theater district.
With the backing of the Disney organization, which is behind
money-spinners like the "The Lion King", and co-production by
leading British producer Sonia Friedman, the stage revamp has
gone straight to a commercial theater instead of having the
benefit of a first run at a government-subsidized venue, as is
common in British theater.
"Obviously something like this was such a huge production which
is probably the biggest play that has even been put on in the
West End," playwright Lee Hall, who did the adaptation from the
movie script that was in part written by Tom Stoppard, told
Reuters on Wednesday.
"We have got 28 in the cast and a dog, quite a complicated set,
it's been years in the planning, and I am stunned to finally get
here but it's wonderful to get such a warm response," he added.
Critics have been singing the praises of Tom Bateman and Lucy
Briggs-Owen, who have taken the roles of young Will Shakespeare
and the heiress Viola de Lesseps, who is infatuated with him and
disguises herself as a man to win the male lead in his
production of "Romeo and Juliet", in London in 1593.
"Miss Briggs-Owen is enchanting," critic Quentin Letts wrote in
the Daily Mail, while suggesting that she might have to tone
down "her panic-checking gestures".
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Michael Billington, writing in The Guardian, called Hall's
adaptation of the script "a love letter to theater itself, and one
that celebrates the way magic and mystery are born out of chaos and
confusion".
Asked what it was like stepping into a role that won Paltrow an
Oscar, Briggs-Owen said: "It's like doing any great Shakespearean
role really, you have to forget all of the baggage of all of the
greats who have played it before you and this is no exception."
Bateman said he was thrilled by the opening night reception.
"We have been working so hard on it. We knew that we had a show that
people enjoyed and I think we were just wanting, just for tonight,
out of tradition, we wanted it to really go down well with everyone
watching it and they all got up on their feet so we can’t ask for
anything more."
Hall said he hoped producers would consider a move to Broadway if
the play succeeds in London.
"I think that the movie is really loved in America and it could go
anywhere that people love theater, you know, for anybody who loves
theater it’s such a joy, so let's hope so."
(Writing by Michael Roddy; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
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