In an interview with a New York Times reporter, Catherine Welch, conducted the day after GETTING MARRIED debuted in London (1908), Bernard Shaw said, “In reading ‘Getting Married’ to people I have noticed that it was always the women who understood it better than the men. You have seen how one critic says flatly this morning that he cannot understand one part of the play. I dare say if he had asked his wife, she could have explained it to him!” When we asked Jackie Maxwell to comment on this play, and on the casting, she described it as a true Shaw Ensemble piece, and one glance at the cast list demonstrates the pending pleasures of seeing all these terrific actors together on one stage – the joy of ‘who’s coming on next?’ Michael Ball is the greengrocer/wedding planner who advises one and all; Peter Krantz, David Schurmann and Peter Millard the grownup brothers who still can’t resist a good argument; Fiona Byrne, Laurie Paton, Nicolá Correia- Damude the women who can’t follow the rules for good wives; Krista Colosimo and Gray Powell the bride and groom with cold feet; Martin Happer the military man and snob, and Sharry Flett, the Bishop’s wife who is just trying to keep it all together. In Lillian Hellman’s THE LITTLE FOXES, the central character of Regina Giddens is one of the great acting roles in American theatre. Tallulah Bankhead played the part in the original production, Bette Davis in the film version, and Anne Bancroft in the Broadway revival. And Laurie Paton, who has captivated Shaw audiences with her performances inThe Constant Wife, The Autumn Garden, Waiting for the Parade and Misalliance, among others, will make her own indelible stamp on the role. Sharry Flett (Summer and Smoke, The Magic Fire, Major Barbara) plays Birdie Hubbard and Peter Krantz (Saint Joan, The Philanderer, The Crucible, Invisible Man) and Ric Reid (Saint Joan, Gypsy, The Magic Fire) play Regina’s scheming brothers. Also featured are David Jansen, Norman Browning, Krista Colosimo, Gray Powell and newcomer Lisa Codrington. AFTER THE DANCE was written by Terence Rattigan, who from the mid-1930s to the mid-’50s was one of the most famous playwrights in the world, known not only for his extravagant lifestyle but also for his

6 Shaw Magazine / Spring 2008 Costume sketches for GETTING MARRIED by designer Sue LePage. CASTING INCLUDES:

Getting Married General “Boxer” Bridgenorth PETER KRANTZ Lesbia Grantham FIONA BYRNE Mrs George Collins LAURIE PATON John Hotchkiss (Sinjon) MARTIN HAPPER Bishop of Chelsea DAVID SCHURMANN Alderman Collins MICHAEL BALL Rev Soames NORMAN BROWNING Mrs Reginald Bridgenorth (Leo) NICOLA CORREIA- DAMUDE Mrs Bridgenorth SHARRY FLETT Reginald Bridgenorth PETER MILLARD Written by BERNARD SHAW Directed by JOSEPH ZIEGLER well-crafted plays. He believed that “the best plays are Designed by SUE LePAGE about people, and not about things,” and although he fell Lighting designed by LOUISE GUINAND from favour for a long period in British theatre, in recent times his talents as a playwright are again being recognized The Little Foxes and his works being produced once more. Rattigan wrote Regina Giddens LAURIE PATON over 40 plays and screenplays, including the award- Ben Hubbard RIC REID Oscar Hubbard PETER KRANTZ winning The Browning Version, The Winslow Boy and Birdie Hubbard SHARRY FLETT Separate Tables. After the Dance first appeared on the William Marshall NORMAN BROWNING London stage in 1939 to acclaim and in 1994 was Addie LISA CODRINGTON Alexandra Giddens KRISTA COLOSIMO “rediscovered” through a BBC-TV production. Patrick Horace Giddens DAVID JANSEN Galligan (Hotel Peccadillo, Rosmersholm, Arms and The Leo Hubbard GRAY POWELL Man) plays the hard-drinking writer David Scott-Fowler, Written by LILLIAN HELLMAN and Deborah Hay, who played the romantic lead in The Directed by EDA HOLMES Philanderer with such appeal, plays his wife Joan.The third Designed by CAMERON PORTEOUS Lighting designed by KEVIN LAMOTTE in the triangle is Marla McLean (Tristan, A Month in the Country) who has taken on increasingly demanding roles in the few seasons she’s been at Shaw. Also featured are After the Dance Neil Barclay and Ken James Stewart. David Scott-Fowler PATRICK GALLIGAN Joan Scott-Fowler DEBORAH HAY THE PRESIDENT is the eye of the storm, the centre of Helen MARLA McLEAN his own universe, the man in control of everything – except John Reid NEIL BARCLAY perhaps his young ward, who has gone off and married Peter Scott-Fowler KEN JAMES STEWART an exceptionally unsuitable mate. Ferenc Molnár’s script, Written by TERENCE RATTIGAN adapted for The Shaw by playwright Morwyn Brebner Directed by NEIL MUNRO Designed by WILLIAM SCHMUCK (The Pessimist, The Optimist, Little Mercy’s First Murder, Lighting designed by ALAN BRODIE the adaptation for Love Among the Russians) and directed by Blair Williams, needs someone who can play the role The President Lunchtime with precise timing and technique, and who can inhabit the Norrison LORNE KENNEDY stage in a completely unique way. If you got to see Lorne Gregory BERNARD BEHRENS Kennedy bring the character of Feydeau to life on stage Lydia CHILINA KENNEDY in Hotel Peccadillo last season, you’ll have no doubt that he’s George AL KOZLIK Tony JEFF MEADOWS the man for this role! Bernard Behrens, Chilina Kennedy, Written by FERENC MOLNAR Al Kozlik and Jeff Meadows are ready to spring into action Adapted by MORWYN BREBNER on his command. Directed by BLAIR WILLIAMS Designed by CAMERON PORTEOUS Lighting designed by JENNIFER JIMENEZ

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