Václav Havel entrusted the first American production of his latest play Leaving [Odcházení) to the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia. The play directed by Jiří Žižka opened on May 26, 2010; the author personally attended the premiere together with his wife Dagmar. Prominent people such as the former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the singer Susan Vega also came to see the sold-out event.
The theater’s website published the casting information as early as last spring. One of the most cast American film actors of his generation, David Strathairn (Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in George Clooney’s 2005 movie Good Night, and Good Luck) is playing the title role of Chancellor Rieger; Irena is played by Kathryn Meisle, Klein by Trevor Long and the Granny by Janis Dardaris.
There is an international production team: the set was designed by the Czech born London scenographer Klara Zieglerova and costumes by the Serbian-born and New York based designer Vasilija Zivanic. Nick Rye composed the music.
In the first English language production of Václav Havel’s play at the Orange Tree Theatre in London, the (authorial) Voice commenting on the play itself was pre-recorded by the author himself. In Philadelphia, the problem is resolved in a different way: the audience is hearing another famous voice during the performance – that of F. Murray Abraham, who played Salieri in Miloš Forman’s movie Amadeus. Both Strathairn and Abraham have previous experience of Havel’s drama from late 1980s and early 1990s. F. Murray Abraham played the leading role of Leopold Nettles in Žižka’s American TV production of Largo Desolato, and David Strathairn starred as Foustka in Žižka’s production of Temptation at Joe Pupp Public Theater in New York.
The Canadian journalist and writer Paul Wilson who has been translating Havel’s work for a quarter of a century also took part in the process of rehearsals. The Wilma Theater’s website carries a substantial and very interesting interview with him regarding his experience with Havel’s language and dramatic style.
Led by artistic directors Blanka and Jiří Žižka, Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater became one of the most respected US repertory theater companies. For example, Tom Stoppard considers it his home stage in the USA.
Link to Wilma Theater website:
http://www.wilmatheater.org/archive/5/273
Articles, reviews:
J. Sloupová: Když odchází Vilém Rieger, lidovky.cz, 1.6.2010.
J. Záhorková: Havel uvede své Odcházení ve Filadelfii, premiéry se osobně zúčastní, iDnes.cz, 22.4.2010.
K. Kubíčková: Havlovo Odcházení míří do Ameriky, premiéry se zúčastní i sám autor, iDnes.cz, 26.5.2010.
ČTK: Havel se zúčastnil americké premiéry Odcházení. Bylo vyprodáno, iHNed.cz,27.5.2010.
ČTK: Václav Havel si ve Filadelfii vysloužil nadšený potlesk, tyden.cz, 27.5.2010.