Drama
Alert! This month, four-time Academy
Award nominee Annette Bening will recreate a Ruth Draper performance, including
the hilarious pieces The Italian Lesson, A Debutante at a Dance
and A Class in Greek Poise. As there are only rare audio tapes of the
legendary Draper in performance, this is a chance to see why she was awarded a CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 1951 by King George VI (Father
of the present Queen), inspired
characters in Agatha Christie's works, and influenced Lily Tomlin, John
Lithgow, Emma Thompson and others.
Draper was an American actress who specialized in
character-driven monologues in
solo performances called Monodramas. She had the uncanny
ability, while alone on stage, to shift between characters and fill the stage
with vivid imaginary people. With a chair, a shawl, some hats and an occasional
table as her only props, Draper dazzled audiences worldwide for nearly forty
years.
The show is directed by Bening herself, who states, "I am in awe of Ruth Draper… and I look
forward to the formidable challenge of breathing life into these stunning
pieces."
At the Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, LA, April 8 to May 18. Tickets: (310) 208-5454 or www.geffenplayhouse.com.
Posted in the April issue
of NOT BORN YESTERDAY.
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