Archive

Identifier: NoMan1994

Inclusive Dates: 1993 - 1994

Extent:

Roundabout Theatre mounted Harold Pinter's No Man's Land at the Criterion Center Stage Right with first preview on January 8, 1994, opening night on January 27, 1994 and closure on March 20, 1994. The production was the first Broadway revival since the play originally transferred to New York from the West End in 1976.

Directed by David Jones, with set design by David Jenkins, costume design by Jane Greenwood and lighting design by Richard Nelson.

Christopher Plummer played Spooner, Jason Robards played Hirst, Tom Wood played Foster and John Seitz played Briggs. The production was critically received, earning Tony and Drama Desk award nominations for Christopher Plummer's performance.

No Man's Land was first producd by the National Theatre in 1975 at the Old Vic Theatre in London, transferring to the Wyndhams Theatre, the Lyttleton Theatre, and to Broadway. The original production starred John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson and was filmed by the National Theatre Archive.

The play is about two men in their sixties - one a wealthy, successful man of letters and the other a struggling poet - who have seemingly just met in a pub but as the play progresses that assumption is challenged when the two interact and converse as though they had once been friends but the relationship had soured over women or success, or a combination of both. The play unfolds in a drunken stupor as both men volley for control while Hirst's manservants look on with unveiled hostility toward this "new" friend.

Production files consist of one box with 12 folders detailing the management of the show with author's agreement, copy of prompt script, extensive press clippings, copy of commercial script, and other aspects of the production. Lacking are the artistic documents (costume sketches, set design notes, etc.) and director's notes to provide deeper insight into the artistic vision for the work.

Photograph file contains black and white opening night contact sheets and prints, headshots used for show art (black and white and color), and black and white production stills.

Digital file contains scanned photographs, scanned education guide, scanned copy of prompt script extracted from the Jason Robards/Christopher Plummer journal,  opening night photographs and show art.

 

Access Restrictions: Open and available for research by appointment only.

Preferred Citation: No Man's Land 1994, Roundabout Theatre Company Archives

Types of Materials: Digital files, Media, Paper documents, Publications