When shaffer died in june 2016, there was a sense of an ending unfulfilled his was a spirit, a mind, a voice that cannot just simply leave this world, we will not be detached from him, nor can we forget him. Peter levin shaffer born 1926 became one of englands most popular and respected playwrights. Peter shaffer simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Lovesick and desperate, sculptor brindsley miller has embellished his apartment with furniture and objects darte borrowed from the absent antique collector nextdoor, hoping to impress his fiancees pompous father and a wealthy art dealer. Royal hunt of the sun heritage of literature by peter shaffer 19660301 01jan1675 by peter shaffer hardcover. The gimmick of the play is that the characters, supposedly plunged into darkness by a mains fuse blowout, cant see one another, though the audience, thanks to the miracle of electricity, can see them just fine as they grope about enhancing their misunderstandings. Peter shaffer was born in liverpool, england, on may 15, 1926, along with his twin brother, anthony, who would also become a writer.
He was the identical twin brother of fellow playwright anthony shaffer he was educated at the hall school, hampstead, and st pauls school, london, and subsequently he gained a scholarship to trinity college, cambridge, to study history. A young sculptor arranges an evening at home with his fiancee, her father and a millionaire art collector. The initial premise on which all this hangs, is that pitch darkness to the characters is equivalent to brilliant illumination to the audience. The second act features peter shaffer s black comedy, also from the 60s. Shaffer paired white liars with black comedy 1965, a bumptious farce that adopts the ploy of illuminating the stage when the lights in a london flat are out during a power failure and putting the stage. Black comedy written by peter shaffer bench theatre. Aug 25, 2017 written by peter shaffer author of equus, amadeaus, and several other plays, black comedy follows the hilarious series of events that occur when a power outage upsets the meticulous plans of. The royal hunt of the sun was the first premiere of a new play ever produced by the national theatre company. I keep looking for some connection between peter shaffer s two plays, black comedy and white lies, but as far as i can tell, there really is none.
Jun 07, 2016 so did another pair of oneact comedies, black comedy and white lies, which featured michael crawford and lynn redgrave in their broadway debuts. He was an extraordinary writer, closely associated with the national theatre. Peter schaffers black comedy is a classic farce from 1965, in the tradition of the marx brothers. An entertaining if undemanding 1965 vintage comedy from peter shaffer, nicely produced and pleasingly acted. Alan strang is a disturbed youth whose dangerous obsession with horses leads. They just sound like complementary works because of their titles. Black comedy by peter shaffer free download as pdf file.
Writing for theatre arts in february, 1960, peter shaffer made a declaration of independence. Peter shaffer picture gallery on with peter shaffer photos from stage, special events, red carpets and more. When shaffer died in june 2016, there was a sense of an ending unfulfilled his was a spirit, a mind, a voice that cannot just simply leave this world, we. Sir peter shaffer, in full sir peter levin shaffer, born may 15, 1926, liverpool, englanddied june 6, 2016, curraheen, county cork, ireland, british playwright of considerable range who moved easily from farce to the portrayal of human anguish. Carol and brindsley, an engaged couple, have invited a millionaire to. On the few occasions when matches, lighters, or torches are lit, the lights grow dimmer. Peter shaffer biography 1926 full name, peter levin shaffer. British author peter shaffer, who won tony awards for best play for equus 1974 and amadeus 1980 has died, according to his publicist. Scenic and props design by john bowhers, costume design by chelsey schuller, lighting design by travis. Jul 11, 2014 a ugust strindbergs tragedy miss julie and peter shaffer s farce black comedy were somewhat arbitrarily yoked together in a chichester double bill in 1965. Lovesick and desperate, sculptor brindsley miller has. He initially worked at the new york public library and for a. Peter shaffer sir peter shaffer born peter levin shaffer 1926051515 may 1926 liverpool, lancashire, england, united kingdom died 6 june 201620160606 aged 90 county cork, republic of ireland nationality british alma mater trinity college, cambridge information notable works black comedy, equus, amadeus.
Aug 22, 2015 august 22, 2015 august 22, 2015 ssugarman407 plays, regional theatre jim staudt, oldcastle theatre company, peter shaffer, tim foley amanda garcia, gary poe and jim staudt after seeing black comedy at oldcastle theatre, i am convinced that true comedy has to be seen in a theatre. Black comedy is a oneact farce by peter shaffer, first performed in 1965. Black comedy plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips. Its the chinese convention of reversing light and dark, and exactly where anybody is at any given moment is the. The play is called a comedy in black, as the stage lighting is in complete opposite to what the actors have to imagine. A few minutes into the show there is a short circuit, and the stage is illuminated to reveal the characters in a blackout. Jonathan, theresas husband has forgotten a special date.
Black comedy is from the pen of peter shaffer, who also wrote the acclaimed plays the royal hunt of the sun, equus and amadeus. Featuring jerzy gwiazdowski, lisa hodsoll, ryan mitchell, kathryn saffell, dorea schmidt, brian sutow and matthew r. Buy black comedy by peter shaffer from waterstones today. He won an academy award and a golden globe award for best screenwriter. The second act features peter shaffers black comedy, also from the 60s. A ugust strindbergs tragedy miss julie and peter shaffers farce black comedy were somewhat arbitrarily yoked together in a chichester double bill. Black comedy a farce peter shaffer every play in the world. Essays and criticism on peter shaffer critical essays.
Dec 02, 2014 black comedy, 27 july 1965, national theatre at chichester. Short play, comedy 3f, 5m published in tandem with the white liars. This peter shaffer oneact is often performed as a doublebill with another oneact he wrote, entitled the white liars. It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of sir peter shaffer, cbe. Not only does it utilize one of the most clever dramatic conventions ive seen incorporated into a play the inverse lighting, but its a structural masterpiece. He was known for his works in equus, amadeus, black comedy, and in the royal hunt of the sun. Top 30 quotes of peter shaffer famous quotes and sayings.
Black comedy is a oneact farce by peter shaffer, first performed in 1965 the play is written to be staged under a reversed lighting scheme. Black comedy is a farce that is played in the dark, as you know, with the lights full on. It was first performed in the midsixties there are charming references to the air terminal which today we would call the airport and pubs that close at. Pauls school in london and trinity college, cambridge. Shaffer died on 6 june 2016 while on a trip to the southwest of ireland, three weeks after his 90th birthday. The plays of peter shaffer and the mimetic theory of rene. Shaffer studied history on a scholarship from cambridge university, and worked a number of odd jobs including coal miner, bookstore clerk, and assistant at the new york public library, before discovering his. Real inspector hound black comedy london theatre guide.
In a way it is a onejoke play, where the joke is indefinitely prolonged and becomes more absurd every moment. The way the entire evening snowballs into a bigger and bigger nightmare is unparalleled in the genre to my mind. So did another pair of oneact comedies, black comedy and white lies, which featured michael crawford and lynn redgrave in their broadway debuts. Born may 15, 1926, peter shaffer worked as a conscript in the coal mines in england from 1944 to 1947. He was also twice nominated as author of a best play nominee.
The collected plays of peter shaffer by peter shaffer. He cowrote three detective novels with his brother anthony shaffer under the pseudonym peter antony. Whereas barnes uses comedy as a declaration of class war, barker. Peter shaffer celebrity profile check out the latest peter shaffer photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. Shaffer was gay but did not write explicitly about it. Black comedy, performed by portergauds senior class of 2005. Playwright peter levin shaffer was born in 1926 in liverpool, one of twin boys.
Shaffer died on 6 june 2016 at the age of 90 while on a trip to the southwest of. Sir peter levin shaffer 15 may 1926 6 june 2016 was an english playwright and screenwriter. Agentcomcnaughtonlowry representation, 200 fulham rd. The private ear the public eye white liars black comedy 26feb1981. Black comedy a farce peter shaffer every play in the. Theatre and drama, madeleine macmurraughkavanagh veconnect 20141202. Inspired by a real life story, dark sky is a black comedy with more than a twist or two. Shaffers 1965 farce black comedy employs the qualities particular to. Two oneact peter shaffer plays the private ear and the.
Although the playwright sir peter shaffer, who has died aged 90, wrote one of the best farces of postwar british theatre in black comedy 1965, he was best known for his hugely popular. Black comedy, 27 july 1965, national theatre at chichester. His brother, anthony, also went on to become a playwright. Written by peter shaffer author of equus, amadeaus, and several other plays, black comedy follows the hilarious series of events that occur when a. He won an academy award and a golden globe award for best screenwriter shaffer died on 6 june 2016 at the age of 90 while on a trip to the southwest of ireland. The splinter group, our older young players, present a fun evening for all in this farcewithadifference. Black comedy illuminates elm street cultural arts village. Face value by david hampshire 3m, 3f a 25 th wedding anniversary provides the impetus for this darkly comic play which explores the evolving relationships between three couples. Sir peter levin shaffer was an english dramatist, author of numerous awardwinning plays, several of which have been filmed.
Black comedy by peter shaffer was produced at chichester festival theatre five years ago. Written in 1965 between the authors fulllength dramas the royal hunt of the sun and amadeus, this oneact comedy by englands peter shaffer is a gimmicky variation on the triedandtrue farce. Peter shaffer 1926 also collaborated with anthony shaffer under joint pseudonym peter antony shaffer is a british playwright who has earned a reputation as a preeminent craftsman in several. The family moved to london in 1936, and peter spent three years as a bevin boy working in a coal mine, before going to cambridge university to study history. Black comedy by peter shaffer daily info daily info. It was first performed in the midsixties there are charming references to the air terminal which today we would call the airport and pubs that close at 10 oclock and the styling of the. Black comedy, by peter shaffer, directed by matt coward assisted by kelly wetherald for no rules theatre company. Despite premiering in the west end with kenneth williams and maggie smith in the lead roles, it has been 50 years since peter shaffers two oneact plays were last performed onstage.
When the stage is lit the actors are in complete darkness, and when the stage is dark the actors have light. The physicality of this production cannot be duplicated on any screen. Sir peter shaffer, in full sir peter levin shaffer, born may 15, 1926, liverpool, englanddied june 6, 2016, curraheen, county cork, ireland, british playwright of considerable range who moved easily from farce to the portrayal of human anguish shaffer was educated at st. He was awarded the cbe commander of the order of the british empire in the 1987 queens birthday honours list for his services to drama. Jun 06, 2016 although the playwright sir peter shaffer, who has died aged 90, wrote one of the best farces of postwar british theatre in black comedy 1965, he was best known for his hugely popular. But peter schaffers black comedy really takes the cake. Black comedy by peter shaffer one of the funniest and most brilliant short plays in the language london sunday times lovesick and desperate, sculptor brindsley miller has embellished his apartment with furniture and objects darte borrowed from the absent antique collector nextdoor, hoping to impress his fiancees pompous father and a wealthy art dealer. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The play is written to be staged under a reversed lighting scheme.
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