Barrymore: A Play

by William Luce

Barrymore is a two-person play by William Luce which depicts John Barrymore a few months before his death in 1942 as he is rehearsing a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph as Richard III.Barrymore's attempted revival of his Richard III never actually took place and was a device that was invented for the play, but it served as a dramatic framework for the actor to reminisce about various episodes in his life and about his career downslide due to alcoholism.Though classified as a one-person play, Barrymore actually makes frequent use of a second character, Frank the stage manager, who interacts with Barrymore over the theatre loudspeaker.

Genres: Plays, Theatre

57 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

William Luce was a writer, primarily for the stage and television.

Reviews

[Steven Schwope · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Barrymore" by William Luce, is a dramatic one man play that is set in the 1940's.It is the spring of 1942, and John Barrymore, who was once America’s most popular actor, is rehearsing a revival of his Broadway triumph as Richard III on a rented run down stage with his prompter/stage manager. As Barrymore half-heartedly and inaccurately runs through his lines with his prompter, he starts to reminisce about old friends, lovers, family and how great his life used to be. It is apparent that his alcoholism has taken a major toll on his talent, memory, and body. As the play wages on, Barrymore tries to breath fresh life into a career that was damaged by his ongoing struggles with personal life and being an alcoholic. A powerful climax occurs at the end of the play and Barrymore becomes a different more vulnerable man, who realizes how close to death he is.I really like this book, and recommend it to anybody looking for insight into John Barrymore's mind. I loved it because it felt really real, and it was down to earth, and provided a new light to see celebrities in.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting audiobook to listen to, but the overall effect of it was depressing (and, yet, informative!).