Orson's Shadow

by Austin Pendleton

Theater greats Sir Laurence Olivier, Orson Welles, Vivian Leigh, Joan Plowright, and Kenneth Tynan get together to rehearse Ionesco's Rhinoceros. With lightning wit and scathing insight into the true nature of genius, this play opens the private world of these very public people, exposing their warmth, their egos, and their glittering madness.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre

75 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up. A bit of an insider's play and enjoyment of it will depend on how much you care about this time period and Old Hollywood gossip. I did not know that Laurence Olivier was married to Vivien Leigh or Joan Plowright. But I also was not left wanting to know any more about them. For those who do find that sort of thing interesting, this may be a delicious dish. However, if I was a theater teacher, I would be able to find a lot to use for a scene study class. The dialogue, when it is really crackling, has a nice flow filled with humor and pathos, larger than life personalities, and a lot of unspoken confessions and accusations beneath the words.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format :Audiobook )
"A lust for oblivion."

Recorded live in front of an audience, six current actors, including Martin Jarvis as Lawrence Olivier, perform as film stars of the past in conversation during rehearsals. Still audible off stage laughter brings the illusion of actually being there in this intimate, sad but also amusing production.

Excellent performances from everyone. Best enjoyed it the listener is familiar with mid twentieth century film.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should’ve been called Vivien’s Shadow in my opinion! Even if slightly misogynistic, Pendleton seemed to be more interested in exploring her “wasted potential” and the complexities of the relationship between her and Olivier (here equally volatile to Leigh) than he was interested in Orson Welles’s career (a subject which he never delves beneath the surface of).

[Kayden Merritt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pls can someone buy me a physical copy I listened to a audio version

[Cath Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing adaptation! Highly recommend.