Sunday, June 16, 2019

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS


9 comments:

Chic Silber said...


I had the opportunity to attend

a performance of this touring

production from the Young Vic

Theater in the UK that currently

is being presented by our Asolo

Theater here in Sarasota today

It was far beyond my expectation

This very simple yet marvelous

show relies on great imagination

& precision of every element as

well as every performer

Chic Silber said...


Being a crusty well seasoned

Broadway Stagehand I am often

extremely critical but this

show was excellent totally

I wouldn't change any of it

nor add anything at all

I am grateful to have seen it

Chic Silber said...


This wasn't a musical version

unlike the tremendous show of

the same title back in the 60s

performed in the Jones Beach

Marine Theater on Long Island

That joint built by Bob Moses

as part of the State Park system

seated about 6500 in an outdoor

setting that was operated under

contract by "GCL Productions"

Guy Carmen & Lebert Lombardo

I was fortunate to be head of

frontlight operating a DC arc

Genarco Metrolite with about

a 320' throw to the mainstage

A sneeze could throw you off

by 20' (so I didn't sneeze)

John Shepherd said...

Chic,
Is the company going on tour elsewhere in the U.S. or are the New York and Asolo dates the only performances?
John

Tony Greiner said...

It looks like the US tour is short, from this website:

http://www.80dayslive.com/tickets-and-tour/

Tony

Roger Smith said...

For the big Michael Todd movie, David Niven led as Phileas Fogg. The best accounting of that film was written by Niven in his books, THE MOON'S A BALLOON, and BRING ON THE EMPTY HORSES. Niven remains among the most loved and respected actors, one who was known to make film extras and airport redcaps feel like kings. His books are among the most readable of filmmaking history, due to his incisive observations, innate kindness and sparkling wit. All his books are works you can enjoy for a lifetime.

If the 2nd title needs explaining, so did the English language to Director Michael Curtiz. During production of THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, he needed a panorama of riderless horses roaming aimlessly after the 600 soldiers were slaughtered in the final charge. Curtiz could not explain what his wranglers needed to do, and at last shouted "Bring on the empty horses!"

Chic Silber said...


I found the NY Times review of

that Jones Beach version from

June of 1964 that mentioned it

was the 2nd year of that show

Very nice story indeed

Eric said...

Smokey Jones once told me that he worked on a stage version of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS that starred Michael Rennie. (Smokey was undoubtedly involved in those scenes where an elephant appeared.)

Roger Smith said...

Michael Rennie starred in my all-time favorite sci-fi movie, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. This was out of 20th Century-Fox, in 1950, where the interiors were shot on Stage 8. In 2004, I worked on an episode of BONES, and our set was on that stage. The studios all post big plaques on their stages, proclaiming what films or TV shows shot there, and there I stood, finding the title of Mr. Rennie's starring picture. A young Patricia Neal got her start in this one. Other interiors shot on Stage 8 were those of one of my favorite Westerns, THE GUNFIGHTER, which starred Gregory Peck, Millard Mitchell, and Karl Malden. Richard Jaeckel and Skip Homeier portrayed the challenging young gunslingers.