Wild Honey (play)

"Wild Honey" is a 1984 adaptation by British playwright Michael Frayn of an earlier play by Anton Chekhov. The original work, a sprawling five-hour drama from Chekhov's earliest years as a writer, has no title but it is usually known in English as "Platonov", from its principal character "Mikhail Platonov", a disillusioned provincial schoolmaster. [cite book
last = Gottlieb
first = Vera
authorlink =
coauthors = Paul Alain
title = The Cambridge Companion to Chekhov
publisher = Cambridge University Press
date = 2000
location = Cambridge, England
pages = p155
url =
doi =
id =
isbn =0521589177 ]

Frayn's adaptation was given its first production at London's National Theatre in 1984 and won Olivier Awards in three categories: for Ian McKellen as "Actor of the Year in a Revival", Christopher Morahan as "Director of the Year" and John Gunter as "Designer of the Year". [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Olivier Winners 1984
work =
publisher = Official London Theatre Guide
date = 2008-04-24
url = http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/olivier_awards/past_winners/view/item98519/Olivier-Winners-1984/
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-04-29] "Anna Petrovna" was played by Charlotte Cornwell.

The play opened at New York's Virginia Theatre in December 1986 presented by impresario Douglas Urbanski with McKellen repeating his title role, but otherwise with an American cast which included Kim Catrall and Kate Burton.cite web
last = Rich
first = Frank
authorlink = Frank Rich
coauthors =
title = Theater: McKellen in 'Wild Honey'
work = New York Times
publisher =
date = 1986-12-19
url = http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9A0DE4DD133CF93AA25751C1A960948260
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2008-04-29]

References

External links

* [http://www.mckellen.com/stage/00084b.htm The 1984 London production]
* [http://www.mckellen.com/stage/wildhoneyb/notes.htm Photographs from the 1986 New York production]