Don Juan in Soho

Don Juan in Soho is a play by the British playwright Patrick Marber after Molière (see Dom Juan).^[1]

Directed by Michael Grandage, it premiered at the Donmar Warehouse theatre in London on 6 December 2006, running until 10 February 2007, starring Rhys Ifans as the lordly DJ, a priapic lothario cutting a swathe through modern Soho.^[2]

Stephen Wight played his sidekick Stan, his "hilarious little Munchkin, keeper of the Blackberry" on which DJ stores a record of his 5,000 conquests; a performance which was to help Wight to win the Evening Standard Theatre Award 2007 for Outstanding Newcomer.

DJ's wife was affectingly played by Laura Pyper while David Ryall portrayed his doddery father, Louis.

Adam Cork provided techno-Mozartian musical interludes and there was critical praise for Christopher Oram's settings. "Keep an eye on that famous statue. Like so much in this production, it will astound you.": Charles Spencer in The Daily Telegraph, 7 December 2006.

"Dont ask me how Ifans' DJ manages urbanely to pick up a posh girl while having fellatio with an un-posh one in a hospital corridor. Let's just say he does — and it's hilarious.": Benedict Nightingale in The Times, 7 December 2006. "A marvellous end-of-year bonus.": Bill Hagerty in the Sun, 29 December 2006.

A new production of Don Juan in Soho was presented by Guildhall School of Music and Drama in October 2009. Patrick Marber took part in a workshop with the actors during rehearsals and in an audience discussion with the director prior to a performance.

Sources

1. ^ Fisher, Philip (2006). "Don Juan in Soho" (review). The British Theatre Guide. http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/juansoho-rev.htm. 
2. ^ Howse, Christopher (2006-11-18). "Still seductive after 400 years". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/11/18/btrhys18.xml. 

Theatre Record 2006