Ondine - the play

[alison]

Just discovered there's a play "Ondine" by Jean Giraudoux - I knew I never did enough French Lit. - and it's on in a fringe theatre in Kennington at the end of the month: http://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/productions (scroll down a bit). No idea what it's like, but it does sound as though it's at least linked to the source of the ballet: wasn't Hans (as opposed to Palemon) the name of the knight in the text of the source printed in recent Royal Ballet Ondine programmes?

[mijosh]

The RSC performed Ondine as part of it's second season at the Aldwych Theatre in 1961.Directed by Peter Hall it starred his then wife Leslie Caron and Richard Johnson.Among small part actors were Diana Rigg and Ian Holm.I chiefly remember a delightful performance from the late James Bree as the King (with the formidable Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as his Queen) and beautiful designs ny Tanya Moisewitsch.

It was also,of course, this play which made a star of Audrey Hepburn on Broadway and led to her becoming so celebrated in movies.

[John Mallinson]

The RSC performed Ondine as part of it's second season at the Aldwych Theatre in 1961 ... I chiefly remember a delightful performance from the late James Bree as the King (with the formidable Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as his Queen) and beautiful designs by Tanya Moisewitsch.

 

That's some memory you have there…!

[mijosh]

Thank you John.Sadly it seems to get more tenuous by the day! But it appears that I am able to recall performances seen decades ago with far better clarity than something I saw last week. Unless it's Marianela of course!