'A real treat...intriguing from its opening lines...expertly acted by
the company, lead movingly by Aria Sandis' UK Theatre Network
'Produced with such an obvious investment of time and energy' Reviews Gate
'Proved it was long overdue on the British stage' Parikiaki
'In Pirandello's territory' Time Out
'Aria Sandis stands out' Evening Standard
American Pulitzer Prize Winner William Carlos Williams' best known play made its long overdue UK Premiere on its sixtieth anniversary, as part of the Greece in Britain series of events and in association with the American Embassy in London. The play ran at the Lilian Baylis Theatre @ Sadler's Wells, 13 - 30th Nov 2002, and was accompanied by an exhibition on William Carlos Williams and the making of the production, including original photographs by renowned photographer Takis Diamantopoulos. A pre-show talk and discussion on William Carlos Williams and his work by Professor William Rowe (Birkbeck) and the Directors of the play,took place at the UCL Bloomsbury Studio Theatre, 8 November 2002.
Originally entitled 'The Comedy of Love' and published in 1942 as
'Trial Horse N. 1', Many Loves was first produced by the Living Theatre
in New York in 1959. It toured most of Europe the following year to 'tremendous
acclaim of audiences of a thousand and fifteen hundred people, picking up
the Grand Prix de Nations as well as the Paris Theatre Critics Circle Award
along the way.
A serious exploration of the frailty of human attachment, the play is
set in a theatre during final reherasals and hinges on the necessity for
the playwright to keep his relationship with his leading lady a secret from
his enamoured backer. As we observe the emotional scenes which the playwright
presents, the discovery of this relationship supplies the climax and catastrophe
of the play, in a triangle situation which resolves Williams' final attitude
towards love.
Poet, Playwright and Physician Dr William Carlos
Williams, was born September17, 1883 in Rutherford, New Jersey to a middle-
class background. Although his poems were published as early as 1909, he
gained wide recognition as a poet with the publication of the first volumes
of Paterson in the 1940’s. Williams also wrote prose, fiction, and drama.
His other plays include The First President (1936), Many Loves (1942),
A Dream of Love (1948), and
The Cure (1960). He sustained his medical practice until his death on March
4, 1963.
The Company
Jude Alderson
(Mattie, Woman), Sam Beazley(George, Bar Owner), Chris Bridgett(Minister,
Serafina's Husband, Real Estate Agent), Natalie Bromely(Lil), John Cunningham(Peter),
Amy Enticknap(Kelly, Cello Player), Georgia Forde (Clara's Daughter), Michelle
Frew(Ann, Girl), Pamela Gibson(Aunt Kate),Lisa Hogg(Min, Singer), Michael
Lovatt(Laddie,Horace), Sean Pritchett(Hubbert), Aria Sandis(Alise, Serfaina,Agnes
Breen,Clara), Jethro Skinner(The Boyfriend,Fred), Jonathan Tanner(Pete Thomson,Doc).
David Sibley (Director),Constantine Sandis (Co-Director) ,Elly Papageorgakopoulou (Set and Costume Design),Takis Diamandopoulos(Photography) ,David Lawrence (Lighting Design),Mayou Trikerioti (Assistant Designer and Exhibition Manager) ,Nicky Artemi (Stage Manager) ,Nina Reizi (Production Manager), Anne Walsh (Dialect Coach), Rachael Mackay (Makeup Design), Rachel Ford Pritchett (Costumes Assistance), Kathryn Baker (Costume Assistant), Caroline Thornton (Makeup Assistant), Beth Milner (Makeup Assistant), Liza Mead (Makeup Assistant).
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