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The Royal FamilyBy George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber The Plot:The curtain goes up on the most famous theatrical family on Broadway: the fabulous Cavendish clan, which has defined unforgettable stage acting for over three generations. A bittersweet bouquet to the glory of the Great White Way, The Royal Family portrays the off-stage melodrama of what it means to have greasepaint in your veins. While matriarch Fanny Cavendish plans a farewell tour, her leading lady daughter, Julie, has to choose between a dinner date and a first rehearsal--and just when matinee idol brother Tony is on the lam for slugging a Hollywood director. In the meantime, Fanny's granddaughter, Gwen, is thinking the unthinkable—chucking the whole thing to marry a stockbroker. "Marriage isn't a career—it's an incident,” sniffs Fanny. But, the show must go on—and so must the Cavendish tradition, and, when the curtain falls, the torch is passed from one generation of actors to another. About the Play:
Stage HistoryThe Royal Family opened at the Selwyn Theater on December 28, 1927 and went on to run 343 performances. When The Royal Family made its West End debut in 1930, the show underwent a title change. So as to avoid any confusion with the real Royal Family, the play was called Theatre Royal. Another footnote to theatrical history is that this production was directed by Noel Coward and starred the young Laurence Olivier as the swashbuckling Tony Cavendish. However, the play never got a production--including the 1932 film version, The Royal Family of Broadway (with an over-the-top Frederic March aping John Barrymore)--in which all three leads were exceptional until the 1975 revival with Rosemary Harris, George Grizzard and the unforgettable Eva Le Gallienne. This version began in Washington as part of the Kennedy Center's Bicentennial series of classic American plays. Directed by Ellis Rabb, it was the first major revival of the play. Its success was particularly gratifying for Le Gallienne who had been one of the leading actresses--and artistic directors--in the American theater of the 1920s and 30s. She was brought out of retirement because, in the words of director Rabb, she brought the "emotional baggage of the piece onstage" with her first entrance as Fanny. It has subsequently been revived by regional theaters across America and, in 2002, received its first British revival (under its original title) on the West End, starring Dame Judi Dench, Toby Stephens, and Harriet Walter. Production details:Cast size: 10 men, 5 women (some doubling possible). One set. For right to The Royal Family, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. A glossary for the play, as well as additional information and articles can be found by clicking on "Archives" on the Home Page. Quotes:Flash box: An elegant theatrical classic; a brilliant comedy of manners |