Boeing-Boeing (play)

Boeing-Boeing
Boeing-Boeing
Written by	Marc Camoletti
Date premiered	10 December 1960
Place premiered	Comédie-Caumartin, Paris
Original language	French
Subject	"It all boils down to juggling timetables and a reliable maid who never forgets to change the photographs."
Genre	Comedy; farce
Setting	Bernard's apartment, Paris, France

Boeing-Boeing is a

Guinness Book of Records

as the most performed French play throughout the world.

Synopsis

The play is set in the 1960s, and centres on bachelor Bernard, who has a flat in Paris and three airline

stewardesses all engaged to him without knowing about each other. Bernard's life gets bumpy, though, when his friend Robert comes to stay, and complications such as weather and a new, speedier Boeing

jet disrupt his careful planning. Soon, all three stewardesses are in the city simultaneously and catastrophe looms.

Characters

Bernard– a Parisian architect and lothario (turned into an American who resides in Paris in the most recent Broadway production)
Berthe– Bernard's French housekeeper
Robert– Bernard's old school chum (from Wisconsin)
Jaqueline (or Gabriella)– the French fiancée (or the Italian fiancée) and air hostess
Janet (or Gloria)– the American fiancée and air hostess
Judith (or Gretchen)– the German fiancée and air hostess

The English version of the play was first staged in London's West End at the Apollo Theatre in 1962 with David Tomlinson in the lead role and then transferred to the Duchess Theatre in 1965, running for seven years.^[1] After a year in the play, Tomlinson was replaced by Leslie Phillips, who played in it for two years. He was then replaced by Nicholas Parsons, who played in it for 15 months.

The play was produced on

Cort Theatre from February 2, 1965, closing on February 20, 1965, after 23 performances.^[2]^[3]^[4] Directed by Jack Minster, the cast included Ian Carmichael, Susan Carr, Diana Millay, and Gerald Harper

.

The play was also on in Blackpool at the South Pier during 1967, and featured Vicki Woolf, Dandy Nichols, Hugh Lloyd, Ann Sidney, and Christina Taylor.

In 1978, the play was produced in

Kansas City, featuring Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow of Leave It to Beaver. ^[5]

The play was adapted by W!LD RICE production in Singapore in 2002. It was directed by Glen Goei; Glen and the company revisited, modernized, and relocated this comedy to Asia and the present day, whilst keeping faithful to the text and the spirit of the play. The three air hostesses's nationalities were changed to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan. The show starred Lim Yu-Beng, Pam Oei, Emma Yong, Chermaine Ang, Sean Yeo, and Mae Paner-Rosa.^[6]

Boeing-Boeing was revived in London in February 2007 at the

Olivier Award nominations, for Best Revival and Best Actor (Mark Rylance), but won neither.^[7] Elena Roger

later took on the role of Gabriella.

Warchus also directed the 2008 Broadway revival, which started previews on April 19, 2008, and opened on May 4 at the

Best Sound Design (Simon Baker). The production won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival of a Play, and Mark Rylance won for lead actor in a play.^[12]

2007 West End revival

Dates	Bernard	Berthe	Robert	Gabriella	Gloria	Gretchen
Feb-May 2007	Roger Allam	Frances de la Tour	Mark Rylance	Daisy Beaumont	Tamzin Outhwaite	Michelle Gomez
May-Jun 2007	Roger Allam	Patricia Hodge	Mark Rylance	Daisy Beaumont	Amy Nuttall	Michelle Gomez
Jun-Oct 2007	Adrian Dunbar	Rhea Perlman	Neil Stuke	Elena Roger	Amy Nuttall	Doon Mackichan
Oct 2007-Jan 2008	Kevin McNally	Jean Marsh	Neil Stuke	Elena Roger	Jennifer Ellison	Tracy-Ann Oberman
UK Tour Dec 2008-Apr 2009	Martin Marquez	Susie Blake	John Marquez	Thaila Zucchi	Sarah Jayne Dunn	Josephine Butler

2008 Broadway

Dates	Bernard	Berthe	Robert	Gabriella	Gloria	Gretchen
April 2008	Bradley Whitford	Christine Baranski	Mark Rylance	Gina Gershon	Kathryn Hahn	Mary McCormack
Sept 9, 2008	Greg Germann			Gina Gershon	Kathryn Hahn	Missi Pyle
Oct. 7, 2008	Greg Germann			Rebecca Gayheart	Paige Davis	Missi Pyle

[13]

Adaptations

Boeing Boeing (1965 film), American film adapted by Edward Anhalt with John Rich directing, stars Jerry Lewis, Tony Curtis and Thelma Ritter, released by Paramount Pictures
Motarda Gharameya (1968 film), Egyptian film starring Fouad el-Mohandes, Shwikar and Abdel Moneim Madbouly.
Mukesh, and M. G. Soman

Chilakkottudu, Telugu film adaption by E. V. V. Satyanarayana starring Jagapathi Babu and Rajendra Prasad
Garam Masala (2005 film), Hindi film adaptation by Priyadarshan starring Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, and Paresh Rawal
Nee Tata Naa Birla, Kannada film adaptation.

References

^ ^a ^b Mervyn Rothstein (8 June 2008). "Flying High". Playbill. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
^ Louis Calta, "New Directors for Lincoln Rep," New York Times, 31 January 1965
^ Howard Taubman, "Theater: 'Boeing-Boeing' at the Cort," New York Times, 3 February 1965
^ John Chapman, "It's Jet-Age, but French Farce Isn't," Chicago Tribune, 4 February 1965
^ "It's Wally and the Beaver". Washington Post. 1979.
^ "Boeing-Boeing". Wild Rice Theatre Company. 2002. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
^ "Boeing Boeing London theatre tickets and information". thisistheatre.com. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
^ Ben Brantley (5 May 2008). "Up, Up and Away (and Watch Those Swinging Doors". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
^ Elyse Sommer (8 May 2008). "Boeing, Boeing Flies Its Daffy Lovers to Broadway". Curtainup. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
^ "Boeing-Boeing". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.
^ Kenneth Jones (2 December 2008). "Grounded! Hit Boeing-Boeing Will Close Jan. 4, 2009; Tour Planned". Playbill. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
^ Lawrence Van Gelder (19 May 2008). "Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
^ Jones, Kenneth."Two New Stews: Davis and Gayheart to Climb Aboard Broadway's Boeing" Archived October 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, Sept. 29, 2008

External links

Boeing-Boeing at the Internet Broadway Database

[playbill-1] Mervyn Rothstein (8 June 2008). "Flying High". Playbill. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

[2] Louis Calta, "New Directors for Lincoln Rep," New York Times, 31 January 1965

[3] Howard Taubman, "Theater: 'Boeing-Boeing' at the Cort," New York Times, 3 February 1965

[4] John Chapman, "It's Jet-Age, but French Farce Isn't," Chicago Tribune, 4 February 1965

[5] "It's Wally and the Beaver". Washington Post. 1979.

[6] "Boeing-Boeing". Wild Rice Theatre Company. 2002. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

[7] "Boeing Boeing London theatre tickets and information". thisistheatre.com. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

[8] Ben Brantley (5 May 2008). "Up, Up and Away (and Watch Those Swinging Doors". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-11.

[9] Elyse Sommer (8 May 2008). "Boeing, Boeing Flies Its Daffy Lovers to Broadway". Curtainup. Retrieved 2008-11-04.

[10] "Boeing-Boeing". IBDB.com. Internet Broadway Database.

[11] Kenneth Jones (2 December 2008). "Grounded! Hit Boeing-Boeing Will Close Jan. 4, 2009; Tour Planned". Playbill. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.

[12] Lawrence Van Gelder (19 May 2008). "Drama Desk Awards". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-11.

[13] Jones, Kenneth."Two New Stews: Davis and Gayheart to Climb Aboard Broadway's Boeing" Archived October 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, Sept. 29, 2008

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[12]