Night and Day

By Tom Stoppard
Directed by James Bohnen
September 22 – November 14, 2010

Set in a fictional African country that feels like a 1950s Hollywood romantic adventure, competing British war correspondents descend on the household of an expatriate and his wife, attempting to crack open a story on the country’s erupting civil war. Stoppard, with his usual comic seriousness, both attacks the triviality of the free press for exposing the personal lives of public figures to sell papers, and elevates its importance in uncovering political truth.

Reviews

“This Remy Bumppo Theatre season opener could not be more timely in its look at both the media and politics. […] [This] multifaceted drama poses questions that easily might be asked at any point in the current 24/7 news cycle.”
– Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun-Times

“Night and Day was always a romantic play. [This is a] most titillating production! […] James Bohnen’s Remy Bumppo Theatre Company production is not only shrewdly timed but very adroit, smart and accomplished. […] There are a number of superb performances, including a blistering turn from Greg Matthew Anderson as an insouciant freelancer who threatens the territory of Douglass’ Wagner (that intramural insecurity has not changed either), and a rich performance from Jeff Cummings, who plays the photographer George Guthrie, a man of film.”
– Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune

“This revival, directed by James Bohnen, the company’s departing artistic director, is so good that it could be transplanted to Broadway exactly as is. The actors, many of whom have performed together in other Remy Bumppo productions, work in awe-inspiring concord—I’ve never seen a better ensemble cast, not even in Chicago, where such things are taken for granted.”
– Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal

“You might not expect a play in which access to a Telex machine becomes a crucial plot point to feel particularly contemporary. But Remy Bumppo artistic director Bohnen’s choice of Stoppard’s 1978 comedy-drama about foreign correspondents proves remarkably timely. […] this witty and smartly executed production leaves your mind humming.”
– Time Out Chicago

“Stoppard’s absurdly gorgeous language seems so natural in the mouths of the strong ensemble cast. […] These issues and questions of objectivity, truth and democracy are meaty ones, and this production does not shy away from them.”
– New City

 

Production

James Bohnen- Director
Baleigh Isaacs- Production Stage Manager
Tim Morrison- Scenic Designer
Samantha C. Jones- Costume Designer
J.R. Lederle- Lighting Designer
Jason Knox- Sound Designer
Nick Heggestad- Properties Designer
Doreen Feitelberg- Dialect Coach
Gigi Buffington- Additional Dialect Consultant
Kelli Marino- Dramaturg
Alison Ramsey- Production Manager
 

Cast

Linda Gillum- Ruth
David Darlow- Carson
James Krag- Carson (from Oct 20)
Jeff Cummings- Guthrie
Greg Matthew Anderson- Milne
Ernest Perry, Jr.- Mageeba
Shawn Douglass- Wagner
Stephen Spencer- Wagner (from Nov 3)
John Francis Babbo- Alastair
Michael Pogue- Francis
Rashaad Hall- Francis (from Nov 3)