Four-time Tony Award nominee Condola Rashad (A Doll's House, Part 2) stars as one of history's greatest heroines in a major new production of Bernard Shaw's epic work directed by Daniel Sullivan (Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes).
Set in 15th century France, Saint Joan follows a country girl whose mysterious visions propel her into elite circles. When the nation's rulers become threatened by her popularity and influence, they unite to bring her down and she finds herself on trial for her life. This timeless and powerful play dramatizes the limits of an individual in a society dominated by overwhelming political and religious forces.
Directed by Daniel Sullivan with an easy flow that appears to modernize the 1923 play and keep all that Shavian verbiage moving at a smart clip, Saint Joan would seem an ideal resurrection for an era of #MeToo and the rejection of binary gender cages, but this Joan doesn't quite drive its sword into that ground as forcefully as you might hope.
Burn me at the stake for heresy if you must, but I'll say it. Even when done well, Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan is a slog. And since Manhattan Theatre Club's Broadway revival of the 1923 play isn't done very well, it's even more of a slog than usual. The production has been anticipated for the starring turn of three-time Tony nominee Condola Rashad in the title role. Unfortunately, this talented actress fails to galvanize the lengthy proceedings, making the play feel longer than it is. And at nearly three talk-filled hours, it's already very long.
1923 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1936 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1951 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1956 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1968 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1977 | Broadway |
Broadway |
1993 | Broadway |
Broadway |
2013 | Off-Broadway |
Theatre Bedlam Production Off-Broadway |
2018 | Broadway |
Manhattan Theatre Club Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Condola Rashad |
2018 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play | Condola Rashad |
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