The Lark (play)
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The Lark (French: L'Alouette) is a 1952 play about Joan of Arc by the French playwright Jean Anouilh. It was presented on Broadway in English in 1955, starring Julie Harris as Joan and Boris Karloff as Pierre Cauchon. It was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden. Lillian Hellman made the English adaptation and Leonard Bernstein composed the incidental music. The two stars of the play reprised their roles in a 1957 television production of the play, as part of the anthology series Hallmark Hall of Fame. A different television adaptation aired in 1958 in Australia.[1] There is another English translation by Christopher Fry.
Plot summary[]
The play covers the trial, condemnation, and execution of Joan, but has a highly unusual ending. Joan remembers important events in her life as she is being questioned, and is subsequently condemned to death. However, Cauchon realizes, just as Joan is burning at the stake, that in her judges' hurry to condemn her, they have not allowed her to re-live the coronation of Charles VII of France. The fire is therefore extinguished, and Joan is given a reprieve. The actual end of the story is left in question, but Cauchon proclaims it a victory for Joan.
1955 Broadway Production[]
The play premiered in Boston at the Plymouth Theater on October 28, 1955. The Boston Globe critic singled out Julie Harris's lead character as "inspired".[2] The show then opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on November 17, 1955, where it ran for 229 performances, closing on June 2, 1956.[3] The opening night cast remained throughout the entire run, with the sole exception of Christopher Plummer whose character Warwick was taken up by .
Opening Night Cast[]
Role | Actor |
---|---|
Warwick | Christopher Plummer |
Cauchon | Boris Karloff |
Joan | Julie Harris |
Her Father | Ward Costello |
Mother | |
Brother | |
The Promoter | |
The Inquisitor | Joseph Wiseman |
Brother Ladvenu | Michael Higgins |
Robert de Beauricourt | Theodore Bikel |
Agnes Sorel | |
The Young Queen | Joan Elan |
The Dauphin | |
Queen Yolande | |
Archbishop of Rheims | |
Captain La Hire | Bruce Gordon |
Executioner | |
English Soldier |
1958 Australian TV adaptation[]
The play was adapted for Australian TV in 1958.
Awards and honors[]
Original Broadway production[]
Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1956 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play | Boris Karloff | Nominated |
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play | Julie Harris | Won | ||
Best Director | Joseph Anthony | Nominated | ||
Best Scenic Design | Jo Mielziner | Nominated | ||
Best Costume Design | Alvin Colt | Nominated |
References[]
- ^ "The Lark (TV Movie 1958) - IMDb".
- ^ Durgin, Cyrus (October 29, 1955). "Julie Harris as Joan of Arc in "The Lark", a Vivid Drama". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 22. Retrieved November 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "'Lark Closing', Will Tour U.S." Daily News. New York, New York. May 11, 1955. p. 97. Retrieved November 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
External links[]
- Plays by Jean Anouilh
- Works about Joan of Arc
- 1952 plays
- Compositions by Leonard Bernstein
- Plays based on real people
- 1950s play stubs