Shawshank made into a play

lostexpectation

The Shawshank Redemption is to make its world stage debut at the Gaiety Theatre
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0414/6news_av.html?2525502,null,230'

so in the vid they say its not based on the film but the original novella yet its well known that in the book (and script) 'Red' was white.

so why did they choose a black actor for the play if there weren't copying the film?

lame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Hayworth_and_Shawshank_Redemption
In the film, Red is played by Morgan Freeman who is African American while he is said to be a white man with red hair in the novella.

Dinner

lostexpectation wrote: »

so in the vid they say its not based on the film but the original novella yet its well known that in the book (and script) R'ed' was white.

so why did they choose a black actor for the play if there weren't copying the film?

The director(I think it was) mentioned the clip that they weren't going to ignore the film but were relying mostly on the novella.

Why are you so outraged anyway?

lostexpectation

there's not ignoring the film and there's changing a character for cheap recognition, i bet they were worried people would be confused if they didn't see a morgan freeman look alike on the poster.

cosgrove80

It's hardy "cheap recognition" now is it? It simply makes business sense. I doubt very many, if any, stage productions make a significant profit.

It would be foolish to ignore any built-in fanbase.

I know you weren't making a comment based on the ethnicity of the characters, rather that they were cashing in on the film but at the end of the day the race or colour of the characters have no bearing on the story. Andy Dufresne could herald from Mumbai and it wouldn't make any difference.

It's not as if the novella was cherished, it was largely unknow until the film came out. Alterration in the adaption of the original work, in this case, dosen't tarnish it's integrity.

zAbbo

The character playing 'red' is Reg E. Cathet aka Norman Wilson from The Wire who bears more than a passing resemblance to Morgan Freeman.

He said he'd never seen the movie version (or only saw it once), and wants to make the character his own.

That aside, fair play to the Gaiety getting behind a production like this, I'm sure it will be a hit.

Mr.Lizard

zAbbo wrote: »

The character playing 'red' is Reg E. Cathet aka Norman Wilson from The Wire who bears more than a passing resemblance to Morgan Freeman.

He said he'd never seen the movie version (or only saw it once), and wants to make the character his own.

That aside, fair play to the Gaiety getting behind a production like this, I'm sure it will be a hit.

He also played Martin "Don't fúck with Querns" Querns in Oz and notably the bum in American Psycho that Bateman politely informs "smells like shít"

lostexpectation

cosgrove80 wrote: »

It's hardy "cheap recognition" now is it? It simply makes business sense. I doubt very many, if any, stage productions make a significant profit.

It would be foolish to ignore any built-in fanbase.

I know you weren't making a comment based on the ethnicity of the characters, rather that they were cashing in on the film but at the end of the day the race or colour of the characters have no bearing on the story. Andy Dufresne could herald from Mumbai and it wouldn't make any difference.

It's not as if the novella was cherished, it was largely unknow until the film came out. Alterration in the adaption of the original work, in this case, dosen't tarnish it's integrity.

yes and before the story had been put to screen was perfect time to change the ethnicity of the character, but the only reason they picked a black actor now was to cash in on the film.

It would be foolish to ignore any built-in fanbase. He said he'd never seen the movie version (or only saw it once), and wants to make the character his own.

the built in fanbase was for the story not the colour of the actors.

He said he'd never seen the movie version (or only saw it once), and wants to make the character his own.

the guy probably will make career out of roles morgan freeman turns down, im sure he's proud to be a morgan freeman substitute.

paulieeye

zAbbo wrote: »

aka Norman Wilson from The Wire who bears more than a passing resemblance to Morgan Freeman.

he looks like a plastic Morgan Freeman in the wiki pic

The Recliner

What is the big deal

As you said people like it for the story

They could have made Andy spainish and it wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference

If the acting is good I don't care who plays what character and what colour they are

Why the outrage?

I have tickets booked and am looking forward to seeing it

djkeogh

I've been keeping an eye on this after hearing about it awhile back. I like Reg as an actor. He's been great in The Wire, Oz and The Corner. Must pick me up some tickets for this.

humanji

The Recliner wrote: »

What is the big deal

As you said people like it for the story

They could have made Andy spainish and it wouldn't have made a blind bit of difference

If the acting is good I don't care who plays what character and what colour they are

Why the outrage?

I have tickets booked and am looking forward to seeing it

Yeah, I'm also curious as to why all the outrage. I saw Othello a while ago. Othello was played by a white guy and Iago was played by a black guy. I watched it and enjoyed it, yet never once felt the need to run to the internet to warn everyone that it's not like the original play.

Nolanger

The same was done in Dublin with Reservoir Dogs back in the '90s.

lostexpectation

humanji wrote: »

Yeah, I'm also curious as to why all the outrage. I saw Othello a while ago. Othello was played by a white guy and Iago was played by a black guy. I watched it and enjoyed it, yet never once felt the need to run to the internet to warn everyone that it's not like the original play.

why do you feel the need to defend them saying that they not basing the play on the film and then doing the opposite. why are you so outraged that i suggest there are basing it on the film.

humanji

What in the name of god are you on about? You're the one having a hissy fit over nothing.

Brimmy

You do realize there is a whole history of the theatre casting Black actors to play White parts and vice versa? Females to play Males and Males to play Females etc.

It's called ColourBlind Casting and Queer Theory..

lostexpectation

which is fine but they only did it becuase of the film

The Recliner

lostexpectation wrote: »

which is fine but they only did it becuase of the film

But can you not accept that they based the play on the book in the main (and with it not being released yet there is no way of knowing if they did or didn't) but that Morgan Freeman made that character his own through pure charisma that they couldn't see past that

I don't see anything wrong with that and I think you are getting a bit hung up on just one comment

rovert

lostexpectation wrote: »

which is fine but they only did it becuase of the film

Does it claim to be a direct adaption? No