THE STORY: An ingenious tale of two Hollywood giants—Orson Welles and Laurence Olivier. The time is 1960; the place is a West End theatre. Legendary critic Kenneth Tynan has made a startling proposal: Welles should direct Olivier and the young Joan Plowright in Rhinoceros, Ionesco’s absurdist masterpiece. But it is the rehearsal process that brims with absurdity as titanic personalities, including Vivien Leigh, wrestle the muse in this witty and incisive depiction of the drama of theatre.
“Winning…A seductive story of clashing theatrical titans. Mr. Pendleton creates an engrossing picture of success, failure, betrayal, guilt, and ravening fear among a shifting constellation of stars of film and theater.” —The New York Times.
“In this highly entertaining romp through a forgotten moment in theatrical history, Pendleton mines rich territory and fills it with the humor and drama of over-ripened egos.” —Chicago Sun-Times.
“…beguiling and thematically substantial…full of wit, intelligence and salacious interest.” —Chicago Tribune.
“…a haunting portrayal of the fragility and vulnerability of talent. Pendleton’s script sets up these titans of the theatre, geniuses all, and, instead of tearing them down through tawdry revelation, invites the audience to watch them at work. What we see is the terrible cost to the artist of sustained exposure and risk.” —CurtainUp.
