Quills (play)

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Quills
Written by Doug Wright
Directed byHoward Shalwitz
Date premiered3 November 1995
Place premiered New York Theatre Workshop
Original languageEnglish
Subject moral nihilism, atheism, sadism, pornography
GenreDrama
Setting1807 France

Quills is a 1995 play written by American playwright Doug Wright. The critically acclaimed work is based on the final days of the Marquis de Sade and was directed by Howard Shalwitz. It first opened at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1995 and ran from November 3 to December 22. Wright received a Obie Award for Best Playwright. [1] [2] He later adapted it into the 2000 feature film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman.

Contents

The play set in 1807 during the Reign of Terror as a part of the French Revolution centers around the writings and final days of the controversial author and libertine the Marquis de Sade portrayed by Rocco Sisto who earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance.

Summary

The play revolves around the Marquis de Sade who is imprisoned at the insane asylum Charenton. There he continues write and due to the vivacious and curious young laundry maid, Madeleine LeClerc, he is able to secretly publish them through her. The Marquis has daily spirited debates involving morality and atheism with the Catholic priest Abbé de Coulmier. During his stay the conservative and brutal Dr. Royer-Collard, a newly appointed chief physician, battles with the Marquis at the behest of Renée Pélagie, the Marquis' wife. [3]

Cast

CharacterNew York Theatre Workshop
1995		 Feature film adaptation
2000
Marquis de Sade Rocco Sisto Geoffrey Rush
Abbé de Coulmier Jefferson Mays Joaquin Phoenix
Madeleine Leclerc Katy Selverstone Kate Winslet
Dr. Royer-Collard Daniel Oreskes Michael Caine
Simone / Madame Royer-CollardKaty Selverstone Amelia Warner
Monsieur ProuixKirk Jackson Stephen Moyer
Renée Pélagie Lola Pashalinski Jane Menelaus

Productions

The production premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1995 running from November 3 through December 22. [4]

Reception

Critical reception

Critical reception for the play was positive. Vincent Canby of The New York Times raved about the direction and performances as well as it's text writing, "[Wright] successfully blends intentional archness, grotesque exaggeration and bold humor to create a theatrical experience of real wit". He added "Quills doesn't mean to be an epic. It's a theatrical entertainment that manages to be serious fun along the way." [5] Variety theatre critic Jeremy Gerard lavished praise on the production describing it as "sensational in every sense of the word...[it's] smirky, gross-out fun with a purpose. It’s an amazing show". He compared it to the likes of " Titus Andronicus by way of Sweeney Todd or Pulp Fiction by way of Carrie . [6]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
1996 Obie Award Best Playwright Doug Wright Won [7]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Play Rocco SistoNominated [8]

Film adaptation

In 2000 Wright adapted the project to the screen working with director Philip Kaufman. [9] The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight and starred Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, and Michael Caine. [10] The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival to critical acclaim [11] and later named the Best Film at the National Board of Review. [12] Wright was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay and the film went on to receive three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design. [13] [14]

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<i>Quills</i> (film) 2000 film

Quills is a 2000 period film directed by Philip Kaufman and adapted from the Obie award-winning 1995 play by Doug Wright, who also wrote the original screenplay. Inspired by the life and work of the Marquis de Sade, Quills re-imagines the last years of the Marquis's incarceration in the insane asylum at Charenton. It stars Geoffrey Rush as de Sade, Kate Winslet as laundress Madeleine "Maddie" LeClerc, Joaquin Phoenix as the Abbé de Coulmier, and Michael Caine as Dr. Royer-Collard.

<i>Marat/Sade</i> 1964 play by Peter Weiss

The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade, usually shortened to Marat/Sade, is a 1963 play by Peter Weiss. The work was first published in German.

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References

  1. ↑ "Quills at New York Theatre Workshop". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  2. ↑ "Winners of the 1996 Obie Awards". Playbill. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  3. ↑ "'Quills': Woolly Mammoth's Sadistic Pleasure". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  4. ↑ "NYTW / Quills". New York Theatre Workshop . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "THEATER REVIEW;Some New Antics In That Charenton Asylum". The New York Times . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "Quills". Variety. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Obie Awards 1996". Obie Awards. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "DRAMA DESK NOMINEES". New York Daily News. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "STAGE TO SCREEN: Thrills, Chills, Quills". Playbill. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  10. ↑ "The Making of Quills". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "Telluride's Best and Bravest". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  12. ↑ "Quills wins top prize from National Board of Review". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "Quills". Golden Globe Awards . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "73rd Academy Awards". Oscars.org . Retrieved 25 February 2024.
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