Kismet(play)
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Kismetis a three-act play written in 1911 by Edward Knoblauch (who later anglicised his name toEdward Knoblock). The title means Fate orDestinyinTurkishandUrdu.The play ran for 330 performances in London and later opened in the United States. It was subsequently revived, and the story was later filmed several times and adapted for the1953 musical.
History
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Kismetwas first produced byOscar Ascheat theGarrick Theatre,London, on 19 April 1911. Knoblock wrote the play for Asche, with the understanding that Asche could revise it. He shortened and partly re-wrote it and produced it with much success, playing Hajj, the leading man, withLily Braytonas Marsinah, the leading lady. The costumes were designed byPercy Anderson.The music was composed byChristopher Wilson.The production ran for 330 performances.[1]
The play was then accepted by theTheatrical Syndicate,and staged at theKnickerbocker Theatrein New York, produced byHarrison Grey Fiske.It opened on Broadway on Christmas Day 1911, and the leading roles were then taken byOtis SkinnerandRita Jolivet.This production ran for 184 performances.[2]
Story
[edit]Hajj the beggar escapes the clutches of a vengeful bandit, drowns the evil Wazir of Police, catches the eye of the Wazir's voluptuous wife, serves as Emir of Baghdad, and sees his daughter wed to the handsome Caliph.
Asche led a successful tour of the play in Australia in 1911–12, and upon his return to London, he revivedKismet.Asche and Brayton appeared in a 1914 film of the play. It was later filmed in1920,1930and1944.Skinner played Hajj in the 1920 and 1930 film versions.[1]
In 1953, the story was adapted into themusicalbyRobert WrightandGeorge Forrest,with themes from the music ofAlexander Borodin.The musical was, in turn, adapted into a1955 film.
References
[edit]- ^abSingleton, Brian (2004).Oscar Asche, Orientalism, and British Musical Comedy.Westport, Connecticut & London: Praeger. pp. 64–65.ISBN9780275979294.
- ^Bordman, Gerald, ed. (1992).The Oxford Companion to American Theatre(2nd ed.). New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 405.
Full text
[edit]External links
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- Kismet(1914) at IMDB
- KismetinThe Playgoerand Society Illustrated,Vol. IV, No. 20 (1911)
- KismetinThe Play Pictorial,Vol. XVIII, No. 106 (1911)