Cyrano de Bergerac by Rostand (Derek Jacobi 1985 TV) 2/17

Derek Jacobi... Cyrano de Bergerac
Jimmy Gardner... Doorkeek
Philip Dennis... Flunkey
John Tramper... Flunkey
Geoffrey Freshwater... Musketeer
Alexandra Brook... Flowergirl
Niall Padden... Eater
Phillip Walsh... Drinker
Simon Clark... Citizen
Jayne Tottman... Citizen's Son
Paul Basson... Page
Stephen Kennedy... Page
Raymond Llewellyn... Pickpocket
Jeffery Dench... Marquis 1
David Glover... Marquis 2
Dennis Clinton... Cuigy
Edward Jewesbury... Brisaille
George R. Parsons... Lignière the Poet (as George Parsons)
Tom Mannion... Christian de Neuvillette
Penelope Beaumont... Precieuse
Clare Byam-Shaw... Precieuse
Cathy Finlay... Food Seller
Pete Postlethwaite... Ragueneau
John Bowe... Le Bret
Sinéad Cusack... Roxane
Jennie Goossens... Roxane's Duenna
John Carlisle... Le Comte de Guiche
Christopher Bowen... Le Vicomte de Valvert
Christopher Benjamin... Montfleury
David Shaw Parker... Bellerose / Gascony Cadet
Raymond Bowers... Jodelet

Writers:
Edmond Rostand (play)
Anthony Burgess (translation)

Directed by Terry Hands
Original Music by Nigel Hess
Film Editing by David Martin
Production Design by Ralph Koltai
Costume Design by Alexander Reid

Louise Sweeney reports:

Jack Kroll of Newsweek wrote, Jacobis feat of double virtuosity is one of the most memorable in many Broadway seasons. And he added, Jacobis Cyrano is a triumph—romantic, hardheaded, drawing blood with his sword and his wit, yearning for Roxanne [Sinead Cusack], who cant see past his potato nose to his gallant heart. And Frank Rich of the New York Times described Jacobis gift: The soul of his Cyrano—a noble amalgam of poetry and fire—floods every corner of the RSCs throbbing theatrical tapestry.

Alexander Guy Holborn Spiers writes:

As a first point we should note a matter of general philosophy. The principle of human action underlying Rostand's dénouements, the principle on which he relies to satisfy his sense of poetic justice, is not rational: having endowed his main characters with certain definite traits, he does not believe that the effect of the contact of these characters can be correctly determined mathematically. His principle is more subtle: he believes in the power of that suggestion and, especially, of that contagion which he emphasizes when stating, in his Discours, the needs of the modern stage: "Il faut un théâtre où, exaltant avec du lyrisme, moralisant' avec de la beauté, consolant avec de la grâce, les poètes, sans le faire exprès, donnent des leçons d'âme."

All Rostand's typical heroes are exuberant, borne along by the urge of an inner pressure to glorify immaterial aspirations. They do not argue, they do not prove, they have no tangible, well-defined action upon their vis-à-vis, the character "acting opposite to them"; yet their influence on those about them is great, and in each play there appears by the side of the hero another personage of importance who is, like la Faisane or Roxane, turned away from a conventionally material or frivolous conception of life by association with this hero and the human appeal of his enthusiasm.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Rostand
• Cyrano-de-Bergerac
• Derek-Jacobi
• Tom-Mannion
• Sinéad-Cusack
• Pete-Postlethwaite
• play
• theatre
• theater

[rojblake82]

@redvelvetrose I am naming the Citizen's son Frankie.

[GreenActor]

@diddymuck Frankly diddlymuck, when I first watched this, I had no clue Jacobi was gay and he was very convincing, and he still is very convincing. Jacobi is one of the great Cyranos. Also, At the same time he was performing this show, it was in repretory with Much Ado About Nothing, where I hear he made a very convincing Benedick. Jacobi is a great actor and thus is able to cloak himself in what ever role he plays. Not all Gay Men play Gay Characters, Not all Straight Men Play Straight ones.

[Kauaimon]

I have a 10 page project on this due in a few days xD. I'm watching the movie, and going along with the book. I gotta say, it's better when I see the actors act out the script-like book that I have.

[rojblake82]

I would have thought that Jayne Tottman, who plays citizens son has well and truly left the acting profession by now and is most likely working in a bank, runnning a pub, running a restaurant, working in a building society, running a hotel or even working as a car mechanic who knows what she is doing these days many child actors male and female get out of the profession of acting for many different reasons perhaps they don't want an acting career or they are not successful at acting .

[redvelvetrose]

@Diddymuck - Umm... considering Cyrano himself was rumored to be a homosexual as well (or bisexual at least)... I would think, if anything, it might lend some authenticity to his performance if we follow your thinking.

It's called ACTING; pretending to be someone you're not. A homosexual can pretend to be straight (most spend a good amount of time doing that in real life) just as a straight man can play a homosexual (Queer As Folk, anyone?).

[redvelvetrose]

@diddymuck - Umm... considering Cyrano himself was rumored to be a homosexual as well (or bisexual at least)... I would think, if anything, it might lend some authenticity to his performance if we follow your thinking.

It's called ACTING; pretending to be someone you're not.  A homosexual can pretend to be straight (most spend a good amount of time doing that in real life) just as a straight man can play a homosexual (Queer As Folk, anyone?).

[redvelvetrose]

@diddymuck Umm... considering Cyrano himself was rumored to be a homosexual as well (or bisexual at least)... I would think, if anything, it might lend some authenticity to his performance if we follow your thinking.

It's called ACTING; pretending to be someone you're not. A homosexual can pretend to be straight (most spend a good amount of time doing that in real life) just as a straight man can play a homosexual (Queer As Folk, anyone?).

[marchog779]

Diddymuck - you are a fool. If you cannot look past the personal traits of the actor and instead look at the art and the production. This is the finest production of Cyrano. Jacobi fully embodied the very wit that makes Cyrano so beloved of generations. It is sad this production has not been marketed in DVD format.

[diddymuck]

jacoby as Cyrano is blunted when you consider he's a homosexual. He and Roxanne don't sound too probable!

[ihaas]

Words will never express how thankful I am to you for posting this AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, EXTRAORDINARY production of CYRANO with the splendid Derek Jacobi. I really hope it gets on DVD soon. Thanks with all my heart for posting it, it made my day!