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丕賱禺丕胤亘丞
Farce / Casting: 9m, 7f / Interior Scenery
A certain old merchant of Yonkers is so rich in 1800 that he decides to take a wife. He employs a matchmaker a woman who subsequently becomes involved with two of his menial clerks, assorted young and lovely ladies, and the headwaiter at an expensive restaurant where this swift farce runs headlong into a hilarious complications. After everyone gets straightened out romantically and has his heart's desire, the merchant finds himself affianced to the astute matchmaker herself. He who was so shrewd in business is putty in the hands of Dolly Levi. He is fooled by apprentices in a series of hilarious hide and seek scenes, and finally has all his bluster explode in his face.
"Loud, slap dash and uproarious ... extraordinarily original and funny." - The New York Times
"Rolls along merrily and madly and the customers are convulsed." - N.Y. Journal American.
"The lines of Wilder are so often brilliant, sage, and witty." - N.Y. Daily News
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First published January 1, 1954
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About the author
Thornton Wilder
211听books496听followersThornton Niven Wilder was an American playwright and novelist. He received three Pulitzer Prizes, one for his novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey and two for his plays Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth, and a National Book Award for his novel The Eighth Day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 18, 2020
I grew up with a mother who loved musicals and one of her favorites was . Imagine my surprise when I was flipping through a collection of Wilder plays and discovered this was the basis of that musical. The characters and dialogue are largely the same. I can see how easy it was to adapt it to a musical with dancing as the characters talk about singing and dancing throughout. Most of the humor is there already and Dolly is fully Wilder鈥檚 creation. Very enjoyable! As different from as you can imagine. Makes me want to check out Wilder鈥檚 other works.
June 25, 2018
鈥淭he marriage is a bribe to make a housekeeper think she is a householder.鈥�
A WIFE is just a free SERVANT!
So let's marry, let's have a wife, let's get a free servant!
Most of the men think that way!
It doesn't depend on the culture, the writer is American and he thinks the same way ..
A WIFE is just a free SERVANT!
So let's marry, let's have a wife, let's get a free servant!
Most of the men think that way!
It doesn't depend on the culture, the writer is American and he thinks the same way ..
January 1, 2021
Szerintem ez Wilder legjobb sz铆nm疟ve, volt m谩r el艖zm茅nye, ahonnan mer铆tett, de itt van humor 茅s b谩j is, nem annyira keser疟. 脷gy l谩ttam, volt bel艖le el艖ad谩s is, gondolom r枚vid铆tve, mert a darab f艖 hib谩ja, hogy t煤l hossz煤, n茅hol elv茅sz a r茅szletekben, didaktikuss谩 v谩lik.
Az 茅letigenl茅s azonban komoly jellemz艖je, nem v茅letlen眉l k茅sz眉lt ebb艖l a m疟b艖l a h铆res film, Barbra Streisand 茅s Walter Matthau f艖szerepl茅s茅vel. Louis Armstrong dala pedig vil谩gh铆r疟 lett, szerettem a filmet, a dal miatt 茅s a sz铆n茅szek miatt.
鈥� *
*A zenesz谩m t枚bb verzi贸ban is megtal谩lhat贸.
Az 茅letigenl茅s azonban komoly jellemz艖je, nem v茅letlen眉l k茅sz眉lt ebb艖l a m疟b艖l a h铆res film, Barbra Streisand 茅s Walter Matthau f艖szerepl茅s茅vel. Louis Armstrong dala pedig vil谩gh铆r疟 lett, szerettem a filmet, a dal miatt 茅s a sz铆n茅szek miatt.
鈥� *
*A zenesz谩m t枚bb verzi贸ban is megtal谩lhat贸.
September 9, 2020
I enjoyed it purely as the source material for Hello, Dolly.
August 10, 2017
A simple plot , a simple story , a simple characters
normal start and Pleasant node and happy funny end .
it's a very simple book , a surprise is a 85% from Egyptian cinema in sixteens used this plot with the same details in movies .
and it's have a good chance that is the Original text has taken from it
normal start and Pleasant node and happy funny end .
it's a very simple book , a surprise is a 85% from Egyptian cinema in sixteens used this plot with the same details in movies .
and it's have a good chance that is the Original text has taken from it
November 21, 2016
First sentence: I tell you for the hundredth time you will never marry my niece.
Premise/plot: The Matchmaker is a play by Thornton Wilder. Chances are if you hear the names "Horace Vandergelder," "Cornelius Hackl," "Barnaby Tucker," "Irene Molloy," and "Dolly Levi" you will likely think of the musical Hello Dolly and not The Matchmaker. But The Matchmaker obviously came first.
What should you know? It is FUNNY. It features more characters than the musical. (I really LOVED Malachi Stack and Flora Van Huysen. Malachi gets some of the best lines, in my opinion!) The ending is similar but not identical.
So for those who haven't seen the musical... Horace Vandergelder is a cranky old man who is about to make a big decision. He has decided to remarry. Just as emphatically as he's decided to marry, he's decided that his niece will NOT be marrying her fellow, Ambrose Kemper. Two of Vandergelder's clerks (he's a store owner) decide--on this momentous day--that they've had enough and deserve a day off. Not just any day off, but a day off in the CITY. One of them vows TO NOT COME HOME UNTIL HE'S KISSED A GIRL. Cornelius and Barnaby "happen" to meet Irene Molloy (Vandergelder's first choice) and her assistant, Minnie. The people seeking adventure get in over their heads. The people NOT seeking adventure get in over their heads too. By the end, one and all long for normalcy and routine.
My thoughts: If you ask me if I like the movie--well, I can get all the best scenes by watching Wall-E. But after seeing Hello Dolly live at my local theatre, well, my perspective changed a bit. Things that were slightly funny sitting at home watching the movie really become hilarious on stage. I walked out a FAN. The Matchmaker was a perfectly perfect read for me. And I loved coming across lines like, "Go and get your Sunday clothes on."
Quotes:
"It looks to me like you're pretty rash to judge which is fools and which isn't fools, Mr. Vandergelder. People that's et onions is bad judges of who's et onions and who ain't." Joe (the barber) to Mr. Vandergelder
"Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion." Mr. Vandergelder
"I tell you right now: a fine woman is the greatest work of God." Cornelius
"There's nothing like eavesdropping to show you that the world outside your head is different from the world inside your head." Malachi
Premise/plot: The Matchmaker is a play by Thornton Wilder. Chances are if you hear the names "Horace Vandergelder," "Cornelius Hackl," "Barnaby Tucker," "Irene Molloy," and "Dolly Levi" you will likely think of the musical Hello Dolly and not The Matchmaker. But The Matchmaker obviously came first.
What should you know? It is FUNNY. It features more characters than the musical. (I really LOVED Malachi Stack and Flora Van Huysen. Malachi gets some of the best lines, in my opinion!) The ending is similar but not identical.
So for those who haven't seen the musical... Horace Vandergelder is a cranky old man who is about to make a big decision. He has decided to remarry. Just as emphatically as he's decided to marry, he's decided that his niece will NOT be marrying her fellow, Ambrose Kemper. Two of Vandergelder's clerks (he's a store owner) decide--on this momentous day--that they've had enough and deserve a day off. Not just any day off, but a day off in the CITY. One of them vows TO NOT COME HOME UNTIL HE'S KISSED A GIRL. Cornelius and Barnaby "happen" to meet Irene Molloy (Vandergelder's first choice) and her assistant, Minnie. The people seeking adventure get in over their heads. The people NOT seeking adventure get in over their heads too. By the end, one and all long for normalcy and routine.
My thoughts: If you ask me if I like the movie--well, I can get all the best scenes by watching Wall-E. But after seeing Hello Dolly live at my local theatre, well, my perspective changed a bit. Things that were slightly funny sitting at home watching the movie really become hilarious on stage. I walked out a FAN. The Matchmaker was a perfectly perfect read for me. And I loved coming across lines like, "Go and get your Sunday clothes on."
Quotes:
"It looks to me like you're pretty rash to judge which is fools and which isn't fools, Mr. Vandergelder. People that's et onions is bad judges of who's et onions and who ain't." Joe (the barber) to Mr. Vandergelder
"Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are fools and the rest of us are in great danger of contagion." Mr. Vandergelder
"I tell you right now: a fine woman is the greatest work of God." Cornelius
"There's nothing like eavesdropping to show you that the world outside your head is different from the world inside your head." Malachi
December 8, 2023
This is the play that was eventually turned into the musical that became Hello, Dolly! I loved the movie adaptation and watch it at least once a year. This original play is different from the musical version. In the play, Earnestina Simple is mentioned but never seen. You also never see the parade Horace marches in. Instead, the final act takes place in the home of a friend of Horace鈥檚 first wife. Everything is resolved there, rather than back in Yonkers. But that didn鈥檛 stop me from reading the main characters in the voices of Barbara Streisand, Walter Matthau, etc.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
November 2, 2022
Well, hello Dolly - although the play is much better than the musical.
October 16, 2022
Read as part of my deep dive into Hello Dolly!鈥檚 source material.
Well staged, some likeable characters, rather forgettable and muddled ending that the movie adaptation (The Matchmaker 1958) chooses to sidestep (good move). There鈥檚 a clear evolution here between this version and previous iterations of the story that make it more palatable, whereas it鈥檚 Austrian predecessors were rather tiresome.
For fans of the film, you could - for the most part - use the play to read along, but there are lots of unique-to-the-play pieces of dialogue that make it worth reading just for their value.
Ambrose and Ermengarde were cut from the film, presumably for time and budget. I found them so endearing that I鈥檓 glad they returned in Hello Dolly!.
Barnaby and Cornelius play off each other well, as usual - there were plenty of moments were I was smiling at jokes and interactions. I鈥檓 noticing more and more that their antics are the main driving force that bring engagement to this story rather than the titular characters.
Dolly and Mr Vandergelder are - as they tend to be - rather difficult to find interesting or enjoyable as characters, as the time focused on them is so drawn out and honestly pretty boring, but they still have brief moments of interest. Irene and Minnie are unfortunately just as forgettable as well, but all are salvaged by the silver screen adaptations and musicals.
Unlike all the previous iterations of this story, this play would be worth picking up even if you weren鈥檛 a fan of Hello Dolly!.
Well staged, some likeable characters, rather forgettable and muddled ending that the movie adaptation (The Matchmaker 1958) chooses to sidestep (good move). There鈥檚 a clear evolution here between this version and previous iterations of the story that make it more palatable, whereas it鈥檚 Austrian predecessors were rather tiresome.
For fans of the film, you could - for the most part - use the play to read along, but there are lots of unique-to-the-play pieces of dialogue that make it worth reading just for their value.
Ambrose and Ermengarde were cut from the film, presumably for time and budget. I found them so endearing that I鈥檓 glad they returned in Hello Dolly!.
Barnaby and Cornelius play off each other well, as usual - there were plenty of moments were I was smiling at jokes and interactions. I鈥檓 noticing more and more that their antics are the main driving force that bring engagement to this story rather than the titular characters.
Dolly and Mr Vandergelder are - as they tend to be - rather difficult to find interesting or enjoyable as characters, as the time focused on them is so drawn out and honestly pretty boring, but they still have brief moments of interest. Irene and Minnie are unfortunately just as forgettable as well, but all are salvaged by the silver screen adaptations and musicals.
Unlike all the previous iterations of this story, this play would be worth picking up even if you weren鈥檛 a fan of Hello Dolly!.
October 7, 2022
#丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 賲賳 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱兀賲乇賷賰賶
賲爻乇丨賷丞 賲賳 賲爻乇丨賷丕鬲 #丕賱亘乇賳丕賲噩_丕賱孬賯丕賮賶 #丕賱廿匕丕毓丞_丕賱賲氐乇賷丞
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賲爻乇丨賷丞 爻丕禺乇丞 廿賱賶 丨丿 賲丕 亘鬲丨賰賶 毓賳
" 噩賷賱丿乇 " 乇丕噩賱 爻鬲賷賳丕鬲賶 6锔忊儯0锔忊儯 睾賳賶 賯賵賶 亘爻 亘禺賷賱 噩丿丕 賯乇乇 賷賵賮乇 丨亘鬲賷賳 賵丕亘賳 丕賱廿賷賴 賮賰乇 亘丿賱 賲丕 賷噩賷亘 禺丕丿賲丞 賱賱亘賷鬲
賷鬲噩賵夭 丕乇禺氐 賵丕賴賶 賴鬲賯賵賲 亘卮睾賱 丕賱亘賷鬲 賲賳 睾賷乇 賵賱丕 賲賱賷賲 鈥�
胤賷亘 賲賷賳 賴賷乇囟賶 亘賴 賴賷賰賱賲 " 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 丿賵賱賶 " 鬲卮賵賮賱賴 毓乇賵爻丞 馃懓鈥嶁檧锔� 卮丕亘丞 丨賱賵丞 賵賳睾卮丞 賵賯賵賱賷賱賴丕 賷丕 丿賵賱賶 兀賳 噩賷賱丿乇 乇丕噩賱 賰乇賷賲 賵丕賴 氐丨賷丨 賮賶 丕賱爻鬲賷賳 亘爻 丕賱賯賱亘 賯賱亘 卮丕亘 賲鬲賷賳
亘爻 賷丕 噩賷賱丿乇 賲丕 鬲兀禺匕賳賷卮 貙 爻賲毓鬲賰 賲毓乇賵賮丞 賮賶 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 兀賳賰 亘禺賷賱 鈥� 賱丕夭賲 鬲亘賯賶 賱丕乇趩 賵卮賷賰 賵兀賳丕 賴賵賯毓賱賰 毓乇賵爻丞 馃懓鈥嶁檧锔� 廿賳賲丕 丕賷賴 馃憣馃徎
丕賱兀丿丕亍 丕賱氐賵鬲賶 賰丕賳 賲賲鬲丕夭 馃ぉ 賰賱賴 賮賶 丿賵乇賴 丕賱賲賳丕爻亘 賱賴..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 禺賮賷賮丞 亘鬲鬲賳丕賵賱 胤亘毓 丕賱亘禺賱 亘卮賰賱 爻丕禺乇 賱胤賷賮 賵亘丕賱乇睾賲 兀賳賴丕 亘毓賷丿丞 毓賳 丕賱噩賵 丕賱賲毓鬲丕丿 賱賷丕 廿賱丕 兀賳賶 丨亘賷鬲賴丕 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲 亘賴丕 馃挋
丿賵乇 " 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 丿賵賱賶 " 猬咃笍 氐賵鬲 丕賱賮賳丕賳丞 毓丕賷丿丞 毓亘丿 丕賱毓夭賷夭
丿賵乇 " 噩賷賱丿乇 " 猬咃笍 乇卮丿賶 丕賱賲賴丿賶 丕賱賲毓乇賵賮 亘丕賱卮賷禺 毓鬲賲丕賳 馃槃
#氐賵鬲賷丕鬲冲丿賳賷丕
#賯乇丕亍丕鬲冲佗赡佗佗
#賯乇丕亍丕鬲冲兀賰鬲賵亘乇冲佗赡佗佗
#賲賰鬲亘丞冲丿賳賷丕
賲爻乇丨賷丞 賲賳 賲爻乇丨賷丕鬲 #丕賱亘乇賳丕賲噩_丕賱孬賯丕賮賶 #丕賱廿匕丕毓丞_丕賱賲氐乇賷丞
賲丿鬲賴丕 4锔忊儯5锔忊儯 丿賯賷賯丞 丨丕噩丞 賰丿賴 賮賶 丕賱禺賮賷賮 毓賱賶 賯丿 賵賯賮丞 賮賶 卮丕乇毓 丕賱鬲爻毓賷賳 馃槃馃檵馃徏鈥嶁檧锔�
賲爻乇丨賷丞 爻丕禺乇丞 廿賱賶 丨丿 賲丕 亘鬲丨賰賶 毓賳
" 噩賷賱丿乇 " 乇丕噩賱 爻鬲賷賳丕鬲賶 6锔忊儯0锔忊儯 睾賳賶 賯賵賶 亘爻 亘禺賷賱 噩丿丕 賯乇乇 賷賵賮乇 丨亘鬲賷賳 賵丕亘賳 丕賱廿賷賴 賮賰乇 亘丿賱 賲丕 賷噩賷亘 禺丕丿賲丞 賱賱亘賷鬲
賷鬲噩賵夭 丕乇禺氐 賵丕賴賶 賴鬲賯賵賲 亘卮睾賱 丕賱亘賷鬲 賲賳 睾賷乇 賵賱丕 賲賱賷賲 鈥�
胤賷亘 賲賷賳 賴賷乇囟賶 亘賴 賴賷賰賱賲 " 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 丿賵賱賶 " 鬲卮賵賮賱賴 毓乇賵爻丞 馃懓鈥嶁檧锔� 卮丕亘丞 丨賱賵丞 賵賳睾卮丞 賵賯賵賱賷賱賴丕 賷丕 丿賵賱賶 兀賳 噩賷賱丿乇 乇丕噩賱 賰乇賷賲 賵丕賴 氐丨賷丨 賮賶 丕賱爻鬲賷賳 亘爻 丕賱賯賱亘 賯賱亘 卮丕亘 賲鬲賷賳
亘爻 賷丕 噩賷賱丿乇 賲丕 鬲兀禺匕賳賷卮 貙 爻賲毓鬲賰 賲毓乇賵賮丞 賮賶 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 兀賳賰 亘禺賷賱 鈥� 賱丕夭賲 鬲亘賯賶 賱丕乇趩 賵卮賷賰 賵兀賳丕 賴賵賯毓賱賰 毓乇賵爻丞 馃懓鈥嶁檧锔� 廿賳賲丕 丕賷賴 馃憣馃徎
丕賱兀丿丕亍 丕賱氐賵鬲賶 賰丕賳 賲賲鬲丕夭 馃ぉ 賰賱賴 賮賶 丿賵乇賴 丕賱賲賳丕爻亘 賱賴..
丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 禺賮賷賮丞 亘鬲鬲賳丕賵賱 胤亘毓 丕賱亘禺賱 亘卮賰賱 爻丕禺乇 賱胤賷賮 賵亘丕賱乇睾賲 兀賳賴丕 亘毓賷丿丞 毓賳 丕賱噩賵 丕賱賲毓鬲丕丿 賱賷丕 廿賱丕 兀賳賶 丨亘賷鬲賴丕 賵丕爻鬲賲鬲毓鬲 亘賴丕 馃挋
丿賵乇 " 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 丿賵賱賶 " 猬咃笍 氐賵鬲 丕賱賮賳丕賳丞 毓丕賷丿丞 毓亘丿 丕賱毓夭賷夭
丿賵乇 " 噩賷賱丿乇 " 猬咃笍 乇卮丿賶 丕賱賲賴丿賶 丕賱賲毓乇賵賮 亘丕賱卮賷禺 毓鬲賲丕賳 馃槃
#氐賵鬲賷丕鬲冲丿賳賷丕
#賯乇丕亍丕鬲冲佗赡佗佗
#賯乇丕亍丕鬲冲兀賰鬲賵亘乇冲佗赡佗佗
#賲賰鬲亘丞冲丿賳賷丕
March 16, 2024
The Matchmaker is a story I'm already pretty familiar with. Having seen the play as well as watched Hello Dolly! a fair amount of times I can tell you that the story is one that I enjoy. Having recently watched Hello Dolly! the first half of the play is pretty close to the musical. The last act is the one that differs the most from the musical which is kind of disappointing because that part was my favorite so I wished they had adapted it in the musical.
I was never a big fan of Thronton Wilder's play Our Town. I know that it is a play that is supposed to make you think more than to entertain, but I have never found it to be my cup of tea. But The Matchmaker is one that I would be willing to read and watch again. The dialogue is witty and the situations are comedic. Definitely a must read if you like plays.
I was never a big fan of Thronton Wilder's play Our Town. I know that it is a play that is supposed to make you think more than to entertain, but I have never found it to be my cup of tea. But The Matchmaker is one that I would be willing to read and watch again. The dialogue is witty and the situations are comedic. Definitely a must read if you like plays.
December 23, 2018
All I can think just now is: I-have-to-see-this-play-I-have-to-see-this-play-I-REALLY-MUST-see-this-play! It's a truly ludicrous farce, worthy of all effort put forth on my part to see it. Envisionimg it as I read was difficult because I've seen very few plays --- and those they were only non-professionl school plays. Also, there are several scenes of utter chaos in which I was hopelessly lost, trying to keep all the characters straight while remembering exactly how the stage was set up. In conclusion: I-have-to-see-this-play-because-I-almost-split-my-sides-with-laughter-as-I-read-it. Highly recommended!
April 23, 2019
4.5 Very enjoyable 鈥� Funny, political, dramatic, and profound. It was really a pleasure to read and I鈥檓 sure would be even better played out.
August 14, 2017
Entertaining read of the play and background story and changes to it. The growth and changes of the play from its initial failure in 1938 and its relaunch in the 1950s which was a massive success. Several things about the play changed and there were changes in the production that lightened it up. More recently were a few more changes that turned it into the movie and musical "Hello Dolly".
June 16, 2017
I really only knew this play from the much more popular musical version _Hello Dolly_. Because I don't care for musicals very much, I'm glad to say that this work is an enjoyable play in its own right. Wilder has backed away from the radical formal theatrical experimentation of _Our Town_ and _The Skin of our Teeth_; this is a much more conventional play in most ways: the sets are realistic, the cast stays fixed on the stage (not wandering out into the audience), and the action and plot are fairly straightforward (Wilder based this on a 19th-century German language play). Those things, of course, are _not_ entirely why I enjoyed reading the play (those who follow my reviews know that I appreciate absurdist theater very much, and also enjoy modernist/postmodernist experimentation). But there _are_ some unconventional things that Wilder maintains: first, there is the structure of the play, which is made up of FOUR acts (not three or two). Essentially these are four very long scenes, each taking place in a different locale; I suppose, when staging the play, the intermission would happen between the 2nd and 3rd acts. Second, Wilder continues to have his characters break the fourth wall and directly address the audience. In most cases this happens without the apparent knowledge of the other characters (so that these speeches could technically be considered soliloquies); however, the entire cast directly addresses the audience at the end in order to give the "moral" of the play. This device (the direct addresses to the audience) doesn't _entirely_ work, but is interesting. More importantly, the play is very funny, and contains some very nice satirical jabs at issues (mainly money/class issues) that are still relevant today. Much of what makes the play a "farce," besides the humorous dialogue, are cases of mistaken identity (and in once case, mistaken gender), which is an old trope that Wilder handles well. Like many stage comedies (particularly fast-moving ones), there are some issues of continuity that are problematic, but overall this is an enjoyable bit of theater.
October 20, 2011
The Matchmaker is about nothing but romance. How families do not always like that person you fall in love with got whatever reason. Mr. Vandergelder's niece, Ermengarde, falls in love with Ambrose, a poor artist. They both love each other dearly and want to run away and get married. Mr. Vandergelder would like her to marry a smart young seventeen year old named Barbany. Barbany doesn't even want to grasp the thought of already getting married, And tries to convince Mr. Vandergelder that but Mr. Vandergelder ALWAYS gets his way, he thinks he can control everything. He is in his own love triangle between Ms. Malloy and Mrs. Levi. Ms. Malloy only wants to get married for the money. Mr. Vandergelder finally realizes that you cannot help who you fall in love with and accepts his niece's decision to marry an artist.
Read
June 23, 2008Yuchh...I HATE farce! I read this as part of a trio of Thornton Wilder's plays. I'm glad I read it only because of the tremendous contrast it has with Our Town (great) and Skin of Our Teeth (still in progress, intriguing). I can't believe all three were written by the same guy. Anyone interested in writing have any ideas about that?
Er, I don't know what to rate this. As a farce, I suppose it was...well-constructed...even if I hated reading it...
Er, I don't know what to rate this. As a farce, I suppose it was...well-constructed...even if I hated reading it...
August 19, 2013
A good farce adapted from John Oxenford's 1835 one-act farce "A Day Well Spent" which had been extended into a full-length play entitled "Einen Jux will er sich machen" by Austrian playwright Johann Nestroy in 1842.
Some sentences are very funny, the most lovely character are the last to appear "Miss Flora Van Husen", the only defeat is that a lot of things happen in the same time which didn't presented in away that clear its funny and joyful atmosphere.
Some sentences are very funny, the most lovely character are the last to appear "Miss Flora Van Husen", the only defeat is that a lot of things happen in the same time which didn't presented in away that clear its funny and joyful atmosphere.
September 28, 2017
Reviewed in conjunction with and
Based on an Austrian play that drew its inspiration from a one-act play by John Oxenford, The Merchant of Yonkers would later be repurposed by Mr. Wilder as The Matchmaker, which would in turn inspire the most famous of the group, Hello Dolly. Decades later, the Austrian play would be loosely adapted by Tom Stoppard as On the Razzle.
Confused yet? Yeah, me too.
Having read everything but Nestroy鈥檚 Einen Jux will er sich machen (which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been translated into English), I think my favorite of these related plays (and musical) is The Matchmaker. Wilder鈥檚 addition of Dolly adds a great deal to the tale of a curmudgeonly shopkeeper looking for love. I also thought The Matchmaker鈥檚 ending stronger than The Merchant of Yonkers鈥檚. The two plays are remarkably similar until the last act, at which point The Matchmaker feels like a much-improved draft. The dialogue is snappier, the order more sensical, and Dolly鈥檚 closing monologue richer.
Hello, Dolly, in comparison, hits the ground running 鈥� both of Wilder鈥檚 productions spend too much time on the set up 鈥� but I found the resolution the weakest. Why the ending was streamlined from the humorous crossed wires of Wilder鈥檚 plays eludes me, as it would have played well with the musical鈥檚 overall tone.
One final note: It鈥檚 a shame the Barbra Streisand film is not better. The dance numbers, cinematography, and settings are gorgeous, and Streisand, despite being entirely too young for the role, has the talent to make the role sing (pun intended). Some of the casting decisions utterly derailed the production, particularly Walter Matthau as Cornelius. I generally like Matthau, but the age difference 鈥� and the decision to eliminate the longstanding friendship between Dolly and Horace 鈥� doesn鈥檛 reflect well on Dolly. In aging down Dolly, they needed to similarly age down Horace. James Garner would have been an excellent choice, as he could play the charming curmudgeon like nobody鈥檚 business.
Similarly, Irene needed a better comedienne, and it mystifies me why, when the 1960s had so many funny women, Fox opted for an unknown actress who seemed uncomfortable playing to the humor of the role.
In closing, now I really, really want to see Bette Midler play Dolly on Broadway. And I also think, in this age of remakes, bringing The Matchmaker to screen would not be the worst idea a studio could have.
So, yes, I do recommend reading all of these plays. It鈥檚 interesting to see how one idea and story can shift and change in the hands of different writers but also what remains throughout all of the iterations. Recommended.
Based on an Austrian play that drew its inspiration from a one-act play by John Oxenford, The Merchant of Yonkers would later be repurposed by Mr. Wilder as The Matchmaker, which would in turn inspire the most famous of the group, Hello Dolly. Decades later, the Austrian play would be loosely adapted by Tom Stoppard as On the Razzle.
Confused yet? Yeah, me too.
Having read everything but Nestroy鈥檚 Einen Jux will er sich machen (which, to the best of my knowledge, has not been translated into English), I think my favorite of these related plays (and musical) is The Matchmaker. Wilder鈥檚 addition of Dolly adds a great deal to the tale of a curmudgeonly shopkeeper looking for love. I also thought The Matchmaker鈥檚 ending stronger than The Merchant of Yonkers鈥檚. The two plays are remarkably similar until the last act, at which point The Matchmaker feels like a much-improved draft. The dialogue is snappier, the order more sensical, and Dolly鈥檚 closing monologue richer.
Hello, Dolly, in comparison, hits the ground running 鈥� both of Wilder鈥檚 productions spend too much time on the set up 鈥� but I found the resolution the weakest. Why the ending was streamlined from the humorous crossed wires of Wilder鈥檚 plays eludes me, as it would have played well with the musical鈥檚 overall tone.
One final note: It鈥檚 a shame the Barbra Streisand film is not better. The dance numbers, cinematography, and settings are gorgeous, and Streisand, despite being entirely too young for the role, has the talent to make the role sing (pun intended). Some of the casting decisions utterly derailed the production, particularly Walter Matthau as Cornelius. I generally like Matthau, but the age difference 鈥� and the decision to eliminate the longstanding friendship between Dolly and Horace 鈥� doesn鈥檛 reflect well on Dolly. In aging down Dolly, they needed to similarly age down Horace. James Garner would have been an excellent choice, as he could play the charming curmudgeon like nobody鈥檚 business.
Similarly, Irene needed a better comedienne, and it mystifies me why, when the 1960s had so many funny women, Fox opted for an unknown actress who seemed uncomfortable playing to the humor of the role.
In closing, now I really, really want to see Bette Midler play Dolly on Broadway. And I also think, in this age of remakes, bringing The Matchmaker to screen would not be the worst idea a studio could have.
So, yes, I do recommend reading all of these plays. It鈥檚 interesting to see how one idea and story can shift and change in the hands of different writers but also what remains throughout all of the iterations. Recommended.
February 14, 2024
What is it about authority figures that causes the world to touch their forelock respectfully? Writers have less cause than many people to be in awe of managers and senior businessmen, and yet such figures are still given a sympathetic hearing in most fiction.
Even when a businessman is vain, egotistical, bad-tempered, selfish or downright ruthless, the author will somehow soften his/her stance, and make allowances for the flaws of those who have attained the top of the hierarchy. Perhaps on some level, most of the population continue to somehow feel that a manager has attained their high position due to some degree of superiority to the rest of us.
In Thornton Wilder鈥檚 play The Matchmaker, that businessman is Horace Vandergelder. He is irascible, domineering and loud, but certainly no villain 鈥� merely the authoritative family member who stands between the lovers, and needs to be won over.
Vangelder wishes to prevent his mousy niece Ermengarde from marrying Ambrose Kemper on the grounds that Ambrose is an artist and has no fixed income. He plans to send Ermengarde to stay with Flora Van Husen, a friend of his late wife. However Ambrose discovers this plan, and hopes to persuade the timid Ermengarde to elope.
They are helped by another friend of the late Mrs Vandergelder. This is Dolly Gallagher Levi, the matchmaker of the title. She wishes to help the lovers. However her matchmaking is not just confined to helping others.
Aware that Vangelder wants to remarry for selfish reasons, Mrs Levi has agreed to find him a spouse. However her real intention is to marry him herself. She also is looking for a marriage of convenience. The leading romance of the play is therefore a cynical one about older widowed people who are willing to settle for comfort, rather than love.
There is also a sub-plot involving a couple of Vangelder鈥檚 employees, who decide to skip work, and unwisely head for New York, the same location as their employer. Naturally the large city proves to be a small world indeed, and the three groups of people will soon cross one another.
What follows is essentially farcical humour with no real substance, but it is certainly amusing enough. It was good enough to provide the material for the musical, Hello Dolly.
There are no serious themes on display here, and this is not really a work of literature. Viewed as a source of entertainment, the play works well on this level.
Even when a businessman is vain, egotistical, bad-tempered, selfish or downright ruthless, the author will somehow soften his/her stance, and make allowances for the flaws of those who have attained the top of the hierarchy. Perhaps on some level, most of the population continue to somehow feel that a manager has attained their high position due to some degree of superiority to the rest of us.
In Thornton Wilder鈥檚 play The Matchmaker, that businessman is Horace Vandergelder. He is irascible, domineering and loud, but certainly no villain 鈥� merely the authoritative family member who stands between the lovers, and needs to be won over.
Vangelder wishes to prevent his mousy niece Ermengarde from marrying Ambrose Kemper on the grounds that Ambrose is an artist and has no fixed income. He plans to send Ermengarde to stay with Flora Van Husen, a friend of his late wife. However Ambrose discovers this plan, and hopes to persuade the timid Ermengarde to elope.
They are helped by another friend of the late Mrs Vandergelder. This is Dolly Gallagher Levi, the matchmaker of the title. She wishes to help the lovers. However her matchmaking is not just confined to helping others.
Aware that Vangelder wants to remarry for selfish reasons, Mrs Levi has agreed to find him a spouse. However her real intention is to marry him herself. She also is looking for a marriage of convenience. The leading romance of the play is therefore a cynical one about older widowed people who are willing to settle for comfort, rather than love.
There is also a sub-plot involving a couple of Vangelder鈥檚 employees, who decide to skip work, and unwisely head for New York, the same location as their employer. Naturally the large city proves to be a small world indeed, and the three groups of people will soon cross one another.
What follows is essentially farcical humour with no real substance, but it is certainly amusing enough. It was good enough to provide the material for the musical, Hello Dolly.
There are no serious themes on display here, and this is not really a work of literature. Viewed as a source of entertainment, the play works well on this level.
October 15, 2021
This is a wonderful little comedy and romantic farce that deserves to be better known, though I suppose it is indirectly, since it was the basis for the musical 鈥楬ello, Dolly!鈥� There are such great characters here, including Dolly Levi of course, and Wilder鈥檚 craftsmanship in the play鈥檚 structure and his humor are on full display. 鈥楾he Matchmaker鈥� is clever and charming, and yet also manages to get in some commentary on love, the pursuit of happiness, and the role of money in those things. It鈥檚 a play that encourages 鈥渢he aspirations of the young (and not only of the young) for a fuller, freer participation in life,鈥� as Wilder himself put it, and it does so in the gentlest of ways. Very nice, and would be great to see performed.
Quotes:
On inherited wealth:
鈥淭he law is there to protect property, but 鈥� sure, the law doesn鈥檛 care whether a property owner deserves his property or not, and the law has to be corrected. There are several thousands of people in this country engaged in correcting the law. For a while, I too was engaged in the redistribution of superfluities. A man works all his life and leaves a million to his widow. She sits in hotels and eats great meals and plays cards all afternoon and evening, with ten diamonds on her fingers. Call in the robbers! Call in the robbers!鈥�
On love, and trying to block it:
Vandergelder: 鈥淪he鈥檚 trying to run away with a good-for-nothing and we鈥檙e preventing it.鈥�
Cabman: 鈥淥h, I know them, sir. They鈥檒l win in the end. Rivers don鈥檛 run uphill.鈥�
On money:
鈥淵es, we鈥檙e all fools and we鈥檙e all in danger of destroying the world with our folly. But the surest way to keep us out of harm is to give us the four or five human pleasures that are our right in the world,- and that takes a little money!
The difference between a little money and no money at all is enormous 鈥� and can shatter the world. And the difference between a little money and an enormous amount of money is very slight 鈥� and that, also, can shatter the world.
Money, I鈥檝e always felt, money 鈥� pardon my expression 鈥� is like manure; it鈥檚 not worth a thing unless it鈥檚 spread about encouraging young things to grow.鈥�
On solitude:
鈥淭here comes a moment in everybody鈥檚 life when he must decide whether he鈥檒l live among human beings or not 鈥� a fool among fools or a fool alone.鈥�
Quotes:
On inherited wealth:
鈥淭he law is there to protect property, but 鈥� sure, the law doesn鈥檛 care whether a property owner deserves his property or not, and the law has to be corrected. There are several thousands of people in this country engaged in correcting the law. For a while, I too was engaged in the redistribution of superfluities. A man works all his life and leaves a million to his widow. She sits in hotels and eats great meals and plays cards all afternoon and evening, with ten diamonds on her fingers. Call in the robbers! Call in the robbers!鈥�
On love, and trying to block it:
Vandergelder: 鈥淪he鈥檚 trying to run away with a good-for-nothing and we鈥檙e preventing it.鈥�
Cabman: 鈥淥h, I know them, sir. They鈥檒l win in the end. Rivers don鈥檛 run uphill.鈥�
On money:
鈥淵es, we鈥檙e all fools and we鈥檙e all in danger of destroying the world with our folly. But the surest way to keep us out of harm is to give us the four or five human pleasures that are our right in the world,- and that takes a little money!
The difference between a little money and no money at all is enormous 鈥� and can shatter the world. And the difference between a little money and an enormous amount of money is very slight 鈥� and that, also, can shatter the world.
Money, I鈥檝e always felt, money 鈥� pardon my expression 鈥� is like manure; it鈥檚 not worth a thing unless it鈥檚 spread about encouraging young things to grow.鈥�
On solitude:
鈥淭here comes a moment in everybody鈥檚 life when he must decide whether he鈥檒l live among human beings or not 鈥� a fool among fools or a fool alone.鈥�
October 18, 2021
I am continuing my dive through the plays that once belonged to my parents, former theatre nerds and aspiring stage actors, and the most interesting part is discovering that a lot of these plays (even ones I鈥檝e never heard of) have been Broadway hits or even Hollywood Oscar winners (see: Butterflies are Free).
The Matchmaker has a long and winding history in theatre and film- in 1938 it was published as a re-write of several earlier (1835, 1842, 1938) comedies, under the title 鈥淭he Merchant of Yonkers鈥�. In 1954, the director Tyrone Guthrie (he of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, as well as founder of Ontario鈥檚 Stratford Shakespeare festival) wanted to do a theatrical run, and so Wilder rejigged it under the name 鈥淭he Matchmaker鈥�. The play was performed with Ruth Gordon (Oscar winner for Rosemary鈥檚 Baby) in a main role, which won her a Best Actress Tony nomination and Guthrie a Best Director Tony. The play was turned into a movie in 1958, starring Anthony Perkins and Shirley MacLaine. In 1964, the play was rejigged as a musical and retitled 鈥淗ello Dolly鈥�; Carol Channing performed in that theatre run. Finally, in 1969 it become a Barbra Streisand film under the Hello Dolly moniker!
The plot is classic screwball comedy, with outrageous and bumbling characters being drawn into coincidental encounters. Horace Vandergelder, a miserly and cranky (but rich!) Yonkers businessman has set his sights on remarriage to Mrs Molloy, a New York hat shop owner, and he is off to the city to woo her. Vandergelder鈥檚 two clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, are itching to get away from their boss for a night, and are also headed to the Big City to have an adventure. Vandergelder鈥檚 niece, Ermengarde, wants to marry her penniless artist beau, Ambrose Kemper, but lacks the courage to defy her uncle鈥檚 wishes- the two of them are headed to New York to maybe make a break for it. Finally we have Dolly Gallagher Levi, a widowed matchmaker, who is also heading to New York, all the time pulling strings that will result in happiness and marriages all around.
This was a light, fun read- I can see why it kept getting updated for the times. Now I just need to find out which streaming service carries the Streisand movie鈥�
The Matchmaker has a long and winding history in theatre and film- in 1938 it was published as a re-write of several earlier (1835, 1842, 1938) comedies, under the title 鈥淭he Merchant of Yonkers鈥�. In 1954, the director Tyrone Guthrie (he of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, as well as founder of Ontario鈥檚 Stratford Shakespeare festival) wanted to do a theatrical run, and so Wilder rejigged it under the name 鈥淭he Matchmaker鈥�. The play was performed with Ruth Gordon (Oscar winner for Rosemary鈥檚 Baby) in a main role, which won her a Best Actress Tony nomination and Guthrie a Best Director Tony. The play was turned into a movie in 1958, starring Anthony Perkins and Shirley MacLaine. In 1964, the play was rejigged as a musical and retitled 鈥淗ello Dolly鈥�; Carol Channing performed in that theatre run. Finally, in 1969 it become a Barbra Streisand film under the Hello Dolly moniker!
The plot is classic screwball comedy, with outrageous and bumbling characters being drawn into coincidental encounters. Horace Vandergelder, a miserly and cranky (but rich!) Yonkers businessman has set his sights on remarriage to Mrs Molloy, a New York hat shop owner, and he is off to the city to woo her. Vandergelder鈥檚 two clerks, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker, are itching to get away from their boss for a night, and are also headed to the Big City to have an adventure. Vandergelder鈥檚 niece, Ermengarde, wants to marry her penniless artist beau, Ambrose Kemper, but lacks the courage to defy her uncle鈥檚 wishes- the two of them are headed to New York to maybe make a break for it. Finally we have Dolly Gallagher Levi, a widowed matchmaker, who is also heading to New York, all the time pulling strings that will result in happiness and marriages all around.
This was a light, fun read- I can see why it kept getting updated for the times. Now I just need to find out which streaming service carries the Streisand movie鈥�
May 26, 2017
The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder is a ribald farce that follows Cornelius and Barnaby as they rebel against their strict boss, Mr. Vandergelder, to go on an adventure and won't go home until they've kissed a girl! (Wait... that reminds me of Wall-E for some reason).
There's some social commentary on the issues with the upper wealthier class and gives a good moral on living an exciting life, all through some spot-on comedy and classic farce elements from older plays. It lends itself to some witty remarks, humorous moments of wisdom, and plenty of wacky situations that the likeable Cornelius and Barnaby keep getting stuck in. It's well-paced and well-written... well not entirely.
I do think that the ending was a bit too quick to my liking. The strings are too quickly tied, with some quick hand waves, and the moral is very obviously spelled out at the end too. The story is also a little predictable, but I think that's evened out by the comedy being as good as it is. However, some of the comedic beats are a bit dated, like Barnaby exclaiming, "Holy cabooses!" but it's more adorable and charming rather than cheesy.
I still think The Matchmaker is one of Thornton Wilder's better plays and one of the better farces you'll find out there in the vast library of farces. It's a definite recommend from me.
There's some social commentary on the issues with the upper wealthier class and gives a good moral on living an exciting life, all through some spot-on comedy and classic farce elements from older plays. It lends itself to some witty remarks, humorous moments of wisdom, and plenty of wacky situations that the likeable Cornelius and Barnaby keep getting stuck in. It's well-paced and well-written... well not entirely.
I do think that the ending was a bit too quick to my liking. The strings are too quickly tied, with some quick hand waves, and the moral is very obviously spelled out at the end too. The story is also a little predictable, but I think that's evened out by the comedy being as good as it is. However, some of the comedic beats are a bit dated, like Barnaby exclaiming, "Holy cabooses!" but it's more adorable and charming rather than cheesy.
I still think The Matchmaker is one of Thornton Wilder's better plays and one of the better farces you'll find out there in the vast library of farces. It's a definite recommend from me.
October 20, 2021
螘谓蟿蔚位蠋蟼 未喂伪蠁慰蟻蔚蟿喂魏蠈 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 维位位伪 未蠉慰 胃蔚伪蟿蟻喂魏维 苇蟻纬伪 蟿慰蠀 螕慰蠀维喂位谓蟿蔚蟻, 蟿慰 Matchmaker 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼 螡蟿蠈位喂 螞苇尾喂 蟺慰蠀 蔚谓蠋 伪蟻蠂喂魏维 蔚渭蠁伪谓委味蔚蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 蟺蟻慰尉蔚谓萎蟿蟻伪, 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇谓蟻蔚喂 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 畏 委未喂伪 畏 谓蠉蠁畏 魏伪喂 谓伪 蟺伪谓蟿蟻蔚蠀蟿蔚委 蟿慰谓 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰 魏蠉蟻喂慰 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻. 螠喂伪 尉蔚魏伪蟻未喂蟽蟿喂魏萎 魏蠅渭蠅未委伪 渭蔚 蔚魏蟺位畏魏蟿喂魏苇蟼 伪蟿维魏蔚蟼 蠈蟺蠅蟼 篓蟿慰 渭苇位位慰谓 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 蟺喂慰 伪魏蟻喂尾萎 蟺慰位蠀蟿苇位蔚喂伪 蟺慰蠀 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委蟼 谓伪 蠁伪谓蟿伪蟽蟿蔚委蟼篓魏伪喂 篓慰 纬维渭慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 畏 未蠅蟻慰未慰魏委伪 纬喂伪 谓伪 魏维谓蔚喂蟼 渭喂伪 蠀蟺畏蟻苇蟿蟻喂伪 谓伪 纬委谓蔚喂 谓慰喂魏慰魏蠀蟻维篓.
螚 螡蟿蠈位喂, 慰 魏蠉蟻喂慰蟼 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻, 畏 伪谓喂蠄喂维 蟿慰蠀, 慰 蔚蟻伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼, 慰喂 蠀蟺维位位畏位慰喂 蟿慰蠀 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰蠀 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻, 渭喂伪 苇渭蟺慰蟻慰蟼 魏伪蟺苇位蠅谓 魏伪喂 畏 尾慰畏胃蠈蟼 蟿畏蟼 尾蟻委蟽魏慰谓蟿伪喂 蠈位慰喂 渭伪味委 蟽蟿畏 螡苇伪 违蠈蟻魏畏 魏伪喂 味慰蠀谓 渭喂伪 蠀蟺苇蟻慰蠂畏 蠁维蟻蟽伪.
螤维谓蠅 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰蠀 螛蠈蟻谓蟿慰谓 螕慰蠀维喂位谓蟿蔚蟻 尾伪蟽委蟽蟿畏魏蔚 伪蟻纬蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰 纬谓蠅蟽蟿蠈 渭伪蟼 篓Hallo Dolly篓蟺慰蠀 蟺伪委蠂蟿畏魏蔚 伪蟻蠂喂魏维 蟽蟿慰 螠蟺蟻蠈谓蟿纬慰蠀蔚喂 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 苇纬喂谓蔚 蟿伪喂谓委伪 渭蔚 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓喂蟽蟿苇蟼 蟿畏谓 螠蟺维蟻渭蟺伪蟻伪 危蟿蟻苇喂味伪谓蟿 蠅蟼 螡蟿蠈位喂 螞苇尾喂 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 螕慰蠀蠈位蟿蔚蟻 螠伪蟿维慰蠀 蠅蟼 魏蠉蟻喂慰 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻.
螚 螡蟿蠈位喂, 慰 魏蠉蟻喂慰蟼 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻, 畏 伪谓喂蠄喂维 蟿慰蠀, 慰 蔚蟻伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿畏蟼, 慰喂 蠀蟺维位位畏位慰喂 蟿慰蠀 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰蠀 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻, 渭喂伪 苇渭蟺慰蟻慰蟼 魏伪蟺苇位蠅谓 魏伪喂 畏 尾慰畏胃蠈蟼 蟿畏蟼 尾蟻委蟽魏慰谓蟿伪喂 蠈位慰喂 渭伪味委 蟽蟿畏 螡苇伪 违蠈蟻魏畏 魏伪喂 味慰蠀谓 渭喂伪 蠀蟺苇蟻慰蠂畏 蠁维蟻蟽伪.
螤维谓蠅 蟽蔚 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 蟿慰蠀 螛蠈蟻谓蟿慰谓 螕慰蠀维喂位谓蟿蔚蟻 尾伪蟽委蟽蟿畏魏蔚 伪蟻纬蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蟿慰 纬谓蠅蟽蟿蠈 渭伪蟼 篓Hallo Dolly篓蟺慰蠀 蟺伪委蠂蟿畏魏蔚 伪蟻蠂喂魏维 蟽蟿慰 螠蟺蟻蠈谓蟿纬慰蠀蔚喂 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 苇纬喂谓蔚 蟿伪喂谓委伪 渭蔚 蟺蟻蠅蟿伪纬蠅谓喂蟽蟿苇蟼 蟿畏谓 螠蟺维蟻渭蟺伪蟻伪 危蟿蟻苇喂味伪谓蟿 蠅蟼 螡蟿蠈位喂 螞苇尾喂 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 螕慰蠀蠈位蟿蔚蟻 螠伪蟿维慰蠀 蠅蟼 魏蠉蟻喂慰 螔维谓蟿蔚蟻纬魏蔚位谓蟿蔚蟻.
May 6, 2022
I know and love Hello, Dolly!, so I was glad to read the play on which it is based. I find it hard to read farce and appreciate how funny it is; so much of the comedy seems dependent on pace, inflection, and stage action. But much (if not all) of the humor comes through on the page.
Some of my pleasure also came from seeing how the musical picked up on moments in the play--not just the plot but also the themes. For example, when reading Dolly's monologue in Act IV, in which she compares the life she lived after Ephraim's death to a preserved oak leaf, dry and colorless, and how she realized that she needed to rejoin the human race in spirit, I could hear "Before the Parade Passes By," as well as one of Dolly's solos in the title song ("I was away from the lights of 14th St., and into my personal haze . . . ."). The bones of this play are really good, and I'd like to see it performed.
Some of my pleasure also came from seeing how the musical picked up on moments in the play--not just the plot but also the themes. For example, when reading Dolly's monologue in Act IV, in which she compares the life she lived after Ephraim's death to a preserved oak leaf, dry and colorless, and how she realized that she needed to rejoin the human race in spirit, I could hear "Before the Parade Passes By," as well as one of Dolly's solos in the title song ("I was away from the lights of 14th St., and into my personal haze . . . ."). The bones of this play are really good, and I'd like to see it performed.
April 11, 2024
My third Thornton Wilder play in a row. I think this was my least favorite to read, but only because the actions seem so much more important live. This play is a comedy, and it would be better to see actually on stage. Mrs. Levi did have some interesting things to say about marriage and money and the adventures of our lives at the end though. Overall, I really do enjoy Thornton Wilder. This review sums him up nicely: "Thornton Wilder will survive... as long as there are people around who are willing to sit in something called a theater and be reminded of their common humanity."
August 10, 2017
7 men, 7 women
Delightful, well-written play. Set in 1880 NYC and Yonkers, Not nearly as dated as I expected it to be.
The set build itself doesn't look overly challenging, although one set has a trapdoor. Written in 4 acts, possible loss of continuity because of set changes (office to hat shop, intermission, then restaurant to spinster's house).
Good, even tempo, leading to a satisfying conclusion.
Delightful, well-written play. Set in 1880 NYC and Yonkers, Not nearly as dated as I expected it to be.
The set build itself doesn't look overly challenging, although one set has a trapdoor. Written in 4 acts, possible loss of continuity because of set changes (office to hat shop, intermission, then restaurant to spinster's house).
Good, even tempo, leading to a satisfying conclusion.
August 15, 2017
I thought for sure I had read this back in my college theatre lecture, but no. I'm thinking now that I must never have seen Hello Dolly, either. Huh.
Well, it's a farce, and highly dependent on a bygone place and time. My imagination is not up to the challenge of visualizing all that lurking and cross-dressing and eye-rolling, but I guess it killed 'em back in the day. Ah, well, I bounced off of Our Town too; I suppose I'm just not a Wilder fan.
Well, it's a farce, and highly dependent on a bygone place and time. My imagination is not up to the challenge of visualizing all that lurking and cross-dressing and eye-rolling, but I guess it killed 'em back in the day. Ah, well, I bounced off of Our Town too; I suppose I'm just not a Wilder fan.
April 18, 2018
亘爻賷胤丞 噩丿賸丕貙貙 賷鬲丨丿孬 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 毓賳 卮禺氐 亘禺賷賱 噩丿賸丕 鬲胤乇兀 毓賱賶 亘丕賱賴 賮賰乇丞 丕賱夭賵丕噩 賲賳 丕賲乇兀丞 賲丿亘乇丞 賱賰賷 賷鬲禺賱氐 賲賳 賳賮賯丕鬲 丕賱禺丕丿賲丞 賵毓丿賲 賲爻丐賵賱賷鬲賴丕 賮賷 丕賱賲氐丕乇賷賮貙 賮賷鬲賵噩賴 廿賱賶 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞貙 賵丕賱鬲賷 賴賷 兀乇賲賱丞貙 賮鬲賯鬲乇丨 毓賱賷賴 廿丨丿丕賴賳貙 賵賱賰賳 鬲賮胤賳 丕賱禺丕胤亘丞 亘兀賳賴丕 鬲賯賵賲 亘禺胤亘丞 賵鬲夭賵賷噩 丕賱賳丕爻 賮賷賲丕 賴賷 賲丕 鬲夭丕賱 賵丨賷丿丞 亘毓丿 賵賮丕丞 夭賵噩賴丕貙 乇睾賲 賯氐乇 丕賱賲爻乇丨賷丞 賱賰賳賴丕 鬲丨鬲賵賷 毓賱賶 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賲毓丕賳賷 賲賳賴丕 廿賳 丕賱丕賳爻丕賳 賷爻毓賶 廿賱賶 丨賱賵賱 賱鬲賮丕丿賷 丕賱禺爻丕卅乇 賮賷賯毓 賮賷 禺爻丕卅乇 兀賰亘乇 賵兀毓馗賲 賲賳賴丕!!
賯乇丕亍丞 賲賲鬲毓丞
賯乇丕亍丞 賲賲鬲毓丞
May 14, 2018
It's weird that the musical based off this play is more compelling then the play. Thornton Wilder's work is wordy. Lacking wit. Shallow, even callous. I don't by Vandergelder's unmotivated turn at the end, nor the creation of superfluous characters like Malachi and Van Huysen. Watch Hello Dolly, the characters are better, it's funnier, and not as uneven as this play.
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