Leda Had a Little Swan
| Leda Had a Little Swan | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Bamber Gascoigne |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | London |
| Premiere | |
| Date premiered | 29 March 1968 (preview), never officially opened |
| Place premiered | Cort Theatre, 138 W. 48th St., New York, US |
Leda Had a Little Swan is a 1968 play written by Bamber Gascoigne.[1][2] It never officially opened. The work, which included references to bestiality, and sexual relations between parents and their children, had not received a licence to perform in London. However, Broadway producer Claire Nichtern took up the play for staging at the Cort Theatre, New York, under the direction of André Gregory. The cast included Severn Darden, Michael J. Pollard, Joan Darling, Fred Stewart, John Pleshette, Paul Benedict, Seth Allen, and Maxine Green.[3][4] Nichtern cancelled the production on the day before opening, after fourteen previews.[5][6][7]
The play was pilloried in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway, which described "spluttering outrage ... and scuffles in the lobby" during its short run of public previews.[8]
Playtext
The play was never published, but the New York Public Library holds a copy of the working playtext.[1]
References
- ^ a b OCLC 44110879
- ^ Leda Had a Little Swan at Playbill Archived July 7, 2015, at the Wayback Machine accessed 16 June 2013
- ^ Sullivan, Dan (11 April 1968). "' Leda' Closes After Its Final Preview". The New York Times.
- ^ "Leda Had A Little Swan". findingaids.uflib.ufl.edu. University of Florida.
- ^ "Journal". ASTR Newsletter. Princeton, N.J.: American Society for Theatre Research. May 1968. p. 4.
- ^ "Leda Had A Little Swan". George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Leda Had a Little Swan". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ Goldman, William (1984). The season : a candid look at Broadway (1st Limelight ed.). New York: Limelight Editions. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-87910-023-0.
A singular horror…a comedy about bestiality set in the future