Tom & Viv (play)
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| Tom & Viv | |
|---|---|
.gif) Flyer for original production | |
| Written by | Michael Hastings |
| Date premiered | 1984 |
| Place premiered | Royal Court Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Period/Biographical |
| Setting | England |
| [Tom and Viv Official site] | |
Tom & Viv is a play written by English playwright Michael Hastings. The play is based on the real lives of T. S. Eliot and his wife Vivienne Haigh-Wood Eliot.[1]
To write the play, Hastings spent many months conducting interviews with friends and family of the Eliots who were still alive and reading through the letters left behind by the family. The play generated controversy for depicting T.S. Eliot in a less than flattering light regarding his treatment of his wife during her poor health.
The play starts with the courtship between Eliot and Vivienne Haigh-Wood in 1914 and ends with their separation in 1933, followed by Vivienne's gradual mental health decline until her death in 1947. The play also follows the early career of T.S. Eliot, the death of Vivienne's father, and how her mother Rose dealt with her daughter's failing marriage and mental health.
Historical casting
Performance history
The play premiered in 1984 at the Royal Court Theatre. The same cast, except for Wilkinson who was replaced by Edward Herrmann, traveled to New York and the play was staged at The Public Theater. The play did not transfer to Broadway, and instead returned to London for a short run.[1]
In 2006, the first major revival was staged at the Almeida Theatre in London starring Frances O'Connor, Will Keen, and Anna Carteret.[2]
In 2010, a production was staged at Wadham College in Oxford.[3]
