The Blue Room (play)

The Blue Room (play). A 1998 theatrical adaptation by David Hare of Arthur Schnitzler's controversial 1897 play Reigen, famously known as La Ronde. The work is a series of ten intimate scenes, each depicting a sexual encounter between two characters, with one character from each scene carrying over to the next, forming a daisy-chain narrative. Its 1998 London premiere, directed by Sam Mendes and starring Nicole Kidman and Iain Glen, became a major cultural event, noted for its stylized staging and provocative themes of desire, class, and transactional relationships in modern society.

Background and inspiration

The play is a direct adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's seminal Viennese work Reigen, which was initially circulated privately and later caused public scandal upon its first staged performance in Berlin in 1920. Schnitzler, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud, explored the psychology of sexual impulse and social hypocrisy in Fin de siècle Vienna. David Hare transposed the setting from pre-World War I Vienna to an unnamed, modern metropolis, updating the social and political subtext while retaining the original's circular structure. Hare's intention was to examine contemporary mores through Schnitzler's clinical, episodic framework, stripping away the romanticism often associated with theatrical love stories. The project was developed for the Donmar Warehouse under the artistic direction of Sam Mendes.

Plot and characters

The narrative follows a daisy-chain of ten scenes, each featuring a different pair of characters engaged in a sexual liaison. The sequence begins with The Girl and The Cab Driver, progresses through links such as The Cab Driver and The Au Pair, The Au Pair and The Student, and culminates with The Politician and The Model, before the final encounter between The Model and The Aristocrat circles back to the beginning's themes. Each character is defined by their profession or social type—such as The Playwright, The Journalist, and The Doctor—highlighting the intersections of power, ambition, and vulnerability across different strata of society. The dialogue is sparse and often transactional, emphasizing the fleeting, sometimes cynical nature of the connections within the anonymous, urban environment of the play.

Theatrical production and staging

The original 1998 production at the Donmar Warehouse was directed by Sam Mendes and featured a minimalist, fluid set design by Mark Thompson. The staging was highly stylized, utilizing a revolve and strategic lighting to denote scene transitions, with the two actors—Nicole Kidman and Iain Glen—playing all five male and five female roles successively. This demanding performance required rapid costume changes and shifts in physicality, emphasizing the thematic universality of the encounters. The production later transferred to the Cort Theatre on Broadway, where it maintained its notoriety. A key element of its publicity was a famously suggestive review by *The Daily Telegraph* critic Charles Spencer regarding Kidman's stage presence.

Critical reception and legacy

Upon its premiere, the production received polarized reviews, with much commentary focused on the celebrity of Nicole Kidman and a perceived sensationalism. However, many critics praised the disciplined performances, Sam Mendes's precise direction, and Hare's sharp, modern dialogue. The play was analyzed for its commentary on the AIDS era and the commodification of intimacy. It won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play and contributed to the resurgence of interest in Arthur Schnitzler's work in the late 20th century. The production is historically significant for cementing the Donmar Warehouse's reputation for bold, actor-driven theatre and is often cited in studies of theatrical adaptation and fin-de-siècle themes in contemporary drama.

Adaptations and cultural impact

While The Blue Room itself is an adaptation, its success influenced subsequent stagings of Reigen and works exploring similar structural and thematic territory. The play has been revived internationally, including productions at the Sydney Theatre Company and in Europe. Its most direct cultural impact was in popularizing Schnitzler's circular narrative for modern audiences, paralleling other adaptations like Max Ophüls's 1950 film La Ronde. The production's association with Nicole Kidman also marked a significant moment in the crossover of Hollywood film stars to the West End and Broadway, influencing casting trends in commercial theatre. The text is frequently studied in academic contexts concerning Hare's oeuvre, theatrical modernism, and the depiction of sexuality on stage.

Category:1998 plays Category:Plays by David Hare Category:Adaptations of works by Arthur Schnitzler Category:Donmar Warehouse productions