Ryga & Simon

[James Hoffman]

Frank,
This was a production of Rita Joe that was staged in Washington, DC, in May
1973. It again featured Chief Dan George and Frances Hyland in the leading
roles, but many other roles were played by Americans--and it was directed
by an American. The Washington Post liked it, but it was Julius Novick (not
Simon) in the NY Times who made the infamous quote you're thinking of:
"'Canadian Playwright.' The words seem a little incongruous together, like
'Panamanian hockey-player,' almost, or 'Lebanese fur-trapper.'" The fuller
quote is on page 240 of my bio of George.
Best wishes,
Jim


At 03:05 PM 3/12/00 -0800, Frank Moher wrote:
>For an article I'm working on, can anyone (Jim Hoffman?) provide me with
>John Simon's infamous sneer at the idea of Canadian playwriting, at the
>time that "Ecstasy of Rita Joe" was taken to the States? (Something like
>"The term Canadian playwright sounds like the term Liberian shipbuilder.")
>And does anyone know which production of "Rita Joe" it was that toured to
>the U.S., and where it played?
>
>With thanks,
>
>Frank Moher
>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. James Hoffman, Professor, Theatre
University College of the Cariboo
P.O. Box 3010, Kamloops, British Columbia
Canada, V2C 5N3
Voice 250-828-5315, Fax 250-371-5697
www.cariboo.bc.ca/ae/vpa/jhoffman/home.htm