The Stillborn Lover

The Stillborn Lover is a theatrical play by Timothy Findley, first staged in 1993.[1] Based in part on the true stories of Canadian diplomats E. Herbert Norman and John Watkins,[2] the story centres on Harry Raymond, a Canadian diplomat who is being questioned after he is accused of involvement in the murder of a young man.[3]

Plot

Harry Raymond, Canada's ambassador in Moscow, and his wife Marianne, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's-related dementia, are summoned back to Ottawa by Michael Riordan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, where Raymond is interrogated by Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers Daniel Jackman and Greg Mahavolitch, and defended by his lawyer daughter Diana Marsden.[4] Riordan is planning to run for the leadership of his political party following the recent announcement that incumbent Prime Minister Prescott is stepping down due to poor health; both he and his wife Juliet are anxious to avoid any taint of scandal that may ruin his path to the Prime Ministership, but the investigation takes a turn when Raymond reveals both that he is gay and that he knows the secrets that may bring Riordan's career down as well.[3]

Production history

The play had its theatrical premiere at London, Ontario's Grand Theatre in March 1993,[1] before moving to Ottawa at the end of April for staging at the National Arts Centre.[2] The original cast included William Hutt as Harry Raymond, Donald Davis as Michael Riordan, Martha Henry as Marianne Raymond, Patricia Collins as Juliet Riordan, Kate Trotter as Diana Marsden, Hardee T. Lineham as Daniel Jackman and Michael McManus as Greg Mahavolitch.[1]

The play had its Toronto premiere at Theatre Passe Muraille in 1995 under the direction of Baņuta Rubess.[5] The Passe Muraille cast included David Fox as Harry Raymond, Marion Gilsenan as Marion Raymond, Guy Bannerman as Michael Riordan, Kate Lynch as Juliet Riordan, Sarah Orenstein as Diana Marsden, Michael Hanrahan as Daniel Jackman and Adrian Hough as Greg Mahavolitch.[6] Following this production, the play was one of the winners of the Floyd S. Chalmers Canadian Play Award in 1996.[7]

At the Stratford Festival in 1995, Hutt, Henry and Collins reprised their roles from the original Grand Theatre/NAC production, while James Blendick performed the role of Michael Riordan, Martha Burns played Diana Marsden, Peter Donaldson played Daniel Jackman and Paul Haddad played Greg Mahavolitch.[8]

The play received its first American production at the Berkshire Theatre Festival in 2003, with its cast including Richard Chamberlain as Harry Raymond, Keir Dullea as Michael Riordan, Lois Nettleton as Marianne Raymond, Jessica Walter as Juliet Riordan, and Jennifer Van Dyck as Diana Marsden.[9]

Accolades

The play won the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Play in 1994, the only time in the entire history of the awards that the Crime Writers of Canada ever presented an award in that category.[10]

External Affairs

The play was adapted as a television film under the title External Affairs.[11] The film, which aired on CBC Television in 1999, starred Victor Garber as Henry Raymond, Kenneth Welsh as Michael Riordan, Louise Marleau as Marianne Raymond, Domini Blythe as Sylvia (renamed from Juliet) Riordan, Kate Greenhouse as Diana Marsden, Henry Czerny as Daniel Jackman and Mark Lutz as Greg Mahavolitch.[11]

References
  1. "Theatre Review: The Stillborn Lover". The Globe and Mail, March 29, 1993.
  2. "The stage lures back one of its own: Timothy Findley". Ottawa Citizen, April 29, 1993.
  3. "Stars add depth to intriguing new drama". Toronto Star, March 29, 1993.
  4. "Findley is simply superb: Stillborn Lover has rich themes and a stellar cast". Waterloo Region Record, March 29, 1993.
  5. "Theatre Review: The Stillborn Lover". The Globe and Mail, January 19, 1995.
  6. "Passe Muraille triumphs with The Stillborn Lover". Hamilton Spectator, February 4, 1995.
  7. "Chalmers Awards honor excellence in the arts". Waterloo Region Record, May 14, 1996.
  8. "Theatre Review: The Stillborn Lover". The Globe and Mail, August 7, 1995.
  9. "Bold 'Stillborn Lover' a play of timely ideas". Hartford Courant, July 12, 2003.
  10. Val Ross, "Atwood, Findley win literary awards". The Globe and Mail, June 2, 1994.
  11. "On set: External Affairs". Playback, December 14, 1998.
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