Filumena
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By Eduardo De Filippo
Adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli
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Lyric Theatre, London August 1978 - July 1979
USA: Shubert Theatre, Boston 19th December 1979 - 6th January 1980
Morris A Mechanic Theatre, Baltimore 8th - 27th January 1980
St James Theatre, New York - Opened 10th February 1980
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Filumena opened on the 2nd of November 1977 with Colin Blakely in the role of Domeico Soriano. Frank took over in August 1978 and continued in the production until it closed in July 1979. The play was a big success running for over 700 performances. It won Comedy of The Year in the Society of West End Theatre Awards (now the Laurence Olivier Awards), Joan Plowright won Best Actress and Patricia Hayes was nominated as Best Supporting Actress.
Frank and Joan Plowright had previously appeared, again as husband and wife, in the highly successful National Theatre production of another De Filippo play Saturday, Sunday, Monday (1973), also directed by Franco Zeffirelli.
There were several changes of cast whilst Frank was in the production - Patricia Hayes re-joined and Barbara Jefford took over from Joan Plowright from March to June 1979 with Joan returning for the end of the run.
Frank and Joan then took the play to America where it played in Boston and Baltimore before opening on Broadway on the 10th of February 1980.
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London
Frank Finlay ... Domeico Soriano
Joan Plowright ... Filumena Marturano
Sydney Bromley ... Alfredo Amoroso
Susan Richards ... Rosalia Solimene
Bobbie Brown ... Diana
Felicity Steel ... Lucia
Stuart Fox ... Umberto
Robert O'Mahoney ... Riccardo
Pierce Brosnan ... Michele
Hugh Fraser ... Nocella
Carol Sandy ... Teresina
Trevor Griffiths ... Waiter
Christopher Colyer ... Waiter
Notable in the cast is a young Pierce Brosnan who played Michele. After graduating from the Drama Centre in 1975, Brosnan began working as an acting assistant stage manager at the York Theatre Royal, making his acting debut in Wait Until Dark. Within six months, he was selected by playwright Tennessee Williams to play the role of McCabe in the British première of The Red Devil Battery Sign.
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Frank Finlay ... Domeico Soriano
Joan Plowright ... Filumena Marturano
Sydney Bromley ... Alfredo Amoroso
Patricia Hayes ... Rosalia Solimene
Joyce Irvine ... Diana
Felicity Steel ... Lucia
Daniel Hill ... Umberto
Jay Benedict ... Riccardo
Pierce Brosnan ... Michele
Ken Stott ... Nocella
Eileen Anson... Teresina
Barry Hill ... Waiter
Christopher Colyer ... Waiter
USA
Frank Finlay ... Domeico Soriano
Joan Plowright ... Filumena Marturano
Ernest Sarracino ... Alfredo Amoroso
Miriam Phillips ... Rosalia Solimene
Donna Davis ... Diana
Lisa Passero ... Lucia
Dennis Boutsikaris ... Umberto
Stephen Schnetzer ... Riccardo
Peter Iacangelo ... Michele
Pierre Epstein ... Nocella
Fiddle Viracola ... Teresina
Gabor Morea ... Waiter
Bill Karnovsky ... Waiter