Filumena

  • By Eduardo De Filippo
    Adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
    Directed by Franco Zeffirelli

  • 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


  • 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.



  • 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.




  • 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