A Day in the Death of Joe Egg

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg is a 1967 play by the English playwright Peter Nichols, first staged at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, Scotland, before transferring to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End.

For the 1972 film, see A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (film).

A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
2001 West End revival theatrical poster
Written byPeter Nichols
Date premiered1967
Place premieredCitizens Theatre
Glasgow, Scotland
Original languageEnglish
SubjectParents with a child with cerebral palsy use humour to cope
GenreComedy
SettingPresent day, Bristol, England

Synopsis

The play centres on a British couple, Bri and Sheila, who are struggling to save their marriage whilst trying to raise their only child, a small girl named Josephine, who has cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair and is nonverbal, which her parents see as unable to communicate. Caring for her has occupied nearly every moment of her parents' lives since her birth, taking a heavy toll on their marriage. Sheila gives Josephine as much of a life as she can, while Bri wants the child institutionalised and has begun to entertain chilling fantasies of killing himself and Josephine.

Characters
  • Bri
  • Grace
  • Joe
  • Freddie
  • Pam
  • Sheila

Productions

After its premiere in Glasgow in 1967, A Day in the Death of Joe Egg opened in London's West End in 1967 then transferred to Broadway the next year. On Broadway, the play received four nominations for Tony Awards, including Best Play, Best Actor (Albert Finney), Best Featured Actress (Zena Walker) and Best Director (Michael Blakemore). Walker won the Tony for Best Featured Actress. The play was profiled in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway.

The play has been revived twice on Broadway. A 1985 revival staged at the Longacre Theatre ran for 93 performances. It was directed by Arvin Brown and the cast included Jim Dale, Stockard Channing, Joanna Gleason, Christina Pickles and Kate Wilkinson. The production won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival.

A revival in the West End opened in October 2001 at the New Ambassadors Theatre, starring Clive Owen and Victoria Hamilton and was directed by Laurence Boswell. This production transferred to the Comedy Theatre in December 2001, with Eddie Izzard replacing Owen.[1] The same production opened on Broadway, produced by Roundabout Theatre, in March 2003 at the American Airlines Theatre and played for 69 performances. Directed by Lawrence Boswell, the play starred Eddie Izzard and Victoria Hamilton.[2]

In October 2011 the Citizens Theatre again staged the play that premiered there in 1967, with a cast that included Miles Jupp, Sarah Tansey, and Miriam Margolyes.[3]

In May 2013 it received an off-off-Broadway production from Retro Productions in New York City.[4]

In September 2019, the play had a West End revival at Trafalgar Studios, starring Claire Skinner and Toby Stephens, directed by Simon Evans.[5][6]

Film adaptations
Main article: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (film)

Nichols adapted A Day in the Death of Joe Egg for two films, first in 1970, and again in 2002. The 1970 adaptation, which was not released until 1972, was directed by Peter Medak, starring Alan Bates, Janet Suzman, Joan Hickson, Peter Bowles and Elizabeth Robillard. A 2002 television version was directed by Robin Lough, with stars Eddie Izzard, Victoria Hamilton, Prunella Scales, and Robin Weaver.

Awards and nominations
Awards
  • 1985 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival
  • 1985 Outer Critics Circle Awards Best Revival
  • 1985 Tony Award for Best Reproduction of a Play
Nominations
  • 1968 Tony Award for Best Play
  • 2003 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play
  • 2003 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play

References
  1. Loveridge, Lizzie. "review. 'A Day in the Death of Joe Egg' " curtainup.com, October 3, 2001
  2. Hernandez, Ernio. Dressed to Kill Broadway: "Eddie Izzard Begins 'A Day in the Death of Joe Egg', March 14" playbill.com, March 13, 2003
  3. Vile, Gareth (24 October 2011). "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg review at Citizens Theatre Glasgow". The Stage. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  4. Past Productions Archived August 12, 2015, at the Wayback Machine retroproductions.org, accessed August 4, 2015
  5. Masso, Giverny (19 July 2019). "Toby Stephens and Claire Skinner to star in West End revival of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg". The Stage. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  6. "Simon Evans on BBC lockdown drama Staged and Oxford Playhouse fundraiser starring Stephen Fry, Marcus Brigstocke, Lucy Porter & Rachel Parris". Ox In A Box. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.

Further reading
  • Nichols, Peter (1967). A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (First ed.). London: Faber & Faber. OCLC 254709626.
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