Cast

Synopsis

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Directors Notes

Flowers fade-_Youth withers- -Love dies” “Why must you always think Love is for eternity”

In all of Anouilh, this theme re-Occurs-think of “Ring around the Moon”.  “Point Of Departure” , “Waltz of the Toreadors”.-and it is one of the proofs of his genius that, in his hands, this cynical view of life is never depressing or pessimistic.

Anouilh presents the whole of Life- its triumphs as well as its tragedy; its absurdity alongside its drama: and he infuses everything he writes with that enormous zest- almost a theatricality which actors (and, we hope, audiences) find irresistible.

There are several versions of “Colombe” around_-for instance, our Epilogue has sometimes appeared as a Prologue-_and the “back-to-front” scene in Act Ill is sometimes omitted altogether. (No, you are not dreaming- it really is intended to be “back-to-front” – Not a Producer’s lapse ! But we chose this one because we believe it shows Anouilh at the very top of his form. It also gives another opportunity of presenting yet another of Laurie Nutter’s fabulous experiments re ‘perspective’

So there we are a play set entirely within a theatre dressing-rooms: the stage itself; in Paris around 1900. And if there are no actresses today like Madame Alexandra did somebody say “Thank God’ ?- there are plenty of Colombes around- just visit any Green Room and see for yourself.

So perhaps our theme is not completely irrelevant. For my part, I believe every word of it except, of course, the remarks about actors who can’t act, and Lagarde’s one-line comment on his particular audience.