The play... - You Can't Take It with You (1938) Discussion

[–] theatrefreak 21 years ago

Yes! I was Essie and my best friend was Alice. It was so much fun. It's my second most favorite play ever (after The Mousetrap).

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[–] thatwasharsh 20 years ago

I love this play as well... You see our school is doing this play, and the opening night is a little less then 2 weeks away, i'm nervous but pumped! Anyway, I'm playing "Gay Wellington", and I must say its great great fun. It's a great play.

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[–] fredot 21 years ago

The play is being done this June in one of the community theaters in Memphis. I have been cast as Mr. Kirby. I'm looking forward to it.

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[–] MrAberforthDumbledore 21 years ago

I was in the play at my high school this year. I played Henderson and it was so fun.

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[–] iwishiwerejamesdean 21 years ago

We performed the play at Ponchatoula High School in Louisiana. I lucked out and got the roles of Henderson and the main G-man. I don't know about you guys, but our director let us improv alot. And though it wasn't expected, I kind of improv'd a good bit of my scene as Henderson. I gave him a Boston accent, and an awkwardness that wouldn't allow him to get comfortable, so he kept changing his position in his chair. Great play if given the right cast. We lucked out big time and got one of the most talented ensemble casts that I'll probably ever work with.

Born a rebel
Died a hero
Remembered a legend

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[–] violiner2000 21 years ago

I played Penny when my school performed it. Such a cute play and Penny was a joy to play. :)

Paganini- music's original sex symbol

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[–] violiner2000 21 years ago

I played Penny when my school performed it. Such a cute play and Penny was a joy to play. :)

Paganini- music's original sex symbol

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[–] mrmando 20 years ago

What do you mean, you "improv'd" it? Improv means making up your dialogue on the spot, which you absolutely should not do in a scripted play, especially in one as well written as this one. Giving the character a Boston accent and perpetual discomfort is not improv. Those are character choices, and they're part of your job as an actor. Making up dialogue is not.

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[–] tafrin 21 years ago

I played Alice in college. One of the best times of my life.
We had a wonderful Tony Kirby and fantastic Essie. The whole cast was great.

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[–] SarahKayW 20 years ago

We're doing this play this year as well. I'm Gay Wellington!

"My head just shakes but I promise it ain't going to fall off!"-Katharine Hepburn

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[–] Hard_Nosed_Critic 20 years ago

My HS was suppoused to do this play, so everything was a go-go and I bought the movie in preperation because I wanted to see what part I would be good for. I told my theatrical Director that I got the film and she asked if she could view it. After viewing the film she decided not do it because of the limitations of our stage.

So it's my fauly we're not doing You Can't Take It WIth you, ohhh well.

Don't know what that had to do with anything, I just think it's a cute story.

People Will think, what I tell them to think

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[–] mrmando 20 years ago

Golly, shouldn't your director be making that decision based on the play script, not on the movie? What kind of lazy idiot do you have for a director?

More than half of the movie is added-on stuff by the screenwriter. The play is quite a bit different -- it all takes place in Grandpa's living room, observing the Aristotelian unity of place.

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[–] Hard_Nosed_Critic 20 years ago

Hey Mr. Know it all. She was aware that the show took place in the living room. She read the script and knew she wanted to do it. Then she saw the movie and realized that there were too many props, and that or stage couldn't handle the show. If you could see how small our stage was, you'd get a chill. One of the smallest stages i've ever seen.

People Will think, what I tell them to think

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[–] lindaleahy2004 20 years ago

It's a perfect play for high school, given the number of roles and its layered perspective. Not only was I in it in high school (1967), but 25 years earlier, my father was in it when he was in high school (1942). He played Kolenkhov, and I played Mrs. Kirby (I'm now 55-years-old the actual age of Mary Forbes when she played Mrs. Kirby). Later, when I did summer stock, I had the good fortune of working with the late Ann Miller (Essie) in 1974. She was a true professional.

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[–] troymenke 20 years ago

Actually I played the part of Mr. DePinna in my High School's production. Great play, and movie. I enjoyed the character so much.

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