him. The play—and time—had caught up with the playwright; he was young Henry Carr’s age when he wrote it and is now approaching old Carr’s age in revival. Tom said brilliant things about the play, about everything really. In this respect (and others) it reminded me of the happy times I’d spent with Mike Nichols working on the film of Closer. Tom said one thing in particular which opened up the whole production, words to the effect of: Travesties is a memory play as much as it is anything else. Or rather, it’s a misremembered memory play. A memory play remembered by an amnesiac. If you’ve ever experienced a relative losing their memory—I’m 53 and I’m losing mine—you’ll understand the feeling of the play and this production.


TS: How did you come up with casting Tom Hollander as Henry Carr?


PM: Easy. I made a list of my favorite actors and then prioritized intellect and wit. The Chocolate Factory, Tom Stoppard, and I all agreed to offer Tom. At the time, back in the Spring of 2016, I’d been talking to him about another project, so I had his phone number and it was a simple offer to make. Fortunate timing. Tom wasn't actively looking for a play to do, but he wasn't averse to considering it.


TS: I’ve read reviews that say Hollander found an emotional underpinning in his interpretation of Henry Carr. Is that true?


PM: Yes. It was a principle of the production. We took every opportunity to make the play an emotional experience for the audience. Although the surface of the play is wild and witty, the “underplay” is melancholic—and, as ever with Stoppard, the potency is in the clash.


TS: Stoppard was at Roundabout a few seasons ago when we did his plays The Real Thing and Indian Ink. I asked him what traits he looked for in casting actors, and he said, “Clarity of utterance.” Do you feel the same way?


PM: I would add charm and brilliance, too, but “clarity of utterance” is foremost because it indicates specificity of intention. A Stoppard production without strong intention and strong wants can be deadly. I saw a good number of actors for this revival, and I was extremely impressed by the quality (and punctuality) of American theatre actors. I was never anxious about casting for New York. We’ve got a sensational company, and I can't wait to start working with them.


The company of Travesties Photo: Jenny Anderson


TS: I understand you told friends seeing the show in London either at the Menier Chocolate Factory or later at the Apollo Theatre to familiarize themselves with The Importance of Being Earnest. Would you give that same advice to the Roundabout audiences?


PM: I would never tell an audience to prepare, but it's kind of useful to know that there are characters in The Importance of Being Earnest named Jack, Algy, Gwendolen, and Cecily. But no one should worry if they don’t get all the references. Just follow the love stories and you won't go far wrong.


TS: Any advice for students, teachers, and teaching artists in terms of preparation, or does the same thing apply to them? Should they just come with an open mind?


PM: The general audience is different from the student audience. If you’re teaching or studying Travesties, it's obvious you should read the play in advance. You should know a bit about Lenin and the Russian Revolution of 1917. And you should know that he was hanging around in Zurich waiting to pounce. You should read James Joyce and know that he was composing Ulysses in this period. And I daresay some knowledge of Tristan Tzara, Dada, and the Cabaret Voltaire will do you no harm.


TS: During the course of the play, various opinions are offered about the role of art in society. Is that important in your production?


PM: Everything in the play is important to me. Travesties takes it all on: art, love, war, politics, friendship. Tom writes on a huge scale. I don’t think he can write a small play; it must be very taxing for him. He throws it all in the pot and mixes it differently from play to play.


TS: While you were working on this play, did you start asking yourself what the purpose of art was? Or do you think about that all the time?


PM: I’m fairly committed to the provocative view that the purpose of art is to amuse and entertain. How one defines entertainment and amusement is somewhat more complicated. Tentatively, I think good art might stir the soul. Certainly mine was stirred early on by this amazing play. To have seen it as a gazing adolescent and then to direct it as a wide-eyed adult is very strange and somewhat spooky. It is one of the most unlikely and joyous journeys of my creative life.•


TRAVESTIES UPSTAGE GUIDE


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