On this date in 1946, what is considered Eugene O'Neill's finest play, The Iceman Cometh, opened on broadway. For more than 60 years it has been played, studied, critiqued and mesmerized. At it's center is the universal question of what is the reality of life with all the hidden secrets and self delusions, and whether or not anyone could live in full reality or do we need at least some illusions to survive.
Here is Al Pacino with a reading of Hickey's speech.
A trip through time and history with stops along the way.
5 comments:
Ah, if we were only as good as our dreams and illusions. Plato's allegory of the cave and Camus' stranger are other examples in literature of the dualism of absurdities like Hickey's murder of his loved and or hated wife. This is a great way to start September the first month of the fall and the start of the decline of the year.
Eugene O'Neill hails from New London - just down the road from where I live. One of New London's best known citizens, as a matter of fact (I really can't think of any others to be honest!).
Give Pacino brilliant words to read and he reminds us that he is indeed one of the finest actors of his generation.
I hope that this latest movie pairing Pacino and DeNiro is worthy of them, and that we can see both of their brilliance.
Self delusion...hmmm. I've mastered that. I don't think I have ever lived in reality.
Powerful video.
Jamie, I saw Kevin Spacey do Hickey on Broadway a couple of years ago. He was incredible! As is Pacino and Jason Robards. I've done Eugene O'Neill in my classes and I think I might do the Iceman Cometh. I've always thought it was too difficult to do (hard on the emotions, you know what I mean) but listening to Pacino and thinking there's a film makes me want to do it for class! OMG! It's marvelous!
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