Room (play)
{{Infobox play
| name = Room
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| writer = {{Plainlist|
- Emma Donoghue (script & story)
- Cora Bissett (music & lyrics)
}}
| based_on =
| chorus =
| characters =
| mute =
| setting =
| premiere = {{Start date|df=yes|2017|05|10}}
| place = Theatre Royal Stratford East, London
| orig_lang = English
| series =
| subject =
| genre = Drama
| web =
}}
Room is a play with songs based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue, which was also adapted into a 2015 film of the same name. It tells the story of Ma, who was kidnapped as a teenager and locked inside a room for seven years by her captor. Longing to find a way out and escape, Ma is trapped with her five-year-old son, Jack, who has no concept of the world outside.
Production history
On May 10, 2017, the play made its world premiere at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in Stratford, London.{{cite web |last1=La Rose |first1=Lauren |title=Emma Donoghue's Room takes the stage |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2017/05/03/emma-donoghues-room-takes-the-stage.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=3 May 2017}} It was directed by Cora Bissett, and starred Witney Wright as Ma. The role of Jack was shared by Darmani Eboji, Taye Kassim Junaid-Evans, and Harrison Wilding.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishplayography.com/play.aspx?playid=60403|title=Room|website=PlayographyIreland|publisher=Irish Theatre Institute}} The production ran until June 3, 2022, before it transferred to the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
Room was scheduled to make its North American premiere at the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario on March 13, 2020,{{Cite news |last=Hazlewood |first=Julianne |date=February 6, 2019 |title=London, Ont. Grand Theatre to host North American stage premiere of Room |pages=1 |work=CBC London |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/london-ontairo-premiere-room-1.5006574 |access-date=February 6, 2019}} before travelling to the CAA Theatre in Toronto on April 4, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Ahsan |first1=Sadaf |title=Hamilton, Hello Dolly and a Bob Dylan musical are just some of the highlights this season at Mirvish |url=https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/theatre/hamilton-hello-dolly-and-a-bob-dylan-musical-are-just-some-of-the-highlights-this-season-at-mirvish |website=National Post |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=23 September 2019}} However, the planned production was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |last1=Gans |first1=Andrew |last2=McPhee |first2=Ryan |title=Mirvish Extends Suspension of Performances in All Toronto Theatre, Affecting Hamilton, Come From Away, More |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/mirvish-extends-suspension-of-performances-in-all-toronto-theatre-affecting-hamilton-come-from-away-more |website=Playbill |date=4 April 2020}} The play eventually made its North American premiere in London, Ontario at the Grand Theatre's Spriet Stage, playing between March 8 - 19, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Paparella |first1=Nick |title=Third time's the charm for 'Room' at the Grand Theatre |url=https://london.ctvnews.ca/third-time-s-the-charm-for-room-at-the-grand-theatre-1.5811431 |website=CTV News London |access-date=23 January 2023 |date=8 March 2022}}{{Cite web |title=REVIEW: Room's revised stage version embodies richness of Emma Donoghue's novel |url=https://lfpress.com/entertainment/theatre/review-rooms-revised-stage-version-embodies-richness-of-emma-donoghues-novel |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=lfpress |language=en-CA}} Room then transferred to the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Ontario.{{cite web |title=Mirvish theatres to reopen in April with production of Room |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/mirvish-reopening-1.6360465 |website=CBC News |date=2022-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003121015/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/mirvish-reopening-1.6360465 |archive-date=2022-10-03 |url-status=live}} It opened on April 5, 2022, and closed on May 8, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Fricker |first1=Karen |title='Every author should be so lucky' to have enduring story, says 'Room' author Emma Donoghue in advance of the play with music adaptation opening in Toronto |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2022/03/28/every-author-should-be-so-lucky-to-have-enduring-story-says-room-author-emma-donoghue-in-advance-of-musical-adaptations-toronto-opening.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=28 March 2022}} The Toronto cast starred Alexis Gordon as Ma, Brandon Michael Arrington as SuperJack, with Lucien Duncan-Reid and Levi Dombokah sharing the role of Jack.
On January 23, 2023, it was announced that the play would premiere on Broadway at the James Earl Jones Theatre for a limited engagement.{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title='Room' Broadway Adaptation To Star Adrienne Warren, Announces Spring Opening |url=https://deadline.com/2023/01/room-broadway-adrienne-warren-opening-date-1235237250/ |website=Deadline |access-date=23 January 2023 |date=23 January 2023}} The cast would include Adrienne Warren, Ephraim Sykes, and Kate Burton.{{cite web |last1=Evans |first1=Greg |title=Broadway's 'Room' Completes Casting |url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/broadway-room-cast-adrienne-warren-ephraim-sykes-1235260572/ |website=Deadline |access-date=15 February 2023 |date=15 February 2023}} Previews would begin on April 3, 2023, ahead of an official opening night on April 17, and would close on September 17, 2023. On March 16, 2023, it was announced that the production has been postponed indefinitely due to the departure of a lead producer.{{cite web |last1=Putnam |first1=Leah |title=Broadway's 'Room' Postpones Indefinitely Citing the Withdrawal of a Lead Producer |url=https://www.playbill.com/article/broadways-room-postpones-indefinitely-citing-the-withdrawal-of-a-lead-producer |website=Playbill |access-date=17 March 2023 |date=17 March 2023}}
Cast and characters
| class="wikitable" |
| rowspan="2"| Role |
|---|
| 2017
!2022 ! 2022 |
| Ma
|style="text-align:center;"| Witney White |colspan="2" align="center" | Alexis Gordon |
| Young Jack
|style="text-align:center;"| Darmani Eboji |style="text-align:center;"| Lucien Duncan-Reid |style="text-align:center;"| Lucien Duncan-Reid |
| SuperJack
|style="text-align:center;"| Fela Lufadeju |colspan="2" align="center" | Brandon Michael Arrington |
| Old Nick
|style="text-align:center;"| Liam McKenna |colspan="2" align="center" | Ashley Wright |
| Grandma
|style="text-align:center;"| Lucy Tregear |colspan="2" align="center" | Tracey Ferencz |
| Grandpa / Doctor
|style="text-align:center;"| Stephen Casey |colspan="2" align="center" | Stewart Arnott |
| Police / Interviewer / Popcorn Server
|style="text-align:center;"| Janet Kumah |colspan="2" align="center" | Shannon Taylor |
Reception
Reviewing the world premiere production, Michael Billington of The Guardian gave the show four out of five stars. Describing the show as "deeply touching", he praised the staging of the show, and how it gives the audience a deeper insight into the relationship between Ma and Jack.{{cite web |last1=Billington |first1=Michael |title=Room review – Emma Donoghue's story of survival is ingeniously staged |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/may/11/room-review-emma-donoghue-stage-version-captivity |website=The Guardian |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=11 May 2017}}
In his review of the Toronto production, Joshua Chong for the Toronto Star praised the stage direction, the visuals, and Gordon's "tour-de-force" performance as Ma, though he felt the songs were mostly unmemorable.{{cite web |last1=Chong |first1=Joshua |title=Visually arresting and emotionally rich, Emma Donoghue's 'Room' is boldly realized for the stage |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2022/04/09/visually-arresting-and-emotionally-rich-emma-donoghues-room-is-boldly-realized-for-the-stage.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=9 April 2022}} J. Kelly Nestruck of The Globe and Mail similarly praised Gordon's performance and the intensity of the show, but felt the second act lacked focus.{{cite web |last1=Nestruck |first1=J. Kelly |title=Theatrical adaptation of Room at Princess of Wales Theatre is the most intense, uncompromising version yet |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/theatre-and-performance/reviews/article-theatrical-adaptation-of-room-at-prince-of-wales-theatre-is-the-most/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=10 April 2022}}
Awards and nominations
= Toronto production =
| class="wikitable" width="95%"
! width="5%" |Year ! width="20%" |Award ! width="30%" |Category ! width="25%" |Nominee ! width="10%" |Result |
| rowspan="2" align="center" |2022
| rowspan="2" |Dora Mavor Moore Awards{{cite web |last1=Murphy |first1=Aisling |title=Nomination Announcements: 42nd Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards |url=https://www.intermissionmagazine.ca/doras/nomination-announcements-42nd-annual-dora-mavor-moore-awards/ |website=Intermission |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=29 August 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Chong |first1=Joshua |title='Sweeney Todd,' 'Italian Mime Suicide' and 'Wildfire' win big at 2022 Dora Awards |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/stage/2022/09/19/sweeney-todd-italian-mime-suicide-and-wildfire-win-big-at-2022-dora-awards.html |website=Toronto Star |access-date=20 September 2022 |date=19 September 2022}} | Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role | Alexis Gordon | {{won}} |
| Outstanding Lighting Design
| Bonnie Beecher | {{nom}} |