Kismet (play)
Encyclopedia
Kismet is a three-act play written in 1911 by Edward Knoblauch (who later anglicised his name to Edward Knoblock
). The title means Fate or Destiny
in Turkish
and Urdu
. The play ran for an extraordinary two years in London. The play was subsequently revived, and the story was later made into the popular 1953 musical
.
at the Garrick Theatre
, London, on 19 April 1911. Knoblock wrote the play for Asche, with the understanding that Asche could revise it. He shortened and partly re-wrote it and produced it with much success, playing Hajj, the leading man, with Lily Brayton
as Marsinah, the leading lady. The costumes were designed by Percy Anderson
. The production was so popular that it ran for two years. Only after this London premiere was the play accepted by the Theatrical Syndicate
, and staged at the Knickerbocker Theatre
in New York, produced by Harrison Grey Fiske
. The leading roles were then taken by Otis Skinner
and Rita Jolivet
. This production also gained considerable popularity. Asche led a successful tour of the play in Australia in 1911-12, and upon his return to London, he revived Kismet.
Asche & Brayton appeared in a 1914 film of the play; it was later filmed in 1920
, 1930
and 1944
.
In 1953, the story was adapted into the famous musical
by Robert Wright
and George Forrest
, with themes from the music of Alexander Borodin
, which in turn was filmed in 1955
.
Edward Knoblock
Edward Knoblock was an American-born British playwright and novelist most remembered for the often revived 1911 play, Kismet-Biography:...
). The title means Fate or Destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
in Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
. The play ran for an extraordinary two years in London. The play was subsequently revived, and the story was later made into the popular 1953 musical
Kismet (musical)
Kismet is a musical with lyrics and musical adaptation by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and a book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, based on Kismet, the 1911 play by Edward Knoblock...
.
History
Kismet was first produced by Oscar AscheOscar Asche
John Stange Heiss Oscar Asche , better known as Oscar Asche, was an Australian actor, director and writer, best known for having written, directed, and acted in the record-breaking musical Chu Chin Chow, both on stage and film, and for acting in, directing, or producing many Shakespeare plays and...
at the Garrick Theatre
Garrick Theatre
The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster. It opened on 24 April 1889 with The Profligate, a play by Arthur Wing Pinero. In its early years, it appears to have specialised in the performance of melodrama, and today the theatre is a...
, London, on 19 April 1911. Knoblock wrote the play for Asche, with the understanding that Asche could revise it. He shortened and partly re-wrote it and produced it with much success, playing Hajj, the leading man, with Lily Brayton
Lily Brayton
Elizabeth "Lily" Brayton was an English actress, known for her performances in Shakespeare plays and for her nearly 2,000 performances in the World War I hit musical Chu Chin Chow.-Early years:...
as Marsinah, the leading lady. The costumes were designed by Percy Anderson
Percy Anderson
Percy Anderson was an English stage designer and painter, best known for his work for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree's company at His Majesty’s Theatre and Edwardian musical comedies.-Life and career:...
. The production was so popular that it ran for two years. Only after this London premiere was the play accepted by the Theatrical Syndicate
Theatrical Syndicate
-Beginnings:One day, early in the year 1896, six men gathered for lunch at the Holland House in New York City. These men were Charles Frohman, Al Hayman, A.L. Erlanger, Marc Klaw, Samuel F. Nirdlinger, and Frederick Zimmerman...
, and staged at the Knickerbocker Theatre
Knickerbocker Theatre (Broadway)
The Knickerbocker Theatre — previously known as Abbey's Theatre and Henry Abbey's Theatre — was a Broadway theatre located at 1396 Broadway in New York City. It operated from 1893 to 1930...
in New York, produced by Harrison Grey Fiske
Harrison Grey Fiske
Harrison Grey Fiske was an American journalist, playwright and Broadway producer who fought against the "Theatrical Syndicate" that formed around the turn of the twentieth century.-Early Life:...
. The leading roles were then taken by Otis Skinner
Otis Skinner
Otis Skinner was an American actor.He was the son of a Universalist minister; his brother, Charles Montgomery Skinner, was a noted journalist and critic in New York. Skinner was educated in Hartford, Connecticut, with an eye towards a career in commerce. A visit to the theater left him stage-struck...
and Rita Jolivet
Rita Jolivet
Rita Jolivet was an English actress of French descent in theater and silent movies in the early twentieth century...
. This production also gained considerable popularity. Asche led a successful tour of the play in Australia in 1911-12, and upon his return to London, he revived Kismet.
Asche & Brayton appeared in a 1914 film of the play; it was later filmed in 1920
Kismet (1920 film)
Kismet is a silent film version of the 1911 play Kismet by Edward Knoblock, starring Otis Skinner and Elinor Fair, and directed by Louis J. Gasnier. Skinner's daughter, author Cornelia Otis Skinner, plays a small role. This version was released by Robertson-Cole Distributing Company, and was...
, 1930
Kismet (1930 film)
Kismet was a 1930 costume drama photographed entirely in an early widescreen process using 65mm film that Warner Bros. called Vitascope. The film was based on Edward Knoblock's play Kismet, and was previously filmed as a silent film in 1920 which also starred Otis Skinner.-Production:Warner Bros....
and 1944
Kismet (1944 film)
Kismet is a 1944 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film in Technicolor starring Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, Joy Page, and Florence Bates. James Craig played the young Caliph of Baghdad, and Edward Arnold was the treacherous Grand Vizier...
.
In 1953, the story was adapted into the famous musical
Kismet (musical)
Kismet is a musical with lyrics and musical adaptation by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and a book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, based on Kismet, the 1911 play by Edward Knoblock...
by Robert Wright
Robert Wright (writer)
Robert [Craig] Wright was an American composer-lyricist for Hollywood and the musical theatre best known for the Broadway musical and musical film Kismet, for which he and his professional partner George Forrest adapted themes by Alexander Borodin and added lyrics...
and George Forrest
George Forrest (author)
George Forrest was a writer of music and lyrics for musical theatre best known for the show Kismet, adapted from the works of Alexander Borodin.-Biography:...
, with themes from the music of Alexander Borodin
Alexander Borodin
Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was a member of the group of composers called The Five , who were dedicated to producing a specifically Russian kind of art music...
, which in turn was filmed in 1955
Kismet (1955 film)
Kismet is an American musical film in Cinemascope and Eastman Color released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is the fourth movie version of Kismet—the first was released in 1920 and the second in 1930 by Warner Brothers—and the second released by MGM...
.
Full text
External links
- Kismet (1914) at IMDB
- Kismet in The Playgoerand Society Illustrated, Vol. IV, No. 20 (1911)
- http://www.stagebeauty.net/th-frames.html?http&&&www.stagebeauty.net/produce/kismet/th-kismeta.htmlKismet in The Play PictorialThe Play PictorialThe Play Pictorial was an English theatrical magazine which was published in London between 1902 and 1939. It concentrated on providing a pictorial record of West End theatrical productions, each issue being devoted to a single show, with descriptions of the plot, the costumes and the sets, and...
, Vol. XVIII, No. 106 (1911)]