Playwright Beau Willimon, Tony-winning director Pam MacKinnon, and the cast of The Parisian Woman met the press recently to discuss the new play, its universal appeal, and its political resonance.
“I feel that this is the great challenge of my career,” Uma Thurman says of making her Broadway debut in the play in the video above. “I think this is the perfect play for me, so it is my best shot to set my first foot on Broadway.”
The play, set in 2017 against the backdrop of the Trump administration, draws from Henri Becque’s 19th-century French farce La Parisienne. Willimon and MacKinnon premiered the play in 2013, but it has since undergone major revisions to reflect the current state of U.S. politics.
“It went from being an adaptation to something that’s more inspired by Becque’s play,” explains Willimon (like Thurman, the House of Cards creator makes his Broadway debut with the play). “It would be unfair to him to say it’s an adaptation.”
“As the stakes of the world got higher; it just really raised the personal stakes of every single character,” adds MacKinnon.
Although the play makes reference to current events, statements from the president, and more, the team asserts the story explores a universal truth. Hamilton Tony nominee Phillipa Soo says it “steers people towards asking the right questions about our relationships, our society, and how we put our best foot forward moving forward.”
The Parisian Woman also features Tony winner Blair Brown, Marton Csokas, and Josh Lucas. Performances begin November 9 at the Hudson Theatre prior to a November 30 opening night.