About the Play:
Around the World in 80 Days is
a full-length drama adapted for the stage by Mark Brown from
the novel of the same name by Jules Verne. Phileas Fogg agrees
to an outrageous wager to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days. The
wager puts his fortune and his life at risk. But his every step is
dogged by a detective who thinks he’s a robber on the run. A
whirlwind of a show as five actors portray 39 characters in a race
around the world in 80 days.
Around the World in 80 Days is
an adroit reduction of Jules Verne's classic globetrotter. Stampeding elephants! Raging typhoons! Runaway trains! Unabashedly
slapstick! Hold onto your seats for the original amazing race! Join
fearless adventurer Phileas Fogg and his faithful manservant as they
race to beat the clock! Phileas Fogg has agreed to an outrageous
wager that puts his fortune and his life at risk. With his
resourceful servant Passepartout, Fogg sets out to circle the globe
in an unheard-of 80 days. But his every step is dogged by a detective
who thinks he's a robber on the run. Danger, romance, and comic
surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show as five actors
portraying 39 characters traverse seven continents in Mark Brown's
adaptation of one of the great adventures of all time.
Around the World in 80 Days premiered in 2001
at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, was workshopped in 2002 at the
Orlando Shakespeare Festival, and had its Off-Broadway premiere at The New Theater in
2008. Since then, it has literally been produced around the world,
from Tauranga, New Zealand to Baridhara Dhaka, Bangladesh. This play
is a meaningful work of art originally intended for middle schools
and high schools, but has since become regional theatre staple.
Cast: 1 female, 4 male, may be expanded to up to 39 actors if
desired.
What people say:
"Smart enough to make
sophisticated adults laugh out loud. And shamelessly silly enough to
keep children interested and entertained." — The New
York Times
"High-spirited and cheeky."
— New York Daily News
"A trip well worth taking."
— New York Post
"Witty in the extreme. … A
treat to watch." — Los Angeles Times
"Ingeniously adapted … a
wildly whacky, unbelievably creative, 90-miles-an-hour, hilarious
journey! A ton of fun for all ages." — The Tolucan
Times
"High-spirited.... Flat-out
hilarious.... Ingenious and imaginative." — Ithaca
Times
"Action and hilarity to
spare." — Boston Globe
About the Playwright:
Jules Verne (1828-1905) was
a French novelist, poet, and playwright best known for his adventure
novels and his profound influence on the literary genre of science
fiction. His biggest success came with Around the World in Eighty
Days.
Mark Brown is an award-winning American actor and writer.
His play Around the World in 80 Days has been produced
Off-Broadway twice, all across the US, Canada, England, South Africa,
Turkey, India, and Bangladesh, and has been translated into Turkish.