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#REDIRECT ] |
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{{italic title}} |
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{{Unreferenced|date=June 2009}} |
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'''''Dirk''''' is a stage play adapted from the novel '']'' by ]. |
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{{redirect category shell| |
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==History== |
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{{R with history}} |
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The original adaptation was by ] and Arvind Ethan David while still at school in 1991. In this form it was less than an hour long and "amusing but utterly incomprehensible". |
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}} |
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The same team expanded the script and, with the assistance of producer Matt Wreford, staged a student production from 30 May to 3 June 1995 at the ] in ]. |
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The production made use of computer animation to display some of the difficult scenes and concepts and was generally regarded as a success. ] said "As fine a piece of science fiction theatre as you are likely to find anywhere." |
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Douglas Adams attended the last night and was delighted with the production. |
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It was revived again in 1997 but this time at ], running from 5 November–8 November. Again Douglas Adams was in the audience and this was said to have got him thinking about a movie of ''Dirk Gently''. |
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There was a further staging at ] on 8–11 December 1999. |
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After Adams's death in 2001, a smaller scale production was staged as a tribute at the Unicorn Theatre, ] by the Old Gaol Theatre Company, running from the 5 December–8 December. The director was a friend of the Adams family and the last night was attended by Douglas's sister, Sue and James Thrift, Douglas's half-brother. |
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This production used none of the computer effects of previous ones and relied heavily on the audience's familiarity with the story. A ], which forms a significant plot item in the book, was wedged in the staircase into the theatre so patrons had to climb over it to get to their seats. |
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Also in 2001, ''Dirk'' went international, with a production by the Vagabond Theatre company running in ] from 14 June–30 June. |
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The first ] production ran from 29 September to 12 December 2006 at the Road Theatre Company, ], ]. |
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== Differences from the book== |
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In converting a very complex book into a play lasting 1–2 hours (depending on version) it was inevitable that some elements would have to be left out. |
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The biggest change is that the Electric Monk is left out completely. Apart from the difficulty of having a character on a horse in a stageplay, a large amount of the book concerning the monk is purely descriptive with little dialogue so he had to go. This in itself has knock-on effects for other characters and a further major change is that Michael Wenton-Weakes now becomes the murderer of Gordon Way. |
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The book appears to take place in an alternate universe whereas the play is in our universe and the ] regarding ] and ] do not exist. |
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Another problem exists in the scene where Dirk and Richard are walking along the bank of the ] and Richard is supposed to dive in the ] when he hears the words "My old maiden ] who lived in ]". It would be rather difficult to have a canal on stage so this is replaced by Richard dancing the ] and many people remember this as one of the funniest parts of the play. |
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== External links == |
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* - now only available on archive |
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* - see under 'past productions' |
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<!-- * -- now a Japanese porn site, or something --> |
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* . |
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{{Dirk Gently}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dirk (Play)}} |
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] |
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] |
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] |
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