Sylvia by A.R. Gurney

[DefyingGravity2]

Posted: 5/25/04 at 5:30pm

Hey! So, i'm looking into doing a production of "Sylvia" i'm wondering if any of you have seen this, if so, did sylvia walk around on all fours like a dog or did she walk up and down (on her legs) like a woman, when you saw it? Also, did you see it with a 4 person cast, or a 6 person cast? Any info of ANY production of this that you have seen (broadway or otherwise) would be great! THANKS!

[Jon]

Posted: 5/25/04 at 6:04pm

In the original, Sarah Jessica Parker, as Sylvia, was on her hands and knees. She wore a sort of velour sweatshirt and sweatpants. I believe the cast was five: Sylvia, the principal couple (Charles Kimborough and Blythe Danner) and a man and woman who played multiple supporting roles.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 5/25/04 at 6:44pm

In the two versions I saw, Sylvia walked on all fours *and* two legs. In both productions, she wore sweaters until her trip to the groomer (one version had her in a unitard-like outfit, the other had her dressed more human). Also, one cast had four people and the other had six, maybe seven (it was a high school production).

[JaiMonster]

Posted: 5/25/04 at 7:00pm

Hey-
We did Sylvia at my college a couple years ago and I stage managed it. Our director had Sylvia walking like a normal person. (not on all fours). When she first came on stage she was wearing a big sweatshirt and rags(hair not done, dirt on face). And then through out the show she had costume changes that fit with Sylvia’s description (I think she is french poodle and half something else, it says it in the script). So her outfits were these tight shirts and knee length skirts that had a french feel to them (if that makes sense.) At one point she just comes from being groomed and we had her come running in looking SO GOOD (hair done, pretty make up and stuff)
Greg is having a mid life crisis and Sylvia is his way of coping (the way most middle age men do with a pet, a car, or do something extreme,things like that). The more Sylvia is human the more it looks like Greg is having an affair with a younger, pretty girl. This creates great tension b/t Greg and Kate, and Kate and Sylvia (obviously). It also plays extremely funny. Sylvia does dog like things (like the repetition of the word HEY is supposed to be her bark, putting her knee in peoples crotches, she plays with dog toys and eats out of dog balls and may sniff a lot) but you kinda want the audience to forget she is a dog and see her as a younger woman and then do subtle things to remind them that "OH, its just a dog!"
Sorry for the long answer..Good Luck w/ it.

Jai