Cakewalk -- starring Elaine Stritch and Bruce Davison (Audio Theatre Series) [UNABRIDGED] (Audio Cassette)

~ Elaine Stritch (Performer)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Talented, profane, outrageous Lillian Hellman, author and playwright, lived dramatically. Her intermittent companion, Feibleman, 25 years younger than she, wrote the fond but frank Lilly: Reminiscences of Lillian Hellman in 1988. In 1998 he wove telling dialog from it into Cakewalk. Elaine Stritch, ideal as the scrappy Lilly, and Bruce Davison, fine as her able foil, perform most of the scenes. Their rapier wit, sometimes charged with anger and emotion, provokes laughter from a live audience. The book offers more about Hellman's relationships with Dashiell Hammett, Samuel Goldwyn, and Elizabeth Taylor; the Communist witch hunt; etc. In the play, the fascinating monster gains sympathy even before her paralyzed, blind finale. Prudes will dislike her freedom with obscenities; others can regard them as essential for an intimate portrait of the creator of The Little Foxes. Recommended warmly for general libraries and especially for drama collections.DGordon Blackwell, Eastchester, NY
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Stritch is top notch…like she was invaded by the spirit of Hellman." -- Bruce Von Stiers, bvsreviews.com

"Stritch is top notch…like she was invaded by the spirit of Hellman." --Bruce Von Stiers, bvsreviews.com

Their rapier wit, sometimes charged with anger and emotion, provokes laughter from a live audience. -- Library Journal

Their rapier wit, sometimes charges with anger and emotion, provokes laughter from a live audience. --Library Journal --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works; Unabridged edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580811639
• ISBN-13: 978-1580811637
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,226,299 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LILLIAN HELLMAN - OFF STAGE, September 13, 2000

By	Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

Elaine Strich becomes legendary novelist/playwright Lillian Hellman in this sometimes scathing, often tumultuous, frequently poignant account of Hellman's long term relationship with a man 25 years younger than she. There's wit, there's passion - all delivered by an A-one cast performing live in Los Angeles.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous find., April 6, 2001

By A Customer

Elaine Stritch is incredible in this recording. Though I have only minor familiarity with Lillian Hellman, this play is simultaneously light and dark, humorous and serious, and a perfect portrait of two artists together through time. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No border between stage and audience, November 16, 2001

By	"unfinished-japanese" (Yokohama, Kanagawa Japan) - See all my reviews

Elaine Stritch is Lillian Hellman herself, showing her stubbornness and fragility very well. I'm touched by Bruce Davison's calm narration with passion reserved inside.

What I like "Cakewalk" best is no border between stage and audience. Listening to this audio, I feel like I've been living with two writers in the very same place and time, sharing their joy, anger, pain and struggle as a writer and human. All scenes with full-color appear before us, then we are not an observer any more. This will invite you to consider what real relationship is. Peter Feibleman is the greatest natural born artist.