Antony and Cleopatra

Theater: Mansfield
Opening Date: Nov. 10, 1937
Performances: 5

Playwright: William Shakespeare (adapted by William Strunk, Jr.
Director: Reginald Bach
Producer: Lawrence River, Inc. (pseudonym for Rowland Stebbins)

Partial Cast: Conway Tearle, John Emery, E. Malcolm Dunn, Averell Harris, Thomas Chalmers, Ralph Chambers

Tallulah's Role: Cleopatra

Tallulah received the worst reviews of her career, including the famous one by John Mason Brown of the New York Post who wrote, "Tallulah Bankhead barged down the Nile last night as Cleopatra - and sank." The whole production was criticized and the only actor to escape the onslaught was John Emery, Tallulah's husband at the time, who played Caesar. The worst comments (to Tallulah's relief) were aimed at the playwright William Strunk, Jr. who took many liberties with Shakespeare's play.

Tallulah's Comment: "As far as I'm concerned Shakespeare should have left Anthony and Cleopatra in Plutrach, where he found them."

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