Ring Round the Moon Director's Note

Written by Jean Anouilh in 1947 as Invitation to the Castle, and adapted by Christopher Fry in 1950, Ring Round the Moon takes place in the Winter Garden on the grounds of a resplendent estate in the French countryside over the course of one very long night of music, dancing and Dior gowns.

Ring Round the Moon is a play that I find difficult to classify. It’s a comedy. It’s a romance. It contains farcical elements, yet it’s not a farce. We see characters pretending to be someone they’re not…pretending to love someone they don’t…pretending not to love someone they do…disguising true identities from others and concealing genuine emotions from themselves. It is witty and charming and delightful and ridiculous.

And yet it also delves into themes of wealth, privilege and class in a remarkable way. This sneaky play is able to do two things at once: it is gossamer and delicate with a touch of melancholy, while also being an explosion of popping champagne corks and fireworks. It is tango and ballet, peopled with characters not larger than life, but as large as life can be.

I can’t think of a better setting for this evening under the stars than where you find yourself sitting right now.

- Laura Gordon, Director of Ring Round the Moon