The Pink Panther Strikes Again - The Play

[Charla Dreyfus]

Has anyone ever seen or heard of this before? I just got a copy of it and have been skimming through it. It's a full-length play version of The Pink Panther Strikes Again, adapted by William Gleason. For the most part, it stays true to the movie, but there are a few new scenes and some changes. One very noticable change is Dreyfus's first name. For some strange reason he is referred to as Paul, rather than Charles. Clouseau, on the other hand, is still called Jacques.

All in all, though, I think it's a very cool-looking play.

Here is its page on the publisher's website, with information about upcoming performances and a few photos.

[Clouseau]

that's pretty cool! i've never seen anything like that before!

i wonder if any of the other Panther movies have been adapted for the stage like that, or if that's the only one??

[thecolonel93]

The Gleason play is the only adaptation currently. Maurice Richlin copyrighted a synopsis for a potential Broadway show called Inspector Clouseau in 1983, but it never came to fruition. Blake Edwards noted at the premiere of Son of the Pink Panther in 1993 that after Victor/Victoria, he planned on adapting A Shot in the Dark for Broadway. It took until 1999 before Edwards began work on adapting the first two films for the stage. MGM On Stage, the studio's stage division agreed to back Edwards' adaptations a few years ago. Leslie Bricusse (lyricist on both Revenge and Son) worked on A Shot in the Dark with Edwards while Alan and Marilyn Bergman collaborated on The Pink Panther with him. Both titles are listed as forthcoming productions from MGM On Stage's website. Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber will produce for MGM with Blake Edwards and son, Geoffrey Edwards producing for their company, Big Jewel Productions. There is no date targeted for either show yet.