Whose Life Is It Anyway?

Whose Life Is It Anyway? opened at the Mermaid Theatre, London, on 6 March 1978, before playing at the Savoy Theatre from June 1978 to October 1979. This production originally starred Tom Conti and Jane Asher; Conti transferred to New York to star in the Broadway production.

The play, produced by Emanuel Azenberg and directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg, opened on Broadway at the Trafalgar Theatre (subsequently renamed the Nederlander Theatre) on 17 April 1979 and ran for 223 performances and 9 previews. It marked the Broadway debut of Tom Conti, who was joined by Jean Marsh and Philip Bosco. Conti was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and won the 1979 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Both the play itself and Lindsay-Hogg were nominated as well.

Cast & Crew

Cast

Andrew Eden
Dr. Barr
Dr. Emerson
Dr. Paul Travers
Dr. Scott
John
Kay Sadler
Ken Harrison
Mr. Justice Millhouse
Mrs. Boyle
Peter Kershaw
Philip Hill
Sister Anderson

Crew

Assistant stage manager
Company manager
Costume design
Director
General manager
Lightning design
Producer
Producer
Producer
Production assistant
Production stage manager
Scenic design
Stage manager
Technical supervisor

Photographs

If you have a photograph or picture that illustrates this production, please sign in to upload it, or add it to Flickr and tag it with .

Play description

“When sculptor Ken Harrison is permanently paralysed in an accident, he resolves to die rather than live in his physically helpless state. His struggle for the right to die makes a gripping play, which explores the issues of human dignity and medical ethics with wit and compassion.”
(Taken from Highbury 2009–2010 leaflet)

Plays and Players Best New Play 1978

Observations

If you have an interesting observation or anecdote about this production that you think others may be interested in, please sign in in order to record it here.