''Something Different'' is a 1967 comedy play by

Carl Reiner Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922 – June 29, 2020) was an American actor, author, comedian, director and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. He was the List of awards and nominations received by Carl Reiner, recipient of many awards and ...

. Reiner directed the original production which starred

Bob Dishy Bob Dishy is an American actor of stage, film, and television. Biography Early life and education Dishy grew up in the Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. His father, a salesman, was born in Beirut and his mother in Jerus ...

. The play was profiled in the

William Goldman William Goldman (August 12, 1931 – November 16, 2018) was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist before turning to screenwriting. Among other accolades, Goldman won two Aca ...

book '' The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway''. Goldman was a tremendous admirer of the play. Reiner later wrote " Of all the experiences I've had in show business, the writing and directing of ''Something Different'' was by far the most memorable. In terms of excitement, terror, joy, sadness, anger, frustration, elation, and depression, nothing even comes close." During previews, it was decided to drop the entire third act. Reiner recalled "''Something Different'' was a playwithin-a-play-within-a-play-within-a-playwithin-a-play and I was proud to have written something original. The reaction of the opening-night audience in New Haven was mixed. There were huge laughs in the first two acts and in the third act there were fewer laughs and huge walkouts. Half the audience left and the other half remained to cheer. " According to Reiner the change worked during the remaining previews. "Clive Barnes from The New York Times saw a preview. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance from the cast, but he didn’t understand it. Walter Kerr came opening night, which was a dull performance. He saw the same play, not performed as well because the audience was not as responsive, and he gave it a great review. But his Sunday review didn’t run until three weeks after we opened, and by then the boat had sailed."

References

External links

Notes