The extraordinary story of the women's orchestra in Auschwitz, originally filmed for television with Vanessa Redgrave, and adapted for the stage by Miller himself.
Fania Fénelon, a Parisian singer, is arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. There, she finds herself swept into the orchestra, composed entirely of female prisoners and founded as entertainment for the camp commandants. As long as the orchestra continues to find favour, its members will be spared the gas chambers. But Fania is struggling with the corruption of what she holds most sacred in the world – her music – and the morals of the orchestra members are being ground down every day. They are, quite literally, playing for time.
Arthur Miller's stageplay Playing for Time is adapted from the 1980 CBS television film, written by Miller himself, and based on acclaimed musician Fania Fénelon's autobiography The Musicians of Auschwitz. The television film starred Vanessa Redgrave as Fénelon.
The stageplay was first staged at 1-Act Theatre, San Francisco, in 1985.
- ISBN10 1854590960
- ISBN13 9781854590961
- Publish Date 7 March 1990 (first published 1 January 1980)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 16 April 2014
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Nick Hern Books
- Format Paperback
- Pages 81
- Language English