Jumpers is a play written by renowned playwright Tom Stoppard. It is a musical farce exploring philosophy, religion, and death. Tom Stoppard's intelligent and dark humor makes this one of his greatest plays of all times. The play is witty and makes theater-goers want to see it over and over again.
Jumpers was written in 1972 and was first performed on February 2, 1972 at the Old Vic Theatre in London, England. Jumpers first came to Broadway in 1974 at the Billy Rose Theatre in New York City. It ran for 48 performances, selling tickets for 5 months. Since then it has been performed at numerous venues in London, including the National Theatre of Great Britain, Piccadilly Theatre, and the National Theatre's Lyttleton Theatre where it sold out tickets in the summer of 2003.
In the spring of 2004, Jumpers returned to Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. This production was nominated for 4 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play. For their performances in Jumpers, Simon Russell Beale was nominated for Best Actor in a Play, Essie Davis was nominated for Best Actress in a Play, and David Leveaux was nominated for Best Direction of a Play.
The play centers around George Moore, a philosophy professor trying to write a speech about moral philosophy and the existence of God. The scene opens with the murder of one of George's colleagues at a party in his home. George's wife, Dotty, is a former musical comedy star and has since fallen from the limelight. She is a bit unstable and desperately tries to deal with the murder. The plot continues with Dotty trying to reconnect with her distracted husband, a detective caught up in Dotty's former stardom, and George blithely writing his speech with little consideration for the murder investigation taking place in his own bedroom. All of this takes place in between musical numbers and acrobatic displays. There is even a live musical trio on-stage.
Other stars of the play Jumpers are Nicky Henson, Eliza Lumley, John Rogan, and Nicholas Woodeson. It was choreographed by Aidan Treays. The play and lyrics of Jumpers are by Tom Stoppard. Additional lyrics were written by Claus Ogerman and Mort Goode. The music was arranged by Claus Ogerman.
Tom Stoppard has many other theater credits to his name. Along with Jumpers, he is the author of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Arcadia, The Invention of Love, and The Coast of Utopia. He has received six Evening Standard Awards and an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Shakespeare in Love.
Jumpers is some of Tom Stoppard's best work. He explores the concept of God, the need for something in which to believe, and the institution of marriage. His characters are cleverly shaped, each embedded in their own irony and sense of reality. Complete with a revolving stage, Jumpers's is critically acclaimed and has sold millions of tickets in England and the United States.
