Born Again

After winning the 1988 Vivian Ellis Prize for young writers of musicals, Jason was invited by director Peter Hall to compose the musical Born Again (from Eugene Ionesco's absurdist play Rhinoceros), which was produced at Chichester Festival Theatre in 1990 with Broadway and Hollywood stars Mandy Patinkin and Jose Ferrer.

Mandy Patinkin as Martin Martin (Mandy Patinkin) dances with Rhino Daisy Jose Ferrer, Nicolas Colicos, Claire Moore and the Company

Reviews

(The) score (is) as notable for its variety as its contemporary punch. Carr’s music is most itself when wind and percussion are energetically corkscrewing up and down the octaves; but he also injects hummable parodies of a torch song, a waltz, blues and even a madrigal, as well as rumbling rhino tunes. Benedict Nightingale, The Times

(Mandy Patinkin) is the ideal interpreter of Jason Carr’s music; a jaunty, spiky blend of affectionate musical parody and psychological comment. John Peter, The Sunday Times

Credits

Music by Jason Carr
Libretto by Julian Barry and Peter Hall
Director Peter Hall
Designer Gerald Scarfe
Choreographer Gillian Gregory
Lighting Paul Pyant
Sound Paul Arditti and Willian Glancy
Musical Director John Owen Edwards
Assistant Director Edward Kemp
Rhino Movement Coach William Todd-Jones
Cast Mandy Patinkin, Jose Ferrer, Claire Moore, Nicolas Colicos, Pattit Allison