When I wrote Around the World in 80 Days, I left out any stage directions because I wanted the actors, the director, and the designers to bring their imaginations to the show. The show is not just an adaptation of the great Jules Verne novel but a celebration of the magic of theatre. I didn’t want to hamper any productions with my silly and most likely less imaginative stage directions.

So it makes me happy when I see bits like the one here from the production at the Public Theatre in Lewiston, Maine. I came upon this clip while digging up videos for Daryl Roth Licensing. It’s the first 40 seconds that made me laugh.