Episode Details

Original tape date: April 16, 1999.

In an exclusive New York television interview, British playwright, Patrick Marber, describes his provocative new work, "Closer" (now at The Music Box Theatre, starring Natasha Richardson), as a play where the characters, "all meet, fall in love, fall out of love, have sex and betray each other."

"This a play about love, and sex, and loneliness and the need we all have to find a soul mate and be happy," he tells hosts Michael Riedel and Susan Haskins. He portrays his characters as, "Four nice people who behave badly, rather than four horrible people who behave badly... I love my characters, and would be very happy to spend time with all of them."

Later on this week's THEATER TALK, actor/comedians Lea DeLaria and Julie Halston, now appearing Off Broadway in Paul Rudnick's play "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told." In a funny and sometimes irreverent conversation, the two performers discuss the difference between their approaches to doing stand-up comedy and plays. They also candidly share their reactions to the show posting a closing notice shortly after they both joined the cast. In addition, DeLaria explains why she believes her last Broadway show "On the Town" closed prematurely.

• Coming up on CUNY TV
• Recently aired on CUNY TV