# Quills (play)

Quills is a 1995 play written by American playwright Doug Wright. The play is based on the final days of the Marquis de Sade and was directed by Howard Shalwitz. It first opened at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1995 and ran from November 3 to December 22. Wright received an Obie Award for Best Playwright. He later adapted it into the 2000 feature film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman.
The play, set in 1807 during the Reign of Terror as a part of the French Revolution, centers around the writings and final days of the Marquis de Sade, portrayed by Rocco Sisto, who earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance.

## Summary

The play follows the Marquis de Sade during his imprisonment in the lunatic asylum of Charenton. There, he continues to write and secretly publishes his work with the help of the vivacious and curious young laundry maid, Madeleine Leclerc. The Marquis has daily spirited debates involving morality and atheism with the Catholic priest Abbé de Coulmier. During his stay, the conservative and brutal Dr. Royer-Collard, a newly appointed chief physician, battles with the Marquis at the behest of Renée Pélagie, the Marquis' wife.

## Cast

| Character | New York Theatre Workshop 1995 | Feature film adaptation 2000 |
| Marquis de Sade | Rocco Sisto | Geoffrey Rush |
| Abbé de Coulmier | Jefferson Mays | Joaquin Phoenix |
| Madeleine Leclerc | Katy Selverstone | Kate Winslet |
| Dr. Royer-Collard | Daniel Oreskes | Michael Caine |
| Simone / Madame Royer-Collard | Katy Selverstone | Amelia Warner |
| Monsieur Prouix | Kirk Jackson | Stephen Moyer |
| Renée Pélagie | Lola Pashalinski | Jane Menelaus |

## Productions

The production premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 1995, running from 3 November through 22 December.

## Reception
### Critical reception

The play received positive critical reception. Vincent Canby of The New York Times praised the direction, performances, and writing, "[Wright] successfully blends intentional archness, grotesque exaggeration and bold humor to create a theatrical experience of real wit". He added, "Quills doesn't mean to be an epic. It's a theatrical entertainment that manages to be serious fun along the way." Variety theatre critic Jeremy Gerard described the production as "sensational in every sense of the word... [it's] smirky, gross-out fun with a purpose". He compared it to the likes of "Titus Andronicus by way of Sweeney Todd or Pulp Fiction by way of Carrie".

### Accolades

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 1996 | Obie Award | Best Playwright | Doug Wright | Won | |
| 1996 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Rocco Sisto | Nominated | |

## Film adaptation

In 2000, Wright adapted the project to the screen, working with director Philip Kaufman. The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight and starred Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix, and Michael Caine. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festiva and was later named Best Film at the National Board of Review. Wright was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay, and the film went on to receive three Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Production Design, and Best Costume Design.