No stranger to portraying a bushy mustached curmudgeon with strong political views who loathes most things about the modern world on TV, Nick Offerman will take on the role of literature’s most famous bushy mustached curmudgeon with strong political views who loathes most things about the modern world on stage in an upcoming theater production of A Confederacy of Dunces.
Reports the Boston Globe:
None other than Nick Offerman will star in the Huntington Theatre Company’s production of “A Confederacy of Dunces,” which has been adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1980 novel by John Kennedy Toole. The show, to be directed by David Esbjornson, will run Nov. 11-Dec. 13 at the Huntington’s mainstage, the BU Theatre.
As a long-time superfan of the book, I’m excited by this development. Rumors about a film adaptation of Dunces have circulated for years without anything coming of it, with people like John Belushi, Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis all reported to have been considered for the role of Ignatius J. Reilly, the book’s blustery protagonist, at various points. I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to say that those of us who treasure the book are almost unanimously pleased by these non-developments, as Hollywood would surely f*ck it up royally. It’s just not a book that translates easily to the screen.
But stage adaptations are another thing, and I’m personally not opposed to the idea. And when you stop and think about, Offerman seems to be a fantastic fit. He’s a classically trained theater actor and it’s easy to hear him perfectly delivering lines like, “I mingle with my peers or no one, and since I have no peers, I mingle with no one.” Hell, I could easily hear those words coming out of Ron Swanson’s mouth.
So I guess I’ll be going to Boston in November or December to see a play!
