The characters change accordingly, the soldier becomes a cab driver, the parlour maid becomes an au pair, etc... Hare's major difference from the original piece is the idea of performing it as a two-person show.
The 1950 movie La Ronde by Max Ophüls was also based on Reigen and has influenced many stage adaptations, including The Blue Room.
Hare's adaptation was first performed at the Donmar Warehouse, London, on 10 September 1998 with Nicole Kidman and Iain Glen in lead roles.
"[2] The production was a commercial success and on 13 December of that year[3] moved to the Cort Theatre on Broadway, New York (with the same cast), but received mixed reviews.
Kidman's brief nude appearance, a short flash of her buttocks on a semi-dark stage, caused a hullabaloo and was attributed to brisk ticket sales.
[3][4] Hare's play was also performed to critical acclaim in Australia in 2002 with Sigrid Thornton and Marcus Graham in the two lead roles, and directed by Simon Phillips.