Bootleg Betty
13 Years Ago Today, Bette Midler’s I’ll Eat You Last Premiered On Broadway
By Mister D
April 24, 2026
I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers is a 2013 one-act solo play (about 80–90 minutes, no intermission) written by John Logan. It premiered #OnThisDay 13 years ago. It is a biographical comedy/drama that unfolds as a gossipy, profane, name-dropping monologue delivered by legendary Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers (1932–2011).
Overview and Plot
The action is set in 1981 in Mengers’ luxurious Beverly Hills home. On the day Barbra Streisand’s lawyers fire her as an agent, Mengers lounges in a caftan, smoking, drinking, and chatting directly with the audience while anxiously awaiting a call from her longtime client and friend Streisand. Through witty, biting anecdotes, she recounts her rise from a German-Jewish refugee to Hollywood’s first female “superagent” in the 1970s New Hollywood era. The play blends humor, vulnerability, and insider dish on power, fame, packaging deals, and the cutthroat agency business.
Key creative team for the original production:
Directed by Joe Mantello
Scenic design by Scott Pask
Costume design by Ann Roth
Starring Bette Midler as Sue Mengers (her first Broadway role in over 30 years)
It premiered on Broadway at the Booth Theatre (previews from April 5, opened April 24, closed June 30, 2013: 18 previews + 71 performances). The production cost about $2.4 million and recouped its investment, becoming a commercial hit and celeb-magnet despite mixed-to-positive reviews that praised Midler’s star power more than the script itself.
Bette Midler later performed it in Los Angeles at the Geffen Playhouse (West Coast premiere, December 2013). Other productions followed, including in Australia (Miriam Margolyes) and various regional theaters.
Clients
Sue Mengers was a pioneering agent known for her bold style, parties, and ability to “package” talent. Her roster in the 1970s included many of the biggest stars and directors of the era:
Barbra Streisand (a major client and friend; the play centers on their relationship ending)
Faye Dunaway, Ali MacGraw, Cybill Shepherd, Candice Bergen, Dyan Cannon, Cher, Joan Collins, Tuesday Weld, Tatum O’Neal, Burt Reynolds, Gene Hackman, Ryan O’Neal, Steve McQueen, Michael Caine, Nick Nolte, Directors: Peter Bogdanovich, Mike Nichols, Sidney Lumet, Brian De Palma, Bob Fosse, William Friedkin
She started at agencies like William Morris and CMA (later ICM), signing clients aggressively and negotiating big deals (e.g., pairing Streisand, Ryan O’Neal, and Bogdanovich for What’s Up, Doc?). By the early 1980s, many stars drifted away, leading to her reduced status in the play’s timeframe.
Awards and Nominations
The production was more of a commercial and star-vehicle success than a major awards contender, with no Tony nominations.
Bette Midler recognitions for her performance:
Drama Desk Award: Nominated for Outstanding Solo Performance (2013)
Drama League Award: Distinguished Performance Award nomination (2013)
BroadwayWorld Awards: Won Best Leading Actress in a Play (2013)
Midler was snubbed for a Tony, which some attributed to the show’s limited run or category fit, but it still drew strong box office.
Trivia and Notable Facts
Real-life connection: Bette Midler was friends with Sue Mengers in real life and attended her famous Hollywood salons. Midler has said she channeled that personal knowledge.
Controversy: The play includes a claim that Jane Fonda turned down the lead in Chinatown (which went to Faye Dunaway). Fonda publicly disputed this in 2013, saying Polanski never seriously offered it to her.
Style and content: Heavy on profanity, smoking (herbal cigarettes on stage), drinking, drug references, and Hollywood gossip. The title comes from Mengers’ blunt philosophy about surviving in showbiz.
Mengers’ legacy: She was known for her wit, resilience (immigrant background, father’s suicide), and salons that continued post-retirement with A-listers. She inspired characters in films/TV (e.g., The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Susie Myerson) and was portrayed elsewhere (e.g., in The Offer). A biopic with Jennifer Lawrence was once in development.
Midler’s return: This marked a triumphant stage comeback for Midler before her Tony-winning run in Hello, Dolly! (2017).
Audience appeal: Often described as an “event” rather than a traditional play—perfect for fans of insider Hollywood stories and Midler’s larger-than-life persona.
The play remains available for licensing and offers a fun, bitchy window into 1970s Hollywood power dynamics through one unforgettable voice.
