Diksha Sundriyal
Amazon Prime might not have a mammoth library of originals yet, but there is one thing that the streaming service exclusively focuses on-quality. Its competitors might release content more frequently and in overwhelming quantity, but Amazon has not allowed itself to fall for that race. The result? Shows like ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’. The comedy-drama follows the story of a woman who discovers her talent for stand-up on the night her husband leaves her for his secretary.
The award-winning series is one of the best and most popular shows to come out of Amazon’s bag. From sharp and witty writing to exceptional performances from its actors, it is as entertaining as it is focused on the various issues that find their way into Midge’s stand-up acts. Other than that, there are the fabulous dresses that the protagonist wears. No matter what the situation, she is always dressed to conquer the world, and that too, in heels.
Add to that the atmosphere of the 50s. From Miriam’s lavish apartment to Susie’s dingy home, the show takes us on an exciting ride through the New York City of a bygone era. To bring that time back to life, and in such variance that colours seem to burst out from every corner of it, takes a lot of work on the part of the location scouts. Here are the places that have served as the background for Miriam Maisel’s adventures.
The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Filming Locations
Over the course of three seasons, we find Miriam getting out of her Upper West Side neighbourhood in NYC and move not just around the city and the country, but also the world. In the second and third season, she gets to go on various tours where she dazzles the audience all over America and Europe.
New York City
Midge Maisel’s hometown, New York City, is where most of the action takes place. Over the course of three seasons, she has been to various places but she always comes back to her roots. After Joel leaves her, she is forced to move back with her parents in their oh-so lavish apartment.
If you want to see what the place is actually like (and how much it really costs!) you should head over to the Strathmore, the building which has been there for more than a century. B Altman, the department store where Midge gets a job, is an actual place. Its interiors have been recreated in an empty bank in Brooklyn, but the original site has been used for the exterior shots.
For her stand-ups, she has to visit all sorts of bars. Most of these places are available for you to visit. The Music Inn, The Friar’s Club, Kettle of the Fish Bar, The Old Town Bar, The Dublin House- all of these places play host to all sorts of talents and various big names have actually honed their skills working in places like these.
But no matter where she performs, home for Midge will always be the Gaslight Café. This place actually existed, until the 70s, and again, was one of the places where you could witness raw talent take shape and develop into big names in the industry. However, the place is actually closed now. The bar and the stage have been recreated in the Steiner Studios, which also serves as the location for several other places that the show can’t find an authentic replacement for.
The scenes of the Stage Deli, which serves as the go-to place for Midge and Susie to dine, are filmed at Artie’s Delicatessen. It used to be a pretty popular joint but closed down permanently in 2017. Another important diner in the show is The City Spoon, where Midge and Joel went after their wedding. It also pops up in the flashbacks all over the three seasons. The shooting for those scenes takes place at La Bonbonniere. The Cedar Tavern, which appears in the second season, when Midge runs into Lenny Bruce and they lament about the restrictions posed on their comedy, has been shot in a place called McSorley’s.
One of the important things about Midge’s identity is her being Jewish. The scenes of the synagogue, which the family visits time and again, have been filmed in the East Midwood Jewish Centre in Brooklyn. Other usual locations that appear in the show are Central Park, the Havemeyer Hall at the Columbia University (where Abe works), Washington Square Park, Manhattan and Staten Island.
In the second season, the family spends lavish summer vacation at the Catskills. Since the real place has had a complete makeover over the course of time, the show found another place to recreate the 50s vibe. Scott’s Oquaga Lake House in Deposit, NY serves as the place where Midge’s romance with Benjamin takes flight.
Paris
The second season of the series begins with Rose running away to Paris after becoming frustrated with her life in America. Abe and Miriam follow her there and spend some time in Paris to convince her to come back home. The shooting for all of the places featured in the series took place at the real locations.
Be it Rose’s surprisingly tattered apartment (with the same address as mentioned in the show) or the Madame Arthur Cabaret where Midge gives her emotional performance, Paris has been used in all its glory to bring the lives of the Weismanns on the screen. Restaurant Paul in Place Dauphine (which has been operating since the early 20th century), the restaurant of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the Rodin Museum, the Bouquinistes (which presents a great view of the Notre Dame), and Moulin de la Vierge feature on the show.
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