Berkeley Square (play)

Berkeley Square is a play in three acts by John L. Balderston (in collaboration with J.C. Squire) which tells the story of a young American who is transported back to London in the time of the American Revolution and meets his ancestors.[1] The plot is loosely based on Henry James' posthumous 1917 novel The Sense of the Past.[2]

The play premiered at the St Martin's Theatre in London's West End in 1926, where it ran for 179 performances.[3] Its production on Broadway in 1929 was an enormous success with Leslie Howard (who also co-produced and co-directed the play with Gilbert Miller) in the role of time traveler Peter Standish and ran for 229 performances, a substantial run for its time.[2]

The play was later adapted into a 1933 film version with Howard repeating his stage role of Peter Standish, winning him an Academy Award nomination.[4] The play was also produced for a 1959 BBC television production and the 1951 film The House in the Square (released in the United States as I'll Never Forget You).[1][5] Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner adapted the basic plot for their 1965 musical, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

Original London cast

  • Tom Pettigrew – Brian Gilmour
  • Mr. Throstle – Ivor Barnard  
  • The Ambassador – J. Fisher White
  • Peter Standish – Lawrence Anderson  
  • Maid – Jane Millican/Edith Martyn
  • Lady Anne Pettigrew – Beatrice Wilson/Georgina Wynter  
  • Miss Pettigrew – Valerie Taylor 
  • Helen Pettigrew – Jean Forbes-Robertson 
  • Mrs. Barwick – Frances Ruttledge 
  • Marjorie Frant – Grizelda Hervey/Juliet Mansell/Jane Millican

Original Broadway cast

  • Mrs. Barwick – Lucy Beaumont
  • Miss Barrymore – June English
  • Marjorie Frant – Ann Freshman
  • Helen Pettigrew – Margalo Gillmore
  • Tom Pettigrew – Brian Gilmour
  • H. R. H. The Duke of Cumberland – Robert Greig
  • Maid – Irene Howard
  • Peter Standish – Leslie Howard
  • The Lady Anne Pettigrew – Alice John
  • Mr. Throstle – Tarver Penna
  • The Duchess of Devonshire – Louise Prussing
  • Major Clinton – Charles Romano
  • Kate Pettigrew – Valerie Taylor
  • Lord Stanley – Henry Warwick
  • The Ambassador – Fritz Williams

References

  1. ^ a b "Sunday-Night Theatre presents: Berkeley Square". May 31, 1959. p. 11 – via BBC Genome.
  2. ^ a b "Berkeley Square – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.
  3. ^ Wearing, J. P. (March 27, 2014). The London Stage 1920-1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893023 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Berkeley Square (1933) – Frank Lloyd | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.
  5. ^ "I'll Never Forget You (1951) – Roy Ward Baker | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.
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