Masks  Rushen Players Masks

Home About Us Current Production Past Productions Join Us Events Awards Newsletter Contact Us

The Late Christopher Bean

Adapted from French by Emlyn Williams
Rushen Amateur Dramatic Society
1950
Rushen Primary School, Port Erin

The Late Christopher Bean is a comedy drama adapted from Prenez garde à la peinture by René Fauchois. It exists in two versions: an American adaptation by Sidney Howard (1932) and an English version by Emlyn Williams (1933). Williams's is an anglicisation of Howard's, with the action moved from near Boston to the English countryside. The events are unchanged, although two characters are renamed. The family maid, Abby in Howard's version, becomes Gwenny, a Welsh woman of mature years, and the ingénue's young admirer Warren Creamer becomes the Scottish Bruce McRae in Williams's adaptation.

Howard's version was first published in 1932 under the title "Muse of All Work." It was first performed at the Ford's Opera House in Baltimore on October 24, 1932. It opened a week later on Halloween at the Henry Miller's Theatre in New York. It was produced by Gilbert Miller. After the initial run it was neglected and was not revived in New York until 2009.

Williams's version opened at the St James's Theatre, London on May 16, 1933 it ran for 488 performances. Like the American production, it was produced by Gilbert Miller. The play was revived at the Victoria Palace in 1936. During the Second World War Edith Evans headed the cast in a revival under the auspices of ENSA which toured India entertaining the troops. There was a London revival at the Embassy Theatre in 1951.

The play depicts the effect on a respectable but not well-off family of the discovery that paintings bequeathed to them by a neglected artist are now highly regarded and very valuable. The ensuing outbreak of avarice affects most of the household, but the family's maid, Abby/Gwenny, remains uncorrupted and virtue is finally triumphant. 

christopherbeaniomnews

Produced byO S Wrangham
Cast
Dr. HaggettHenry T Cubbon
Susan HaggettMargaret Watterson
GwennyMay Matthews
Mrs. HaggettKathleen M Squire
Ada HaggettEvelyn Buchan
Bruce McRaeDollin P G Kelly
TallantHector Matthews
RosenChris Levy
Maxwell DavenportDon I Williamson



© www.rushenplayers.org.uk 2014