Love in Idleness by Louis N. Parker and Edward J. Goodman (1896)

A comedy in three acts written by Louis N. Parker (1852–1944)[1] and Edward J. Goodman (1836–1921)[2].

The title Love-in-Idleness is also found in some sources.

The original text

A play about a procrastinating bachelor and blunderer ("Mortimer Pendlebury") who causes havoc with his friends and relations.

First performed at the Theatre Royal at Brighton on 13 March, 1896, and opened in London at Terry's Theatre, London, 21 October of the same year, with Edward Terry as "Mortimer Pendlebury". It played another season at Terry's Theatre from 30 May to 20 June, 1902. The play was seen on Broadway at the Princess Theatre, New York, in a run that opened on 30 January, 1905[3]

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1903: Performed by the Edward Terry and his company on his tour of South Africa, appearing in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town, in January, with Terry as "Mortimer Pendlebury". (D.C. Boonzaier, 1928, seems to have the title wrong in his reminiscences, calling the play Love and Idleness in this case.)

Love in Idleness by Terrence Rattigan (1944)

A comedy by Terence Rattigan (1911-1977)[4].

Also known as O Mistress Mine.

The original text

It opened on 20 December 1944 at the Lyric theatre in the West End and was performed in New York at the Empire Theatre on 23 January 1946, starring the famous stage couple Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fontanne.

Loosely based on the story of Hamlet, the plot looks at an idealistic, Labour-leaning eighteen year old boy who returns from evacuation to discover his mother is living with a reactionary Tory.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1950: Performed as O Mistress Mine by the Repertory Theatre Society, later known as the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society in July.

1955: Performed as Love in Idleness in the Library Theatre in 1955, with Margaret Inglis, John Hussey and Brian Bell, directed by Inglis.

Sources

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/love-in-idleness-4949

J.P. Wearing. 2013. The London Stage 1890-1909: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. (Second, revised edition, p. 103). Scarecrow Press, Google E-book[5]

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: pp.203-205

Terrence Rattigan Plays: Timeline and synopsis, The Daily Telegraph: 4 January, 2011[6].

NELM: [Collection: FLETCHER, Jill]: 2005. 75. 19. 61. (1950 production).

Helikon, 6(23), 1956.

Percy Tucker. 1997. Just the Ticket. My 50 Years in Show Business. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press: p. 85.

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