South Sea Bubble

South Sea Bubble is a comedy in three acts by Noël Coward (1899–1973)[1].

Known as Island Fling in the USA.

The original text

One of Coward's less successful works, the play was originally written in 1949 and titled Home and Colonial, and then, retitled Island Fling, opened in 1951 in Westport, Connecticut, in the USA for eight performances. The final version was again retitled as South Sea Bubble and had its premiere at the Lyric Theatre in London on 25 April 1956. The cast included Vivien Leigh, Ian Hunter, Ronald Lewis, Joyce Carey and Alan Webb. When Leigh left the play after eight performances, Elizabeth Sellars took over from her.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1956 - It was staged in Cape Town by Brian Brooke in July 1956 with English actress Dulcie Gray, who had to leave the cast because of earlier commitments in Australia and New Zealand.

1957 - Dulcie Gray returned the following year and the play opened at the Brooke Theatre on 22 March 1957. The local cast also included Joss Ackland, Brian Brooke, Adrian Steed, Joan Blake and Rory MacDermott. The sets were by Pamela Lewis and the direction by Petrina Fry.

1963 - The amateur George Society of Arts staged a short run from 22 May to 1 June 1963