Subject to Fits
Subject to Fits is a play by Robert Montgomery (1904-1981) [1].
Contents
The original text
The play was inspired by Идиот ("Idiot") by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881)[2], a Russian novel telling of Prince Myshkin, a young man whose goodness, open-hearted simplicity and guilelessness lead many of the more worldly characters he encounters to mistakenly assume that he lacks intelligence and insight. The novel was originally published serially in the journal The Russian Messenger in 1868–69, it has been widely translated (usually as The Idiot in English) and often filmed.
Montgomery says of his stage play that it was not an adaptation, but "a response to", to the Russian novel.
Subject to Fits premiered at the Pubic Theater (New York Shakespeare Festival) in 1971 and was published by Samuel French, ISBN: 9780573700354.
Translations and adaptations
Performance history in South Africa
1974: Performed by PACT in the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg, with a cast that included Errol Ross, Michael Richard, Robert Gordon, Beverley Melnick, Leonie Hofmeyr, Lindsay Reardon, and Reza de Wet. (There is mention of an earlier run, before the Alexander Theatre season - probably an experimental production at the Arena Theatre, Rosebank, with much the same cast.)
Sources
Samuel French [3].
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
