Twigs

Twigs [1] is a 1971 comedy by American playwright George Furth (1932-2008) [2].

First production, Broadhurst, 1971.

Subject

The play consists of four sections involving three sisters and their mother, each focusing on one of the women as she confronts various issues with the man in her life. The four sections are labelled "Emily", "Celia", "Dorothy" and "Ma", and the same actress plays all four roles. The action takes place in New York on the day before Thanksgiving. The time sequence is continuous, going from nine in the morning until nine the same evening.

Performance history in South Africa

1974: Staged by PACT, directed by Brian Murray, with Diane Wilson (Emily & Celia & Dorothy & Ma), Michael Mayer (Frank), Dale Cutts (Phil), Stuart Brown (Swede), John Hussey (Lou), Anthony James (Ned), Siegfried Mynhardt (Pa) and Richard Haines (The Priest). Wilson received a Best Actress award for the four roles she played in Twigs.

1982: Presented by CAPAB in the Nico Malan Theatre in December, directed by Brian Murray, starring Diane Wilson (Emily, Celia, Dorothy, Ma) with Ron Smerczak (Phil), John Hussey (Lou), Roger Dwyer (Swede), Simon Swindell (Ned), Don Maguire (Pa), Stephen Gurney (The Priest), Nigel Vermaas (Frank). Decor by American designer Eldon Elder, costumes Jenny Gillis, lighting Malcolm Hurrell. dance routine choreography by David Matheson.

Sources

Twigs theatre programme (CAPAB, 1982)

PACT Drama theatre programme, 1974.

Twigs programme notes.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

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