Dear Liar

Dear Liar is a play by Jerome Kilty (1922-2012) [1].

The original text

The play is based on the longtime correspondence (April 1899 to August 1939) between British playwright George Bernard Shaw and British actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell.

It was first staged in Chicago in 1957, followed by runs in New York (opening on 17 March, 1960), and in London in 1963. After London showings, Kilty and his wife, actress Cavada Humphrey, took the play on a world tour in 1964.

Published in New York by Dodd and Mead, 1960, and in London by M. Reinhardt in 1960. Also published by Samuel French (ISBN: 9780573607837).

Translations and adaptations

The play was staged for TV in 1964 on the U.S.-based National Educational Television (NET) on its series NET Playhouse (directed by David Gardner, with Zoe Caldwell and Barry Morse).

Twice filmed, in 1981 by the director Gordon Rigsby with the lead roles by Jane Alexander as Mrs. Patrick Campbell and Edward Herrmann as George Bernard Shaw, and in 1982 under the title Cher menteur, adapted into French by Jean Cocteau, directed by Alexandre Tarta with Edwige Feuillère as Mrs. Patrick Campbell and Jean Marais as George Bernard Shaw.

Translated into Afrikaans by Rykie van Reenen as Liefste Leuenaar in 1963.

Performance history in South Africa

1961: The touring company, directed by Jerome Kilty with Kilty as "Shaw" and Cavada Humphrey as "Campbell", visited South Africa under the auspices of the Kushlick-Gluckman company, appearing at the Intimate Theatre, Johannesburg.

1962: It was the first play presented by the Ensamble Players [sic] (Ensemble Players?), the first performance being in Somerset West, followed on 2 November in the Botha Hall, Stellenbosch and then at the Port Elizabeth City Hall, directed by Laurie van der Merwe, starring Siegfried Mynhardt and Paddy Canavan.

1963: Laurie van der Merwe was to direct the Afrikaans version, Liefste Leuenaar in March 1963.

1972: Staged at The Blue Fox, starring Diane Wilson as Mrs Patrick Campbell and Hugh Rouse as George Bernard Shaw.

1972: Dear Liar presented by Capital Theatres, produced by Peter Prowse in Cape Town (1972?), starring Frank Shelley and Diane Wilson.

1979: Presented by PACT. The production lost money.

1981: Dear Liar directed by Keith Grenville for Baxter Theatre Productions, 1981 in the Baxter Theatre. The cast: Keith Grenville, Zoë Randall.

2003: Performed at the National Arts Festival, produced by Basil Rubin.

2009: Presented at the Montecasino Theatre, Johannesburg and the Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town, by Pieter Toerien Productions, directed by British director Richard Digby Day [2], starring visiting West End actors Gary Raymond [3] and Delena Kidd [4]. Also at the Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town.

Sources

Die Oosterlig, 7 November 1962.

Dear Liar programme, 1972 (?)

Tucker, 1997. 279, 371.

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

The Star, 24 March 2009.

Photographs, theatre programmes and newspaper clippings relating to various productions held by NELM.

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