The Man Who Came to Dinner

The Man Who Came to Dinner is a 1939 comedy in three acts by American playwrights George Kaufman (1889-1961) [1] and Moss Hart (1904-1961) [2], about a famous radio personality who was invited to dine at the house of a rich factory owner. However, he slips on a patch of ice outside the front door and injures his hip and has to stay on as a house guest for a month, driving his hosts mad with his behaviour.

The original text

It debuted on October 16, 1939 at the Music Box Theatre in New York City, where it ran there until 1941, closing after 739 performances. It then enjoyed a number of New York and London revivals. The first London production was staged at The Savoy Theatre starring Robert Morley and Coral Browne

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1953: The Dramatic Society of East London.

1953: Presented by the University of Stellenbosch Speech Training Department, produced by Robert Mohr, on 17 June in the Botha Hall. Limpie Basson played Bert Jefferson and was also the stage manager.

1964: Staged by the Durban Jewish Club, directed by Anne Freed.

1983: Presented at the Little Theatre, Cape Town 14-28 May, directed by Mavis Taylor starring Shirley Ellis, Susan Pam, David Thomas, Patrick Lilley, Jennifer Steyn, David Clatworthy and others. Set design by Colin Shaw and A. Samsodien, costume design by Shauna Johnson.

November 24 - December 4, 1982: Presented by PEMADS in the Little Theatre, Port Elizabeth. Directed by Noel Morgan and Noel Annear as Assistant to Director. Starring Liz Yates as Mrs Ernest W. Stanley, Barbara Woodheadas Miss Preen, Roderick James as Richard Stanley, Jane Shorney as June Stanley, Sandy Tube as John, Ellen Tube as Sarah, Sigrid Green as Mrs Dexter, Pam Berning as Mrs McCutcheon, Alex Kiddie as Mr Stanley, Jacquie Gilson as Maggie Cutler, Gwyn James as Dr Bradley, Michael Brunner as Sheridan Whiteside, Bunty Gammon as Harriet Stanley, Peter Hickman as Bert Jefferson, Val Ruhl as Professor Metz, Jack Batzofen, Doug Francis, Louis Craddock]] as convicts, Eugene Gerber as Prison Warder, Graham Nosworthy as ex-Pressman, Gill Brewis as Lorraine Sheldon, Graham Nurse as Sandy, Gordon Roberts as Beverley Carlton, Dennis Slattery as Westcott, Paddy Conway as Radio Technician, Bernard Reid as Choir Boy, David Stone as Banjo, Ken Collier and Ian van der Heever as Deputies.