The King of Diamonds
There are two South African plays by this name.
Contents
The King of Diamonds by Harold J. Laite (1953)
The original play
Written as a three-act play by Harold J. Laite, dealing with Cecil John Rhodes (1853-1902) [1] and Barney Barnato (1851-1897) [2]. It was published by Pioneer Press in Cape Town in the 1956.
South African performances
1953: First presented at the Labia Theatre, Cape Town, 1953.
Sources
Text of The King of Diamonds, University of Stellenbosch Library Catalogue.
The King of Diamonds, a film treatment by Stephen Sondheim
According to Stephen Banfield (1993), Stephen Sondheim also did a film treatment called The King of Diamonds with Larry Gelbart in 1954. No trace of such a film can be found however.
Sources
Stephen Banfield, 1993, Sondheim's Broadway Musicals (p. 27)[3],
The King of Diamonds - the musical by Bob O'Keefe, and Edgar Adeler
The text
Possibly based on Harold J. Laite's play, The King of Diamonds is a musical play with Barney Barnato (1851-1897) [4] as central figure and hero, with a book by Bob O'Keefe, music by Edgar Adeler.
South African Productions
1961: Produced by NTO in 1961. Directed by Robert Langford. Cast included Roscoe Behrmann; Virginia Lee; Joe Stewardson; Viviene Adley; Jimmy Asser; Patrick Mynhardt; Hugo Warren; Bella Mariani; Elizabeth Evans; Tiny Walker; Jo-Ann Pezarro; Gabriel Bayman; Sheila Forbes; Diana Shahn; Patsi Kahn; Ronald Bloch; Alan Cean; George Jackson; Hugh Claven; Ivo Pellegrini; Casper Dyason. Musical director: Bill Walker. Choreography: Richard Daneel.
Sources
The King of Diamonds theatre programme, NTO, 1961.
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