His House in Order

His House in Order is a comedy in four acts by Arthur Wing Pinero (1855-1934)[1].

The original text

First performed at St James's Theatre, London, on 1 February 1906, and played in New York, opening in the Empire Theatre, on 3 September, 1906.

The text published in 1906 by W. Heinemann, London, and a special illustrated edition was published in celebration of the play's 400th performance at the St James's Theatre on 1 February, 1907.

Translations and adaptations

Adapted as an American silent film in 1920 by Famous Players-Lasky company, directed by Hugh Ford, and again as a British silent film, directed by Randle Ayrton and starring Tallulah Bankhead, Ian Hunter and David Hawthorne, in 1928.

Performance history in South Africa

1906: Performed by a Comedy Company presented by the Wheeler Company at the Opera House, Cape Town, as part of a season in the spring (the season started on 27 August with R.C. Carton's play, Mr Hopkinson). The cast of His House in Order included Marie Housley (as "Geraldine Ridley"), Wilfred E. Payne (as "Major Maurewark") and six year old Sylvia Edney (as "Derek Jessen").

Sources

Facsimile version of the 1907 Special Edition of the text by by W. Heinemann, The Internet Archive [2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Wing_Pinero

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_House_in_Order_(1920_film)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_House_in_Order_(1928_film)

D.C. Boonzaier, 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1932. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman. 1980. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel II, 1856-1912. Pretoria: J.L. van Schaik: p.426

Go to ESAT Bibliography