Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic and Old Lace is a murder comedy written in 1939 by American playwright Joseph Kesselring (1902-1967) [1]. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust, and opened on January 10, 1941. It has become best known through the film adaptation starring Cary Grant.

Performance history in South Africa

1942: In South Africa it was produced by Costa Couvara for the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society, opening in the Little Theatre on 24 August 1942 starring, among ohters, Geraldine Jordi.

May 22 - 24, 1947: Joseph Kesselring's three-act comedy was performed in the Port Elizabeth City Hall. Produced by Raymond Davidson for PEMADS. Mrs Gibson Lochhead took the role of "Abby" and Mrs Zilla Baird played "Martha". The business managers and prop-builders were Harold Davidson and Dave Berg.

1964: Staged in June 1964 by the Libertas Theatre Club in The Cellar in Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, directed by Esther van Ryswyk, with Jane Turner (Abby), Marie van Heerden (Martha), John Kitson (Dr Harper), Rita Sierts-Ehlers, Fred Roux, Piet Retief, Louis Eksteen, Pieter de Swardt and P. van Aarde.