Duet for Two Hands
Duet for Two Hands is a play by Mary Hayley Bell (1911-2005) [1]. Casting: 2m. 3f. A classic thriller about a pioneering surgeon and the sinister results of his work.
Contents
The original text
Written in 1945, the text published by Samuel French.
The play ran on Broadway in 1947.
Translations and adaptations
Adapted for the radio by Richard Lane, broadcast in Radio Playhouse on Springbok Radio in 1950, 1954.
Translated into Afrikaans (in the 1940s?) by an unnamed author.
Performance history in South Africa
Late 1940's(?): The Afrikaans adaptation into Afrikaans was produced pre-1951, starring Dan Welman as Dr Sarclet.
1948: Produced by Minna Schneier for The Reps, Library Theatre, December. Cast: Donald Wayne (Stephen Cass), Terry Parris (Abigail), Theo Sachs (Dr Edward Sarclet), Doreen Mantle (Herda), Janet Duncan. Set designed by Peter Merrill.
1956: An amateur production in aid of an orphans' fund was staged at the Youth Centre in Loveday Street, Johannesburg, in October, produced by Nora Walker.
1961: Presented by the Bank Players at the Library Theatre, Johannesburg, produced by Frances A. Manson starring Denis Valentine, Stephanie Rae, Jaydie Fox, John Stone and Marda Brooks.
1974: Sandton Players.
Sources
Die Vrek programme notes, NTO, 1951.
The Rand Daily Mail, 29 November 1948; 2 December 1948; 15 December 1948.
The Rand Daily Mail, 8 October 1956.
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