The Barretts of Wimpole Street is a 1930 play by the Dutch/English dramatist Rudolf Besier, based on the romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett, and her father's unwillingness to allow them to marry. The play gave actress Katharine Cornell her signature role.
The Barretts of Wimpole Street was Rudolf Besier's only real success as a playwright. It was first staged August 20, 1930, at the Malvern Festival in Malvern, Worcestershire. Directed by Sir Barry Jackson, the production starred Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as Elizabeth Barrett Moulton-Barrett and Scott Sunderland as Robert Browning.[1]
Besier then turned to the United States, but was rebuffed by no fewer than 27 producers before the actress Katharine Cornell took a personal interest in the play and had it staged at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio in 1931. The role of Elizabeth Barrett worked so well for Cornell that it became her signature role.[2]
The Barretts of Wimpole Street then went to Broadway, where it opened on February 9, 1931, at the Empire Theatre, starring Katharine Cornell and Brian Aherne. Costumes and scenic design were by Jo Mielziner.[3] It was revived there in 1934 and 1945.
Original Broadway cast
Katharine Cornell as Elizabeth Barrett Moulton-Barrett
On April 2, 1956, Producers' Showcase aired a TV production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street featuring Katherine Cornell as Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Margalo Gillmore as Arabel Moulton-Barrett — the roles they had created on Broadway in 1931. This was one of several TV productions of the play done in the US and England between the 1950 and 1961.[4]
barretts, wimpole, street, 1930, play, dutch, english, dramatist, rudolf, besier, based, romance, between, robert, browning, elizabeth, barrett, father, unwillingness, allow, them, marry, play, gave, actress, katharine, cornell, signature, role, first, edition. The Barretts of Wimpole Street is a 1930 play by the Dutch English dramatist Rudolf Besier based on the romance between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett and her father s unwillingness to allow them to marry The play gave actress Katharine Cornell her signature role The Barretts of Wimpole StreetFirst US edition 1930Written byRudolf BesierDate premieredAugust 20 1930 1930 08 20 Place premieredMalvern Festival Malvern WorcestershireSettingElizabeth Barrett s bed sitting room at 50 Wimpole Street London in 1845 Contents 1 Production 2 Original Broadway cast 3 Adaptations 3 1 Film 3 2 Musical 3 3 Television 4 Sources 5 References 6 External linksProduction Edit Brian Aherne and Katharine Cornell in the original Broadway production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street 1931 The Barretts of Wimpole Street was Rudolf Besier s only real success as a playwright It was first staged August 20 1930 at the Malvern Festival in Malvern Worcestershire Directed by Sir Barry Jackson the production starred Gwen Ffrangcon Davies as Elizabeth Barrett Moulton Barrett and Scott Sunderland as Robert Browning 1 Besier then turned to the United States but was rebuffed by no fewer than 27 producers before the actress Katharine Cornell took a personal interest in the play and had it staged at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland Ohio in 1931 The role of Elizabeth Barrett worked so well for Cornell that it became her signature role 2 The Barretts of Wimpole Street then went to Broadway where it opened on February 9 1931 at the Empire Theatre starring Katharine Cornell and Brian Aherne Costumes and scenic design were by Jo Mielziner 3 It was revived there in 1934 and 1945 Original Broadway cast EditKatharine Cornell as Elizabeth Barrett Moulton Barrett Brian Aherne as Robert Browning Margaret Barker as Henrietta Moulton Barrett John Buckler as Captain Surtees Cook Joyce Carey as Arabel Moulton Barrett Leslie Denison as George Moulton Barrett Vernon Downing as Alfred Moulton Barrett Flush as Flush Elizabeth s dog Brenda Forbes as Wilson John Halloran as Octavius Moulton Barrett Basil Harvey as Henry Moulton Barrett Oswald Marshall as Doctor Ford Waterlow Dorothy Mathews as Bella Hedley George Riddell as Doctor Chambers John D Seymour as Henry Bevan Frederick Voight as Charles Moulton Barrett Charles Waldron as Edward Moulton Barrett William Whitehead as Septimus Moulton BarrettAdaptations Edit Cornell reprising her role in the Producers Showcase television production of the play in 1956 Film Edit Main articles The Barretts of Wimpole Street 1934 film and The Barretts of Wimpole Street 1957 film It was filmed in 1934 starring Fredric March Norma Shearer and Charles Laughton That film was remade scene for scene and almost shot for shot in colour in 1957 starring Bill Travers Jennifer Jones and Sir John Gielgud Both films were directed by Sidney Franklin Musical Edit The play also spawned a musical It was first set as The Third Kiss by Judge Fred G Moritt which was never produced but that was reworked as Robert and Elizabeth with music by Ron Grainer It opened in London in 1964 starring June Bronhill and Keith Michell Television Edit On April 2 1956 Producers Showcase aired a TV production of The Barretts of Wimpole Street featuring Katherine Cornell as Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Margalo Gillmore as Arabel Moulton Barrett the roles they had created on Broadway in 1931 This was one of several TV productions of the play done in the US and England between the 1950 and 1961 4 A 1982 TV film The Barretts of Wimpole Street was made by the BBC starring Jane Lapotaire Joss Ackland Jeremy Brett and Nigel Stock Sources Edit Rudolf Besier IMDb com Internet Movie Database Rudolf Besier Doolee com Archived from the original on 19 October 2011 Rudolf Besier IBDB com Internet Broadway Database Rudolf Besier Playwrights and Their Stage Works References Edit Besier Rudolf 1932 1930 The Barretts of Wimpole Street A Comedy in Five Acts London Victor Gollancz Stanley Hochman McGraw Hill Encyclopedia of World Drama The Barretts of Wimpole Street IBDB com Internet Broadway Database https www imdb com find q The 20Barretts 20of 20Wimpole 20Street amp s tt amp exact true amp ref fn tt ex user generated source External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Barretts of Wimpole Street The Barretts of Wimpole Street A Comedy in Five Acts at Faded Page Canada The Barretts of Wimpole Street at the Internet Broadway Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Barretts of Wimpole Street amp oldid 1134317500, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
