Original theatre programme

Quiet Weekend is a 1941 play by the British writer Esther McCracken.^[1] It opened on 2 July 1941 at Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End, where it enjoyed a successful run of 1,059 performances, closing on 29 January 1944.^[2] The production was directed by Richard Bird and designed by Michael Relph.^[3] It was a sequel to the 1938 play Quiet Wedding.

Plot

Mildred and Arthur Royd own a "quiet" weekend country cottage. Their daughter, Marcia and her husband arrive not on the best of terms. Denys, the Royds' young son, arrives with the glamorous Rowena Marriott but Miranda, a young guest, remains embrassingly devoted to him.^[4]

Mildred has to cope with the complications which develop as everything goes wrong.^[4]

Arthur keeps company with Adrian Barasford. Bachelor Adrian's interest is divided between discussing fishing with Arthur and his devotion to the charming middle-aged Mary Jarrow. Arthur and Adrian become involved in a salmon-poaching with matters straightened out the next day but all leave hurriedly to escape the consequences and to evade a visit from the vicar looking for money.^[4]

Original West End cast

• Adrian Barrasford - Frank Cellier
• Arthur Royd - George Thorpe
• Bella Hitchins - Helene Burls
• Denys Royd - Michael Wilding
• Ella Spender - Dorothy Batley
• Jim Brent - Geoffrey Denys
• Marcia Brent - Gwynne Whitby
• Mary Jerrow - Gladys Boot
• Mildred Royd - Marjorie Fielding
• Miranda Bute - Glynis Johns
• Rowena Marriott - Jeanne Stuart
• Sally Spender - Gabrielle Blunt
• Sam Pecker - Basil Mitchell

Adaptation

In 1946 it was turned into a film Quiet Weekend directed by Harold French.^[5]

References

Bibliography

• Chambers, Colin. Continuum Companion to Twentieth Century Theatre. Continuum, 2002.
• Wearing, J.P. The London Stage 1940-1949: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.