General John Regan is a comedy play by the Irish writer George A. Birmingham. A confidence trickster convinces a small Irish town that a statue ought to be erected to one of its natives who is claimed to have led the independence movement of a South American country, closely modelled on Bernardo O'Higgins.
It premiered at the Apollo Theatre in London on 8 January 1913 where it had a long run. Its American premiere was at the Hudson Theatre in New York on 13 November 1913.[1] It received good reviews from critics, and was commercially successful. When it was first staged at Westport, Ireland it provoked a riot as the crowd objected to the depiction of what they felt was a mocking representation of their town[2] (where the writer served as an Anglican clergyman).
Adaptations edit
The play has been adapted to film several times. In 1921 a silent version General John Regan was made. In 1933 a sound version General John Regan was made starring Henry Edwards and Chrissie White.
References edit
- ^ Dean, Joan Fitzpatrick (2004). Riot and Great Anger: Stage Censorship in Twentieth-Century Ireland. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 103.
- ^ ""General John Regan" Riot". The Manchester Guardian. 11 April 1914.
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