The Admirable Crichton
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The Admirable Crichton is a comedy written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. It was produced by Charles Frohman and opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in London on 4 November 1902, running for an extremely successful 828 performances. It starred Irene Vanbrugh. In 1903, the play was produced on Broadway by Frohman, starring William Gillette.
Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving Ernest is probably a caricature of the title character in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. The plot may derive from Robinson's Eiland, an 1896 German play by Ludwig Fulda.
A 1918 film adaptation was directed by G. B. Samuelson. A 1957 film adaptation starred Kenneth More, Sally Ann Howes and Cecil Parker. The play was filmed twice for television, in 1950 and 1968. The play was also filmed in two more remote forms: the 1919 Cecil B. De Mille silent Male and Female, and the 1934 We're Not Dressing, a Bing Crosby vehicle.
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[edit] Roles and opening night cast list
- Lady Mary Lasenby, Irene Vanbrugh
- Crichton - The Butler, H.B. Irving
- The Earl of Loam, Henry Kemble
- Lady Catherine Lasenby, Sybil Carlisle
- Lady Agatha Lasenby, Muriel Beaumont
- Ernest Woolley - Lord Loam's nephew, Gerald du Maurier
- Tweeny - A 'between' maid, Pattie Brown
[edit] Synopsis
The title character is the butler to Lord Loam, a British peer. Loam considers the class divisions in British society to be artificial. He promotes his views during tea-parties where servants mingle with his aristocratic guests. His guests are embarrassed, and his butler Crichton disapproves, considering the class system to be "the natural outcome of a civilised society".
When Loam, his family, and Crichton are shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island, all reverts to the natural order: The resourceful Crichton is the only one of the party with any practical knowledge, and he assumes, initially with reluctance, the position of leader. His social betters at first refuse to accept this state of affairs, but are driven to acquiescence by the practicalities of their situation. Crichton sets himself up in his new position with the trappings and privileges of power, just as his master had done back in Britain. Lady Mary, Loam's daughter, falls in love with Crichton, forgetting her engagement to Lord Brocklehurst at home. Just as she and Crichton are about to be married by a clergyman who is shipwrecked with them, a rescue ship arrives. Crichton voluntarily returns to the status of butler.
Although the play deals with serious and then controversial class issues, it does little to seriously challenge the status quo.
[edit] Influence on popular culture
Kryten, the robot butler from the British sitcom Red Dwarf, takes his name from the title character of Barrie's play.
In an episode of Fawlty Towers, Basil Fawlty sarcastically calls Manuel "The Admirable Crichton."
