General John Regan (play)

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 premier 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]

Adaptations

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

1. ↑ Dean p.103
2. ↑ "GENERAL JOHN REGAN" RIOT, The Manchester Guardian 11 April 1914

Bibliography

• Dean, Joan Fitzpatrick. Riot and Great Anger: Stage Censorship in Twentieth-Century Ireland. University of Wisconsin Press, 2004.