Drámaí

Printer Friendly

John Bull's Other Island

Forbhreathnú

  • Drámadóir

    George Bernard (GB) Shaw 

  • Suíomh

    Act I: An office in London Act II: A hillside in Roscullen, Ireland Act III: A garden in Rosscullen Act IV: A parlour in Roscullen

  • Achoimre

    Two London-based business partners, an Englishman and an Irishman, set out for the latter's hometown of Roscullen with the intention of developing some land. A satirical exposure of both Irish and English so-called national characteristics. "John Bull's Other Island was written in 1904 at the request of Mr William Butler Yeats as a patriotic contribution to the Repertory of the Irish Literary Theatre. Like most people who have asked me to write plays, Mr Yeats got rather more than he bargained for ... the play was at that time beyond the resources of the New Abbey Theatre ... There was another reason for changing the destination of John Bull's Other Island. It was uncongenial to the whole spirit of the neo-Gaelic movement, which is bent on creating a new Ireland after its own ideal, whereas my play is a very uncompromising presentment of the real old Ireland." (Preface, 1904)

  • Cinéal Dráma

    Drámaí Ginearálta

    Líon na Míreanna

    Dráma Fada

  • Méid na Fóirne ( Fireann)

    10

  • Méid na Fóirne (Baineann)

    2

Céad Léiriú

  • Dáta an Chéad Léirithe

    01 November 1904

  • Nótaí faoin Léiriú

    Produced under the Vedrenne-Barker management at the Royal Court.
  • Leiriú

  • Ionad an Chéad Léirithe


  • Nótaí faoin Ionad

    First performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London.

  • Nótaí Faoin gCéadléiriú Éireannach

    Despite having been written at the request of W.B. Yeats, 'John Bull's Other Island' was rejected by the Abbey due to lack of resources. The Royal Court production listed here toured Ireland in 1907, with the first Irish performance of the play taking place in the Theatre Royal, Dublin. The Abbey eventually staged their own performance in 1916.

Foireann An Chéad Léirithe  
Keegan Harley Granville-Barker
Aunty Judy Agnes Thomas
Matthew Haffigan A.E. George
Barney Doran Wilfred Shine
Corney Doyle F. Cremlin
Father Dempsey Charles Daly
Patsey Farrell Graham Browne
Tim Haffigan Percival Stevens
Larry Doyle J.L. Shine
Broadbent Louis Calvert
Hodson Nigel Playfair
Nora Ellen O'Malley
Foireann Léirithe  
Stiúrthóir George Bernard (GB) Shaw
Stiúrthóir Harley Granville-Barker

Scripteanna Foilsithe

Eolas Faoi Chearta

Foinse Eolais

Additional information for this entry was taken from Ben Levitas' article 'These Islands' Others: John Bull,the Abbey and the Royal Court' (2007)