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Blind Man's Buff

Forbhreathnú

  • Drámadóir

    Denis Johnston  Ernst Toller 

  • Nótaí Faoin Údar

    An adaptation of Ernst Toller's expressionist play Die blinde Göttin
  • Suíomh

    The Hall of Dr. Chavasse's house in a small Irish country town.
    The ante-chamber to the Law Library, Four Courts, Dublin.
    The Central Criminal Court. The State Solicitor's Office.

  • Achoimre

    The German expressionist playwright Ernst Toller commissioned Johnston to adapt one of his plays, The Blind Goddess (Die Blinde Göttin, 1932), about a miscarriage of justice. Johnston took as his plot the true story of an Irish murder trial that he later used in Strange Occurrence on Ireland's Eye. Justice is presented as a blind system that persecutes individuals whose behaviour is not deemed morally acceptable and that disturbs the public. A man is sentenced to life imprisonment for having killed his wife although there is little further evidence than the facts that he was committing adultery and that his mistress had to procure an abortion. As Johnston’s title suggests, however, justice might be more of a game that initiated people may turn to their own advantage at the cost of others. Some of his characters open their eyes and stand up against such misuse.

  • Cinéal Dráma

    Athchóiriú/Aistriúchán

    Líon na Míreanna

    Dráma Fada

  • Cast size

  • Male

    18

  • Female

    3

  • Total

    21

  • Eolas Faoin bhFoireann

    In addition to the named actors, seven men play Solicitors, Barristers, Clerks and Civiv Guards.

Céad Léiriú

Foireann An Chéad Léirithe  
Court Registrar Cecil Barror
Juryman Brian Carey
Sergeant Carey P.J. Carolan
Dr. Chavasse Arthur Shields
Mr. Justice Drooley Frank Carney
Henry Harrican Austin Meldon
Seamus Ua Caoilte Denis O'Dea
Dominick Mapother F J McCormick
Liam Poer Fred Johnson
Dr. Anice Hollingshead Eileen Crowe
John Roche Eric Gorman
Mary Quirke May Craig
Theobold Thin Michael J. Dolan
Laura Patsy Fitzpatrick
Foireann Léirithe  
F J McCormick
Stiúrthóir Ceoil F.M. May
Léirithe ag Hugh Hunt

Scripteanna Foilsithe

Eolas Faoi Chearta

  • Críoch

    All Territories

  • Cinéal Cearta

    All Rights

  • Teagmháil

    Micheal Johnston

  • Seoladh

    Shandon
    20 Burdett Avenue, Sandycove
    Co. Dublin
    Republic of Ireland

Foinse Eolais

The information for this entry was taken from the original production programme and from press cuttings of the time.