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The Winslow Boy

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  4w, 7m

Terence Rattigan

The Winslow Boy
by Terence Rattigan

Inspired by an actual event, Rattigan’s hit 1946 play concerns a
father's desperate efforts to clear his son's name when the boy is
expelled from the Royal Naval College for allegedly stealing a
five-shilling postal order.

The Winslow Boy

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 7m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary
Cadet Ronnie Winslow is expelled from the Royal Naval College accused of stealing. His father, Arthur, refusing to believe his guilt and dissatisfied with the manner in which the investigation was conducted, demands a new inquiry and fights tirelessly for his son's honour. Following an independent inquiry, the matter is taken to the House of Commons, but Arthur destroys his health and finances in the process. Ultimately, Arthur's perseverance pays off: a civil trial is allowed and Ronnie is acquitted.
History
The Winslow Boy was first produced at the Theatre Royal, Brighton, on Monday, 25th February, 1946, and subsequently at the Lyric Theatre, London, on Thursday, 23rd May, 1946.
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1900-1910
  • Setting Arthur Winslow’s house in Kensington, London. 1913-1914.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“Both a stirring drama about the rights of the individual... and a moving, surprisingly ambiguous tale of the price to be paid for the relentless pursuit of even an honorable goal.” – The New York Times
“As the emotional stakes of Arthur’s campaign are gradually revealed, The Winslow Boy opens out to become both a stirring drama about the rights of the individual in conflict with the imperatives of the government (a topic that could hardly seem more pertinent, in the post-Edward J. Snowden era), and a moving, surprisingly ambiguous tale of the price to be paid for the relentless pursuit of even an honorable goal.” – The New York Times

Licensing & Materials

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Scripts

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Authors

Terence Rattigan

Terence Rattigan

Born in London on the 10th June 1911, Terence Rattigan (1911–1977) was educated at Harrow (Scholar) from 1925 to 1930 and Trinity College, Oxford (History Scholarship) BA to 1933. He served as a flight Lieutenant in the Central Command, RAF from 1940 to 1945. In 1934 he had b ...

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