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Cause Célèbre

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  5w, 15m, 1boy(s)

Terence Rattigan

A woman and her lover, a man 20 years her junior, stand trial for the murder of her husband in Terence Rattigan's incendiary recreation of the infamous case of Alma Rattenbury and 18-year-old George Percy Stoner.

Cause Célèbre

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 15m, 1boy(s)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Docudrama/History
  • Suggested Use
    • Cutting Approved for Competition
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary
A woman and her lover, a man 20 years her junior, stand trial for the murder of her husband in this incendiary recreation of the infamous case of Alma Rattenbury and 18-year-old George Percy Stoner. The 1935 case, in which Rattenbury was accused of murdering her husband in their Bournemouth home, created an early tabloid sensation and cast sexual freedom in sharp relief against the the stifling morality of post-Victorian England. From the celebrated author of Separate Tables and The Browning Version, Cause Célèbre enjoyed a successful revival at London's Old Vic in 2011.
History
Conceived as a radio play, Cause Célèbre premiered as a stage play at Her Majesty's Theatre in London on 4 July, 1977.
Keywords
Performing Groups

Alma Rattenbury
Francis Rattenbury
Christopher
Irene Riggs
George Wood
Edith Davenport
John Davenport
Tony Davenport
Stella Morrison
Randolph Browne
Judge
O'Connor
Croom-Johnson
Casswell
Montagu
Clerk of the Court
Joan Webster
Sergeant Bagwell
Porter
Warder
Coroner

  • Time Period 1930s
  • Setting Bournemouth and London, 1934-1935.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

“No one alive writes with such understanding of sexual love or with such profound pity for its victims.” – Daily Telegraph

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    This title may have restrictions in place for London based productions. Please submit a licence request to confirm specific availability.

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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