''Diplomacy'' is an 1878 English play which is a translation and adaptation by B. C. Stephenson and

Clement Scott Clement William Scott (6 October 1841 – 25 June 1904) was an influential English theatre critic for ''The Daily Telegraph'' and other journals, and a playwright, lyricist, translator and travel writer, in the final decades of the 19th century ...

of the 1877 French play ''Dora'' by

Victorien Sardou Victorien Sardou ( , ; 5 September 18318 November 1908) was a French dramatist. He is best remembered today for his development, along with Eugène Scribe, of the well-made play. He also wrote several plays that were made into popular 19th-centur ...

.(1 December 1878)
"French Authors and English Adapters"
''The Theatre'', pp. 329-332 It saw frequent revivals and was a popular play for over fifty years.Ayres, Brenda, ed
New Women Fiction, 1881-1899
p. 300 n.27

History

Sardou's original play debuted in Paris in January 1877, and was a success, making it ripe for "adaptation" into English. B. C. Stephenson and

had previously adapted the Sardou play ''Nos Intimes'' for the Bancrofts, under the name ''Peril'' to great success, and thus they were engaged to adapt ''Dora'' as well (with contributions by the Bancrofts) for use at the Princes of Wales Theatre.(January 1907)
Stage History of Famous Plays
''The Theatre'', pp. 19–20 ''Diplomacy'' was described by the English theatrical paper '' The Era'' as "the great dramatic hit of the season".''The Era'', 23 June 1878, p. 12 From 12 January 1878 to 10 January 1879 it ran on a single bill and long held a record as the only English theatre production to stay unchanged for a year.Mackie, W. Crave
The Bancrofts' Repertory, 1865 to 1885
''Educational Theatre Journal'', Vol. 27, No. 1 (Mar., 1975), pp. 98-110 A revival opening on 8 November 1884 by the Bancrofts at

The Haymarket Haymarket is a street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, London. It runs from Piccadilly Circus in the north to Pall Mall at the southern end. Located on the street are the Theatre Royal, Her Majesty's Theatre, New Zealand H ...

ran for another 117 performances. Later English revivals occurred in 1893 at the

Garrick Garrick may refer to: * Garrick (name), for the name's origin and people with either the surname or given name, the most famous being: ** David Garrick (1717–1779), English actor * Garrick Club, a London gentlemen's club named in honour of David ...

, in 1913 (featuring

Owen Nares Owen Ramsay Nares (11 August 1888 – 30 July 1943) was an English stage and film actor. Besides his acting career, he was the author of ''Myself, and Some Others'' (1925). Early life Educated at Reading School, Nares was encouraged by his mo ...

and Gladys Cooper) at Wyndham's, in 1924 at the Adelphi, and at Prince's in 1933."Ronald Squire and Yvone Arnaud in ''Diplomacy''"
Genome Radio Times, BBC, Retrieved 10 December 2020(5 February 1928)
"Diplomacy" and Sardou
''Sunday Star'' (Washington, D.C.) (discussion of its translations) ''Diplomacy'' had its Broadway debut at

Wallack's Theatre Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater, as the successive homes of the stock company managed by actors James W. Wallack and his son, Lester Wallack. During its 35-ye ...

on 1 April 1878(1 April 1878)
Amusements
''New York Tribune'' (advertisement for opening night on Broadway, includes cast listing) and played until 15 June, the end of the season.(15 June 1878)
Amusements
''New York Tribune'' (advertisement for "positively last night" of the production) It remained a favorite play whenever revived by the Wallack company. It saw Broadway revivals in 1892 at the Star Theatre, Dale, Alan (25 October 1892)
"Diplomacy"
''The World''(18 October 1914)
Great Casts in 'Diplomacy'
''The Argus'' (Albany, NY) in 1901 at the

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

(produced by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

, 56 perf.),(November 1914)
A Triple Alliance of the Stage
''The Theatre'', pp. 214-18, 240 a 1910 revival at

Maxine Elliott's Theatre Maxine Elliott's Theatre was originally a Broadway theatre at 109 West 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Built in 1908, it was designed by architect Benjamin Marshall of the Chicago-based firm Marshall and Fox, ...

(33 perf.), another Frohman revival at the Empire in 1914 (63 perf.), and a 1928 revival at Erlanger's Theatre (40 perf.).(29 May 1928)
'Diplomacy' in Revival Stands Test of Time
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', p. 16Second Thoughts on First Nights; On Reviving Sardou--Something of the History of the Adaptation Called "Diplomacy"
''

'' The

Jitney Players Jitney Players was the name of a traveling American acting company that was formed in 1923. Origin The Jitney Players were begun by Horace B. Cheney Jr., He and his wife, Alice, "planned the formation of a troupe of strolling players", and he dev ...

touring company performed an updated version of the play by

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

in 1938.(8 July 1938)
"Jitney Players Will Begin Tour with ''Diplomacy''"
''

'' ("The Jitney Players start out on their wanderings tonight at Eaglesmere, Pa., with

Colt's modern version of Sardou's 'Diplomacy'.")(4 February 1938)
Jitney Players to Offer Nineteenth Century Play
''The Daily Tar Heel''

Original London cast (1878)

*John Clayton as Henry Beauclerc *

William Hunter Kendal William Hunter Kendal (16 December 1843 – 7 November 1917) was an English actor and theatre manager. He and his wife Madge starred at the Haymarket in Shakespearian revivals and the old English comedies beginning in the 1860s. In the 1870s, ...

as Julian Beauclerc *

Arthur Cecil Arthur Cecil Blunt (1 June 1843 – 16 April 1896), better known as Arthur Cecil, was an English actor, comedian, playwright and theatre manager. He is probably best remembered for playing the role of Box in the long-running production of ''Cox a ...

as Baron Stein *

Squire Bancroft Sir Squire Bancroft (14 May 1841 – 19 April 1926), born Squire White Butterfield, was an English actor-manager. He changed his name to Squire Bancroft Bancroft by deed poll just before his marriage. He and his wife Effie Bancroft are consi ...

as Count Orloff *Mr. Dean as Antoine *

Madge Kendal Dame Madge Kendal, (born Margaret Shafto Robertson; 15 March 1848 – 14 September 1935) was an English actress of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, best known for her roles in Shakespeare and English comedies. Together with her husband, W. ...

as Dora *

Effie Bancroft Marie Effie Wilton, Lady Bancroft (1839–1921) was an English actress and theatre manager. She appeared onstage as Marie Wilton until after her marriage in December 1867 to Squire Bancroft, when she adopted his last name. Bancroft and her husb ...

as Countess Zika *

Roma Le Thiere Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council *Roma Street, Brisbane, a st ...

as Marquise

Original Broadway cast (1878)

Lester Wallack John Johnstone Wallack (January 1, 1820, New York City – September 6, 1888, Stamford, Connecticut), was an American actor-manager and son of James William Wallack and Susan Johnstone. He used the stage name John Lester until October 5, 1858, w ...

as Henry Beauclerc *

Henry James Montague Henry James Montague was the stage name of Henry John Mann, (January 20, 1843 – August 13, 1878), an American actor born in England. Biography Montague was born January 20, 1843, in Staffordshire, England. After playing as an amateur he ...

as Captain Julian Beauclerc *Frederic Robinson at Count Orloff *W.R. Floyd as Algie Fairfax *J.W. Shannon as Baron Stein *W.J. Leonard as Markham *W.A. Eytange as Charven *C.E. Edwin as Sheppard *Herbert Ayling as Antoine *J. Peck as Francois *

Rose Coghlan Rosamond Marie Coghlan (March 18, 1851 – April 2, 1932) was an English actress. Coghlan was born in Peterborough, England, to author Francis Coghlan, and Anna Marie, ''née'' Kirby. Her elder brother (or half-brother) was the actor Charle ...

as Countess Zicka *

Maude Granger Maude Granger (1849-August 17, 1928) was a popular American stage actress of the latter part of the 19th century, and early 20th century. Biography Granger was born Anna Brainard in Middletown, Connecticut. She made her Broadway debut in ''A W ...

as Dora *

Madame Ponisi Elizabeth Ponisi Wallis (December 15, 1818, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England – February 19, 1899, Washington, D. C.), née Hansom or Hanson, known throughout her career as Madame Ponisi, was an English-American actress. At an early age, she ...

as Marquise de rio Zares *

Pearl Eytinge Pearl Eytinge (''née'' Wyckoff; 1854–1914) was a New York-born actress, author, producer, playwright and activist who once said "There is no vice on earth of which I have not partaken". Her addiction to drink and drugs ended her stage career ...

as Mion

Adaptations

F.C. Burnand wrote an 1878

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

of the play called ''Dora and Diplunacy''.Program (1878)
Love Theatre Programmes, Retrieved 10 December 2020 It was adapted to silent films in 1916 and 1926. A BBC radio version aired in June 1938.

References

External links

* * {{Playbill production, s/diplomacybroadway-st-james-theatre-1928 1878 plays British plays adapted into films Adaptations of works by Victorien Sardou