''The Daughter-in-Law'' is the first

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

, completed in January 1913. Lawrence described it as "neither a tragedy nor a comedy - just ordinary". It was neither staged nor published in his lifetime. The first stage production, by Peter Gill at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...

in 1967, contributed to a reappraisal of Lawrence's dramatic writing. In 1968 ''

The Times Literary Supplement ''The Times Literary Supplement'' (''TLS'') is a weekly literary review published in London by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corp. History The ''TLS'' first appeared in 1902 as a supplement to ''The Times'' but became a separate publication i ...

'' said it was "a fine and moving piece of work" that "ought to be as well known as ''

Sons and Lovers ''Sons and Lovers'' is a 1913 novel by the English writer D. H. Lawrence. It traces emotional conflicts through the protagonist, Paul Morel, and his suffocating relationships with a demanding mother and two very different lovers, which exert c ...

'' and the best

Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The traditi ...

stories". In 2012 the critic Michael Billington described it as "quite extraordinary ... one of the great British dramas of the 20th century".

Characters

* Mrs Gascoyne * Mrs Purdy * Joe Gascoyne * Minnie Gascoyne * Luther Gascoyne * Cabman

Production history

The play premiered on 16 March 1967 at the

, London, directed by Peter Gill. The cast comprised

Gabrielle Daye Gabrielle Daye (2 October 1911 – 5 January 2005) was an English stage, film and television actress, notable for her TV role as Mrs. Pring on '' Bless Me, Father''. Other television appearances include ''Coronation Street'' (as Beattie Pears ...

, Anne Dyson,

Victor Henry Victor Henry (; 17 August 1850 in Colmar, Alsace6 February 1907 in Sceaux) was a French philologist, specializing in Indian languages. Biography Having held appointments at the University of Douai and the University of Lille, Henry was appoin ...

Judy Parfitt Judy Catherine Claire Parfitt (born 7 November 1935) is an English theatre, film and television actress. She made her film debut in a minor supporting part in ''Information Received'' (1961), followed by supporting role in the BBC television se ...

and Mike Pratt. It was revived at

The Young Vic The Young Vic Theatre is a performing arts venue located on The Cut (London), The Cut, near the South Bank, in the London Borough of Lambeth. The Young Vic was established by Frank Dunlop (director), Frank Dunlop in 1970. Kwame Kwei-Armah has b ...

in 2002 directed by Artistic Director David Lan. With

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

calling it "one of the great British dramas of the 20th century". The

Mint Theater Company Mint Theater Company was founded in 1992 in New York City. Their mission is to find, produce, and advocate for "worthwhile plays from the past that have been lost or forgotten". They have been instrumental in restoring the theatrical legacy of sev ...

produced the play in 2003 in New York City with

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 ...

naming it a top ten production of the year.

Arcola Theatre Arcola Theatre is an Off West End theatre in the London Borough of Hackney. It presents plays, operas and musicals featuring established and emerging artists. The theatre building, in the former Colourworks paint factory on Ashwin Street, Dalst ...

produced the play in 2018 directed by Jack Gamble

Adaptations

In 2015 the National Theater co-produced with the Royal Exchange Theater ''Husbands and Sons'' an adaption that wove together ''The Daughter-In-Law'', ''A Collier’s Friday Night'', and ''The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd'' into a single three hour narrative. The three D. H. Lawrence plays were adapted by

Ben Power Ben Power is a British dramaturg and playwright. Since 2010 he has been an associate director of the National Theatre. He studied English at Cambridge University. He often collaborates with Rupert Goold and his Headlong company. He was dramat ...

and the production was directed by

Marianne Elliott Marianne Phoebe Elliott (born 27 December 1966) is a British theatre director and producer who works on the West End and Broadway. She has received numerous accolades including three Laurence Olivier Awards and four Tony Awards. Initially ...

References

Sources

*Worthen, John ''D.H. Lawrence: The Early Years 1885-1912'' Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. 458–60.

External links

Full text at Project Gutenberg Australia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Daughter-In-Law 1912 plays Plays by D. H. Lawrence 1910s debut plays