''Mr. Wilkinson's Widows'' is a farce-comedy in Three Acts by

William Gillette William Hooker Gillette (July 24, 1853 – April 29, 1937) was an American actor-manager, playwright, and stage-manager in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best remembered for portraying Sherlock Holmes on stage and in a 1916 ...

from the

Alexandre Bisson Alexandre Bisson (9 April 1848 – 27 January 1912) was a French playwright, vaudeville creator, and novelist. Born in Briouze, Orne in Lower Normandy, he was successful in his native France as well as in the United States. Remembered as a sig ...

play ''Feu Toupinel''. The play opened under the management of

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 ...

on Monday, March 30, 1891 at Proctor's Theatre and continued until the end of the season with the final curtain falling on June 13. ''Mr. Wilkinson's Widows'' returned some ten weeks later with the coming of the new season and remained open until October 3, 1891.

Synopsis

The plot of ''Mr. Wilkinson's Widows'', revolves around Mrs. Percival Perrin and Mrs. Henry F. Dickerson, both widowed seven years earlier, now remarried and living under the same roof. Each is unaware that their late husbands were in fact the same man, Mr. Wilkinson. The introduction into the story of a former admirer of Mrs. Dickerson, Major Mallory, sets off a chain of events that disrupts the domestic bliss of both women and eventually unravels the late Mr. Wilkinson’s secret.

Revue

Los Angeles Herald The ''Los Angeles Herald'' or the ''Evening Herald'' was a newspaper published in Los Angeles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Founded in 1873 by Charles A. Storke, the newspaper was acquired by William Randolph Hearst in 1931. It ...

'', February 5, 1892

"Why is it that American play-writers still have to go to Germany or France for themes of their work? Mr. Gillette has made a delightful comedy out of ''Mr. Wilkinson's Widows'', but all he did to the original play was to cut out the risqué lines. There was an entire absence of any American tone or color, or of originality about the comedy, delightful as it was. It is to be hoped that Mr. Gillette will not become a mere adapter."''Los Angeles Herald'', February 5, 1892 col. 1, pg. 7

New York Cast

*Benjamin Duckworth: J. W. Thompson *Susanna McAuliff: Maud White *Henry F. Dickerson: Fred Bond *Mrs. Henry F. Dickerson:

Henrietta Crosman Henrietta Foster Crosman (September 2, 1861 – October 31, 1944) was an American stage and film actress. Early years Crosman was born in Wheeling, Virginia, to George Crosman Jr. a Civil War Major, and Mary B. Wick, a niece of composer Step ...

/ Esther Lyons (June 1–13) *Percival Perrin: Joseph Holland *Mrs. Percival Perrin: Louise Thorndyke Bouciacault *E. E. Pembroke: Thomas Wise *Maj. P. Ferguson Mallory: Thomas Burns *Mary: Annie Wood *Julia: Lillian Leach ;August Replacements *Mrs. Percival Perrin:

Georgiana Drew Georgiana Emma Drew (July 11, 1856 – July 2, 1893), Georgie Drew Barrymore, was an American stage actress and comedian and a member of the Barrymore acting family. Life and career Born in Philadelphia, her family — parents John Drew and L ...

*Mrs. Henry F. Dickerson:

Emily Bancker Emily Bancker (1861/62 – June 5, 1897) was a popular stage actress active on the North American stage over the balance of the 1880s and '90s. Sources disagree regarding her origins, with contemporary newsprint articles divided on whether she was ...

*E. E. Pembroke: Harry Allen *Susanna McAulff: Mattie Ferguson

Sources

* *{{cite book , title=The Dramatic Year Book for 1891 , author=Charles Smith Cheltnam , year= 1892 , page= 346 , publisher=Trischler 1891 plays American plays