Terence Rattigan, The Browning Version

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In an article published in the New York Times in 1949, Terence Rattigan wrote about his faith in one-act plays, contending that intervals between acts disturbed the dramatic illusion. He alleged that, at that time, non-subsidized managements were only eager to stage plays in three acts, principally to reap the benefits of bar sales in the two intervals. His aim was to revive the classical Greek tradition of staging a short play with a serious theme, followed by a similar length comedy. Rattigan had encountered opposition the previous year, when, without a contract, he had completed two one-act plays, The Browning Version and a light-hearted play, Harlequinade, with the firm intention of having them …

2812 words

Citation: Pollard, Wendy. "The Browning Version". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 July 2019 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=30014, accessed 25 November 2024.]

30014 The Browning Version 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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