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The Arts Council Playography Na Gaeilge

Plays

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A Bride for the Unicorn

An Imaginary Adventure in play form.

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Denis Johnston 

  • Synopsis

    A schoolboy who is growing despondent over academic knowledge is led into an unexpected wedding with a mysterious Masked Lady. The latter disappears during the night, setting the hero on a life-long search for his lost love. His schoolmates enroll along with him just as the Argonauts assisted Jason in Greek myth, and the hero’s quest is presented as a station drama in which he is allowed to observe and comment on his frustrating social life, as well as to express his deeply repressed aspirations and fears. The challenging theatrical devices Johnston experiments with in order to portray man’s progress through life nonetheless suggest that life, and drama as well, have more to do with the search itself than with its result.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

  • Cast Size Male

    16

  • Cast Size Female

    5

Original Production

Original Cast  
Egbert the Eccentric Cyril Cusack
Performer Cathleen Delany
John Phosphorus Hilton Edwards
A Drunk Swell Micheál Mac Liammóir
The Girl with Ambitions Coralie Carmichael
Albert the Acquisitive Edward Lexy
Lewis the Loving Raymond Percy
The Girl with the Mask Florence Lynch
Performer Eve Watkinson
A Distinguished Counsel Wm. Van Craen
A Draper Wm. Van Craen
A Publican James Devoy
Leonard the Learned Art O'Murnaghan
An Inebriated Philosopher William Fassbender
The Girl with the Box Betty Chancellor
Bernard the Brave Lionel Dymoke
Performer Hazel Ellis
An elderly relative Diana Vernon
Harold the Helpful Cecil Monson
Performer Cyril Griffin
Percy the Prosperous Harry Fine
A Policeman Robert Hennessy (1)
Performer Leslie Colling-Mudge
The Girl with the Ring Shelah Richards
Performer James Cassidy
Performer Noel Delaney
A Nannie Esme Biddle
A Hotel Manager Victor Harris
A Learned Judge Victor Harris
An Inebriated Philosopher S.B. Fine
Performer L. Zlotover
Production Team  
Director Hilton Edwards
Settings by Micheál Mac Liammóir
Music by Art O'Murnaghan
Music by F.M. May
Masks Lucy Charles

Published Scripts

Rights Information

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    Micheal Johnston

  • Address

    Shandon
    20 Burdett Avenue, Sandycove
    Co. Dublin
    Republic of Ireland

Source Of Information

The information for this entry was taken from the published script (Jonathan Cape, 1935)