OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Hugh Quinn 

• Setting

  The kitchen of the McShane's farm, near the shores of Lough Neagh, on a fine 13th of July morning. Published script says, "before the late troubles in Belfast".

• Notes

  This play originated as a piece called 'Unrest' which won a prize in the Northern Drama League 1929 playwrighting competition, with comments on it by adjudicator St. John Ervine published "in the principal Irish, English and Scottish papers on on 22 May 1929". It appears to have subsequently been renamed "A Quiet Twelfth", and in this version was described as being produced "for the first time in any theatre" as listed here.

• Synopsis

  In the aftermath of the Twelfth celebrations Johnny McShane, a Catholic, worries that he has accidentally killed his Orangeman neighbour and friend Joe Anderson in sectarian squabbling the previous day. Joe,meanwhile, believes that he has killed Johnny. A comedy of errors ensues, but ultimately all ends happily for everyone, except Johnny's long-suffering wife Mrs. McShane, whose work never ends whatever the excitement.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  One Act

Cast size

• Male

  5

• Female

  2

• Total

  7

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  12 July 1937

• Producer

  Produced by Belfast Repertory Theatre Company

• Original Venue

  Gaiety Theatre
  

Source Of Information

Information for this entry has come from the company programme for the premiere production, and the published playscript.