Plays

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Happy Days

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Samuel Beckett 

  • Synopsis

    Winnie is buried up to her waist in a mound of sand. Winnie's husband, Willie, appears only occasionally from his tunnel behind the mound. Winnie's opening words, 'Another heavenly day', set the tone for a long monologue which lasts until she can no longer busy herself with the contents of her enormous handbag. She follows the routine of the day – praying, brushing her teeth, reminiscing about the past and endlessly trying to recall 'unforgettable lines' that she has once read. By the end of the second act she is buried up to her neck, but she carries on chattering cheerfully.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

    • Cast size

  • Male

    1

  • Female

    1

  • Total

    2

Original Production

  • Date of First Production

    17 September 1961

  • Venue Notes

    First presented at the Cherry Lane Theatre, New York.

Original Cast  
Willie John C. Beecher
Winnie Ruth White
Production Team  
Director Alan Schneider
Set William Ritman

Published Scripts

Rights Information

  • Territory

    All Territories

  • Rights Type

    All Rights

  • Contact

    The Estate of Samuel Beckett

  • Address

    c/o Curtis Brown Haymarket House, 28/29 Haymarket,
    London SW1Y 4SP
    England

  • Phone

    + 44 (0) 20 7396 6600

  • Email

    cb@curtisbrown.co.uk

  • Website

    www.curtisbrown.co.uk

Source Of Information

The information for this entry is taken from various published sources on Samuel Beckett, and a New York Times review.