Clemence Dane, A Bill of Divorcement

Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University)

Ed. by Kerry Myler, Birmingham Newman University
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.08: English Writing and Culture of the early Twentieth Century , 1900-1945.
Vol. editors: Chris Baldick (Goldsmiths College, University of London), Peter Childs (Birmingham Newman University), Louise McDonald (Birmingham Newman University), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1921

Places

England (Country of Origin; Publication/ performance)

Genres and Modes

Play

Resources

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Clemence Dane (1888-1964) was a significant dramatist in her time but her work subsequently suffered at the hands of mid to late twentieth century academic opinion, which held that inter-war women playwrights merited little literary or cultural importance. With a run of four hundred and nine shows, her first play,

Bill of Divorcement

, produced by Basil Dean’s Reandean Company, and starring Meg Albansi, opened on 4th March 1921 at the St. Martin’s Theatre in the West End and was her biggest hit. Indeed, it was a triumph. One commentator described how it “sent a critical first night audience into ecstasies of enthusiasm and ended with the most vociferous call for the author that has been heard in an English theatre for many years” (

Salt Lake City Deseret News

April 23, 1921). St…

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3357 words

Citation: McDonald, Louise. "A Bill of Divorcement". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 October 2021 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39194, accessed 25 November 2024.]

Clemence Dane, A Bill of Divorcement

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