Berkeley Square is a play in three acts by John L. Balderston (in collaboration with J.C. Squire) which tells the story of a young American who is transported back to London in the time of the American Revolution and meets his ancestors.[1] The plot is loosely based on Henry James' posthumous 1917 novel The Sense of the Past.[2]
The play premiered at the St Martin's Theatre in London's West End in 1926, where it ran for 179 performances.[3] Its production on Broadway in 1929 was an enormous success with Leslie Howard (who also co-produced and co-directed the play with Gilbert Miller) in the role of time traveler Peter Standish and ran for 229 performances, a substantial run for its time.[2]
The play was later adapted into a 1933 film version with Howard repeating his stage role of Peter Standish, winning him an Academy Award nomination.[4] The play was also produced for a 1959 BBC television production and the 1951 film The House in the Square (released in the United States as I'll Never Forget You).[1][5] Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner adapted the basic plot for their 1965 musical, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.