Jeanie Deans (play)

Jeanie Deans is a play written by Dion Boucicault[1] based on Sir Walter Scott's 1818 novel, The Heart of Midlothian. It is named after the heroine of the novel, Jeanie Deans.

It was first produced on 9 January 1860 at Laura Keene's Theatre, New York City.[2] It was produced in London at the Westminster Theatre on 26 January 1863 under the title of 'The Trial of Effie Deans',[3] and in Edinburgh at the Theatre Royal in 1910.[4] Alice Marriott played the part of Jeanie Deans many times: "her most artistic success."[5]

Thomas Hailes Lacy seems to have incorporated Boucicault's play in a later publication entitled: The Heart of Mid-Lothian; or, the Sisters of St. Leonard's[6]

The play was also published as 'The Trial of Effie Deans' or 'The Heart of Mid-Lothian', but they are definitely the same play as 'Jeanie Deans'.[7]

  1. ^ "Playwrights and their Stage Works - Dion Boucicault"; Retrieved 2012-02-02.
  2. ^ Richard Fawkes, p. 263.
  3. ^ "A List of Dion Boucicault's Major Dramatic Works"; Retrieved 2012-02-02.
  4. ^ "'JEANIE DEANS' AT THE THEATRE-ROYAL". The Scotsman. 3 May 1910. p. 5.
  5. ^ Music Hall and Theatre Review, Thursday 18 April 1912 p6 col3: A comedian's career, Marriott Edgar's interesting story
  6. ^ British Library catalogue; Retrieved 2012-02-02:
    "The Heart of Mid-Lothian; or, the Sisters of St Leonard's A drama in three acts. Adapted from Sir Walter Scott's novel, with introductions from T Dibdin's play, W Murray's alteration of the same, Eugene Scribe's opera, and Dion Boucicault's amalgamation of the above, Colin Hazlewood's adjustment and re-adjustment, J B Johnstone's appropriation, and other equally original versions, together with a very small amount of new matter, by T H Lacy. Author: Thomas Hailes Lacy 1809-1873. Publication Details: London : Thomas Hailes Lacy, [1863]".
  7. ^ Richard Fawkes, Dion Boucicault: a Biography, London: Quartet Books, 1979, p.141: "The Trial of Effie Deans was the play Jeanie Deans . . ."