Epitaph for George Dillon

The play tells the story of Kate Elliot's unhappy suburban South London family and the domestic havoc wrought when she decides to adopt George Dillon as a surrogate son.

It tackles typical Osborne themes, including religion (and Osborne's hatred thereof), vegetarianism, the casual deception of everyday life and scorn of the theatre. In common with Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger, George Dillon is an intelligent man unable to find his place in the world.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e7hBfYDEupYC&dq=george+dillon+john+osborne+outsider&pg=PA109|title=John Osborne: A Patriot for Us|first=John|last=Heilpern|date=19 October 2007|publisher=Vintage|isbn=9780099275862|via=Google Books}}

It opened professionally at the Royal Court Theatre on 11 February 1958, in a production by William Gaskill, with the following cast (in order of appearance):{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mdrdAwAAQBAJ&dq=epitaph+for+george+dillon+february+11+1958+cast&pg=PT9|title=Epitaph for George Dillon|first1=Anthony|last1=Creighton|first2=John|last2=Osborne|date=12 June 2014|publisher=Faber & Faber|isbn=9780571318810|via=Google Books}}

• Wendy Craig ... Josie Elliot 
• Yvonne Mitchell ... Ruth Gray  
• Alison Leggatt ... Mrs. Elliot   
• Avril Elgar ... Norah Elliot  
• Toke Townley ... Percy Elliot
• Robert Stephens ... George Dillon
• Philip Locke ... Geoffrey Colwyn-Stuart
• Paul Bailey ... Mr Webb  
• Nigel Davenport ... Barney Evans

;Critical reception

In The Observer, Kenneth Tynan called it "Powerful, honest and transfixing"; while in The Sunday Times, Harold Hobson wrote that the play "absorbs and fascinates because it is that rarest of theatrical phenomena, a realistic modern drama which is not bourgeois in its underlying assumptions. It is like a familiar building caught at an angle which suddenly makes it look like something never seen before."{{cite web|url=https://www.faber.co.uk/9780571230884-epitaph-for-george-dillon.html|title=Epitaph for George Dillon|website=Public Store View}}

It made its debut on Broadway on 4 November 1958 starring Wendy Craig but was a failure and closed on 22 November 1958 after just 23 performances.{{cite web|title=Epitaph for George Dillon|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/epitaph-for-george-dillon-2712|accessdate=22 September 2019|website=Internet Broadway Database}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|url=http://www.archive.org/stream/variety214-1959-05#page/n294/mode/1up|via=Archive.org|title=19 B'Way Hits During '58-'59|page=71|date=27 May 1959|accessdate=22 September 2019}} Another version by new management and separately-financed opened during the same season on 12 January 1959, again starring Craig but was also a commercial failure playing for 48 performances, and closing on 21 February 1959.{{cite web|title=Epitaph for George Dillon (second version)|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/epitaph-for-george-dillon-2735|accessdate=22 September 2019|website=Internet Broadway Database}} The first version received three Tony Award nominations - Best play; best direction (William Gaskill) and best actor (Robert Stephens).

;Original Broadway cast

• Wendy Craig ... Josie Elliot
• Felix Deebank ... Barney Evans
• Avril Elgar ... Norah Elliot
• Frank Finlay ... Percy Elliot
• Eileen Herlie ... Ruth Gray
• Alison Leggatt ... Mrs. Elliot
• Robert Stephens ... George Dillon
• James Valentine... Geoffrey Colwyn-Stuart
• David Vaughan ... Mr Webb  

A successful West End revival of the play ran at the Comedy Theatre from 27 September 2005 until 14 January 2006, directed by Peter Gill and starring Joseph Fiennes, Francesca Annis and Anne Reid.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/epitaph-for-george-dillon-comedy-theatre-london-315585.html|title=Epitaph For George Dillon, Comedy Theatre, London|website=Independent.co.uk}}

It also featured Geoffrey Hutchings, Zoe Tapper, Dorothy Atkinson, Stephen Greif, Hugh Simon and Alex Dunbar.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/sep/28/theatre|title=Epitaph for George Dillon, Comedy, London|first=Michael|last=Billington|newspaper=The Guardian |date=28 September 2005|via=www.theguardian.com}}

In 1969, BBC Radio broadcast a production starring John Hurt in the title role; and in 1994, another version starring Michael Maloney.{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a477f5f4d27d4934962cd842d3f82517|title=Epitaph for George Dillon|date=14 July 1969|issue=2383|pages=19|via=BBC Genome}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.suttonelms.org.uk/r3-1994.html|title=BBC Radio Drama, Radio 3 , 1994,DIVERSITY website|website=www.suttonelms.org.uk}}

• [https://www.theguardian.com/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1579971,00.html Guardian]
• [http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/9826/epitaph-for-george-dillon The Stage]
• [http://www.curtainup.com/epitaphforgeorgedillon.html CurtainUp]
• [http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/georgedillon-rev.htm The British Theatre Guide]
• [https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117928421?categoryid=33&cs=1 Variety]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928153946/http://www.annibruno.com/ab/archives/the-epitaph-of-george-dillon-at-the-comedy-theatre-jan-12th-2006 Anni Bruno]

{{Reflist}}

• {{ibdb production|2712}}

{{John Osborne}}

Category:1958 plays

Category:Plays by John Osborne

Category:Broadway plays