The Harp in the South (play)

1949 Australian stage play

The Harp in the South

Written by| Ruth Park
Leslie Rees
Based on| The Harp in the South
by Ruth Park
Directed by| Doris Fitton
Date premiered| March 3, 1949 (1949-03-03)
Place premiered| Independent Theatre, Sydney Australia
Original language| English
Genre| drama

The Harp in the South is a 1949 Australian stage play by Ruth Park and Leslie Rees based on the novel of the same name by Park. A number of changes were made in the adaptation, with Rees focusing on the structure and Park the dialogue.[1][2]

A reading of the play was held on 25 May 1948.[3][4][5] A production followed at the Independent the following year and it was performed around the country numerous times.

## Reception

[edit]

ABC Weekly called it "disappointing".[6]

The Bulletin said it was "worth seeing".[7]

The Sun called it "a moving story".[8]

The Sydney Morning Herald said "there is so much warmly human material... that it promises to hold the boards there for some little time–and by solid merit."[9]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "MUSIC AND THE THEATRE". The Sunday Herald (Sydney). No. 6\. New South Wales, Australia. 27 February 1949. p. 10. Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.
2. ^ Rees, Leslie (1953). Towards An Australian Drama. p. 126.
3. ^ ""Harp In The South" As A Play". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 454. New South Wales, Australia. 26 May 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.
4. ^ "BOOKS OF THE WEEK". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 433. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1948. p. 8. Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.
5. ^ "PRIZE NOVEL AS PLAY". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 439. New South Wales, Australia. 8 May 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.
6. ^ "Harp in the South", ABC Weekly, 11 (12), Sydney, 19 March 1949, retrieved 19 September 2023 - via Trove
7. ^ "Slumming.", The Bulletin, 70 (3604), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 9 Mar 1949, retrieved 19 September 2023 - via Trove
8. ^ "Sociol message in play". The Sun. No. 12, 200. New South Wales, Australia. 4 March 1949. p. 7 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.
9. ^ ""Harp" Play Is Warm And Human". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 34, 696. New South Wales, Australia. 5 March 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 19 September 2023 - via National Library of Australia.

## External links

[edit]

* The Harp in the South at Aussstage

* v
* t
* e

Works by Ruth Park

Novels|

* The Harp in the South (1948)
* Poor Man's Orange (1949)
* The Witch's Thorn (1951)
* The Muddle-Headed Wombat series (1962-82)
* Swords and Crowns and Rings (1977)
* Playing Beatie Bow (1980)

Radio|

* The Bagman Stories (1943-48)
* I'll Meet You in Botany Bay (1945)
* Early in the Morning (1946)
* Far from the Land (1947)
* Stumpy (1947)
* The Harp in the South (1951)
* Gulliver's Cousin (1954)
* One Man's Kingdom (1957)
* A Little South of Heaven (1959)

TV|

* A Little South of Heaven (1961)
* No Decision (1962)
* The Harp in the South (1964)
* The Harp in the South (1986)
* Poor Man's Orange (1987)

Film|

* Playing Beatie Bow (1986)

Theatre|

* The Harp in the South (1949)

This article on a play from the 1940s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

|

* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template