A Severed Head - Adaptations

Adaptations

Together with J. B. Priestley, Murdoch adapted her book for the stage, opening at the Theatre Royal, Bristol, in May 1963 and successfully transferring to the Criterion Theatre in London in July 1963, directed by Val May, for a run of 1,044 performances. But in New York, after four previews, the Broadway production, also directed by May, opened on October 28, 1964 at the Royale Theatre, where it ran for only 29 performances. The cast included Sheila Burrell, reprising her role as Honor Klein, Robin Bailey again playing Martin Lynch-Gibbon and Jessica Walter as Georgie. The novel was also made into a 1970 film starring Claire Bloom, Lee Remick, Richard Attenborough and Ian Holm. The screenplay was written by Frederic Raphael.