The Admirable Crichton facts for kids

A scene from the 1902 play, showing H.B. Irving as Crichton (left) and Henry Kemble as the Earl of Loam (center).

The Admirable Crichton is a funny play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie. It tells the story of a rich family and their butler who get shipwrecked on a deserted island. On the island, their usual social rules are turned upside down. The play explores ideas about social class and who is truly capable when everyone is equal.

About The Admirable Crichton Play

What Inspired the Play?

J. M. Barrie named his play after a real Scottish person named James Crichton. He was a very smart person from the 1500s who was good at many different things, like sports and learning. People called him a "polymath," which means someone who knows a lot about many different subjects.

Some people think the idea for the play might have come from a German play called Robinson's Eiland (Robinson's Island) from 1896. In that play, a group of important people from Berlin get shipwrecked. A secretary named Arnold becomes their leader because he is the most practical.

Who Are the Characters?

Here are some of the main characters in The Admirable Crichton and who played them in different versions:

What Happens in The Admirable Crichton?

The play is divided into four acts, showing how the characters change and adapt.

Act One: Life at Loam Hall

The first part of the play takes place at Loam Hall, the fancy home of the Earl of Loam. Crichton is the butler, a head servant. The Earl believes that social classes are not important. He tries to prove this by having his servants mix with his rich guests during tea parties. This makes everyone feel very awkward. Crichton, the butler, actually thinks the class system is a good thing and necessary for a polite society.

Mary (left), Agatha (center) and Catherine in the 1902 play.

Act Two: Shipwrecked on an Island

In the second act, the Earl, his family and friends, and Crichton are shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. Crichton is the only one who knows how to do practical things like finding food and building shelter. Even though he doesn't want to at first, he becomes the leader of the group. He even starts training Ernest, one of the young aristocrats, to stop saying clever but annoying phrases by dunking his head in water!

At first, the rich people don't like Crichton being in charge. They try to do things their own way. But soon, they realize they can't survive without him. They come back and accept the food Crichton has found and cooked, showing they now accept his leadership.

Act Three: Crichton Becomes the Leader

Two years pass in the third act. Crichton has made the island a civilized place. He has started farming and built houses. Everyone now calls him "the Guv." He is treated like a king, with all the power and special treatment his master used to have back in Britain.

Lady Mary, the Earl's daughter, falls in love with Crichton. She forgets that she was engaged to Lord Brocklehurst back home. Just as Crichton and Lady Mary are about to get married by a clergyman who was also shipwrecked, they hear the sound of a ship's gun. For a moment, Crichton thinks about not letting the ship know they are there. But then he does the right thing and signals for help. As the rescuers arrive, Crichton immediately goes back to being a butler.

Act Four: Back to Normal Life

The last act is called "The Other Island" and takes place back at Loam Hall. Everything is supposed to be back to normal, but it feels strange. The Loam family and their friends are embarrassed by Crichton being there. This is because Ernest has written a made-up story about what happened on the island. In his story, he and Lord Loam are the heroes.

Lady Brocklehurst, Lord Brocklehurst's mother, asks the family and servants many questions about the island. She suspects that Lady Mary might have been in love with Crichton. Everyone tries to avoid answering her questions. But when Lady Mary is asked if Crichton would be her butler when she gets married, she is shocked and says, "Oh no, impossible..." To protect her, Crichton quickly says that it's impossible because he is leaving his job as a servant. The play ends with Crichton and Lady Mary saying a sad goodbye.

Where Has the Play Been Performed?

J.C. Buckstone in the 1902 play.

The play first opened in London on November 4, 1902, at the Duke of York's Theatre. It was very popular and ran for 828 performances! H. B. Irving played Crichton, and Irene Vanbrugh played Lady Mary Lasenby.

In 1903, the play came to Broadway in New York. William Gillette played Crichton in that production. The play has been performed many times since then, including in New York in 1931 and in Manchester, England, in 1985. In 1989, it was brought back to London with famous actors like Edward Fox and Rex Harrison.

The Play in Movies and TV Shows

The Admirable Crichton has been made into movies, TV shows, and radio plays.

TV and Radio Versions

• The play was made into a TV film twice, in 1950 and 1968.
• In 2011, it was adapted for BBC Radio 4 as a Saturday Play, with Russell Tovey as Crichton.
• A funny parody version called "The Admirable Loombucket" was made for a radio show called Round the Horne.

Movie Versions

• The first movie version was made in 1918 and directed by G. B. Samuelson.
• A more famous movie version was made in 1957, starring Kenneth More, Sally Ann Howes, and Cecil Parker.

Other Movies Inspired by the Play

Some movies were inspired by the play but changed the story a lot:

• The 1919 silent film Male and Female by Cecil B. DeMille.
• The 1933 French film Charlemagne.
• The 1934 movie We're Not Dressing, starring Bing Crosby.
• The 1936 Chinese film Back to Nature.

Why Is This Play Important?

The play has had a lasting impact on popular culture:

• In the TV show Fawlty Towers, the character Basil Fawlty calls his waiter Manuel "the admirable Crichton."
• The name for the robot servant Kryten in the British science fiction TV series Red Dwarf was inspired by Crichton.

Images for kids

• 

  A scene from the 1902 production, including H.B. Irving as Crichton (left) and Henry Kemble as the Earl of Loam (centre).

• 

  Mary (left), Agatha (centre) and Catherine in the 1902 production.

• 

  J.C. Buckstone in the 1902 production.

The Admirable Crichton at Project Gutenberg

See also

In Spanish: El admirable Crichton para niños