Playboy of the West Indies opened in 1984 at the Oxford Playhouse, where it had been commissioned by Nicolas Kent,[1] and the production subsequently toured the UK, finishing at the Tricycle Theatre in London.
The original cast included Joy Richardson (as Alice), Jackie de Peza (Ivy), Frank Singuineau (Jimmy), Jim Findley (Ken), T-Bone Wilson (Mac), Mona Hammond (Mama Benin), Rudolph Walker (Mikey), Joan Ann Maynard (Peggy), Tommy Eytle (Phil), and Jason Rose (Stanley).
[2] The play has also enjoyed much success in the United States, most notably at The Court Theatre, Chicago; Arena Stage, Washington, DC; New Jersey and Yale Rep.
[7] Peter Hepple in The Stage stated: "Whereas Playboy of the Western World is recognised as a serious play, despite its comedy overtones, Mustapha Matura's Trinidadian version is all good humour.
"[8] Michael Billington wrote in The Guardian: "As comedy, Matura's version is hard to fault: he keeps all Synge's surprise entrances and adds to them his own 1950 period texture and joyous Creole dialogue...."[9][10][11]