author
Rutherford Mayne
1878–1967
Best known as the pen name of Samuel John Waddell, this Irish playwright helped shape the early Ulster Literary Theatre with lively, observant dramas rooted in everyday life. His work mixed humor, stagecraft, and a close ear for Ulster speech.
2 Audiobooks
The Drone A Play in Three Acts
by Rutherford Mayne
The Turn of the Road A Play in Two Scenes and an Epilogue
by Rutherford Mayne
About the author
Born in Tokyo on July 15, 1878, Samuel John Waddell later wrote under the name Rutherford Mayne. He was the son of a Presbyterian missionary, was educated in Belfast, and became known not only as a playwright but also as an actor and civil servant.
Mayne was closely involved with the Ulster Literary Theatre from its early years and wrote some of its best-known plays, including The Turn of the Road and The Drone. His drama is often praised for its sharp comic touch and its vivid picture of rural Ulster life.
He was also the brother of writer Helen Waddell. Rutherford Mayne died on February 25, 1967, in Dalkey, County Dublin.