▁is ▁precisely ▁what ▁the ▁production ▁being ▁review ed ▁had ▁done . ▁ ▁But ▁in ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁a ▁tal ented ▁director ▁and ▁cast , ▁the ▁play ▁still ▁offers ▁considerable ▁pleasure . ▁A ▁New ▁York ▁production ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁prompt ed ▁pra ise ▁in ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁for ▁being ▁" just ▁the ▁class y ▁ant id ote ▁one ▁needs ▁in ▁a ▁celebr ity - c raz ed ▁world ▁where ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁priv acy ▁is ▁out ▁of ▁control , ▁but ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁g oss ip ▁is ▁none x istent ." ▁ ▁Film ▁and ▁television ▁adapt ations ▁The ▁play ▁has ▁been ▁adapted ▁to ▁film ▁numerous ▁times . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁the ▁silent ▁British ▁film ▁The ▁School ▁for ▁Sc andal ▁was ▁produced ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Ber tr am ▁Phill ips . ▁It ▁star red ▁Bas il ▁R ath bone , ▁Frank ▁Stan more ▁and ▁Queen ie ▁Thomas . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁film ▁The ▁School ▁for ▁Sc andal ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁sound ▁adaptation ▁of ▁the ▁play . ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁pres umed ▁to ▁be ▁lost . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁television ▁adaptation ▁a ired ▁over ▁the ▁BBC ▁May ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁Gre er ▁Gar son ▁star red . ▁BBC - TV ▁again ▁produced ▁the ▁play ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁ ▁Original ▁actors ▁ ▁These ▁appeared ▁in ▁" The ▁School ▁for ▁Sc andal " ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 7 7 7 ▁at ▁The ▁Dr