▁at ▁far ce , ▁after ▁several ▁serious ▁plays , ▁and ▁took ▁aud ien ces ▁and ▁critics ▁by ▁surprise . ▁It ▁was ▁very ▁fav ou rab ly ▁review ed , ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁box - office ▁hit , ▁running ▁for ▁a ▁year ▁and ▁closing ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁March ▁ 1 8 8 6 . ▁The ▁play ▁has ▁been ▁frequently ▁rev ived . ▁Produ ctions ▁include ▁those ▁at ▁Terry ' s ▁Theatre ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 ; ▁the ▁Arts ▁Theatre , ▁ 1 9 4 3 ; ▁St ▁Martin ' s ▁Theatre ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ; ▁and ▁the ▁Old ▁Vic ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁A ▁more ▁recent ▁London ▁rev ival , ▁st arring ▁Ian ▁Richard son ▁as ▁Pos ket , ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁Sav oy ▁Theatre ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁the ▁play ▁was ▁adapted ▁as ▁a ▁musical ▁comedy ▁that ▁ran ▁in ▁London ▁for ▁ 8 0 1 ▁performances ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁The ▁Boy . ▁The ▁plot ▁was ▁un changed , ▁but ▁the ▁characters ▁were ▁all ▁given ▁new ▁names . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁the ▁play ▁was ▁adapted ▁for ▁the ▁screen ▁under ▁the ▁title ▁Those ▁W ere ▁the ▁Days , ▁st arring ▁Will ▁Hay . ▁ ▁Original ▁cast ▁Mr . ▁Pos k ett ▁– ▁Arthur ▁Cec il ▁Mr . ▁Bull amy ▁– ▁Fred ▁Cape ▁Colonel ▁L uk yn ▁– ▁John ▁Clay ton ▁Captain ▁Hor ace ▁V ale ▁– ▁F . ▁K err ▁C is