▁English ▁edition ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁the ▁American ▁edition ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁and ▁a ▁second ▁English ▁edition ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁The ▁play ▁is ▁dedicated ▁to ▁Aud en ' s ▁ge ologist ▁brother ▁John ▁B ick nell ▁Aud en ▁who ▁had ▁taken ▁part ▁in ▁an ▁expedition ▁near ▁ ▁the ▁H imal ay an ▁mountain ▁K 2 . ▁ ▁Aud en ▁personally ▁invited ▁Benjamin ▁Brit ten ▁to ▁write ▁the ▁incident al ▁music ▁for ▁the ▁play . ▁Brit ten ▁composed ▁the ▁music ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁month ▁of ▁the ▁play ' s ▁first ▁production , ▁including ▁a ▁ch oral ▁setting ▁of ▁" Stop ▁all ▁the ▁clock s " ▁( t itled ▁" Fun eral ▁Blues "). ▁ ▁Production ▁history ▁The ▁play ▁was ▁first ▁produced ▁at ▁the ▁Mercur y ▁Theatre , ▁London ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁February ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁with ▁incident al ▁music ▁by ▁Benjamin ▁Brit ten ▁conducted ▁from ▁the ▁piano ▁by ▁Brian ▁E as dale . ▁Direct ed ▁by ▁Ru pert ▁Do one , ▁the ▁cast ▁included ▁William ▁Dev lin ▁as ▁Michael ▁R ans om , ▁Dor othy ▁Hol mes - G ore ▁as ▁Mrs ▁R ans om , ▁and ▁Hed li ▁Anderson ▁as ▁the ▁S inger . ▁After ▁its ▁initial ▁run , ▁The ▁As cent ▁of ▁F 6 ▁received ▁ 1 7 ▁performances ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years . ▁It ▁was ▁broadcast ▁live ▁by ▁the ▁BBC ▁on ▁the ▁ 3 1 st ▁May ▁