SHAKESPEARE

Alternative title

Invention, An

Synopsis

Televised studio production of play originally written for the stage by British playwright and novelist Winifred Ashton whose nom de plume was Clemence Dane (1888-1965).
The plot links Shakespeare and the ‘Dark Lady’ of the sonnets with the mysterious death of Shakespeare’s fellow dramatist, Christopher Marlowe.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Television

Transmission details

3 Apr 1938 at 21:35 (Channel: BBC)

Duration

60 mins

Credits

Producer

George More O’Ferrall

Writer

Clemence Dane

Art Direction

Peter Bax

Cast

Barbara Everest	Mrs. Hathaway
Basil Gill	Henslowe
Esmond Knight	Kit Marlowe
Eugene Leahy	Landlord
Henry Oscar	Will Shakespeare
Margaret Rawlings	Mary Fitton
Margaretta Scott	Anne
Nancy Price	Queen Elizabeth
Robin Maule	Boy

Additional Details

Production type

Television and Radio Drama

Plays

Julius Caesar

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

biographies; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

According to Val Gielgud, Head of BBC Television Drama from 1949-1952, this production inaugurated Sunday televising before the war. Cf. ‘New Plays for Drama Festival’, Radio Times, 28 July 1950, p. 36.

General

Dane’s Will Shakespeare: An Invention in Four Acts, a play written in blank verse, was published in 1921.

History

Stage play premiered at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 17 November 1921. The piece was repeatedly produced as a radio play: initially, a scene from Act IV was broadcast on BBC London (5/9/1926), Val Gielgud produced it for the National Programme (23/4/1931), Barbara Burnham for the BBC (31/1/1940), Peter Watts for BBC Home Service (23/8/1947), Andrew Allan for CBC Radio (14/4/1955). For more detail see separate entries.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)