Warwick the Kingmaker

Synopsis: Episode 20 of a 26-part serialisation of the Elizabethan history play (encompassing the reign of Edward II to Henry VI), adapted for radio by Martin Jenkins. This episode, based on Shakespeare’s 3 Henry VI, stars Charles Gray, Norman Rodway and Stephen Thorne. With Richard Burton as narrator. The music for the series is composed by Christopher Whelen and played by members of the English Chamber Orchestra.
Series: Vivat Rex
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Radio
Recording date: 16 Mar 1977
Transmission details: 26 Jun 1977 at 21:03 (Channel: BBC Radio 4)
Duration: 55 mins

Director

Martin Jenkins (2)

Producer

Writer

Music

Contributor

Adaptor for Radio

Martin Jenkins (2)

Cast

James Laurenson	King Henry VI
Peggy Ashcroft	Queen Margaret
Christopher Guard	Edward, Prince of Wales
Charles Gray	Earl of Warwick
Norman Rodway	Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III
Alaric Cotter	Post (Watchman)
Alaric Cotter	Son that killed his father
Anne Rosenfeld	Lady Bona
Bruce Beeby	Sir Robert Brackenbury
Christopher Benjamin	Lord Hastings
Christopher Benjamin	Father that killed his son
Geoffrey Collins	George, Edward’s brother, later Duke of Clarence
Ian Ogilvy	Edward, Earl of March, later Edward IV
Michael N. Harbour	Servant
Michael N. Harbour	Duke of Somerset
Michael Tudor Barnes	Earl of Oxford
Stephen Thorne (2)	King Louis
Susan Engel	Lady Elizabeth Gray
Walter Hall	Earl Rivers

History: VIVAT REX was presented by BBC Radio 4 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Each episode of the broadcast was repeated on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesdays at 15:05.
Stills: A large portrait of Burton in front of the microphone can be found in Radio Times, 12-18 February 1977, pp. 61-62.
Textual information: To enable listeners to follow the episodes more easily, a booklet accompanying the series was published, written by Robert Cushman.
Reviews: On Burton’s performance see David Wade, ‘Voices’, Radio Times, 19 February 1977, p. 10.
On a review of the first 6 episodes and Martin Jenkins’s view of the production see Wilfred De’ Ath’s ‘Kings complex’ in Radio Times, 26 March-1 April 1977, p. 66.

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