Divorce

Synopsis: Episode 25 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 Henry VIII, stars Robert Lang, Sian Phillips and Stephen Murray. 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: 25 Apr 1977
Transmission details: 31 Jul 1977 at 21:03 (Channel: BBC Radio 4)
Duration: 55 mins
Availability: Unknown

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.

Robert Lang	King Henry VIII
Sian Phillips	Queen Katherine
Stephen Murray	Cardinal Wolsey
Diana Rigg	Anne Boleyn
Douglas Blackwell	Crier
Flora Robson	Old Lady
Gavin Campbell	Gentleman (2)
Henry Knowles	Duke of Suffolk
Jack May	Lord Chamberlain
James Thomason	Gentleman (1)
Johnathan Scott	Gardiner, later Bishop of Winchester
Kenneth Shanley	Secretary
Kevin Flood	Duke of Norfolk
Malcolm Gerard	Scribe
Peter Bull	Cardinal Campeius
Peter Howell (2)	Lord Sandys
Richard Pearson	Griffith
Timothy Bateson	Sir Thomas Lovell

SHAKESPEARE