SHAKESPEARE

Alternative title

King Richard III

Synopsis

Radio version of the play adapted and produced by Peter Watts and broadcast as part of a sequence of Shakespeare’s histories. With Donald Wolfit as Richard and Joan Hart as Elizabeth. The fanfares are composed by John Hotchkis.

Series

Wars of the Roses, The

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

6 Nov 1952 at 20:05 (Channel: BBC Third Programme)

Duration

175 (incl. interval)

Availability

Unknown

Credits

Producer

Peter Watts

Writer

William Shakespeare

Editor

John Dover Wilson

Music

John Hotchkis

Adaptor for Radio

Peter Watts

Cast

John Glen	King Edward IV
Elsa Palmer	Duchess of York
Warren Hearnden	Prince Edward (Prince of Wales)
G. Blunt	Richard, the young Duke of York
Brian Hayes	George, Duke of Clarence
Anthony Jacobs	Sir William Catesby
Antony Kearey
Arthur Lawrence
David Enders	Lord Grey
Donald Wolfit	Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard
Duncan Carse	Sir Robert Brackenbury
Eric Anderson	Stanley, Earl of Derby
Frank Tickle	Scrivener
Frank Tickle
Franklyn Bellamy
Graveley Edwards	Cardinal
Howard Rose	Lord Mayor of London
Joan Hart	Queen Elizabeth
John Cazabon
John Greenwood	Ghost of Prince Edward
Michael Bates	Murderer
Michael O’Halloran	Earl of Oxford
Patrick Troughton	Sir James Tyrrel
Peter Coke	Lord Hastings
Preston Lockwood	Murderer
Raf de la Torre	Lord Rivers
Richard Bebb	Earl of Richmond
Richard Hurndall	Raphael Holinshed
Rosalind Iden	Lady Anne
Sonia Dresdel	Queen Margaret
Tony Halfpenny	Sir Richard Ratcliffe
Valentine Dyall	Ghost of King Henry VI
William Fox	Duke of Buckingham
William Patrick	Marquis of Dorset
Wyndham Milligan	Lord Lovell

Additional Details

Production type

Television and Radio Drama

Plays

Richard III

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

Notes

A BBC recording.

General

The ‘Wars of the Roses’ broadcasting sequence does not open with Henry VI, 1 because the play, according to Dover Wilson, is a "patchwork in which Shakespeare collaborated with inferior dramatists" ('Shakespeare’s Chronicles of the War of the Roses’, Radio Times, 24 October 1952, p. 7).
Rehearsals for the production took place from 2/11/1952-6/11/1952.

History

Last of a sequence of history plays broadcast under the title ‘The Wars of the Roses’ from 31/10/1952- 6/11/1952 on BBC Third Programme (see separate entries for each episode).

Textual information

A written transcript of the production is held at the Birmingham Central Library as part of their Shakespeare Collection.

Reviews

In ‘The Wars of the Roses’ (Radio Times, 31 October 1952, p.11), producer Peter Watts explains how the plays are linked and airs some of the problems they present when produced as a sequence.

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)