Flora Robson stars in this broadcast of a single act from the Westminster Theatre production of Eugene O’Neill’s celebrated drama.
This broadcast presents the second act of Eugene O’Neill’s play, as staged for the “Theatre Parade” strand. On board his coal barge off the coast of Massachusetts, the ageing captain Chris Christopherson (Edward Rigby) is reunited with his daughter, Anna (Flora Robson), whom he has not seen in twenty years. During a heavy fog, they rescue a group of shipwrecked sailors from the sea, among them the powerfully built Irish stoker, Mat Burke (Niall Macginniss).
This 20-minute excerpt was an early example of the BBC’s ‘Theatre Parade’ series, a strand designed to bring segments of live West End productions to the nascent television audience. Rather than mount a full studio adaptation, the broadcast relayed a single act from George More O’Ferrall’s staging at the Westminster Theatre. The strategy allowed the fledgling service to feature major theatrical talent; in this case, the celebrated Flora Robson appeared in one of her signature roles. The transmission served a dual purpose, offering a taste of high culture to home viewers (which at the time numbered in the hundreds) while simultaneously acting as a powerful promotion for the ongoing stage play.
Broadcast: BBC, 1 Episode, 7 May 1937
Written by: Eugene O’Neill
Production by: George More O’Ferrall
Main Cast: Flora Robson (Anna Christopherson), Edward Rigby (Chris Christopherson), Niall Macginniss (Mat Burke)
