An early televised George Bernard Shaw play about a revolutionary aristocrat.
In a captured palace during the Russian Revolution, the old-guard officers General Strammfest (Erik Chitty) and Lieutenant Schneidekind (Alan Wheatley) struggle to maintain order. They are shocked by the arrival of the formidable Grand Duchess Annjanska (Vera Lindsay), who reveals that she has thrown in her lot with the Bolsheviks. Declaring herself the new revolutionary leader, she assumes command, much to the consternation of the bewildered soldiers under her charge.
This live broadcast was an early example of the BBC’s pre-war commitment to bringing established theatrical works to the television screen. George Bernard Shaw’s short, satirical piece, described by the author as a “revolutionary romancelet”, was adapted for the studio by producer Dallas Bower. Staged with the static cameras and limited resources typical of the era, the production would have resembled a theatrical performance captured for a new medium. The broadcast represents a significant moment in the television service’s infancy, presenting a work by one of Britain’s most eminent playwrights to the small but growing audience of 1939.
Broadcast: BBC, 2 Performances, 2 May 1939 & 7 May 1939
Written by: George Bernard Shaw
Producer: Dallas Bower
Main Cast: Vera Lindsay (Annjanska), Erik Chitty (General Strammfest), Alan Wheatley (Lieutenant Schneidekind), Cyprian Bridge (Soldier), William Dickinson (Soldier)
