The Moon in the Yellow River

Summary

1938 BBC studio production by the author of his Irish drama The Moon in the Yellow River.

Theatre play

The Moon in the Yellow River by Denis Johnston (1901-1984) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The action of the play takes place in an old Fort, now used as a dwelling-house, near the mouth of a river in Ireland. The play is an absurdist satire about a German electrical engineer, Dobelle, who tries to keep his generating station outside Dublin functioning to its optimum. He also must learn to love his daughter, Blanaid, whom he has always resented as her mother died giving birth to her. Symbolism about the new post-1922 Ireland is rife throughout.' (source PlayographyIreland http://www.irishplayography.com/play.aspx?playid=2150; accessed 24 March 2014)

Production history

First produced on 27 April 1931 by the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Date of transmission

Wednesday 28 December 1938

Time

3.00-4.30pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Denis Johnston (1901-1984)

Playwright

Denis Johnston (1901-1984)

Cast

Eileen Ashe	Agnes
Laidman Browne	Dobelle
Frank Harvey (1912-1981)	George
James Hayter	Captain Potts
Harry Hutchinson	Lanigan
Jeanne Macintyre	Blanaid
James Mason	Darrell Blake
Una O’Connor	Aunt Columba
Tony Quinn	Willie
Hans Wengraf	Tausch

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 9.05pm on Tuesday 3 January 1939.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

comedy; Germany, as theme or setting; Republic of Ireland, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Christmas Week Television (Newspaper review)

Author/creator

Anon.

Reference

The Times, 2 January 1939, p. 23

Title

Radio Times, 23 December 1938 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 38

Title

Television plays’ popularity: more to be broadcast (Newspaper article)

Author/creator

Our television correspondent (Author)

Reference

Sunday Times, 29 January 1939, p. 22