Paolo and Francesca

Summary: 1946 live BBC studio production of Stephen Phillips’ medieval drama Paolo and Francesca.
Theatre play: Paolo and Francesca by Stephen Phillips [more information]
Play synopsis: The action of the play takes place in and near Gradarra Castle which was for many generations the stronghold of the Malatesta family. The Tyrants of Rimini held sway over the surrounding countryside during the internecine strife of the Guelph and Ghibelline factions during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries (source: Radio Times listing, 30 August 1946, p. 26). Inspired by the lines in Dante’s Inferno, the play tells of the guilty love of Francesca, wife of Giovanni Malatesta of Rimini, and Giobanni’s younger brother, Paolo.
Production history: Produced in 1902 at the St James’ Theatre, London, where it ran for 136 performances.
Date of transmission: Tuesday 3 September 1946
Time: 8.30-10.00pm
Channel: BBC Television
Production company: BBC

Producer

Michael Barry

Playwright

Stephen Phillips

Adapted for Television by

Music

Songs by

Musician

Sets / Settings

Cast

John Bailey	Paolo
Margery Bardsley
Norman Claridge	Valentino
Charles Clauson
Vera Cook	Nita
Ray Cunnington	Luigi
John Duncan
Dorothy Green	Lucrezia Degl’ Onesti
Brenda Gregsten
George Hayes	Giovanni Malatesta
Enid Kenworthy	Carlo
Harry Lane	A Sergeant of the Canadian Army
Hubert Longden
Diana Mahony
Barry Phelps	Pulci
John Raggett
Joyce Redman	Francesca da Rimini
Bill Richards
Dora Sevening	Angela
Charles Victor	A British Soldier
Jack White
George Woodbridge	Corrado
Marguerite Young

Origination: Live from studio
Vision original: Monochrome
Later transmissions: Presented again at 3.00pm on Wednesday 11 September 1946.
Extant status: No archival copy is known to exist.
Play tags: 13th-century setting; 14th-century setting; Edwardian drama; Italy, as theme or setting

This record has been viewed 369 times.

British Universities Film & Video Council