L’Avare

Summary

Live BBC studio production of Molière’s comedy L’Avare in Lady Gregory’s version (titled The Miser); on this occasion the BBC used the French title of the play.

Theatre play

The Miser [L’Avare] by Molière (bap. 1622-1673) [more information]

Play synopsis

L’Avare is a five-act satirical comedy by French playwright Molière; its title is usually translated as The Miser when the play is performed in English.

Production history

It was first performed at the Theatre de Palais-Royal in Paris in September 1668. Miles Malleson’s English version of the French play was first performed by the Old Vic Company at the New Theatre, London in 1950.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 21 March 1939

Time

9.20-10.35pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Fred O’Donovan (1889-1952)

Playwright

Molière (bap. 1622-1673)

Adaptor of Script

[Lady] Augusta Gregory (1852-1932)

Cast

Edgar K. Bruce	Anselme
Bryan Coleman	Cléante
Mark Daly	Jacques
Dorothy Hyson	Marian
Oliver Johnson	Notary
Marjorie Mars	Elise
James Mason	Valere
Molly May	Dame Claude
Henry Oscar (1891-1969)	Harpagon
Mardale Owen	Servant to Harpagon
Christopher Rowan Robinson	Servant to Harpagon
John Salew	La Fleche
Rupert Siddons	Simon
Olive Walter	Frosine

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Notes

The presentation coincided with the state visit of the President of the French Republic and Mme Lebrun, which was covered by an outside broadcast unit that afternoon.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

comedy; French drama

Print sources

Title

Broadcasting: State Visit to England (Newspaper listing)

Reference

The Times, 21 March 1939, p. 14

Title

Radio Times, 17 March 1939 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 18