The Tiger and the Horse

Summary

1962 BBC production of The Tiger and the Horse by Robert Bolt.

Theatre play

The Tiger and the Horse by Robert Bolt (1924-1995) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The play’s story involves Jack Dean, a Professor of Astronomy at a prestigious English university (unnamed, but presumed to be Oxford) who is the primary candidate for the Vice Chancellor-ship after the current Vice Chancellor, Hugo Slate, retires the position. Dean has a wife, Gwendolyn, and two daughters, Stella and Mary. The plot focuses around a petition to ban nuclear weapons (in real life, Bolt’s pet political issue), which is introduced by Louis Flax, a strong-willed, opinionated research fellow who is courting Stella. Dean refuses to sign it, even though his wife strongly supports the petition. His unwillingness to commit himself slowly drives his wife insane; she feels herself unloved and unappreciated by her husband, but blames herself for it. Stella becomes pregnant by Louis, and in a subplot a frustrated Stella tries to convince Louis to marry her. At the play’s denouement, Gwendolyn destroys a Holbein portrait of the University’s founders and pins the petition to it; this convinces her husband to support his wife and sign the petition, even though it will ruin his chances of becoming Vice Chancellor.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tiger_and_the_Horse.

Production history

Opened at the Queen’s Theatre on 24 August 1960.

Date of transmission

Friday 6 July 1962

Time

9.25-10.50pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Harold Clayton

Playwright

Robert Bolt (1924-1995)

Designer

Clifford Hatts

Cast

Andrew Cruickshank	Jack Dean
Julian d’Albie	Sir Hugo Slate
Catherine Lacey	Mrs Gwendoline Dean
Richard Pasco (1926-)	Louis Flax
Jennifer Wright	Mary Dean
Susannah York	Stella Dean

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

universities, as theme or setting; weapons / bombs

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 28 June 1962 (Magazine)

Linking notes

illustrated article, p. 51; listing, p. 53