Antigone

Summary

1949 BBC production of Antigone by Jean Anouilh.

Theatre play

Antigone by Jean Anouilh (1910-1987) [more information]

Play synopsis

Anouilh updates Sophocles’ tragedy to occupied France, using the Greek characters to represent the contemporary power struggle.

Production history

First performed in Paris on 6 February 1944. The London premiere was at the New Theatre on 10 February 1949, with Laurence Olivier producing and taking the role of Chorus.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 18 October 1949

Time

8.30-10.10pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Harold Clayton

Playwright

Jean Anouilh (1910-1987)

Translator

Lewis Galantière

Sets / Settings

Barry Learoyd

Cast

Margaret Boyd	Nurse
Hamilton Dyce	Second Guard
Thomas Heathcote	First Guard
Michael Hordern	Chorus
John Justin	Haemon
Evelyn Moore	Eurydice
Wendy Oliver	Ismene
David Peel	Messenger
Michael Redington	Page
George Relph	Creon
Norris Stayton	Corporal of the Guard
Irene Worth (1916-2002)	Antigone

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Notes

This television production folowed the London stage premiere eight months earlier.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

French drama; Greek drama; Greek myth; tragedy

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 14 October 1949 (Magazine)

Linking notes

articles, pp. 44 and 45; listing, p. 46