Victoria Regina

Summary

1947 BBC live studio production of Laurence Housman’s dramatic biography of Queen Victoria, produced for television on the day of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten.

Theatre play

Victoria Regina by Laurence Housman (1865-1959) [more information]

Play synopsis

A dramatic biography of Queen Victoria, presented in a series of short scenes.

Production history

Written in 1934 but, because of restrictions imposed by the Lord Chamberlain, first staged in London only on 21 June 1937 at the Lyric. The premiere had been in New York. Housman published a prose version entitled Happy and Glorious in 1943.

Date of transmission

Thursday 20 November 1947

Time

8.45-10.25pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Ian Atkins

Playwright

Laurence Housman (1865-1959)

Sets / Settings

Barry Learoyd

Cast

Clarence Bigge	Mr Richards
Howard Douglas	First Queen’s Gentleman
Margaret Goodman	Lady Jane
Clement Hamelin	Footman
Cyril Hardingham	General Grey
Mary Hignett	Lady Grace
Stuart Kern	Second Queen’s Gentleman
Mary Lewis	Maidservant / Lady-in-waiting
Tatiana Lieven	Duchess of Kent
Aubrey Mallalieu	Archbishop of Canterbury
D. A. Mehan	Third Queen’s Gentleman
Ernest Milton	Benjamin Disraeli
Gerik R. Schjelderup	Prince Ernest
Geoffrey Steele	A Court Usher / Footman
Marjorie Stewart	Lady Muriel
Pamela Stirling	Victoria
Ruth Taylor	Duchess of Sutherland
Geoffrey Toone	Prince Albert
John Vere	Mr Anson
Arthur Wontner	Lord Conyngham

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 3.00pm on Friday 21 November 1947.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

biographical play; royalty

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 14 November 1947 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 31; article, p. 29