Edward II

Summary

1947 BBC live studio production of Christopher Marlowe’s history play Edward II.

Theatre play

Edward II by Christopher Marlowe [more information]

Play synopsis

This history play telescopes most of Edward II’s reign into a single narrative, beginning with the recall of his favourite, Piers Gaveston, from exile, and ending with his son, Edward III, executing Mortimer Junior for the king’s murder.

Production history

First published in 1594.

Date of transmission

Thursday 30 October 1947

Time

8.30-10.15pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Stephen Harrison

Playwright

Christopher Marlowe

Music

James Hartley

Sets / Settings

Barry Learoyd

Cast

John Baker	Berekely
Vivienne Bennett	Queen Isabella
Michael Caborn	Prince Edward, later Edward III
Howleson Culff	Warwick / Gurney
Gordon Davies	Spencer
Rosemary Davis	The KIng’s Neice
Philip Leaver	Bishop of Coventry / Lightborn
Roderick Lovell	Young Mortimer
Victor Lucas	Lancaster / Matrevis
David Markham	King Edward II
James Ottaway	A Soldier
Robert Rietty	Herald
Harold Scott	Old Mortimer / Bishop of Winchester
Anthony Sharp	Pembroke / Leicester
Nigel Stock	Edmund, Earl of Kent
Patrick Troughton	Baldock
John Vere	Arundel
Alan Wheatley	Gaveston

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 3.00pm on Friday 31 October 1947.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

14th-century setting; historical drama; royalty

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 24 October 1947 (Magazine)

Linking notes

article, p. 29; listing, p. 32