In Good King Charles’ Golden Age

Summary

1970 BBC production of In Good King Charles’ Golden Age by George Bernard Shaw.

Theatre play

In Good King Charles’ Golden Age: A True History that Never Happened by [George] Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) [more information]

Play synopsis

'It was written in 1938-39 as an "educational history film" for film director Gabriel Pascal in the aftermath of Pygmalion’s cinema triumph. The cast of the proposed film were to be sumptuously clothed in 17th-century costumes, far beyond the resources of most theatre managements. However, by the time of its completion in May 1939, it had turned into a Shavian Restoration comedy. The title of the play is taken from the first line of the traditional song "The Vicar of Bray". A discussion play, the issues of nature, power and leadership are debated between King Charles II ('Mr Rowley’), Isaac Newton, George Fox and the artist Godfrey Kneller, with interventions by three of the king’s mistresses (Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland; Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth; and Nell Gwynn) and his queen, Catherine of Braganza’. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Good_King_Charles%27s_Golden_Days.

Production history

Billed as ‘A history lesson in three scenes by Bernard Shaw’, the first production was at the Malvern Festival Theatre on 12 August 1939, directed by H K Ayliff and designed by Paul Shelving. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Good_King_Charles%27s_Golden_Days.

Date of transmission

Sunday 15 February 1970

Time

8.15-10.05pm

Series

Play of the Month

Channel

BBC1

Production company

BBC

Credits

Director

Basil Coleman

Producer

Cedric Messina

Lighting

Robert Wright

Playwright

[George] Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

Designer

Roger Andrews

Cast

Elisabeth Bergner	Catherine of Braganza
Michael Craig	James II
Maurice Denham	George Fox
John Gielgud	Charles II
Derek Godfrey	Isaac Newton
Joan Greenwood	Louise
Felicity Hain	Sally
Barbara Jefford	Barbara
Corin Redgrave (1939-2010)	Godfrey Kneller
Joyce Redman	Nell Gwyn
Athene Seyler (1889-1990)	Mrs Basham

Additional details

Play tags

17th-century setting; royalty

Audiovisual sources

Title

In Good King Charles’ Golden Age (BBC, 1970)

Archive

BBC Information and Archives [more information]

Address

White City
London
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)20 8008 2288

Website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/informationandarchives/

Access

BBC Information and Archives is not open to the public.

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 12 February 1970 (Magazine)

Linking notes

interview with John Gielgud, p. 11; listing, p. illustrated listing, p. 20