The Miser

Summary

This BBC Television production of Molière’s The Miser, performed by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, was transmitted ‘From the BBC’s Television Studio in Birmingham’ (Radio Times, 13 July 1956, p. 38). This was the first full-length drama production from the BBC’s television studio at Gosta Green, Birmingham.

Theatre play

The Miser [L’Avare] by Molière (bap. 1622-1673) [more information]

Play synopsis

L’Avare is a five-act satirical comedy by French playwright Molière; its title is usually translated as The Miser when the play is performed in English.

Production history

It was first performed at the Theatre de Palais-Royal in Paris in September 1668. Miles Malleson’s English version of the French play was first performed by the Old Vic Company at the New Theatre, London in 1950.

Date of transmission

Thursday 19 July 1956

Time

9.00pm (90 mins)

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Theatre company

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company

Credits

Producer

Bernard Hepton

Television Presentation by

Barrie Edgar

Playwright

Molière (bap. 1622-1673)

Adaptor of Script

Miles Malleson (1889-1969)

Designer

Margaret Peacock

Cast

Doreen Aris	Marianne
Geoffrey Bayldon	A Justice of the Peace
Mark Brackenbury	in a minor role
Robert Chetwyn	Jacques
Nicholas Courtney	in a minor role
Charmian Eyre	Elise
Albert Finney	Cléante
Jill Forest	in a minor role
Colin George	First Servant
Ronald Hines	Valère
Nancie Jackson	Frosine
Eric Jones	La Flèche
Mark Kingston	The Clerk to the Justice
Kross Leigh	in a minor role
Angus Mackay	in a minor role
Kenneth Mackintosh	Harpagon
Bunny May	in a minor role
Michael Robbins	Second Servant
Alan Rowe	Master Simon
Geoffrey Taylor	Seigneur Anselm
Jacqueline Wilson	in a minor role

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

comedy; French drama

Print sources

Title

Amateurs All (Newspaper review)

Author/creator

Maurice Richardson (Reviewer)

Reference

The Observer, 22 July 1956, p. 10

Title

Radio Times, 13 July 1956 (Magazine)

Linking notes

pp. 6 (article) and 38 (listing)

Title

The Miser (Audience Research Report)

Archive

BBC Written Archives Centre (WAC) [more information]

Address

Peppard Road
Caversham Park
Reading
Berkshire
RG4 8TZ
UK

Telephone

+44 (0)118 948 6281

Email

heritage@bbc.co.uk

Website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/research/wac

Access

The WAC is open from 9.30am to 5.00pm on Wednesdays to Fridays throughout the year to academics, postgraduate students and writers by appointment.

Reference

Report reference VR/56/380, held in file R9/7/23