The Moon in the Yellow River

Summary

1954 BBC production of Denis Johnston’s comedy of modern Ireland The Moon in the Yellow River.

Theatre play

The Moon in the Yellow River by Denis Johnston (1901-1984) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The action of the play takes place in an old Fort, now used as a dwelling-house, near the mouth of a river in Ireland. The play is an absurdist satire about a German electrical engineer, Dobelle, who tries to keep his generating station outside Dublin functioning to its optimum. He also must learn to love his daughter, Blanaid, whom he has always resented as her mother died giving birth to her. Symbolism about the new post-1922 Ireland is rife throughout.' (source PlayographyIreland http://www.irishplayography.com/play.aspx?playid=2150; accessed 24 March 2014)

Production history

First produced on 27 April 1931 by the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

Date of transmission

Sunday 12 September 1954

Time

8.35-10.10pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Harold Clayton

Playwright

Denis Johnston (1901-1984)

Designer

Roy Oxley

Cast

Jean Anderson	Aunt Columba
Nuna Davey	Agnes
Pamela Grant	Blanaid
Thomas Heathcote	Commandant Lanigan
Gerard Heinz	Tausch
Harry Hutchinson	George
Paddy Joyce	Willie
Malcolm Keen	Dobelle
Denis O’Dea	Darrell Blake
Wally Patch	Captain Potts

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

comedy; Germany, as theme or setting; Republic of Ireland, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 10 September 1954 (Magazine)

Linking notes

illustrated listing, p. 14