This Happy Breed

Summary

1952 BBC live studio production of Noel Coward’s drama This Happy Breed.

Theatre play

This Happy Breed by Noël Coward (1899-1973) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The story of the play concerns the working class Gibbons family between the end of World War I and the outbreak of World War II. It anticipates the non-violent ways in which social justice issues might be incorporated into post-war national reconstruction, examines the personal trauma caused by the sudden death of sons and daughters and anticipates the forthcoming return of English men from the war. It is also an intimate portrait of the economy and politics of Great Britain in the 1920s and 30s (such as the General Strike of 1926), as well as showing the advances in technology - the arrival of primitive crystal radio sets and telephones, home gas lights being replaced by electricity and mass broadcast radio. This Happy Breed is one of a very few Coward plays to deal entirely with domestic events outside an upper class or upper middle class setting.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Happy_Breed.

Production history

'It was written in 1939 but, because of the outbreak of World War II, it was not staged until 1942, when it was performed on alternating nights with another Coward play, Present Laughter. The two plays later alternated with Coward’s Blithe Spirit.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Happy_Breed.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 23 December 1952

Time

9.00-10.45pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Eric Fawcett

Playwright

Noël Coward (1899-1973)

Sets / Settings

James Bould

Cast

Carl Bernard	Frank Gibbons
Joyce Carpenter	Edie
Dennis Chinnery	Sam Leadbitter
Eileen Draycott	Mrs Flint
June Ellis	Vi
Edward Evans	Bob Mitchell
Ilona Ference	Sylvia
Nancy Manningham	Phyllis Blake
Marjorie Mars	Ethel
Myrtle Reed	Queenie
Billy Thatcher	Reg
Tony Wright	Billy Mitchell

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

class issues / differences; First World War, as theme or setting; politics; Second World War, as theme or setting; wartime, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 19 December 1952 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 47; brief article, pp. 44-45