That Lady

Summary

1954 BBC live studio production of Kate O’Brien romantic drama That Lady, set at the court of Philip II of Spain.

Theatre play

That Lady by Kate O’Brien [more information]

Play synopsis

Set at the court of Philip II of Spain at the end of the 16th century. Married at 13 and losing an eye in a duel a year later, Ana, the Princess of Eboli is heiress to the estates and titles of Spain’s leading family. A dutiful wife with ten children, rumours begin that she is mistress to Philip II.

Production history

An adaptation by the author of her 1946 novel which was first performed as a play in 1949.

Date of transmission

Sunday 2 May 1954

Time

8.40-10.20pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Rudolph Cartier

Playwright

Kate O’Brien

Sets / Settings

Stephen Taylor

Cast

Bart Allison
Peter Augustine	Don Mateo Vasquez
Gillian Barber	Anichu, as a Child
Antony Beaumont
Howell Davies	Pablo
Walter Gotell	Manuel Ortega
Robert Harris	Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo
Jane Henderson	Bernardina
Edward Higgins
Ivan Hiller
Olivia Irving
Reginald Jessup
Toby Lenon
Fletcher Lightfoot	Beggar
Clement Lister	Doctor
Barrie Martin	Rodrigo, as a Child
Maria Mercedes	Street Singer
Manny Michael
Brian Moorehead
Michael Mulcaster
Joseph O’Conor	Antonio Perez
Stanley Platts	King’s Footman
Charles Price
Denis Raymond
Edana Romney	Ana de Mendoza
Julian Sherrier	Rodrigo
Jeannette Sterke	Anichu
George Swayles
Reginald Tate	Philip II
Peter Roy Taylor
Douglas Wilmer	Juan de Escovedo

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 9.20pm on Thursday 6 May 1954.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

16th-century setting; adaptation of novel; historical drama; Spain, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 30 April 1954 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and photograph, p. 14; article by producer Rudolph Cartier, ‘That Lady of Spain’, p. 15