The One Day of the Year

Summary

1962 BBC production of The One Day of the Year by Alan Seymour, a play set in Australia. This was the first play of Seymore’s to be shown on BBC television.

Theatre play

The One Day of the Year by Alan Seymour [more information]

Play synopsis

To Hughie Cook, a student at Sydney University, Anzac Day, the national day of honour for the fallen, is just an excuse for a booze-up. To his father, Alf Cook, a veteran of Alamein who now works the lift in an office block, it is the one day in the year when he feels important. There is a bitter conflict between father and son, especially since Hughie plans to work with Jan Castle on a debunking report for his student newspaper. He has to face the conflict between his loyalty towards his father and his love for Jan.

Production history

First staged at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East in 1961.

Date of transmission

Friday 14 December 1962

Time

9.25-10.35pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

James Ormerod

Playwright

Alan Seymour

Designer

Margaret Peacock

Cast

Reg Lye	Wacka Dawson
George Roubicek	Hughie Cook
Madge Ryan	Dot Cook
Georgina Ward	Jan Castle
Kenneth J. Warren	Alf Cook

Additional details

Play tags

Australia, as theme or setting; military / army / navy / air-force; universities, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 6 December 1962 (Magazine)

Linking notes

article with image, p. 43; listing, p. 47