Another Language

Summary

BBC production of Rose Franken’s Another Language, presented from the BBC’s North of England studios.

Theatre play

Another Language by Rose Franken [more information]

Play synopsis

Another Language is set in London. ‘The central conflict is between an iconoclastic wife, Stella, and her husband Victor’s satirically rendered family. Mother Hallam is the prototypical matriarch; the sisters-in-law are postmarital versions of Cinderella’s stepsisters - unattractive, catty, and stingy; and the materialistic sons enjoy a complacent rigidity. Stella herself represents modernism’ (source: http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/franken-rose).

Production history

Another Language premiered at the Booth Theatre, New York, on 25 April 1932 where it ran for 453 performances. ‘The original New York cast included Margaret Wycherly, Margaret Hamilton, and Glenn Anders. Herbert Marshall and Edna Best starred in the 1932 London premiere at the Lyric Theatre. Helen Hayes played Stella in the 1933 film version’ (source: http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/franken-rose).

Date of transmission

Thursday 25 July 1957

Time

8.00pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Vivian A. Daniels

Playwright

Rose Franken

Designer

Kenneth Lawson

Cast

Dorothy Alison	Stella, Mrs Victor Hallam
Freda Bamford	Etta, Mrs Paul Hallam
Patricia Burke	Helen, Mrs Harry Hallam
Ian Colin	Harry Hallam
Christopher Guinee	Peter, son of Paul and Etta
Patricia Hayes	Grace, Mrs Walter Hallam
Joan Heath	Mrs Hallam
David Langton	Paul Hallam
James Raglan	Mr Hallam
Jeffrey Segal	Walter Hallam
Raymond Young	Victor Hallam

Additional details

Play tags

America, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 19 July 1957 (Magazine)

Linking notes

pp. 8 and 17, article (with photograph) and listing