Italian Love Story

Summary

1957 BBC Television production of Colin Morris’ play Italian Love Story.

Theatre play

Italian Love Story by Colin Morris (1916-1996) [more information]

Play synopsis

The action takes place in Italy during November 1943. The British Captain Bracken takes over a war-torn vollage from the retreating Germans. The community is leaderless and confused, internally divided and hungry. Bracken falls in love with a young woman, Maria, and faces a dilemma when he is ordered to withdraw his men, thus abandoning the village to the prospect of renewed German occupation and the inevitable devastation of a second Allied attack.

Production history

Published and first performed c. 1954-55.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 6 August 1957

Time

8.45pm (90 mins)

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Andrew Osborn

Playwright

Colin Morris (1916-1996)

Designer

Lawrence [Laurence] Broadhouse

Cast

Gene Anderson	Maria
Michael Balfour	Nick
Bruno Barnabe	Franci
William Franklyn	Captain Bracken, M.C.
John Gabriel	Vincenzo Altieri
Susan Maryott	Carla
Alun Owen	Private Williams
Howard Pays	Captain Savage
Ann Tirard	Peasant Woman

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

Italy, as theme or setting; wartime, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Radio Times, 2 August 1957 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and article, with photograph, on p. 13

Title

Radio Times, 23 August 1957 (Magazine)

Linking notes

letter to the Editor on p. 24

Title

War Play Keeps to Pattern: Italian Love Story (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Manchester Guardian, 7 August 1957, p. 3