Disturbance

Summary

1958 Associated-Rediffusion production of Hugh Forbes’ thriller Disturbance for ITV.

Theatre play

Disturbance by Hugh Forbes [more information]

Play synopsis

A group of prisoners, led by a man who believes himself to have been wrongfully convicted, take three guards as hostages and stage a mock re-trial of the leader. Formal court procedure is observed and the leader defends himself. Evidence brought to the ‘trial’ includes a photograph which brings to light an attachment between his wife and the prisoner who actually committed the crime. Jealousy prevents him from understanding her true motives and he kills her.

Production history

Produced at the Strand Theatre in London in December 1957, possibly premiering elsewhere earlier.

Date of transmission

Wednesday 4 June 1958

Series

Play of the Week

Channel

ITV

Production company

Associated-Rediffusion (1955-1964)

Credits

Producer

John Moxey

Playwright

Hugh Forbes

Cast

Patrick McGoohan	Flint
Margaret Tyzack
Jack Watling	Jenks

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

court-room drama; crime; prison; thriller

Print sources

Title

Disturbance: A Powerful Tragedy on Television (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Times, 5 June 1958, p. 16

Title

Disturbance: Real People with Real Problems (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Manchester Guardian, 5 June 1958, p. 5

Title

Paranoid Personalities (Newspaper review)

Author/creator

Maurice Richardson (Reviewer)

Reference

The Observer, 8 June 1958, p. 15