The Beautiful One

Summary

1938 BBC Television production from the studio of T. B. Morris’ play The Beautiful One, about the Egyptian ruler Akhaton. The production is noted in the Radio Times as being presented ‘by arrangement with the Sunday Theatre’, although the meaning of this is unclear.

Theatre play

The Beautiful One by T. B. Morris (1905-1986) [more information]

Play synopsis

Historical drama set in ancient Egypt at the court of Akhnaton, around 1358 B.C. The king’s empire is disintegrating under the pressures of war and famine. Akhnaton is determined to introduce the worship of Aton, the Sun-god, and to destroy the temples of the old gods. But the people rise up against him and Queen Nefertiti, to spare her husband the humiliation of knowing that his dreams have failed, poisons him.

Production history

Published as a French’s acting edition in London in 1938.

Date of transmission

Saturday 5 February 1938

Time

9.25pm (35 mins)

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Dallas Bower (1907-1999)

Playwright

T. B. Morris (1905-1986)

Decor

Peter Bax

Costumes

Peter Bax

Cast

John Abbott (1905-1996)	Akhnaton
Ivor Barnard	Haya
Cecil Bevan	Scribe
Angela Braemar	Meritaton
D. A. Clarke-Smith	Nakht
Gilbert Davis	Rames
Hermione Hannen	Nefertiti
Stuart Latham	Smenkhara
Drusilla Wills	Asa

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 3.25pm on Monday 7 February 1938.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

Egypt, as theme or setting; historical drama

Print sources

Title

Broadcasting: Music, Variety and a Play (Newspaper listing)

Reference

The Times, 5 February 1938, p. 3

Title

Radio Times, 28 January 1938 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing and article on p. 18

Title

Televised drama (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Times, 7 February 1938, p. 21