The Rivals

Summary

1938 BBC Television production of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s comedy The Rivals.

Theatre play

The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816) [more information]

Play synopsis

The Rivals is a comedy concerning the romantic difficulties of Lydia Languish, who is determined to marry for love and into poverty. Realising this, the aristocratic Captain Jack Absolute woos her while claiming to be Ensign Beverley. But her aunt, Mrs Malaprop, will not permit her to wed a mere ensign, and Lydia will lose half her fortune if she marries without her aunt’s permission. Among the play’s many plot complications is the appearance of Sir Anthony (Jack’s father). In the end, Lydia abandons her sentimental notions and agrees to marry Jack.

Production history

First performed at Covent Garden, London in January 1775 and published in the same year.

Date of transmission

Sunday 17 July 1938

Time

9.20-10.30pm (70 mins)

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Lanham Titchener

Playwright

Richard Brinsley Sheridan (1751-1816)

Adapted for Television by

Lanham Titchener

Cast

Bernard Ansell	David, Thomas
Buena Bent	Mrs Malaprop
Harvey Braban	Lucius O’Trigger
Hugh Burden	Fag
Roy Byford	Sir Anthony Absolute
Erik Chitty (1907-1977)	Bob Acres
Cherry Cottrell	Lucy
Mary Hignett	Julia
André Morell	Faulkland
Eric Portman	Captain Absolute
Lesley Wareing	Lydia Languish

Additional details

Origination

Live from studio

Vision original

Monochrome

Later transmissions

Presented again at 9.00pm on Thursday 25 August 1938.

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

18th-century setting; comedy; marriage

Print sources

Title

Broadcasting: Music, Variety and Opera (Newspaper listing)

Reference

The Times, 16 July 1938, p. 8

Title

Radio Times, 15 July 1938 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 18 and article p. 16