Danton’s Death

Summary

1959 BBC Television production of Danton’s Death by Georg Büchner.

Theatre play

Danton’s Death [Dantons Tod] by Georg Büchner (1813-1837) [more information]

Play synopsis

'The play follows the story of Georges Danton, a leader of the French Revolution, during the lull between the first and second terrors. Georges Danton created the office of the Revolutionary Tribunal as a strong arm for the Revolutionary Government. With this, to be accused of anything real or imagined was to be condemned to death without trial, proofs, evidence or witnesses. Within months he knew this power was a terrible mistake and fought to have it ended. Robespierre stopped him and used the Tribunal to have Danton and all opposition killed, consolidate his power and slaughter uncounted thousands of French men, women, and children. Ultimately he followed Danton to the guillotine. Witnesses describe Danton as dying bravely comforting other innocents executed with him.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danton%27s_Death.

Production history

'For a long time no theatre would dare put on the play and did not receive its premiere until 1902 - long after Büchner’s death. This occurred on 5 January, in the Belle-Alliance-Theater in Berlin, in a production put on by the Vereins Neue Freie Volksbühne.' Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danton%27s_Death.

Date of transmission

Tuesday 19 May 1959

Time

9.15pm (95 mins)

Series

Television World Theatre

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Producer

Michael Elliott

Playwright

Georg Büchner (1813-1837)

Adaptor of Script

James Maxwell

Translator

James Maxwell

Composer

George Hall

Designer

Natasha Kroll (credited with ‘Television Design by’)

Costume Designer

Malcolm Pride

Cast

June Bailey	Prostitute
Robert Bernal	Collot / Gentleman
Donald Bradley	Philippeau
Avril Elgar	Simon’s Wife
Lee Fox	Legendre; Executioner
Anita Giorgi	Prostitute
Dilys Hamlett	Julie
Penelope Horner	Prostitute
Robert Jackson	Soldier / Boy
Colin Jeavons	St Just / Executioner
Harald Jensen	A Young Gentleman
Harold Lang	Robespierre
Fulton Mackay	Lacroix
James Maxwell	Camille Desmoulins
Helen Montague	Former Marchioness
Robert Pointon	Billaud / Waiter
Peter Sallis	Barere / Simon
Maxwell Shaw	A Deputy from Lyons / Executioner
Marc Sheldon	Fouquier-Tinville / Gentleman
Roy Spence	Soldier
John Turner	Herault-Sechelles
Patrick Wymark	Danton

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

18th-century setting; France, as theme or setting; German drama; wartime, as theme or setting

Print sources

Title

Büchner Makes an Impressive Television Playwright (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Times, 20 May 1959, p. 13

Title

Radio Times, 15 May 1959 (Magazine)

Linking notes

illustrated listing on p. 15