Farewell Farewell, Eugene [scene]

Summary

1959 BBC presentation of a scene from the comedy Farewell, Farewell, Eugene by John Vari, presented from the Garrick Theatre, London, by arrangement with H. M. Tennent Ltd and Ronald Rawson. Rodney Ackland adapted the play so that it was set in Fulham, 1905 rather than Manhattan’s Lower East Side, 1915, as in Vari’s original.

Theatre play

Farewell, Farewell, Eugene by John Vari [more information]

Play synopsis

Comedy with elements of tragedy. Manhattan’s Lower East Side, 1915. Two elderly sisters living in near-poverty have worked and saved hard for a trip to Africa to visit their relative Eugene. However, complications arise, such as aa baby being left on their doorste. Eugene is discovered to be a rogue not worth the trip.

Production history

Produced in London in 1959, and very probably in America earlier than this date.

Date of transmission

Thursday 23 July 1959

Time

8.50-9.30pm

Channel

BBC Television

Production company

BBC

Credits

Director

William Chappell

Television Presentation by

John Vernon

Playwright

John Vari

Adaptor of Script

Rodney Ackland (1908-1991)

Sets / Settings

Michael Weight

Costume Designer

Desmond Heeley

Cast

Beryl Andrews	Mrs Bosworth
Avril Elgar	Peony Povis
Frances Guthrie	Queenie Bosworth
Patrick McAlinney	Mick Delaney
John Moore	Mr Bosworth
Peggy Mount	Florence Povis
Margaret Rutherford	Minerva Goody
Brook Williams	Wille Bosworth

Additional details

Extant status

No archival copy is known to exist.

Play tags

American drama; comedy

Print sources

Title

Fair Evening Out at Farewell Farewell Eugene: Meaty, Comic-Sentimental Situation (Newspaper review)

Reference

The Manchester Guardian, 12 May 1959, p. 7

Linking notes

n.b. this is a review of the stage production, not the televised excerpt.

Title

Radio Times, 17 July 1959 (Magazine)

Linking notes

listing, p. 15