Dramatic Reading: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Synopsis

Schools radio broadcast. Dramatic readings from Shakespeare’s play with a short introduction to scenes used as the basis of an English literature lesson for 11-14 year old schoolchildren.

Series

Dramatic Readings

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Radio

Transmission details

29 Sep 1933 at 14:30 (Channel: BBC National Programme)

Duration

20 mins

Availability

No copy extant

Credits

Writer

William Shakespeare

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

Midsummer Night’s Dream, A

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

schools; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General

Part of a series of dramatic readings for schools devised to last no longer than 30 minutes and meant to be spoken by no more than 3 or 4 actors. As the programme notes specify, these readings were not intended to represent Shakespeare’s plays, "but to give pupils the opportunity of hearing Shakespeare well read" (Programme and Syllabus of Transmission to Schools, September 1930 to January 1931, in: BBC Broadcast to Schools, Vol. 10, BBC: London, p.33.)

Reviews

The section on ‘Courses for 1934-5’ in Broadcast to Schools: Annual Programme September 1934-June 1935, Vol. 22, contains the following note on the series: ‘Reports from teachers received during the past year contained requests that a few readings from modern plays should be broadcast ..., and it has therefore been arranged to broadcast only one reading from Shakespeare in each term during 1934-5’ .

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)