British Universities Film & Video Council

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The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice

Synopsis
Radio version of Shakespeare’s play adapted and produced by Peter Creswell. With Godfrey Tearle in the title role, Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as Desdemona and Malcolm Keen as Iago. Incidental music composed and conducted by Leslie Woodgate. Diana Poulton plays traditional lute music.
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Radio
Transmission details
6 Oct 1933 at 17:30 (Channel: BBC National Programme)
Duration
120 mins
Availability
No copy extant

Credits

Producer
Peter Creswell
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Leslie Woodgate
Adaptor for Radio
Peter Creswell
Cast
Godfrey TearleOthello
Gwen Ffrangcon-DaviesDesdemona
Malcolm KeenIago
Cecil A. LewisMichael Cassio
Mary ClareEmilia
Alec Finter 
Charles HickmanRoderigo
Cyril Nash 
Diana Poulton 
Douglas RossGratiano
Drelincourt OdlumMontano
H.O. NicholsonBrabantio
James Tovey 
Osmund Willson 
Pascoe Thornton 
Patrick WaddingtonLodovico
Richard Hurndall 
Rudolph de CordovaDuke of Venice
Theodore Smythe 

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Plays
Othello
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

History
First play in a new series of Sunday Shakespeare broadcasts.
Textual information
A written transcript of the production is held at the Birmingham Central Library as part of their Shakespeare Collection.
Reviews
Herbert Farjeon comments on the play and the importance of race, something, he argues, is blunted in contemporary stage versions of the play, in ‘Othello was a Black Man’, Radio Times, 6 October 1933, p. 9.
The Times review was positive, suggesting that "The merits of Othello as a tragedy spoken by disembodied voices ... were fully preserved in the adaptation ... .We might lament the loss of a piece of theatrical art, but the tragedy emerged as a coherent and uninterrupted poem, having the power, sometimes denied it by imperfect stage performance, of sweeping the audience over awkward questions of psychological probability." ('Broadcast Drama, 9 October 1933, p.12)

Source: BBC Programme Records 1933-1935, Radio Times, The Times

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Record Stats

This record has been viewed 635 times.