Difference between revisions of "Murder in the Cathedral"
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| − | ''Murder in the Cathedral'' | + | ''[[Murder in the Cathedral]]'' is a verse play by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot]. |
| + | |||
| + | [[Becket]] | ||
== The original text == | == The original text == | ||
| − | First performed in the Cathedral Chapter house at the Canterbury Festival, June 1935. | + | |
| + | The play was origonally conceived for on-site performance in Canterbury Cathedral, England, as part of the Canterbury Festival and deals with the temptation and murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket (1119 or 1120–1170)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket], in Canterbury Cathedral. | ||
| + | |||
| + | First performed in the Cathedral Chapter house at the Canterbury Festival, 15 June 1935, directed by E. Martin Browne, with Robert Speaight in the part of "Becket". The production then moved to the Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate in London to run for several months. | ||
==Translations and adaptations== | ==Translations and adaptations== | ||
| + | The play was broadcast live on British television by the BBC in 1936, at the very start of the Corporation's introduction of broadcast TV. It was subsequently filmed three times (in 1951[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1951_film)]), 1962[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1962_film)] and in 2020[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(2020_film)]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | A number of recordings of full cast performances have been made over the years[] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The opera ''[[Assassinio nella cattedrale]]'' by the Italian composer Ildebrando Pizzetti, is based on the play and was first performed at La Scala, Milan, in 1958. | ||
== Performance history in South Africa == | == Performance history in South Africa == | ||
| + | |||
1939: Presented by the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] at the [[Little Theatre]] in January, directed by [[Rose Ehrlich]]. | 1939: Presented by the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] at the [[Little Theatre]] in January, directed by [[Rose Ehrlich]]. | ||
| − | 1943: Presented by the Natal University College Dramatic Society in 1943. With Fiennes Prestwich [http://www.natalia.org.za/Files/15/Natalia%20v15%20obituaries%20Prestwich.pdf]. | + | 1943: Presented by the [[Natal University College Dramatic Society]] in 1943. With Fiennes Prestwich [http://www.natalia.org.za/Files/15/Natalia%20v15%20obituaries%20Prestwich.pdf]. |
| − | 1945: Presented by Bishops and Herschel Schools, Cape Town, in Bishops Chapel, produced by [[Rose Ehrlich]], 1945. With Andrew Porter, William van der Byl, Henry Newdigate, | + | 1945: Presented by Bishops and Herschel Schools, Cape Town, in Bishops Chapel, produced by [[Rose Ehrlich]], 1945. With [[Andrew Porter]], [[William van der Byl]], [[Henry Newdigate]], |
| − | June 22, 1947: | + | June 22, 1947: Presented by the [[Rhodes Dramatic Society]] at [[Rhodes University College]]'s [[Great Hall]] for three days preceding the staging in the Grahamstown Cathedral. Directed by [[Leon Gluckman]], also in the lead role, with [[Godfrey le May]] as "Archbishop Thomas a Becket," Professor [[Kenneth White]] and [[Norman Addleson]]. Decor by [[Ronnie Phillips]]. The presentation was not without controversy, as a letters to Grahamstown's daily newspaper, Grocott's Mail, recorded: |
"Staging a play in the House of God is sacrilege," complained one letter writer. Another writer said the play in the Cathedral should "be avoided by all who object to a Christian martyr's suffering being made a Sunday evening 'box-office-draw'." A supporter of the play wrote, "Well-informed people should rejoice that the Cathedral of Grahamstown . . . would provide an appropriate setting and decor for one of the finest and most spiritual dramas of the present century." | "Staging a play in the House of God is sacrilege," complained one letter writer. Another writer said the play in the Cathedral should "be avoided by all who object to a Christian martyr's suffering being made a Sunday evening 'box-office-draw'." A supporter of the play wrote, "Well-informed people should rejoice that the Cathedral of Grahamstown . . . would provide an appropriate setting and decor for one of the finest and most spiritual dramas of the present century." | ||
| Line 20: | Line 31: | ||
The Dean of Grahamstown said he was convinced the majority was not opposed to it and pointed out that ''[[Murder in the Cathedral]]'' had been presented in Canterbury Cathedral (Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Salisbury Cathedral, England, and Johannesburg Cathedral | The Dean of Grahamstown said he was convinced the majority was not opposed to it and pointed out that ''[[Murder in the Cathedral]]'' had been presented in Canterbury Cathedral (Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Salisbury Cathedral, England, and Johannesburg Cathedral | ||
| − | The play was staged at the [[University of the Witwatersrand]] when it's run in Grahamstown was completed. | + | 1947: The play was staged at the [[University of the Witwatersrand]] when it's run in Grahamstown was completed. |
1965: Presented by the [[University of Cape Town]]'s Speech and Drama Department at the [[Little Theatre]] in June, directed by [[Rosalie van der Gucht]]. | 1965: Presented by the [[University of Cape Town]]'s Speech and Drama Department at the [[Little Theatre]] in June, directed by [[Rosalie van der Gucht]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 1978: Presented by the [[Arts Theatre Club]] at [[St Saviour's Church]], directed by [[Mary Howe]]. | ||
1984: Presented by [[Omnitheatre]], directed by [[Ray Tumner]], with [[John Hussey]] on the [[National Arts Festival]] Fringe, 1984. | 1984: Presented by [[Omnitheatre]], directed by [[Ray Tumner]], with [[John Hussey]] on the [[National Arts Festival]] Fringe, 1984. | ||
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==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
| − | |||
| − | + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral | |
| − | [[Saturday Post]], June 28, 1947. | + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket |
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1951_film) | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1962_film) | ||
| + | |||
| + | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(2020_film) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''[[Trek]]'', 8(13):18, 1943; 9(22):18, 1945. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''[[Saturday Post]]'', June 7, 1947. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ''[[Saturday Post]]'', June 28, 1947. | ||
''[[Helikon]]'', 2(11), 1953. | ''[[Helikon]]'', 2(11), 1953. | ||
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[[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip]], 1972. pp.124, 151. | [[ESAT Bibliography I|Inskip]], 1972. pp.124, 151. | ||
| − | National Arts Festival programme, 1984. | + | [[National Arts Festival]] programme, 1984. |
Theatre programme, 1992. | Theatre programme, 1992. | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Arts Theatre Club]] archive held by [[George Mountjoy]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]] | ||
== Return to == | == Return to == | ||
| − | Return to [[ | + | Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]] |
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]] | ||
| − | Return to [[ | + | Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]] |
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | Return to [[The ESAT Entries]] | ||
Return to [[Main Page]] | Return to [[Main Page]] | ||
Latest revision as of 14:52, 2 May 2024
Murder in the Cathedral is a verse play by T.S. Eliot (1888-1965)[1].
Contents
The original text
The play was origonally conceived for on-site performance in Canterbury Cathedral, England, as part of the Canterbury Festival and deals with the temptation and murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket (1119 or 1120–1170)[2], in Canterbury Cathedral.
First performed in the Cathedral Chapter house at the Canterbury Festival, 15 June 1935, directed by E. Martin Browne, with Robert Speaight in the part of "Becket". The production then moved to the Mercury Theatre, Notting Hill Gate in London to run for several months.
Translations and adaptations
The play was broadcast live on British television by the BBC in 1936, at the very start of the Corporation's introduction of broadcast TV. It was subsequently filmed three times (in 1951[3]), 1962[4] and in 2020[5]).
A number of recordings of full cast performances have been made over the years[]
The opera Assassinio nella cattedrale by the Italian composer Ildebrando Pizzetti, is based on the play and was first performed at La Scala, Milan, in 1958.
Performance history in South Africa
1939: Presented by the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society at the Little Theatre in January, directed by Rose Ehrlich.
1943: Presented by the Natal University College Dramatic Society in 1943. With Fiennes Prestwich [6].
1945: Presented by Bishops and Herschel Schools, Cape Town, in Bishops Chapel, produced by Rose Ehrlich, 1945. With Andrew Porter, William van der Byl, Henry Newdigate,
June 22, 1947: Presented by the Rhodes Dramatic Society at Rhodes University College's Great Hall for three days preceding the staging in the Grahamstown Cathedral. Directed by Leon Gluckman, also in the lead role, with Godfrey le May as "Archbishop Thomas a Becket," Professor Kenneth White and Norman Addleson. Decor by Ronnie Phillips. The presentation was not without controversy, as a letters to Grahamstown's daily newspaper, Grocott's Mail, recorded:
"Staging a play in the House of God is sacrilege," complained one letter writer. Another writer said the play in the Cathedral should "be avoided by all who object to a Christian martyr's suffering being made a Sunday evening 'box-office-draw'." A supporter of the play wrote, "Well-informed people should rejoice that the Cathedral of Grahamstown . . . would provide an appropriate setting and decor for one of the finest and most spiritual dramas of the present century."
The Dean of Grahamstown said he was convinced the majority was not opposed to it and pointed out that Murder in the Cathedral had been presented in Canterbury Cathedral (Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury), Salisbury Cathedral, England, and Johannesburg Cathedral
1947: The play was staged at the University of the Witwatersrand when it's run in Grahamstown was completed.
1965: Presented by the University of Cape Town's Speech and Drama Department at the Little Theatre in June, directed by Rosalie van der Gucht.
1978: Presented by the Arts Theatre Club at St Saviour's Church, directed by Mary Howe.
1984: Presented by Omnitheatre, directed by Ray Tumner, with John Hussey on the National Arts Festival Fringe, 1984.
1992: Presented by the African Christian Theatre Service (ACTS) by arrangement with the Baxter Theatre , in the St George's Cathedral, Cape Town, on 29 February 1992. Direction and design by Peter Krummeck, lighting by Pip Marshall. The cast: Brenda Wood, Zoë Randall, Vanessa Reynolds, Tessa Edlmann, Land Middelkoop, Matthew Roberts, Buyani Zwane, Arnold Pegram, Pomolo Monethi, Gavin Lister, John Carson, Gordon van Rooyen, Brian Notcutt, Paul Peteren, André Jacobs.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Becket
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1951_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(1962_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral_(2020_film)
Trek, 8(13):18, 1943; 9(22):18, 1945.
Saturday Post, June 7, 1947.
Saturday Post, June 28, 1947.
Helikon, 2(11), 1953.
Inskip, 1972. pp.124, 151.
National Arts Festival programme, 1984.
Theatre programme, 1992.
Arts Theatre Club archive held by George Mountjoy.
Go to ESAT Bibliography
Return to
Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays
Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
Return to South African Festivals and Competitions
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
