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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
A comedic radio play set in England one week before the Derby.
Notes
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According to contemporary newspapers, The Bishop Dreams was also bought by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the South African Broadcasting Corporation. These productions have not yet been traced.
Source:
'Australian Radio Plays: Success of A.B.C. Playwrights Abroad', Canberra Times, 14 August 1939, p.2.
Production Details
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Australia
First broadcast (from Melbourne) on 2 February 1937, from 7:10pm. The play was popular, and was repeated a number of times in 1937.
England
A production of the play by Howard Rose for the BBC was broadcast three times in the UK: 29 March 1938 (as part of the Empire Programme), 20 August 1941, and 30 May 1942. Although the productions had different casts, all were produced by Howard Rose, and likely used the same script.
Cast (1938): Unknown
Cast (1941): Cecil Trouncer (The Bishop of Downchester), Mabel Terry-Lewis (Janet, his sister), Malcolm Graeme (William, the butler), Phyllis Morris (Mrs Wilson, the housekeeper), Ivor Barnard (Henry Blunt, the Bishop's twin / Mr Jones), Grizelda Hervey (Mary, a barmaid), Ivan Samson (Mr Brown), Jack Livesey (Colonel Jones, a clubman), and Bryan Powley (Colonel Brown, a clubman). (Source: Radio Times, 15 August 1941, p.21.)
Cast (1942): Ralph Truman (The Bishop), James Woodburn (William), Joan Carol (Janet), Sybil Arundale (Mrs Wilson), James Dale (Henry Blunt), Edgar Norfolk (Mr Jones), Olga Edwardes (Mary), Sydney Tafler (Mr Brown), Robert Marsden (Captain Jones), and Robert Rendel (Colonel Brown). (Source: Radio Times, 22 May 1942, p.18.)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
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cEngland,ccUnited Kingdom (UK),cWestern Europe, Europe,
