Harlequinade (Australian TV play)

Harlequinade
Ad in The Age 20 Dec 1961
Genre	comedy
Based on	Harlequinade by Terence Rattigan
Directed by	Bill Bain
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Les Weldon
Running time	60 mins
Production company	ABC
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	20 December 1961 (1961-12-20)

Harlequinade is a 1961 Australian TV play based on the Terence Rattigan play Harlequinade. It was directed by Bill Bain[1] and aired on 20 December 1961 in Sydney, 7 February 1962 in Melbourne, and 29 May 1962 in Brisbane.[2]

It was the first adaptation of Terence Rattigan on Australian television.[3]

Plot

A middle aged couple, Arthur and Edna are appearing in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet in a small town. They meet a woman who claims to be Arthur's daughter from his first marriage.

They realise they are too young to play star crossed lovers.

Cast

• John Alden as Arthur Gosport
• Neva Carr Glyn as Edna Selby
• Owen Weingott as Fred Ingram
• Don Pascoe as Fred Wakefield
• Enid Lorimer as Dame Maud
• Cherrie Butlin as Joyce
• Lou Vernon
• Marcia Hathaway
• Martin Redpath
• Peter Stewart
• Frank Taylor
• Alan Tobin
• Hilary Linstead[4]

Production

It starred Cherrie Butlin who was the daughter of Billy Butlin; she had lived in Australia for three years.[5] The set was designed by Philip Hickie.[6]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald called it "skittish and affectionate".[7]

References

1. Vagg, Stephen (12 April 2021). "Forgotten Australian TV Plays: Harlequinade". Filmink.
2. "An ageing Rome and a nagging Juliet". TV Times. 24 May 1962. p. 16.
3. "Advertisement". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 December 1961. p. 8.
4. "Actress is a casting director". The Australian Women's Weekly. Australia. 10 May 1967. p. 5. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
5. "Cherrie's New Play". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 December 1961. p. 16.
6. "TV Guide". The Age. 1 February 1962. p. 29.
7. ""Harlequinade" on Television". Sydney Morning Herald. 21 December 1961. p. 5.