The Forbidden Rite

The Forbidden Rite
Directed by	William Sterling
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	45 minutes
Production company	ABC
Original release
Release	17 July 1962 (1962-07-17) (Sydney)

The Forbidden Rite is a 1962 Australian television play. It is a filmed ballet - the first ballet written in Australia exclusively for TV. The ABC did regularly broadcast ballet at the time.[1]

It was a joint effort of producer, choreographer Rex Reid and composer Robert Hughes.[2]

Plot

On a Mediterranean island, a tourist party inspects the ruins of a shrine built for the goddess of love.

Cast

• Mary Duchensne as an English tourist
• Victoria Biro as a village lass
• Edward Miller as a village lad
• Ron Paul as a tourist guide
• Alida Glasbeck
• Patrina Coates
• Laurence Bishop
• Barry Moreland

Production

The Forbidden Rite was composed by Robert Hughes, a music writer and arranger for the Victorian Symphony Orchestra. It is the first work commissioned for the Alfred Hill Memorial Award. The ballet was choreographed by Rex Reid.[3]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald called The Forbidden Rite "a triple success for composer Robert Hughes, producer William Sterling and choreographer Rex Reid" praising its "beautifully stylised sets and cameras working with machine-like precision."[4]

The Bulletin said it "had its moments".[5] The Age gave a mixed review.[6]

References

1. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
2. "Dancing to a Quaver". The Age. 31 May 1962. p. 8.
3. "Australian Made Ballet Screened". Sydney Morning Herald. 9 July 1962. p. 27.
4. "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 July 1962. p. 78.
5. Roberts, Frank (28 July 1962). "TELEVISION TWO KINDS OF RITE". The Bulletin. p. 33.
6. "Lavish Failure". The Age. 19 July 1962. p. 8.

External links

• The Forbidden Rite at IMDb