Swamp Creatures: Difference between revisions
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'''''Swamp Creatures''''' is a play by the Australian author [[Alan Seymour]]. He wrote it for radio, stage and TV. It was Seymour's first produced play. |
'''''Swamp Creatures''''' is a play by the Australian author [[Alan Seymour]]. He wrote it for radio, stage and TV. It was Seymour's first produced play. |
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==Plot== |
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Two sisters live together in the Australian bush, the dominant Caroline and the frail Amy. Amy's son Christian returns after having disappeared when he was in his teens. |
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==1957 theatre production== |
==1957 theatre production== |
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{{Infobox play |
{{Infobox play |
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It was filmed for TV by the ABC in 1960.<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106194 1980 TV production details] at [[AusStage]]</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103108299 |title=Advertising |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |volume=35 |issue=9,746 |date=31 October 1960 |accessdate=8 May 2016 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It was repeated in 1962<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136933516 |title=LIVE DRAMA AND MUSIC ON ABC TELEVISION. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=11 December 1962 |accessdate=3 April 2015 |page=27 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> |
It was filmed for TV by the ABC in 1960.<ref>[http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106194 1980 TV production details] at [[AusStage]]</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103108299 |title=Advertising |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |volume=35 |issue=9,746 |date=31 October 1960 |accessdate=8 May 2016 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> It was repeated in 1962<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136933516 |title=LIVE DRAMA AND MUSIC ON ABC TELEVISION. |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=11 December 1962 |accessdate=3 April 2015 |page=27 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald|date=11 July 1960|title=Swamp Creatures|page=13}}</ref> |
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===Cast=== |
===Cast=== |
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*Graham Hill as Christian |
*Graham Hill as Christian |
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*Marion Johns as Mrs Fall |
*Marion Johns as Mrs Fall |
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The ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' critic called it "one of the finest drama efforts I have seen done here."<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U_pjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HuYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1860,956380&hl=en Marshall, Valda. 'TV Merry-go-round', Sydney Morning Herald, 17 July 1960, p.45]</ref> |
The ''[[Sydney Morning Herald]]'' critic called it "one of the finest drama efforts I have seen done here."<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U_pjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HuYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1860,956380&hl=en Marshall, Valda. 'TV Merry-go-round', Sydney Morning Herald, 17 July 1960, p.45]</ref> |
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Another ''Herald'' critic said the production "was at least successful in showing how a handful of characters can be marshalled to produce gripping theatre" but thought "the central issues are somewhat cloudily expressed."<ref>{{cite news|date=14 July 1960|title=TV play Gripping Theatre|page=11}}</ref> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[List of television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1960s)]] |
*[[List of television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1960s)]] |
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Revision as of 00:45, 19 February 2019
Swamp Creatures is a play by the Australian author Alan Seymour. He wrote it for radio, stage and TV. It was Seymour's first produced play.
Plot
Two sisters live together in the Australian bush, the dominant Caroline and the frail Amy. Amy's son Christian returns after having disappeared when he was in his teens.
1957 theatre production
| Swamp Creatures | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Alan Seymour |
| Date premiered | 1 November 1957 |
| Place premiered | Canberra |
| Original language | English |
The play was written in 1955–56. In 1956 it was the runner-up in a play competition held by the Journalists' Club and judged by the Playwrights' Advisory Board. In 1957 it was one of the twenty-five finalists in the play competition held by the London Observer.[1]
It was first performed by the Canberra Repertory Society in 1957.[2][3][4]
Cast of original production
- Joyce Goodes as Constance
- Barbara Shanahan as Amy
- Michael Dennis as Christian
- Harry Schmidt as Mr Fall
- Daphne Curtis as Mrs Fall
Background
The play was based on a true story about an old woman who lived near a swamp and disappeared.[5]
1958 radio adaptation
The play was adapted for radio by the ABC in 1958.
1960 TV adaptation
| Swamp Creatures | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Raymond Menmuir |
| Written by | Alan Seymour |
| Distributed by | ABC |
Release date | 9 July 1960 |
Running time | 75 mins |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
It was filmed for TV by the ABC in 1960.[6][7] It was repeated in 1962[8][9]
Cast
- Graham Hill as Christian
- Marion Johns as Mrs Fall
- Jacqueline Kott as Caroline
- Lynne Murphy as Amy
- Frank Waters as Mr Fall
Production
Floor assistant David Twiby recalled that during the making of the show, the smoke machine caused a stage hand to nearly die during the broadcast.[10]
Reception
The Sydney Morning Herald critic called it "one of the finest drama efforts I have seen done here."[11]
Another Herald critic said the production "was at least successful in showing how a handful of characters can be marshalled to produce gripping theatre" but thought "the central issues are somewhat cloudily expressed."[12]
See also
References
- ^ "NEW REP. PLAY WILL BE WORLD PREMIERE". The Canberra Times. Vol. 31, no. 9, 310. 26 October 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Alan Seymour obituary
- ^ "New Repertory Play Soon". The Canberra Times. 25 October 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 3 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Repertory Does Full Justice To Excellent Play". The Canberra Times. 2 November 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 3 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "NEW REP. PLAY WILL BE WORLD PREMIERE". The Canberra Times. 26 October 1957. p. 2. Retrieved 3 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ 1980 TV production details at AusStage
- ^ "Advertising". The Canberra Times. Vol. 35, no. 9, 746. 31 October 1960. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "LIVE DRAMA AND MUSIC ON ABC TELEVISION". The Canberra Times. 11 December 1962. p. 27. Retrieved 3 April 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Swamp Creatures". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 July 1960. p. 13.
- ^ http://www.abctvgorehill.com.au/assets/contributions/david_twiby_2E.htm
- ^ Marshall, Valda. 'TV Merry-go-round', Sydney Morning Herald, 17 July 1960, p.45
- ^ "TV play Gripping Theatre". 14 July 1960. p. 11.