A Citizen of the World

Last updated

A citizen of the World
Genredrama play
Running time45 mins (8:30 am – 9:15 am)
Country of originAustralia
Language(s)English
Hosted byABC
Written by Catherine Shepherd
Directed byPaul O'Loughlin
Original release22 August 1940

A Citizen of the World is a 1940 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd about Oliver Goldsmith. It was one of her most notable works. [1] [2]

The play was an entrant in the 1940 Australian Radio Play Competition. [3] [4]

Leslie Rees said it "illustrated the difficulty of writing one’s best when a bread-and-butter living has to be earned". [5] He elaborated, "shows a man of real genius and integrity being led towards the different prison of Hackdom, the spiderweb gradually closing in to destroy him. And his quiet resolution, despite natural human fears, to go forth into loneliness and hunger, but to remain free." [6]

The play was produced again in 1941 and 1943. The later versions were rewritten from the 1940 entry. [7]

Premise

"The play gives a touchingly attractive portrait of the younger Oliver Goldsmith, the man of 30, friend of the poor, an unsuccessful school usher, author of a few essays and verses, seeing himself approaching a critical literary crossroads. One road leads to a life of successful hack journalism, the other to semi-starvation and real writing achievement. It is a hard choice. The play is a study in 18th century Grub-street ways to be set beside Miss Shepherd’s plays of Mary Mitford, Hans Anderson and John Bunyan. The present version amplifies the previous picture of a lovable and courageous character." [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>As Ye Sow</i> 1937 radio serial

As Ye Sow is a 1937 Australian radio serial by Edmund Barclay. It told the story of six generations of Australians in early colonial Australia.

Daybreak is a 1938 Australian play by Catherine Shepherd.

<i>A Rum Affair</i> 1940 Australian radio play by Alec Coppel

A Rum Affair is a 1940 Australian radio play by Alec Coppel.

<i>Secret Informer</i>

Secret Informer is a 1941 Australian radio play by Gordon Ireland about fifth columnists working on Australian radio.

Royal Mail is a 1939 Australian stage play by Alexander Turner.

Sabotage is a 1940 Australian radio play by is a radio play by Catherine Shepherd. It imagines what it might be like to turn into a fifth column in Australia.

<i>John Ross, King of Cocos Islands</i>

John Ross, King of Cocos Islands is a 1940 Australian radio play by John Morgan about John Ross of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It was the first play from Morgan, a New Zealander who lived in Sydney and worked as the manager of a firm.

The Watch on the Headland is a 1940 Australian radio play by M. Barnard Eldershaw, the name for Marjorie Barnard and Flora Eldershaw. It was their first radio play.

Wheat Boat is a 1942 Australian radio play by Alexander Turner. It was bought for the ABC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Shakespeare (radio play)</span> 1937 Australian radio drama

Young Shakesepeare is a 1937 Australian radio drama by Kenneth Mackenzie about William Shakespeare.

The Black Horse is a 1937 Australian radio play by Vance Palmer based on his 1923 short play of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dingo (radio play)</span> 1940 radio play by Vance Palmer

The Dingo is a 1940 Australian radio play by Vance Palmer based on his short story of the same name.

The Interloper is a 1940 Australian radio play by Vance Palmer based on his 1927 short story of the same name.

<i>The Flying Swan</i> (radio play) 1939 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd

The Flying Swan is a 1939 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd. It told the story of Hans Christian Andersen. The play was one of Shepherd's major works.

Exit Socrates is a 1939 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd. It was considered one of the more notable Australian radio plays of that year.

<i>The Valiant Tinker</i> 1939 radio play by Catherine Shepherd

The Valiant Tinker is a 1939 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd about John Bunyan. The play was popular and was performed again in 1941 and 1950.

Three Mile Cross is a 1940 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd about Mary Mitford.

Seapiece is a 1938 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd about an out of work actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Down to Earth (radio play)</span>

Down to Earth is a 1939 Australian radio play by Catherine Shepherd.

The Drovers is a 1921 Australian play by Louis Esson. According to Esson's obituary the play was his "finest piece... one scene, one simple incident; it was what he could do; be never did anything better; and no one else did, either."

References

  1. ↑ Rees, Leslie (1953). Towards An Australian Drama. p. 166.
  2. ↑ "FRIDAY .. AUGUST 23", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, August 17, 1940, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
  3. ↑ "Farwell Wins Play Contest Entry Was Not Most Popular With A.B.C. Listeners", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, October 5, 1940, nla.obj-720726725, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
  4. ↑ "A.B.C. 1940 Play Competition", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC, 5 October 1940, nla.obj-1309210925, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
  5. ↑ Rees, Leslie (1987). Australian drama, 1970-1985 : a historical and critical survey. p. 190.
  6. ↑ "Plays of the Air— Last Competition Plays", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC, 17 August 1940, nla.obj-1314296976, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
  7. ↑ "AUSTRALIA ON THE AIR", ABC weekly, Sydney: ABC, 11 January 1941, nla.obj-1309858540, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
  8. ↑ "WEDNESDAY . . JAN. 15", The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, January 11, 1941, nla.obj-713148540, retrieved 21 February 2024– via Trove
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.