The 1952 radio production starred Allan Trevor and Lloyd Berrell.[2] It was one of a series of longer plays broadcast on ABC that ran at 90 minutes (the others were productions of British plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Hamlet).[3]
The play was repeated in December 1952 (in a shortened version)[4] and produced again with a new cast in 1957.[5][6]
It came out the same year as another seial about Burke and Wills, I Tell My Story.
Reception
The Daily Telegraph called it "very ordinary... If the main purpose of this play was to lead up .to the tragic end of the two explorers, then they cettainly took an unconscionable time a-dying."[7]
The Adelaide Mail said "it seemed to me to be more of a documentary than a straight drama... the play was padded out too much with extraneous incidents which could have been conveyed in a sentence rather than having whole scenes devoted to them. As a result the entire action seemed episodic. Further, while consider able attention was paid to the minor characters of Brahe. Paton. and McDonagh, that of Wright never really emerged — a sad failing as his almost criminal negligence was the main cause of the failure of the expedition."[8]
The Melbourne Agus said "Sandford did a great job with it partly because he had such tremendous material. He didn't even have to go far to find it. The play was very largely an adaptation of Frank Clunes book "Dig," eked out from Argus files. It will be interesting to see how he makes out in the future with stories not quite so tailored to measure."[9]
Leslie Rees said "Sandford brought a surging, unfettered energy to the visualization of Burke’s fatal faults of impetuosity, impatience, stubbornness and pride, contrasted with the quiet understanding but ineffectuality of Wills as they trod the first route across the continent to Carpentaria. Here a potentially monotonous and drear subject was given new incisiveness and power because of the very artlessness of the approach."[10]
Original stage play
The radio play was based on a stage play by Sandford that had received an honourable mention in a 1951 Australian playwriting competition held by the Playwrights' Advisory Board (PAB) in honour of Australia's Jubilee Year, but had not been produced. (Another version of the Burke and Wills story, John McKellar's "I Tell My Story," won third prize in the Jubilee Radio Serial Competition.)[11]
Sandford was a radio and theatre actor who says the play was suggested by a friend; he wrote it in eight days.[12]
One of the judges for the competition was Frank Harvey who directed the radio production.[13]
Leslie Rees, Chairman of the Board, said the stage play was "powerful" and listed it as one of those plays that although they "demand large casts and frequent scene changes, it is a shame that they should not be given opportunity of full production on the stage as in any properly theatre-minded country."[14]
A copy of the stage play is held at the University of Queensland library.
Premise
The story of the Burke and Wills Expedition, and their death due in part to just missing their fellow expedition members.[16] The play begins outside Menindee, New South Wales, with the expedition well underway. Several men leave the expedition due to clashes with Burke but he enlists new members including Wright. The group travel to Coopers Creek. Wright is sent back to get more supplies as Burke and Wills lead a small group north, while the rest stay at Coopers Creek under Brahe. Wright never arrives at Coopers Creek so Brahe leaves to go south, just missing the arrival of Burke and Wills. Burke decides to head to Mount Hopeless instead of going to Menindee. He and Wills die, but King is recused.
ABC Weekly called it "the tragic story of Burke and Wills’ fatal expedition in search of a route from Victoria to the northern coast of Australia. Sandford shows a keen sense of characterisation and dialogue. The death of Gray, the terrible second arrival at Cooper’s Creek on the very day the base party left to go south, and the tragic end of Burke and Wills are given forceful treatment in a way that emphasises the faults of Burke’s character, together with his iron courage and energy, and the magnitude of the exploring task before him."[17]
Awake My Love is a 1947 Australian stage play by Max Afford.
The House That Jack Built is a 1951 Australian play by George Farwell about the Rum Rebellion.
Portrait of a Gentleman is a 1940 Australian radio play by George Farwell about Thomas Griffiths Wainewright. It was the first time Wainewright's life had been dramatised.
Lazy in the Sun is a 1951 Australian radio drama by Max Afford. It was one of Afford's most acclaimed works. It explored the notion of Australia's responsibilities to the world.
A Rum Affair is a 1940 Australian radio play by Alec Coppel.
Mingled Yarn is a 1937 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay about the life of William Shakespeare. It was broadcast on the ABC for Australian Drama Week.
With Cain Go Wander is a 1953 Australian original radio play by Edmund Barclay.
The Ridge and the River is a 1953 Australian radio play based on the novel The Ridge and the River.
Henry Lawson Stories was a name given to a series of 1937 Australian radio plays on the ABC where Edmund Barclay adapted stories of Henry Lawson.
Ralph Rashleigh and the Bushrangers is a 1953 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay based on an 1840s novel by James Tucker.
Dear Little Woman is a 1951 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay. It was called a "whodunnit with an unusual twist".
The Man Who Liked Eclairs is a 1945 Australian radio play by Edmund Barclay and Joy Hollyer. It was set in a "small village in England where everyone knows everyone and everyone’s business." The play is one of the better known works from Barclay and Hollyer and a popular Australian play from the time.
Buke and Wills is a 1949 Australian radio play by Colin Thiele about the Burke and Wills expedition.
Fulfilment is a 1948 Australian radio drama by Rex Rienits about Mary Reibey that aired on the ABC. The play was popular and was performed again in 1951.
Australian Bride is a 1946 Australian radio serial.
Man of Two Tribes is a 1953 Australia radio serial based on the stories of Arthur Upfield about Detective Inspector Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte. Morris West adapted several of Upfield's stories.
Hart of the Territory is a 1951 Australian radio serial by Anthony Scott Veitch and produced by Colin Cragin. It was set in the Northern Territory. Sydney John Kay wrote the music. Extensive research went into the scripts.
The First Gentleman is a 1945 Australian radio play by Betty Roland about Benjamin Boyd. It was one of Roland's most notable works.
The Commonwealth Jubilee play competiton was a 1951 Australian play competition held to celebrate Australia's Jubilee Year. The competition was for the best plays dealing with the Australian life or an Australian character and was organized by the Jubilee Federal Arts Sub-Committee.
Seven Section is a 1951 Australian radio drama by Shan Benson, about Australian soldiers in New Guinea.
↑ "Radio Plays A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 14 (12), 22 March 1952, nla.obj-1662271490, retrieved 7 September 2023– via Trove
↑ "Radio Plays for Next Week A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 14 (50), 13 December 1952, nla.obj-1401514688, retrieved 7 September 2023– via Trove
↑ "More Long Plays", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 19 (7), 16 February 1957, nla.obj-1553688007, retrieved 7 September 2023– via Trove
↑ "Radio Plays for Next Week A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 19 (9), 2 March 1957, nla.obj-1553702332, retrieved 25 October 2023– via Trove
↑ "Around the Dial". The Daily Telegraph. Vol.XVII, no.231. New South Wales, Australia. 17 December 1952. p.16. Retrieved 7 September 2023– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Radio Round-up". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol.41, no.2, 077. South Australia. 29 March 1952. p.26. Retrieved 25 October 2023– via National Library of Australia.
↑ "Radio Plays A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 14 (12), 22 March 1952, retrieved 7 September 2023– via Trove
↑ "Radio Plays for Next Week A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, Sydney: Australian Broadcasting Commission, 14 (50), 13 December 1952, nla.obj-1401514688, retrieved 25 October 2023– 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.
