As COVID19 lockdown continues, those of us missing our trips to the theatre can at least be grateful for regular online screenings of great theatre productions. National Theatre at Home recently highlighted the work of William Shakespeare on the anniversary of his birthday with a screening of Twelfth Night and will be featuring another Shakespeare classic from 7pm this evening via their YouTube channel with a screening of Antony and Cleopatra.
This week’s Throwback Thursday therefore picks up on three performances of Shakespeare from the archives!
Alas! We don’t have video footage of these presentations. I for one would certainly love to witness a young Richard Burton as Henry, Prince of Wales in Henry IV, John Carlisle as Orsino in Twelfth Night and John Laurie as Duncan, King of Scotland in Macbeth.
We therefore present all we have, the productions dates and cast names from the original theatre bills. How many great actors names can you recall? If you have any information on the performances, please get in touch via entertainmentsouthwales@gmail.com.
Programme for King Henry The Fourth, Stratford Upon Avon, 1951
King Henry The Fourth Part 1
Memorial Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon
First performed: April 3, 1951
(Selected cast)
King Henry the Fourth, Harry Andrews
Henry, Prince of Wales, Richard Burton
Henry Percy (Surnamed Hotspur), Michael Redgrave
Owen Glendower, Hugh Griffith
Richard Scroop (Archbishop of York), Robert Hardy
Sir John Falstaff, Anthony Quayle
Bardolph, Michael Bates
Petp, Peter Halliday
First Carrier, Ronald Hines
Second Carrier, Reginald Marsh
Stage Director: Patrick Donnell
Programme for Twelfth Night, Theatre Royal, York, 1961
Twelfth Night
Theatre Royal, York
First performed: March 20, 1961
(Selected cast)
Orsino (Duke of Illryia), John Carlisle
Curio, Jeffrey Waites
Valentine, Bryan Mosley
Viola, Siobhan Keegan
A Sea Captain, George Woolley
Olivia (A rich countess), Beth Harris
Stage Director: Peter Clayton
Programme for Macbeth, Chichester Festival Theatre, 1966
Macbeth
Chichester Festival Theatre
First Performance: August 2, 1966
(Selected cast)
Duncan, John Laurie
Malcolm, Tom Courtenay
Donalbain, Gordon Reid
Lennox, John Standing
Macduff, Ray McAnally
Macbeth, John Clements
Banquo, Michael Aldridge
A Porter, Bill Fraser
First Murderer, Ben Kingsley
Second Murderer, David Sinclair
Lady Macduff, Zena Walker
Gentlewoman to Lady Macbeth, Viola Lyel
Messengers, Peter Egan Patrick Marley Arthur Skinner
Director: Michael Benthall
FURTHER SHAKESPEARE READING ON ENTS SOUTH WALES: