Australian TV Plays: Dark Brown (4 Dec 1963) (Brisbane)

The second studio-shot TV play in Brisbane. Came after Vacancy in Vaughan Street. 45 mins.

Premise

In London in 1900, a young woman, Jenny, is married to Arthur Brown, a tobacconist. Arthur keeps going away to visit his aunt. Jenny's mother dislikes the mysterious Arthur and wishes her daughter had married Fred, who has since become engaged to Jenny's cousin Bella.

Bella and Fred visit the shop and Fred says he saw Arthur in town on a day when he was supposed to be with his aunt. Fred sees this upsets Jenny and backtracks. But then Arthur's aunt Mrs Persephelous visists wanting to see Arthur and reveals she hasn't seen Arthur for a while.

Jenny's concern grows when she sees Arthur has cut out articles about a murderer who was recently hung. Arthur comes home and Jenny worries that he wants to kill her. She reveals what he found out. Arthur confesses that he worked as a hangman, like his father. Jenny says she wont leave Arthur.

Cast

Barbara Wheelton as Jenny Brown
Ray Dunlop as Arthur Brown
Babette Stephens as Mrs Persephelous
Betty Ross as shop clerk Miss Tasker
Gwen Wheeler as Mrs Collins, Jenny's mother
Beverly Bates as cousin Bella
Glen Stirratt as Bella's finance Fred

Production

The play by Philip Johnson had been filmed by the ABC in 1957. A complete copy of the play can be borrowed here.

The sets were designed by Bernard Hides and Bill Collyer. They had to recreate the parlour at the back of Arthur's shop and decided to add the shop as well to give the set better dimensions and to open out the play from its stage origins. The tobacco used was made of peat moss.

The production was taped at the ABC studios in Toowong and that recording was broadcast.

It was shot on 18 October 1963.

During the broadcast the cast re-enacted the play in the studio; they did this without the costumes or sets used during the taping, but just to improve. "We are still inexperienced and we have to make every effort to improve," said Bob Cubbage who directed with Wilf Buckner. Ray Menmuir, ABC director, was in Brisbane on December 3 and 4 to watch the taping and offer suggestions.

Broadcast

It showed in Melbourne on 1 April 1964.