Australian TV Plays: Duke in Darkness (10 Oct 1957)

This was based on a play by Patrick Hamilton. According to the ABC advertising it was the ninth live play shot in Melbourne.

It's one of Hamilton's lesser known works. He was popular with the ABC drama department around this time - they also filmed Rope and The Governess.

Premise

In 1580, during the French Civil Wars, the Duke of Latteraine has been imprisoned in the Chateau Lamorre for 15 years, together with his servant, Gribaud. The Duke has feigned blindness in the hope that it will aid his eventual escape.

As the two men play a tense game of chess, it becomes evident that confinement has caused Gribaud to lose his reason.

They are visited by an erstwhile friend named Voulain, now in the service of the enemy, who tries to persuade the Duke that he is still loyal to him. Voulain sets out a daring plan of escape.

The Duke must decide whether he can be trusted—and determine what to do with a loyal, mad companion who could be the plan's undoing.

Cast

Brian James as the Duke
Walter Brown
Syd Conabere
Lisle Jones
John Morgan
Philip Stainton

Original Play

The play had its origins in an idea by Hamilton in 1928 about Napoleon on St Helena. He changed it to 16th century France. It was a historical melodrama. Napoleon became the Duke of Latterine imprisoned for fifteen years.

The play debuted in London in 1942. The production starred Michael Redgrave, who also directed, which is pretty cool. It was published in 1943.

It had a run on Broadway in 1944. Raymond Burr was in the cast!

It wasn't as successful as other Hamilton plays. Read about it in a biography of the author here.

Other versions

The play was filmed by the BBC in 1948. The BBC stamp of approval! No archival copy of this production is known to exist. The BBC filmed it in 1958.

It was filmed by Canadian TV in 1953 and 1954.

BBC radio adapted it in 1944, 1947 and 1950.

The play was revived in London in 2013.

It was performed on commercial Australian radio in 1946 and in 1955. It was performed on stage in Melbourne in 1953.

Production

It was shot in Melbourne and aired in Sydney on 13 November 1957. It went for 60 minutes.

John Peters designed the set and Chris Muir directed.

James Carhatt did the adaptation - I don't know a lot about him.

The NAA have a script. Not oneline but details here. They have some information about the play - not sure what it is. See here. They may have a radio script. See here.