Australian TV Plays: Moby Dick Rehearsed (19 May 1965)

Based on the Orson Welles play. 65 mins.

Premise

A stage is set for a performance of King Lear. However the actor-manager has something else in mind - for his cast to do a rehearsed reading of Moby Dick led by his most eager of his young actors (Michael Thoimas). The cast is assembled, unwillingly in some cases, where actors feel the reading is an intrusion into their drinking time. But the young actor is backed up by a young actress and an earnest young man. Soon the reading is under way but it becomes obvious that two factionrs are at work - the younger members perform with academic skill while the older actors draw on years of experienence.

Cast

Wynn Roberts as Ahab, actor-manager
Keith Alexander as Starbuck/earnest young man
Ed Devereaux as Stubb, the second mate
Des Rolfe as Flask, the Third Mate
Michael Thomas as young actor, also Ishmael
Patricia Connolly as Pip/young actress
Stewart Ginn
Tom Farley
David Copping
Alex Cann
Tommy Dysart
Guy Le Claire

Original play

The play was first produced in 1955 in England. Welles in his prologue spoke of his antagonism to the cult of method acting and maintain all great actors use principles since the time of the Greeks. Ken Tynan called the original production the most memorably theatrical experience of the decade.

Welles partially shot a version of this performance.

It had a short run on Broadway in 1962. A website on Welles has an excellent page on this here.

Australian Productions

It played in Melbourne in 1959 at the Union and in Sydney in 1960 for the Elizabethan Theatre Trust with Frank Thring.

It was adapted for Australian radio in 1964.

It was adapted for BBC radio in 1966.

Production

It was filmed in Sydney. Ken Hannam directed.

The set was designed by Geoffrey Wedlock

Reception

The TV critic for the Sydney Morning Herald called it "very exciting television... Ken Hannam's production was compelling and always visually interesting, especially in the use of focus."

The Canberra Times called it "a fine actors play, but, let us face it, a pretty boring one" but praised the work of Wynn Roberts and Patricia Connolly.