Australian TV Plays: Waters of the Moon (19 April 1961)

Adaptation of 1951 British stage play.

Premise

A woman, Helen Lancaster, is caught in a house during a snowstorm on New Year's Eve and forced to spend time there with her husband and daughter.

Helen flirts with an Austrian, Julius. Evelyn, daughter of the house, is in love with Julius; John, her younger brother, is captivated by Tonetta, Helen's daughter.

Cast

Patricia Kennedy as Helen Lancaster
Barbara Brandon as Mrs Whyte
Kurt Ludeski as Julias Wintelhalter
Leslie Pope as Evelyn Daly
Robin Hardiman as John Daly
Cyril Gardiner as Colonel Selby
Agnes Dobson as Mrs Daly
Myrtle Woods as Mrs Ashworth
Jane Norris as Conetta Landi
Michael Duffield as Robert Lancaster
Ric Hutton
Leonard Teale
Anne Haddy
Jack Ford
James Workman

Original play

The play was by N.C. Hunter. It ran for two years in London from 1951 to 1953. Edith Evans, Sybil Thorndike and Wendy Hiller were in it.

Ingrid Bergman also appeared in a stage production.

The play was often called "Chekovian".

Other adaptations

It was adapted for British TV in 1956 (by ITV), 1959 (by the BBC) with Edith Evans and Sybil Thorndyke, 1968 (by the BBC) with Margaret Leighton and 1983 with Penelope Keith.

It was adapted for BBC radio in 1955 and later also by the BBC in 1965 with Australian Coral Browne.

There was a production at the Independent in Sydney in 1956.

Production

It was shot in Melbourne under the direction of Chris Muir. Wal Cherry adapted.

It was Patricia Kennedy's first TV play since Black Limelight. I wonder if this play was used as a vehicle for her.

It was Lesley Pope's first major television role. Jane Norris and Robert Hardiman came from Melbourne University Dramatic Socieyty and made their TV debut.

This feels like the sort of play put on by people who wished they were working in London.

Gunnar Jergens designer it and had trouble accessing snow.

Reception

Listener In liked Kennedy's performance but thought the production was laboured.