The Fire on the Snow
| The Fire on the Snow | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Douglas Stewart |
| Characters | Robert Falcon Scott |
| Date premiered | June 1941 (radio version) |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Terra Nova expedition |
| Setting | Antarctica |
The Fire on the Snow is a verse play by Douglas Stewart about the Terra Nova Expedition to Antarctica by Robert Falcon Scott. It premiered on ABC radio on 6 June 1941 to great acclaim.[1][2]
Original Production
The original production was produced by Frank Clewlow and was to have starred Peter Finch as Scott, but he joined the army only four days before broadcast, so Frank Harvey replaced him. Clewlow decided to employ a female actor, Ida Osbourne, as narrator to contrast with the all-male cast. No copy of this original production exists.[3]
Subsequent Productions
The play has been performed on radio several times since, including a later production starring Peter Finch for Frank Clelow and one directed by Tyrone Guthrie for the BBC in 1951.[4][5]
The play was published in 1945.[6]
Original radio cast
- Frank Harvey as Robert Falcon Scott
- John Tate as Edward Adrian Wilson
- Lou Vernon as Lawrence Oates
- Peter Bathurst as Henry Bowers
- John Alden as Edgar Evans
- Ida Elizabeth Osbourne as narrator
References
- ^ Leslie Rees biography at Live Performance Hall of Fame
- ^ ""THE FIRE ON THE SNOW."". The Narracoorte Herald. SA: National Library of Australia. 3 June 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- ^ 'Playing the 20th century – episode three: The Fire On The Snow', Radio National, 2 January 2011
- ^ Richard Lane, The Golden Age of Australian Radio Drama, Melbourne University Press, 1994 p 230
- ^ "THE FIRE ON THE SNOW". Barrier Daily Truth. Broken Hill, NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 August 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
- ^ "Reviews of New Books". The Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 10 February 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
External links
- Australian theatre productions of the play at AusStage
- The Fire on the Snow at AustLit
- "Playing the 20th century – episode three: The Fire On The Snow" Radio National 2 Jan 2011 – includes performance of the play
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