Harlequinade (Australian TV play)

Harlequinade is a 1961 Australian TV play based on the Terence Rattigan play Harlequinade. It was directed by Bill Bain.

Harlequindade
Ad in The Age 20 Dec 1961
Genre	comedy
Based on	Harlequindade by Terence Rattigan
Directed by	Bill Bain
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Les Weldon
Running time	60 mins
Production company	ABC
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	20 December 1961 (Sydney) 7 February 1962 (Melbourne) 29 May 1962 (Brisbane)[1]

It was the first adaptation of Terence Rattigan on Australian television.[2]

Plot

A middle aged couple, Arthur and Edna are appearing in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet in a small town. They meet a woman who claims to be Arthur's daughter from his first marriage.

They realise they are too young to play star crossed lovers.

Cast

• John Alden as Arthur Gosport
• Neva Carr Glyn as Edna Selby
• Owen Weingott as Fred Ingram
• Don Pascoe as Fred Wakefield
• Enid Lorimer as Dame Maud
• Cherrie Butlin as Joyce
• Lou Vernon
• Marcia Hathaway
• Martin Redpath
• Peter Stewart
• Frank Taylor
• Alan Tobin
• Hilary Linstead[3]

Production

It starred Cherrie Butlin who was the daughter of Billy Butlin; she had lived in Australia for three years.[4] The set was designed by Philip Hickie.[5]

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald called it "skittish and affectionate".[6]

References

1. "An ageing Rome and a nagging Juliet". TV Times. 24 May 1962. p. 16.
2. "Advertisement". Sydney Morning Herald. 20 December 1961. p. 8.
3. "Actress is a casting director". The Australian Women's Weekly. Australia. 10 May 1967. p. 5. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
4. "Cherrie's New Play". Sydney Morning Herald. December 11, 1961. p. 16.
5. "TV Guide". The Age. 1 February 1962. p. 29.
6. ""Harlequinade" on Television". Sydney Morning Herald. December 21, 1961. p. 5.