In the Zone (play)

In the Zone is a 1917 stage play by Eugene O'Neill.[1]

In the Zone
First edition printing (1919) of one-act plays including In the Zone
Written byEugene O'Neill
Date premiered31 October 1917 (1917-10-31)
Place premieredComedy Theatre,
New York City
SettingThe forecastle of the British tramp steamer Glencairn in 1915

Plot

The adventures of the crew of a small tramp steamer in World War I.[1]

Characters

The cast of characters in In the Zone is listed in the 1919 collectionThe Moon of the Caribbees and Six Other Plays of the Sea.[2]

  • Smitty
  • Davis
  • Swanson
  • Scotty
  • Ivan
  • Paul
  • Jack
  • Driscoll
  • Cocky

Adaptations

Opening

In the Zone opened October 31, 1917 by The Washington Square Players at The Comedy Theatre.[1]

1946 British TV version

The BBC produced a version in 1946. The cast included Bonar Colleano, Finlay Currie, Alec Mango and Jack Newmark. Broadcast live, the transmissions were not recorded, and as such it is lost.[3]

1957 Australian TV version
In the Zone
Based onplay by Eugene O'Neill
Directed byWilliam Sterling
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30 mins
Production companyABC
DistributorABC
Release
Original networkABN-2
Original release19 March 1957 (Sydney, live)[4]
5 April 1957 (Melbourne, taped)[5]

A 1957 version of In the Zone was a very early attempt at Australian television drama, airing during the first few months of TV in that country.[6]

It was produced in Sydney and telerecorded/kinescoped for Melbourne broadcast (these were the only two cities in Australia with television at the time), and aired on ABC, and was broadcast in a 30-minute time-slot.[7][8]

Archival status is unknown. Most of the very early Australian television drama were adaptations of overseas stage plays, or new versions of works originally presented on the BBC in the UK. In the Zone was an example of both, as the play had previously been presented on the BBC during 1946. It is not known if the two versions used the same script.

Premise

The lives of the crew of a tramp steamer in World War I.

Cast
  • Bruce Beeby as Davis
  • Richard Meikle as Jack
  • Keith Buckley as Scotty
  • Owen Weingott as Smitty
  • John Bluthal as Driscoll
  • Bruce Wishart as Cocky

Other versions

A different version may have aired on British television in 1960.[9]

The play formed part of the basis for the 1940 film The Long Voyage Home.

See also
  • List of live television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1950s)

References
  1. "In the Zone". Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  2. O'Neill, Eugene (1919). The Moon of the Caribbees and Six Other Plays of the Sea. Boni & Liveright. p. 84.
  3. http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=7da83526-1320-4801-ad12-d5812313d665
  4. "TV news". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 March 1957. p. 6.
  5. "TV guide". The Age. 4 April 1957. p. 15.
  6. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  7. "SEEN ON CHANNEL 2- ABN". ABC Weekly. 16 March 1957. p. 19.
  8. "Sydney Kinescope Shows for ABV-2". The Age. 4 April 1957. p. 21.
  9. http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?episode=f2ecebec-034e-4b11-a3fd-18c02e542f8a

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.