A Sleep of Prisoners

A Sleep of Prisoners is a 1951 verse play by Christopher Fry.[1] It concerns four English prisoners of war locked up in a church overnight, and the Old Testament style dreams they have springing from an argument between them.[2] Commissioned as part of the Festival of Britain, the anti-war drama, directed by Michael Macowan, opened at St. Thomas' church in Regent Street, London, in May 1951.[3][4] It then toured churches around Britain with its cast of Stanley Baker, Denholm Elliott, Hugh Pryse and Leonard White.[5] It was also performed in churches in America later the same year.[6]

Critical reception

T.C. Worsley wrote "Each of the dreams is dramatically conceived and touched off with that sharp sense of the comic incongruity of things which is Mr Fry's personal approach to life and words."[1]

1951 TV adaptation

The play was broadcast live by the BBC in December, 1951.[7] Wolf Rilla produced.[8]

Cast
  • John Slater as Pvt. David King
  • Andrew Leigh as Pvt. Tim Meadows
  • Robin Lloyd as Pvt. Peter Able
  • Peter Williams as Cpl. Joe Adams

1961 TV Adaptation

The play was broadcast live by the ABC from Perth in February 1961. Raymond Menmuir directed.[9]

Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time.[10]

Cast
  • Ron Haddrick as Private David King
  • Philip Clarke as Private Peter Able
  • Paul Nayton as Corporal Joe Adams
  • James Bailey as Tim Meadows

Production

It was shot in St George's Cathedral with Michael Altria the lighting director.[9]

Reception

The Bulletin TV critic called it "a triumph... must rank with the best in live television."[9]

References
  1. Billington, Michael (July 3, 2005). "Obituary: Christopher Fry" – via www.theguardian.com.
  2. "A Sleep of Prisoners | Samuel French". www.samuelfrench.co.uk.
  3. "Christopher Fry". The Independent. July 4, 2005.
  4. TIMES, Special to THE NEW YORK (May 16, 1951). "NEW PLAY BY FRY OPENS IN LONDON; 'A Sleep for Prisoners' Makes Bow at St. Thomas' Church --A Religious Drama" – via NYTimes.com.
  5. "Production of A Sleep of Prisoners | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
  6. Calta, Louis (October 16, 1951). "FRY'S DRAMA OPENS AT CHURCH TO NIGHT; 'A Sleep of Prisoners' Starts Limited Run Judy Garland Heads Show at Palace Three of Original Cast Anta Lists O'Neill's Play Hartford to See Series" – via NYTimes.com.
  7. "A Sleep of Prisoners". December 16, 1951. p. 48 – via BBC Genome.
  8. "A Sleep of Prisoners (1951)". BFI.
  9. "Shows Perth's Ist Live TV". The Bulletin. 8 February 1961. p. 23.
  10. Vagg, Stephen (February 18, 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
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