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A Sleep of Prisoners is a 1951 verse play by Christopher Fry. 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.

Plot

Four English soldiers are trapped in a bombed out Cathedral. Private King attempts to strangle Private Able. Separated by Corporal Adams and Private Meadows they bed down for the night. The remainder of the play reveals the dreams of each soldier and their attitude to life and death.

Background

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. It then toured churches around Britain with its cast of Stanley Baker, Denholm Elliott, Hugh Pryse and Leonard White. It was also performed in churches in America later the same year.

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."

1951 TV adaptation

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

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 Perth TV Adaptation

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

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.

Reception

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

Some viewers felt the "rough talk" of soldiers in a cathedral was blasphemous. "I feel this is a very wrong interpretation," said Menmuir. "Actually, in the play the author, Christopher Fry, emphasises the part religion plays in the life of ordinary human beings."

1961 Brisbane TV Adaptation

The play was also filmed for Brisbane television in March 1961 with Ron Haddrick yet again. It was shot at St John's Cathedral in the first week of March.

Cast

• Ron Haddrick as Private David King
• Don McTaggart as Corporal Joe Adams
• Kerry Francis as Private Peter Able
• Frank Evans as Private Tim Meadows

Production

The cast consisted of four - imported Ron Haddrick, ad exec Don McTaggart and two professional actors. Menmuir said "this production will be different from anything yet attempted in Sydney or Melbourne. Having lived in Brisbane I knew the possibilities of the cathedral as the setting of Sleep of Prisoners. Already we have carried out detailed surveys with lighting men and engineers. They have proved completely satisfactory."

Haddrick arrived in Brisbane in early February for rehearsals, which mostly took place at a hall in West End.

Dean Baddley of St Johns said he knew Christopher Fry personally and felt he was a great Christian. "I am hoping we will equal if not better the Perth production," said Menmuir.

The ABC broadcast an 8 minute preview the night before the broadcast.

References

1. ^ Billington, Michael (3 July 2005). "Obituary: Christopher Fry" – via www.theguardian.com.
2. "A Sleep of Prisoners | Samuel French". www.samuelfrench.co.uk.
3. "Christopher Fry". The Independent. 4 July 2005. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019.
4. "NEW PLAY BY FRY OPENS IN LONDON; 'A Sleep for Prisoners' Makes Bow at St. Thomas' Church --A Religious Drama". 16 May 1951 – via NYTimes.com.
5. "Production of A Sleep of Prisoners | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com.
6. Calta, Louis (16 October 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". 16 December 1951. p. 48 – via BBC Genome.
8. "A Sleep of Prisoners (1951)". BFI. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019.
9. ^ "Shows Perth's Ist Live TV". The Bulletin. 8 February 1961. p. 23.
10. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
11. ^ "Critics Cried Blasphemy". TV Times. 2 March 1961. p. 16.
12. "Your Best Guide for TV". Brisbane Telegraph. 2 March 1961.
13. "First Drama It's on ABQ 2". Courier Mail. 1 March 1961. p. 6.
14. "Local actors' TV chance". TV Times. 12 January 1961. p. 3.
15. "Drama in rehearsal". TV Times. 16 February 1961. p. 16.
16. "Your Guide on TV". Courier Mail. 1 March 1961. p. 6.

• Plays by Christopher Fry
• 1961 Australian television plays
• 1951 in British television
• Television plays directed by Raymond Menmuir
• Television plays filmed in Brisbane
• Television plays filmed in Perth
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation television plays