Available online
Description
A version of "The Balcony", "by Jean Genet, shortened to fifty minutes but containing the essential symbolism and ritual of the play. Set in a brothel during a revolution, men come t...o act out the roles of Bishop (Richard Henry) Judge (John Bryans) and General (Richard Beale). By a twist of fate these fantasisers are induced to become the real thing, and the Madame of the 'house of illusions' (Vivien Merchant) replaces the missing Queen. In the process of ritualist changing of roles the Chief of Police (Edward Judd) gets immured for two thousand years. Carmen (Katharine Schofjeld), Madame Irma's assistant, presides over the self inflicted castration of the revolutionary leader, Roarer (Ronald Farfar) while coming to the balcony to act the role of the Chief of Police. Stylistically the production attempts to get over Genet's sense of spectacle but adapt it from the theatre to the small screen.
A version of "The Balcony", "by Jean Genet, shortened to fifty minutes but containing the essential symbolism and ritual of the play. Set in a brothel during a revolution, men come t...o act out the roles of Bishop (Richard Henry) Judge (John Bryans) and General (Richard Beale). By a twist of fate these fantasisers are induced to become the real thing, and the Madame of the 'house of illusions' (Vivien Merchant) replaces the missing Queen. In the process of ritualist changing of roles the Chief of Police (Edward Judd) gets immured for two thousand years. Carmen (Katharine Schofjeld), Madame Irma's assistant, presides over the self inflicted castration of the revolutionary leader, Roarer (Ronald Farfar) while coming to the balcony to act the role of the Chief of Police. Stylistically the production attempts to get over Genet's sense of spectacle but adapt it from the theatre to the small screen.
| Module code and title: | A307, Drama |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A307; 15 |
| First transmission date: | 1977 |
| Published: | 1977 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:50:00 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Nick Levinson |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Subject terms: | Genet, Jean, 1910- |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/72155 |
| Production number: | 00525_3231 |
| Videofinder number: | 3304 |
| Available to public: | no |
