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{{Infobox television
⚫
'''''The Chinese Wall''''' is a 1963 Australian television play.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BocTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4158%2C1709046|title=Untitled|date=11 April 1963|page=13}}</ref>
| name = The Chinese Wall

| image =
⚫
It was the television world premiere of a farce by contemporary Swiss playwright [[Max Frisch]].<ref name="times"/> It was adapted by Richard Lane. It aired in Melbourne on April 17 1963 and in Sydney on 15 May and ran for 75 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254520 |title=TELEVISION AND RADIO |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>
| image_upright =
| image_alt =
| caption =
| genre =
| creator =
| based_on = play by [[Max Frisch]]
| writer = Richard Lane
| screenplay =
| story =
| director = [[William Sterling (director)|William Sterling]]
| starring =
| narrated =
| music =
| country = Australia
| language = English
| num_episodes =
| producer =
| editor =
| cinematography =
⚫
| runtime = 75 minutes<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254520 |title=TELEVISION AND RADIO |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>
| company = ABC
| distributor =
| budget =
| network =
| released = 17 April 1963 (Melbourne)<br>15 May 1963 (Sydney)
| website =
}}


'''''The Chinese Wall''''' is a 1963 Australian television play.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BocTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4158%2C1709046|title=Untitled|date=11 April 1963|page=13}}</ref> It was the television world premiere of a farce by contemporary Swiss playwright [[Max Frisch]].<ref name="times"/> <ref>{{cite news|title=Unusual Play Screened|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121517550/?terms=%22chinese%2Bwall%22|date=13 May 1963|page=15|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
==Plot==
==Plot==
A modern character, The Contemporary, invites the audience to watch. He then becomes involved in the play's action.
A modern character, The Contemporary, invites the audience to watch. He then becomes involved in the play's action.


In the second century BC the [[Emperor Hwang Ti]] is building the Great Wall of China "to hold up time and prevent all future."<ref name="times"/> Historical characters from other ages meet him in his royal garden in order to tell him what they know of what is happening. Characters include [[Don Juan]], [[Romeo and Juliet]], [[Napoleon]], [[Christopher Columbus]], [[Brutus]] and [[Cleopatra]].
In the second century BC the [[Emperor Hwang Ti]] is building the Great Wall of China "to hold up time and prevent all future."<ref name="times"/> Historical characters from other ages meet him in his royal garden in order to tell him what they know of what is happening. Characters include [[Don Juan]], [[Romeo and Juliet]], [[Napoleon]], [[Christopher Columbus]], [[Brutus]] and [[Cleopatra]]. They submit their knowledge of collapsing empires and cvilisations, world wars and atom bombs, but cannot prevent evil.<ref>{{cite news|date=13 May 1963|title=TV Guide|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/121517564/?terms=%22chinese%2Bwall%22|page=16|newspaper=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref>
==Cast==
==Cast==
*Edward Brayshaw as The Contemporary<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254524 |title=No title |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>
*Edward Brayshaw as The Contemporary<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254524 |title=No title |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>
*Joan Letch as Olson
*Joan Letch as Olson, mother of the mute tortured, suspected of being the Voice of the People
*Carole Potter as the governor's daughter, Princess Mee Lan
*Carole Potter as the emperor's daughter, Princess Mee Lan
*Edward Howell as the Emperor of China
*Edward Howell as the Emperor of China
*David Mitchell
*David Mitchell as Wu Tsiang, a Chinese prince
*Sydney Conabere
*Sydney Conabere as Da Hing Yeng, the Emperor's Master of Revels
==Production==
==Production==
[[File:Chinese_Wall_11_Apr_1963,_Page_24_-_The_Age_at_Newspapers_com.png|thumb|right|Edward Howell, Carole Potter, Edward Brayshaw<br>The Age 11 April 1963]]
According to one report, "The play's message is that mankind now has the means of destroying itself and must cope with this situation. Playwright Frisch chose the Chinese Wall as an allegorical basic for his play
The play was first produced in 1946 but it achieved little success. Firsch later rewrote it following the success of his second play ''The Fire Raisers'' and it was produced successfully in theatres in Europe. It was translated into English from German only in 1962.<ref name="exp"/>
⚫
because it is one of the world's oldest constructions still standing in more or less its original state."<ref name="times">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254543 |title=World Premiere Of New Farce |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>


Sterling read the script in the ABC's head office in Sydney and wanted to produce it on Australian television. It was the first non-Australian play to have its world TV premiere in Melbourne during the past five years (that had been ''The Soldier's Tale'' starring [[Robert Helpmann]] directed by Sterling). "Frisch uses the stage to tell a message as well as entertain," said Sterling. "He is anti romantic. He hopes to achieve through the farce an awakening of the individual to his responsibilities."<ref name="exp"/>
The play was experimental.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BocTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6946%2C1709768|title=Play Which Will Involve Viewers|date=11 April 1963|page=13}}</ref>

⚫
According to one report, "The play's message is that mankind now has the means of destroying itself and must cope with this situation. Playwright Frisch chose the Chinese Wall as an allegorical basic for his play because it is one of the world's oldest constructions still standing in more or less its original state."<ref name="times">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104254543 |title=World Premiere Of New Farce |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=15 May 1963 |access-date=3 May 2020 |page=33 |via=Trove }} </ref>

⚫
The play was experimental.<ref name="exp">{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BocTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6946%2C1709768|title=Play Which Will Involve Viewers|date=11 April 1963|page=13}}</ref>
==Reception==
==Reception==
''The Age'' gave it a poor review.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Teletopics|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OVBVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4141%2C3615107|date=April 25, 1963|page=10}}</ref>
''The Age'' gave it a poor review saying the play was "ninety percent reiteration".<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=Teletopics|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OVBVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4141%2C3615107|date=April 25, 1963|page=10}}</ref>

''The Age'', reviewing the year in TV drama, said ''Chinese Wall'' and ''Barnstable'' were examples of "highbrow productions of limited appeal" which "frustrated more than they entertained, among local productions."<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Age|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122302703/?terms=%22chinese%2Bwall%22|date=27 December 1963|page=21|last=The Televiewer|title=Television 1964 - Wide Open for Some new Ideas}}</ref>
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 07:49, 11 September 2020

The Chinese Wall
Based onplay by Max Frisch
Written byRichard Lane
Directed byWilliam Sterling
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time75 minutes[1]
Production companyABC
Original release
Release17 April 1963 (Melbourne)
15 May 1963 (Sydney)

The Chinese Wall is a 1963 Australian television play.[2] It was the television world premiere of a farce by contemporary Swiss playwright Max Frisch.[3] [4]

Plot

A modern character, The Contemporary, invites the audience to watch. He then becomes involved in the play's action.

In the second century BC the Emperor Hwang Ti is building the Great Wall of China "to hold up time and prevent all future."[3] Historical characters from other ages meet him in his royal garden in order to tell him what they know of what is happening. Characters include Don Juan, Romeo and Juliet, Napoleon, Christopher Columbus, Brutus and Cleopatra. They submit their knowledge of collapsing empires and cvilisations, world wars and atom bombs, but cannot prevent evil.[5]

Cast

  • Edward Brayshaw as The Contemporary[6]
  • Joan Letch as Olson, mother of the mute tortured, suspected of being the Voice of the People
  • Carole Potter as the emperor's daughter, Princess Mee Lan
  • Edward Howell as the Emperor of China
  • David Mitchell as Wu Tsiang, a Chinese prince
  • Sydney Conabere as Da Hing Yeng, the Emperor's Master of Revels

Production

File:Chinese Wall 11 Apr 1963, Page 24 - The Age at Newspapers com.png
Edward Howell, Carole Potter, Edward Brayshaw
The Age 11 April 1963

The play was first produced in 1946 but it achieved little success. Firsch later rewrote it following the success of his second play The Fire Raisers and it was produced successfully in theatres in Europe. It was translated into English from German only in 1962.[7]

Sterling read the script in the ABC's head office in Sydney and wanted to produce it on Australian television. It was the first non-Australian play to have its world TV premiere in Melbourne during the past five years (that had been The Soldier's Tale starring Robert Helpmann directed by Sterling). "Frisch uses the stage to tell a message as well as entertain," said Sterling. "He is anti romantic. He hopes to achieve through the farce an awakening of the individual to his responsibilities."[7]

According to one report, "The play's message is that mankind now has the means of destroying itself and must cope with this situation. Playwright Frisch chose the Chinese Wall as an allegorical basic for his play because it is one of the world's oldest constructions still standing in more or less its original state."[3]

The play was experimental.[7]

Reception

The Age gave it a poor review saying the play was "ninety percent reiteration".[8]

The Age, reviewing the year in TV drama, said Chinese Wall and Barnstable were examples of "highbrow productions of limited appeal" which "frustrated more than they entertained, among local productions."[9]

References

  1. ^ "TELEVISION AND RADIO". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 May 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 3 May 2020 – via Trove.
  2. ^ "Untitled". The Age. 11 April 1963. p. 13.
  3. ^ a b c "World Premiere Of New Farce". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 May 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 3 May 2020 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "Unusual Play Screened". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 May 1963. p. 15.
  5. ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 13 May 1963. p. 16.
  6. ^ "No title". The Canberra Times. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 May 1963. p. 33. Retrieved 3 May 2020 – via Trove.
  7. ^ a b c "Play Which Will Involve Viewers". The Age. 11 April 1963. p. 13.
  8. ^ "Teletopics". The Age. April 25, 1963. p. 10.
  9. ^ The Televiewer (27 December 1963). "Television 1964 - Wide Open for Some new Ideas". The Age. p. 21.
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