RARE BBC LPs: Eastward Ho (Marston, Chapman & Jonson)
$
50
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Description
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Transcription Service
EXTREMELY RARE 2-Disc recording of
EASTWARD HO!
by
John Marston, George Chapman & Ben Jonson
A 1605 Comedy Performed for the BBC's World Theatre Series
This auction is for a two-disc recording of Eastward HO!, a comedy written in 1605 by John Marston (1575-1634), George Chapman (1560-1634) and Ben Jonson (1572-1637). The play is a surprisingly realistic comedy of contemporary English life, stressing the industry and probity of the London merchant and pointing out the severe consequences of departing from normal standards of morals.
The plot anticipates Hogarth's series of prints, "Industry and Idleness." Quicksilver, one of Touchstone's apprentices, imitates the fashions of London gallants, runs into debt, gets drunk, is discharged, and ends in jail. There he repents and is freed by trhe compassion of his old master. Golding, Touchstone's industrious apprentice, rises rapidly to be a freeman of thr city and a deputy alderman who at one time sits in judgement of Quicksilver. The plotlines dealing with Touchstone's two daughters mirror these events: Gertrude scorns the city, wants to be a lady at all costs, marries a worthless knight who deserts her and is reduced to selling her clothes while Mildred marries Golding and in the end rescues Gertrude from distress.
In a sub-plot focusing on the colonization of America, the writers make light of King James I's Scottish policy. James did not appreciate the jest and had Chapman and Jonson thrown in prison (Marston somehow escaped punishment). The king's anger subsided and they were released but the whole affair provides some insight into the relations of the stage, the Court and the censorship in the reign of James I.
This BBC Transcription Service recording is exceptionally rare. The use of the discs was restricted to broadcasting stations authorized by the BBC and had specific dates for when they were to be removed from service and destroyed. Nearly all of the sets for this production, as well as other plays in the BBC World Theatre Series of recordings, no longer exist. This particular set was broadcast four times at a small midwestern college FM station and had an expiry date of December 12, 1966. It has been in my private collection for nearly 40 years and is still in the BBC supplied buff-colored sleeves (the dates of the four broadcasts have been written on each sleeve). The performance, on two 12" 33RPM vinyl LPs, lasts a little over 88 minutes.
The cast for this recording includes the following actors and actresses:
Donald Wolfit (Touchstone); Charles Leno (Quicksilver); Heron Carvic (Sir Petronel Flash); Marjorie Westbury (Mistress Touchstone); JohnSlater (Security); Janette Richer (Sindefy); Michael Bates (Slitgut); Lawrence Baskcomb (Master Wolf); June Tobin (Gertrude); Hugh Dickson (Golding); Freda Dowie (Mildred); Janet Burnell (Mistress Gazer); Nerya Kerfoot (Mistress Fond); and Michael Turner, Tom Watson, Nicholas Edmett, Charles Simon and Keith Williams.
This recording, aside from being particularly rare, would be of great interest to persons with some knowledge and concern with British theatre. It might be a wonderful addition to a public school, university theatre department or private library of theatre-oriented materials. As should be expected of vinyl discs of this age, there is some sporadic surface noise but not enough to detract from the quality of the performances.
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