Lillian Hellman The Children's Hour

THE 30s Sunday Play: The Children's Hour Sun 20th Mar 1994, 19:30 on BBC Radio 3 By Lillian Hellman Martha and Karen run a boarding school for girls in a small town on America's East Coast. After eight years hard work, success is within their grasp. A malicious child tells a lie and the lie grows until the community is threatened by it. Has she, by chance, hit on the one story which contains a germ of truth? The moral judgment at the heart of this play is as relevant today as it was when it was first produced in 1935. Director:   Claire Grove Karen Wright:   Clare Holman Martha Dobie:     Buffy Davis Amy Mortar:     Miriam Margolyes Mrs Tilford:   Margaret Robertson Joe Cardin:     Peter Whitman Mary Tilford:     Barbara Barnes Rosaline Wells:   Joanne MacInnes Peggy Rogers:   Anne-Marie Zola Evelyn Munn:   Cathy Sara Agatha:   Frances Jeater This is a serious and adult play about two women who run a school for girls. After a malicious youngster starts a rumour about the two women, the rumour soon turns into a scandal. As the young girl comes to understand the power she wields, she sticks by her story, which precipitates tragedy for the women. It is later discovered that the gossip was pure invention, but it is too late. Irreparable damage has been done.  The play was first staged on Broadway at the Maxine Elliott Theatre in 1934, produced and directed by Herman Shumlin.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.