The Road (TV play)

The Road is a 1963 British television play by Nigel Kneale. It was broadcast as part of the BBC Television anthology drama series First Night. An Australian remake was aired the following year.

The Road
GenreHorror
Science fiction
Written byNigel Kneale
Directed byChristopher Morahan
Country of originGreat Britain
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time55 mins
Production companyBBC Television
Release
Original release29 September 1963 (UK)

Premise

It is the late 18th century. A small English village is haunted by ghostly apparitions. Sir Timothy Hassall, accompanied by his friend Gideon Cole, investigate.

Cast

Significance

"The Road", initially presented as a ghost story, has a science fiction twist ending, making it ultimately a story of science fiction horror. The original 1963 BBC production has been called "one of the great missing masterpieces of British television."[1]

1964 Australian Version
The Road
GenreHorror
Science fiction
Written byNigel Kneale
Directed byPatrick Barton (Australia)
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time75 mins[2]
Production companyABC
Release
Original release17 June 1964 (Melbourne)[3] (Australian)
26 August 1964 (Sydney) (Australian)
14 October 1964 (Brisbane)[4] (Australian)

The play was filmed the following year for Australian TV.

Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time and only occasionally produced science fiction. Other examples of Australian science fiction on TV include The End Begins (1961), Tomorrow's Child (1957) and The Stranger.[5]

Of the play, director Patrick Barton said "the utopian rationalism of Cobb matched against the semi credulous tumbling semi scientific mind of Hassall are an example of two forces alive in the 18th century."[3]

Cast

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald review complained that the story was "too feeble to stand up to scrutiny".[6]

Radio play adaptation

A BBC Radio 4 audio adaptation, written by Toby Hadoke and directed by Charlotte Riches, aired on October 27, 2018. The production starred Mark Gatiss as Gideon Cobb, Adrian Scarborough as Sir Timothy Hassall and Hattie Morahan as Lady Lavinia Hassall.[7]

References
  1. Murray, Andy (20 October 2018). "Nigel Kneale's 'The Road': Toby Hadoke Interview". We Are Cult.
  2. "TV Guide". The Age. 17 June 1964. p. 14.
  3. "Untitled". The Age TV Supplement. 11 June 1964. p. 5.
  4. "Ghost Hunt Ends in Horrifying Vision". TV Times. 7 October 1964. p. 10.
  5. Vagg, Stephen (18 February 2019). "60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s". Filmink.
  6. "TV Play's Uncertain Build Up". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 1964. p. 10.
  7. "Drama - The Road - BBC Sounds".
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