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A Very Great Man Indeed by Henry Reed
Produced by Douglas Cleverdon
Music by Donald Swann
First broadcast - BBC Third Programme on 07.09.1953,
Repeated - "with slight amendments" on 13.02.1958
and 09.09.1959

New production broadcast on 17.05.1961
Repeated 24.12.1968
and 28.12.1987 (in memory of Douglas Cleverdon)

Plot[]

The first of Henry Reed's radio plays about the imaginary writer Richard Shewin.
Shewin's friend the "lady music writer" Hilda Tablet only played a small part in this first play but soon took over the series.

The Cast[]

Cast of 1953 Production

  • Herbert Reeve.....................Hugh Burden
  • Stephen Shewin.................Carleton Hobbs
  • Connie Shewin (his wife).....Gwen Cherrell
  • Hilda Tablet.......................Mary O'Farrell
  • Nancy Shewin...................Dorothy Primrose
  • Owen Shewin....................Denis Quilley
  • Janet Shewin...................Gwen Cherrell
  • Brian Shewin...................Wilfred Downing
  • Adela Burkley..................Diana Maddox
  • Valet................................Frank Duncan
  • Lady Blackie...................Susan Richmond
  • Miss Rich......................Cecile Chevreau
  • Milly, Muffy, etc..............Vivienne Chatterton
  • Richard Shewin's prose.........Derek Hart

Characters in Richard Shewin's prose:

  • Mrs Hepple.....................Mary O'Farrell
  • Scutcheon......................Denis Quilley
  • Mona Stanmore..................Diana Maddox
  • Grace..........................Diana Maddox

Cast of 1961 Production

  • Herbert Reeve..................Hugh Burden
  • Stephen Shewin.................Carleton Hobbs
  • Connie Shewin (his wife).......Gwen Cherrell
  • Hilda Tablet...................Mary O'Farrell
  • Elsa Strauss...................Marjorie Westbury
  • Nancy Shewin...................Dorothy Primrose
  • Owen Shewin....................Denis Quilley
  • Janet Shewin...................Gwen Cherrell
  • Brian Shewin.................. Anthony Reese
  • George Shewin..................Marjorie Westbury
  • Adela Burkley..................Janette Richer
  • Betty Burkely..................Marjorie Westbury
  • Valet..........................Frank Duncan
  • T.H. Powers....................Norman Shelley
  • Lady Blackie...................Susan Richmond
  • Miss Rich......................Cecile Chevreau
  • Milly, Muffy, etc..............Vivienne Chatterton

Richard Shewin's prose.........Frank Duncan

Characters in Richard Shewin's prose:

  • Mrs Hepple.....................Mary O'Farrell
  • Scutcheon......................Denis Quilley
  • Mona Stanmore..................Janette Richer
  • Rosa Stanmore..................Marjorie Westbury
  • Grace..........................Janette Richer
  • Father Tippett.................Norman Shelley

References[]

http://www.webrarian.co.uk/reed/hilda_tablet_plays.html

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