One Morning Near Troodos (1956) was a British TV play by Iain MacCormick which aired on the BBC as part of Sunday Night Theatre. It was the first British TV play about the Cyprus Emergency.[1] [2]
A journalist in Cyprus is captured by EOKA guerillas. British troops track down the guerrillas and the journalist leads them into a rebel ambush. A woman is attracted to a British soldier.
Director: | William Sterling |
Based On: | play by Iain MacCormick |
Released: | (Melbourne, live)[3] |
Released2: | (Sydney, recording)[4] |
Runtime: | 90 mins |
Country: | Australia |
Language: | English |
Iain MacCormick was Australian and a number of his plays, originally written for British TV, were adapted for Australian television. The play was performed live on Australian TV in 1959.[5] [6]
It was the ABC's 22nd live drama made in Melbourne.[7]
In Cyprus there has been terrorist activity near Mt Troodos, leading to a large scale operation of British troops and police. Two British journalists arrive in the area: James Stark, is an unscrupulous and influential former MP, and Walters, his hard-drinking offsider. Walters does the work while Start takes the credit. They are not allowed into the fighting zone so make their headquarters in a nearby village. Start decides to deal with the terrorists himself, thereby bringing bloodshed to the village.
The play had been performed on Melbourne radio in 1957 and repeated in 1959.[8] [9]
It was rehearsed and filmed at ABC's studios at Ripponlea. There was some location filming on Melbourne streets. It had a cast of fifteen.[10]
A segment of the script was published in The Age as an example of TV scripts. The article said that Australian writers were typically paid between £60-£80 a script.[11]
Alexandra Atanassious was the Greek text adviser.[12]