Night of the Ding-Dong explained

Night of the Ding Dong
Setting:Adelaide
Premiere:1954
Orig Lang:English
Subject:international relations
Genre:comedy

Night of the Ding-Dong is a 1954 stage play by Ralph Peterson. It was this second play, following The Square Ring. It is a comedy set in Adelaide just after the Crimean War about the locals fearing a Russian invasion. It is based on a real incident.[1]

Plot

In 19th century Adelaide, after the Crimean War, Colonial Administrator Colonel Beauchamp trains a volunteer defence corps at the weekends, and worries about a Russian invasion. Idealistic schoolteacher Higsen, who is in love with Beauchamp's daughter, is more concerned with free education. Higsen asks Beauchamp to marry the latter's daughter but is turned down because education must give way to defence.

When a Russian gunboat is rumoured to be near Adelaide, Beauchamp sets about whipping up the public into a frenzy in order to fund a standing army.

Background

Peterson said he was told the story about a rumoured Russian invasion by his grandmother when he was a child. He came across the story years later when researching another project and decided to write it. "It was amazing how Adelaide was completely swept away by the invasion scare," said Peterson. "Why, I don't know. Even Sydney folk were worried. This led to fortifications being built at Fort Denison, South Head and other places, while in Adelaide, Fort Glandore, Fort Glenelg, and later Fort Largs were built."[2]

1958 British TV adaptation

Director:John Nelson Burton
Based On:play by Ralph Peterson
Runtime:60 minutes
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English

The play was adapted for British TV in 1958 as part of Armchair Theatre.

Cast

Reception

Variety said "What started out as an apparently serious and thought-provoking aplay quickly developed into rather pointless farce."[3]

1961 Australian TV adaptation

Genre:comedy
Based On:play by Ralph Peterson
Director:William Sterling
Country:Australia
Language:English
Runtime:60 mins or 45 mins[4]
Company:ABC
Network:ABC
Released: (Melbourne, live)
Released2: (Sydney, taped)

The play was filmed for Australian TV. It originally aired 3 May 1961 on ABC's Melbourne station, and was recorded for showing on other ABC stations. The original broadcast was live.[5]

Filmink magazine said the concept sounded "like the 1966 film The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!."[6]

Premise

In the 1870s the city of Adelaide fears a Russian invasion. Teacher Marcus Higson wishes to marry Victoria Beauchamp but her father, Colonel Beauchamp, refuses to give permission. Higson wants the government to introduce compulsory education but Colonel Beauchamp wants to spend money on defence.

A Russian ship is spotted off the coast of South Australia, prompting fear of invasion. Higson joins the militia led by Colonel Beauchamp.

Cast

Production

The show was broadcast live from the ABC's studios in Melbourne. It was the TV debut for Ann Charleston.[7]

The play was also adapted for radio on the ABC in 1961.[8]

Reception

The critic from the Sydney Morning Herald thought that "uniform competence in acting could not-altogether suggest the whimsy inherent in" the play, adding that "William Sterling's production was directed primarily at extracting every ounce of farce."[9]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: THE RUSSIAN SQUADRON IN AUSTRALIAN WATERS. . . 314 . Victoria, Australia . 25 January 1882 . 18 February 2017 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  2. TV Times. The Russians are coming!. 27 April 1961.
  3. https://archive.org/details/variety209-1958-02/page/n127/mode/1up/search/%22night+of+the+ding+dong%22?q=%22night+of+the+ding+dong%22 Review of 1958 British TV version
  4. News: Sydney Morning Herald. TV Guide. 10 July 1961. 14.
  5. News: TV Guide. The Age. 27 April 1961.
  6. Stephen. Vagg. 60 Australian TV Plays of the 1950s & '60s. Filmink. February 18, 2019.
  7. News: The Age. Scare Background to "Live" Comedy. 27 April 1961. 14.
  8. News: Advertising . . 36 . 10,044 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 14 October 1961 . 11 September 2020 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Sydney Morning Herald. Satirical Play on TV. 13 July 1961. 6.