The First Mrs. Fraser - BBC Saturday Night Theatre

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The First Mrs. Fraser - BBC Saturday Night Theatre - St. John Ervine

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3 жыл бұрын

The First Mrs. Fraser is a 1929 play by the Irish writer St. John Ervine. After his second wife leaves him for somebody else, a man returns to his true love - his first wife. The play has been revived a number of times and is one of Ervine's best-known works.
In 1932 the play was turned into a British film The First Mrs. Fraser directed by Sinclair Hill. It was followed by a 1950 television film and a 1955 German film which drew heavily on the plot.
Originally Broadcast 9/16/1967
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Пікірлер: 150

@frankah 5 ай бұрын

Great stuff - had never heard of the author St.John Ervine before but having looked him up i reckon his hero must have been Oscar Wilde. The wit of this play is very ' Wildesque '

@eviea4774 3 жыл бұрын

Why can’t we speak with such clarity and dignity today even in the heat of an argument! Elegant!

@beverleybrown4832 8 ай бұрын

It's a play!

@wyominghome4857 7 ай бұрын

Because for too many their vocabulary has been reduced to a handful of words.

@Eternal-Student Ай бұрын

Because we’re not all members of the royal family!

@Eternal-Student Ай бұрын

@@wyominghome4857try finding new friends then.

@mitchkaye5174 7 күн бұрын

Not yet, Sir @@Eternal-Student

@wyominghome4857 Жыл бұрын

This play underscores a point that many young women today seem to have forgotten - that they are the prize to be wooed and won. The first Mrs. Fraser sticks to her guns and is prepared to walk away rather than be treated as leftovers. Loved it. :)

@ElegantPaws01 7 ай бұрын

Well said.

@christophergladman5566 7 ай бұрын

0000⁰ppppp⁰pooop00⁰llp7pv9

@sidicniy874 2 жыл бұрын

Wonderful! I truly enjoy this beautiful story; women should always demand respect and not allow themselves to be taken for granted.

@janethayes5941 Жыл бұрын

This may be one of the most honest stories I've ever heard. So well done and such an empowering female role.

@shaficaahmed7770 Жыл бұрын

Wonderful performance, great story, witty and delightful.

@charliesmith_ Жыл бұрын

St.John Irvine. Will look for more of his work here, now x Very Good ❤ loved it. Articulate good women will always get a man who still cares, to listen to them better x

@baronmulberry7847 2 жыл бұрын

Ninian says, "He's a halfwit." His father retorts, "You overestimate his intelligence." Now that's sparkling dialogue.

@user-di2er6cw2j 2 жыл бұрын

yes,and this one" I always get what I want, because if I don't, I stop wanting it" Just brilliant!

@charliesmith_ Жыл бұрын

Beautiful dialogue. This is what the world needs. Blooming marvellous stuff. X

@Alan-ss3xp 8 ай бұрын

Excellent. I enjoyed that reply.

@denestarjanyi8892 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this very amusing entertaining play.

@Hakausu 2 жыл бұрын

What a heartening and interesting story! It's so nice to find something to enjoy that isn't corny or vulgar or depressing! Thank you for the upload.

@evangelinamurray147 2 жыл бұрын

The truth will set you free but first it makes you miserable.

@m.h.cs.2689 2 жыл бұрын

What a lovely play, excellent actors, beautifully written. Pure joy. Thank you so much.

@Trampas8 3 жыл бұрын

Thoroughly enjoyable

@sheilahay3370 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic play loved it. It’s well written, well acted and the story is so life like in today’s world. Ex husband thought it was going to be easy to get his feet back under the table but hey ho he has to learn 😘

@nikkiregan4593 Жыл бұрын

Excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed it all. The story and the diction were superb. Thank you.

@brendabarrowable 2 жыл бұрын

So very enjoyable beautifully presented and a very satisfactory conclusion. Many thanks for the upload.

@anne-mariepovall8102 19 күн бұрын

Lovely!! Thank you

@gordongriffiths3499 2 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the play very much. Play very much of its time - beautifully spoken and recording sound excellent. M G

@NannyOggins Жыл бұрын

I loved this story right up to the last sentence, shame that the heroine doubted herself at the last. However, it was written at a time when women weren’t expected to have much self respect so we have to take that into account. Thanks for uploading

@valeriekaye3354 10 ай бұрын

Women are still not expected to have self-respect, and it's such a surprise for both genders when we demonstrate how much we truly have.

@deniseroper9030 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent. Listen and enjoy. Many thanks. More please 👏😀👏😁👏😀

@jamesmatthews4151 3 жыл бұрын

The dialog in this episode is top notch. Each character is quick witted and masterful at argumentation. It is good when people speak forthrightly and express themselves clearly. I don't mind an insult so much if it is sincerely given.

@charliesmith_ Жыл бұрын

@zettiejoseph3616 3 жыл бұрын

Very cool lady... I like her style.

@ivahadenuff9080 3 жыл бұрын

I used. to love the afternoon dramas. with Clive Panto and Mary Wimbush. when they were longer and had good storylines Thank you for uploading

@saphiire0072 Жыл бұрын

But you’ve got fish 🤣. I just loved this drama. Wonderful upload. Thank you.

@johnbunyan5834 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, for this. An excellent production of a very witty script. They don't write them as cleverly as this, now.

@dorothyjacobs294 3 жыл бұрын

Superb. I love the humour.

@Jay-yy9ol 3 жыл бұрын

A well written and preformed play is such an effective vehicle for drawing one in to learn about human nature.

@gordongriffiths3499 2 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed play very much. Beautifully acted and sound excellent

@Swimkid1 2 жыл бұрын

I delight in good story thank you for shsring this Mr. Chesterton. Warm Regards, Dave

@cousinsister69 Жыл бұрын

Great entertainment. Ty CR.

@stevecook3673 3 жыл бұрын

She,d love a pearl necklace lol. Very witty quick fire script , romantic tussles without a strong sware word , such respectful quarrelling. Loved it!

@opheliahamlet3508 7 ай бұрын

Absolutely delightful!

@johnking7685 3 жыл бұрын

Some very familiar voices for people who remember SNT in the 60s.Many thanks.

@roxanavasilakis9435 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 🌷🌷

@hectorbrown656 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much .

@misscharlotte160 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant. Excellent. Wonderful.

@simonmcgrath4112 3 жыл бұрын

Two words just brilliant!!!

@maurecdrice9366 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent

@crochetedlace2838 3 жыл бұрын

Very entertaining. Thanks

@HzFvr 3 жыл бұрын

Wonderful - loved it! Thank you

@suganthym1438 2 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed it. Thanks

@stephaniehand503 2 жыл бұрын

thank you

@mellisande638 3 жыл бұрын

Quite delightful! Thoroughly enjoyed it, thank you so much😊

@totoro9590 3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks thoroughly enjoyed 👍👍👍

@tottiemae2258 3 жыл бұрын

What a gutsy lady! Terrific story! Thank you for it!!!

@jwsuicides8095 3 жыл бұрын

Listened for the second time. Very good.

@MrBazzabee 8 ай бұрын

Thanx Uncle Chesterton....Great Play.......Say ! -- It's nearly Xmas, Uncle Chessie- and time 4 our Yearly Tennis match. I'll call for you and we can go down to the local park to play our Tennis game.Thanx Uncle Chesterton.

@wordscaninspire114 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent. It resonates

@leciabella9461 3 жыл бұрын

Yes a splendid one indeed

@corinnehaystead156 3 жыл бұрын

Very enjoyable 👍

@miked3679 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent cast!

@katerina5338 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant 👏

@marymary5494 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you 👌💕

@shandap3696 3 жыл бұрын

Great story. She really had me going at the end. Thank you 😊

@bilindalaw-morley161 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this. It's so evocative of an era. Also, totally off topic, but I thought for quite a while, that the characters were saying minion, rather than Ninian. It made for some odd mental pictures!

@Loredanaec 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant play - thank you

@maxinejacobson4006 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent, such fun!

@Lakeslover1 3 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed it 😀📻

@christinethornhill 3 жыл бұрын

Och aye th' noo ! , I really must be getting terribly old , this is just the ticket ❤️👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

@TheWendable 3 жыл бұрын

Christine Thornhill ??

@elspethchabbi3097 3 жыл бұрын

Love it too, but "och aye the noo"? Only ever seen on tea towels for tourists!

@TheWendable 3 жыл бұрын

Elspeth Chabbi No one actually says that in Scotland

@annboyd8966 7 ай бұрын

BRAVO!!

@superalicat100 3 жыл бұрын

this was great thanks

@warrenalexander5285 3 жыл бұрын

A wonderful play, magnificently performed. I'd love to see it on the stage

@anaderol5408 3 жыл бұрын

How brilliant it would be if these plays were brought to life once more.... of course the BBC plays should only be produced in England....and alas I no longer live there - went to see Othello in Melbourne some time back...the dialogue with an Aussie accent just did not work for me - years of seeing WS plays performed by the RSC spoiled me for life.

@davidsandz2186 2 жыл бұрын

@@anaderol5408 So no plays produced in Wales, Scotland or N.Ireland?....how boring...many of the BBC's best productions have been performed in a rich variety of Welsh, Scottish and N.Irish accents...and, to be fair, in many of the different English accents...RP or Standard English is so wrong for so many productions...including WS, whose plays have often been murdered by the over-use of an accent really only created sometime in the the 20th century.......As Chekhov said "I want to see real people on the stage, not actors"...similarly, I want to hear real people in a radio play, not actors.

@anaderol5408 2 жыл бұрын

@@davidsandz2186 I stand corrected! Absolutely - I've enjoyed productions from all over the UK and regional accents are fine .... up to a point.... I did make particular reference to RSC and I doubt most people would understand what was going on if WS' plays were performed in the accents of his time. However, the RSC has, over many years, developed a style which has become the accepted norm. Further, I dare to disagree with Chekhov.... I want excellent actors on the stage that make me believe they are real people - I think real people trying to convince me they can be the characters in a play would be an abysmal failure. I've watched too many bad performances by too many real people who thought they were actors.

@davidsandz2186 Жыл бұрын

@@anaderol5408 Actually you are not disagreeing with Chekhov...he wanted actors who could convince him that they were real people....the Russian acting style at that time was appalling....which is why, because of Chekhov and Stanislavsky. the Moscow Art Theatre was formed and became a benchmark for future acting...unfortunately Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio in New York misunderstood Stanislavsky and created a 'monster' called "method acting"....In the same city Stella Adler, who had actually met Stanislavsky, taught that the greatest gift an actor possessed was their imagination.

@morganlowe3353 3 жыл бұрын

I love how that woman knows exactly what she wants even if she's a little bit ashamed of it she has no problem speaking it

@queenashantee8432 3 жыл бұрын

HAHAHAHA I LOVED IT. ;-))

@eddiemunster2196 2 жыл бұрын

Another great Masterpiece from the, past. Many others and I have enjoyed listening to more than many times.. So a Grand Thank You, to you : Mr. Chesterton I'll always be here to support, your channel with so many, others that would agree ! So, see you in the play ..... .... ... .. .

@ChestertonRadio 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening and for your kind comments. There are more in our Plays.ChestertonRadio.com playlist and on our All-Day Live Stream! It's even more fun to listen together in the chat room!

@charliesmith_ Жыл бұрын

Very Good ❤ loved it. Articulate women will get a man who still cares, to listen better x

@glinda9243 3 жыл бұрын

It has been very interesting.

@user-di2er6cw2j 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! That was nice.q Really, What egoists men can be! )

@davidskeeterskeeter1835 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks a million,,,😂👏🇬🇧

@joansavage1857 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant! Thank you....

@patosborne-marreiros685 3 жыл бұрын

Totally brilliant! Thankyou but its left me emotionally exhausted!

@bilindalaw-morley161 3 жыл бұрын

"Everything seems, without a doubt, to be totally messed up"...Well of course it is, James. What do you expect when you cast aside an intelligent, beautiful and supportive woman to run off with a 19year old when you're fifty?

@sarahholland2600 2 жыл бұрын

"Men have 2 heads....but only enough blood to work one at a time ..". The late, great, Robin Williams.

@dianapeek6936 7 ай бұрын

Cynthia Pugh, what a name to set the imagination going.

@user-iw8mg4sg4l 6 ай бұрын

How intelligent , level headed and forgiving the leading heroin is. It is so hard to be patient with bumpkins who are sure that the world is at their feet . If there were only more.. like the main heroinin in the real life...Excellent play and very illuminating too.

@wordsculpt 6 күн бұрын

Spellcheck just did you wrong ! It put down heroin rather than heroine!

@stevecook3673 2 жыл бұрын

Philip has no pride, he's treated like a irritant and told to 'run along home' but then again he's had a lucky escape from a messy situation.

@alexiamavro8500 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely brilliant, loved this!

@katyvdb5993 10 ай бұрын

Wonderfully enjoyable. The voice of James Fraser sounds terribly like the late John Laurie - is anyone able to confirm which actor played the part, please?

@sbrockmanmore Ай бұрын

Duncan McIntyre, given in the credits at the end.

@roderickfemm8799 3 жыл бұрын

"Too many people are 'only thinking of my happiness' and they're making me thoroughly miserable!" Exactly. Nobody around that woman is really thinking of her happiness at all. Well, I hope she gets some real happiness in the end. And what hideous names for their sons -- Ninnian (I'm sure HE never got teased about that at school) and Murdow (I kept thinking they were saying "Murder").

@bilindalaw-morley161 3 жыл бұрын

I thought they were saying "minion" rather than Ninian

@janebrown7231 2 жыл бұрын

Ninian and Murdo are pretentious Scottish names. The author is making the point that they were named by their pretentious Scots father and the mother probably didn't get a look in.

@user-zn7of3bd6o 9 ай бұрын

Lol - good for you, Janet! - Thank you for the play 😊

@trudischleifer7245 3 жыл бұрын

First rate

@janebrown7231 2 жыл бұрын

One empath totally surrounded by narcissists - her ex-husband, her suitor, and her sons, Ninian and Murdo - and then yet another narcissist, Elsie, invades her life. It was a good exposé of the narcissist nature, even though they are usually far more subtle than that. I would have loved the downtrodden wife to verbally destroy the whole lot of them and rise like a phoenix, forever independent of the lot of them, but for 1929 I guess she didn't do too badly. An amusing reminder that narcissists love no-one and grow to detest each other! The Scot has come to dislike his two Scots-named sons, Ninian dislikes his father, his brother and the suitor, the suitor dislikes all of the men, Elsie dislikes everybody. And the woman who is the empath is inevitably the centre of the action. Beautifully constructed, written and acted... and gripping.

@timbobcreations3915 Жыл бұрын

I honestly feel bad for Philip.

@viviennefarrow5444 9 ай бұрын

But he has his fish...

@richardw3470 3 жыл бұрын

She'll be sorry.

@MrDirtybear 3 жыл бұрын

I am curious about the dropping of the 90 minute play. It would be easy to blame the management of 'BBC Audio' or whatever they called themselves in the late 1990s. But I can't help but think that it was live theatre that changed. The plays that suited what Radio 4 were written and toured less often. The touring companies of actors who performed in the BBC plays also changed. The ground had shifted under the BBC and such changes were beyond their control.

@maggiemay4388 3 жыл бұрын

I want to know what the gift was Philip sent round!!!

@dathomestead3115 3 жыл бұрын

Well, idk about that. Alot to forgive and forget.

@jessie316942 3 жыл бұрын

AND I must say... although I wanted her to make Mr Fraser suffer, the old romance of the father of get children had ne rooting for them to get back together!

@stevie-ray2020 3 жыл бұрын

Considering this is a play is from 1929, the empowerment of older female divorcees is very progressive for the period!

@Tinyflydeposit 2 жыл бұрын

There was a strong feminist movement in the twenties. WW11 killed it dead.

@stevie-ray2020 2 жыл бұрын

@@Tinyflydeposit That would be right, although I thought it was more the return of servicemen at the end of WWII that forced women back into housewife roles or low-paid menial jobs. When my mum married in the 1950's, the rules banned married women in govt jobs!

@Tinyflydeposit 2 жыл бұрын

@@stevie-ray2020 yes that's true, if that war had not happened maybe the women's movement would have grown and changed attitudes sooner. The authorities had women working as mechanics and in munition factories during the war but with hundred of thousands men returning after the conflict's end women were pushed firmly back into household duties. Edit: I remember many jobs in the 50s and 60s being off limits to women. Married women were despised for working and taking jobs from the young. It was not a good time to be a woman .

@paulhunter123 2 жыл бұрын

Is the there a single play from this brand that doesnt feature someone from oxford or cambridge seems a theme

@oliviagiles 3 жыл бұрын

@sockmonkey22 2 жыл бұрын

That’s a twist. SPOILER ALERT- She’d have preferred “taking him back” if he’d “just” had an affair but marrying the girl was even harder for her to take.

@srinagesht Жыл бұрын

I am convinced this will go through a couple of cycles more until the couple is very very old. Marrying - man leaving for pretty woman- woman leaving - man marrying the same women -

@thecrone7964 Жыл бұрын

If at first you do not succeed ......

@glinda9243 3 жыл бұрын

Elsie talks about love like Prince Charles talked about love with Diana

@hermajesty52 3 жыл бұрын

:-)

@anaderol5408 3 жыл бұрын

Well somethings never change..... the intelligent, resourceful, strong woman gets dumped by the idiot husband and then attracts two immature men who are egotistical and self-centred, BAH!! There just had to be someone better for her..... 😂😂

@sophiachavez3377 3 ай бұрын

@prettypurple7175 9 ай бұрын

44:54

@shariharniss7745 2 жыл бұрын

One of the son's name is 'Minion'?! Surely, I'm wrong. Please let me be wrong.

@katyvdb5993 10 ай бұрын

No, Ninian! The name of a Scottish Saint.

@barbg4902 2 күн бұрын

I think the other son was called murdough

@arturboras6615 2 жыл бұрын

wolve temperature 🤨

@MrRolloTomasi 3 жыл бұрын

Remaining married for the sake of reputation ... how fatuous!!! The first Mrs. Fraser seems to be the only one with any sensibility.

@wordsculpt 6 күн бұрын

You Do realise that this was written in 1929, and societal norms have changed in 94 years. (Seriously, it was written nearly a century ago. Think about it !)