Soldier, Soldier
Directed by Norman JamesWriters: Norman James (teleplay), John Arden (play)
1960
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Maurice Denham . . . . . . . . Joe Parker
Andrew Keir . . . . . . . . Soldier
Stuart Saunders . . . . . . . . Landlord
Frank Atkinson . . . . . . . . Jim, a drinker
Margaretta D'Arcy . . . . . . . . Mary
Frank Finlay . . . . . . . . Charlie Scuffham
Anna Wing . . . . . . . . Mrs. Scuffham
Edna Petrie . . . . . . . . Mrs. Parker
Roy Denton
Tom Payne
John Kingrose
Alex Foster
Christopher May
Charles Ross
George Wilder
Gladys Dawson
Leonard Davey
Michael Coveney, in the Guardian, described John Arden as "one of the most significant British playwrights of the late 1950s and early 60s".
Frank was in the original production of arguably Arden's most famous play Serjeant Musgrave's Dance. Frank also appeared in two other Arden plays; The Workhouse Donkey and The Happy Haven (written in collaboration with Margaretta D'Arcy).
THE name John Arden first attracted the theatre going public's attention a few months ago when his play Live Like Pigs was produced at the Royal Court Theatre. His next play Sergeant Musgrave's Dance created an even greater stir, and although there were mixed opinions about this controversial young man who had once trained to be an architect, no one was greatly surprised when he was nominated as the winner of the Evening Standard award for the most promising dramatist of 1959.
This Tuesday he makes his debut as a TV playwright with Soldier, Soldier, which, using the villain as the hero, is more in the manner of a ballad than a play.
With Scottish actor Andrew Keir and Maurice Denham in the cast, this Tuesday's production by Stuart Burge should not be missed.
BBC Radio Times February 16th 1960.