''Red Peppers'' is a 1962 Australian TV play based on the play ''

Red Peppers ''Red Peppers'', described as "an interlude with music", is a short comic play in two scenes by Noël Coward. It is one of ten short plays that make up '' Tonight at 8.30'', a cycle written to be performed in groups of three plays across three e ...

''. It aired with the play ''Family Album''. Each play went for half an hour.

James Upshaw James Upshaw, an Australian producer and director, best known for his work in TV in the 1960s including early variety show ''The Lorrae Desmond Show'', which garnered its hostess Lorrae Desmond as the fist female recipient of the '' Gold Logie A ...

produced. They were broadcast on Wednesday July 25, 1962 at 8.30 p.m. on ABM 2. ''Red Peppers'' a telerecording was short first and the live production ''Family Album'' followed. It was the first time Noel Coward had been adapted for Australian television, mostly because "it was hard to get the rights," according to Upshaw.

Cast

''Red Peppers''

Lorrae Desmond Lorrae Desmond (2 October 1929 – 23 May 2021) born as Beryl Hunt, was an Australian Gold Logie-award-winning singer, recording artist, radio and television presenter, character actor, and playwright, with a career that spanned over 55 years ...

as Lily *Colin Croft as George *

Neva Carr Glyn Neva Carr Glyn or Neva Carr Glynn (born Neva Josephine Mary Carr Glyn, 10 May 1908 – 10 August 1975) was an Australian stage, film and radio actress born in Melbourne to Arthur Benjamin Carr Glyn (died 16 January 1923), a humorous baritone and ...

*Murray Foy *Henry Gilbert *Brigid Lenihan

''Family Album''

as Jane Featherways *Colin Croft as Jasper Featherways

Production

It was Desmond's debut in a straight stage production and followed airing of her own variety show, ''

The Lorrae Desmond Show ''The Lorrae Desmond Show'' was an early black and white, Australian television music and variety show, produced by James Upshaw which aired from 1960 to 1964 on the ABC hosted by singer and entertainer Lorrae Desmond, later best known for her r ...

''. She had been in the US. Her co star Colin Croft appeared on her variety show. "It will be wonderful to be on TV again after night club engagements," said Desmond. "I shall be singing in both comedies hut I am enthusiastic about appearing to a straight play."

Reception

''The Bulletin'' called it "worthy of the highest praise... almost flawless...a delight to watch, if only because it was a breakthrough in local television production. " The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said "Not even Lorrae Desmond, assisted by a fine _supporting cast and an excellent production... can disguise the perennially unsubstantial quality of Noel Coward's dramatic work" pointing out it was "the first appearance of a Coward play on Australian television, and, one hopes, the last." The Sunday ''Sydney Morning Herald'' thought "Of the two plays, I thought "Family Album" came off a shade better, with acting honours going to Brigid Leniban as the spinster daughter, Lavinia."

References

1962 television plays Australian television plays {{Australia-tv-film-stub