Great Acting
N many years of listening to radio serials, I have never heard a performance which impressed me more deeply than Hedley Goodall’s embodiment of Michael Henchard in the BBC version of The Mayor of Casterbridge, which has just finished at 1YC. The earlier Hardy serial, Far from the Madding Crowd, seemed to me to bring out
all his weaknesses of © melodramatic plot — and stagey characters, but The Mayor of Caster bridge which, on the sur--face, would appear to show _ similar weaknesses, became, with the aid of superb acting and Vaughan Williams’s
fine music, a radio work of great, sombre, tragic power. It surmounted even the technical flaw of making Elizabeth-Jane. the narrator. Step by step, the degeneration of Henchard, victim of his temper and his obstinacy, and the proud pity of his death were presented with relentless magnificence. Although the production was excellent and all the players more than adequate, Hedley Goodall’s characterisation dominated the whole serial. Gruff, tender, irascible, self-tormenting, tempestuous, his Henchard was a truly great piece of acting. I don’t think I shall ever forget such scenes as that in which he breaks his long-held vow, and surrenders to drink, pouring out to the villagers all the agony of his soul. Certainly, whenever I read the book again, his voice will ting behind the printed page.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19520321.2.21.1
Bibliographic details
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 663, 21 March 1952, Page 10
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221Great Acting New Zealand Listener, Volume 26, Issue 663, 21 March 1952, Page 10
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
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