# Black Chiffon > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Black_Chiffon > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Black_Chiffon.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Chiffon > Source revision: 1333715911 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Black Chiffon*** is a [play](/source/Play_(theatre)) in two acts written by [Lesley Storm](/source/Lesley_Storm). Starring [Flora Robson](/source/Flora_Robson), the play premiered at the [Westminster Theatre](/source/Westminster_Theatre) in London's [West End](/source/West_End_theatre) on 3 May 1949, running for over 400 performances. The play debuted on [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) on 27 September 1950 and ran until 13 January 1951, totalling 109 performances. That production starred [Janet Barrow](/source/Janet_Barrow) (Nannie), [Richard Gale](/source/Richard_Gale_(actor)) (Roy Christie), [Patricia Hicks](/source/Patricia_Hicks) (Louise), [Raymond Huntley](/source/Raymond_Huntley) (Robert Christie), [Anthony Ireland](/source/Anthony_Ireland_(actor)) (Dr. Bennett Hawkins), [Patricia Marmont](/source/Patricia_Marmont) (Thea), and [Flora Robson](/source/Flora_Robson) (Alicia Christie), and was produced by [John Wildberg](/source/John_Wildberg). ## Synopsis On the eve of her beloved son's society wedding, the highly respected Alicia Christie makes one defiant criminal gesture - a cry for help - when she steals a black chiffon nightdress from a reputable department store. This play is a psychological study of a woman driven finally to the edge due to the cumulative stresses and strains placed upon her by her demanding and divided family. The results are absorbing and deeply moving to witness. ## Radio adaptation *Black Chiffon* was presented on *[Theatre Guild on the Air](/source/The_United_States_Steel_Hour#Theatre_Guild_on_the_Air)* May 10, 1953. The one-hour adaptation starred [Burgess Meredith](/source/Burgess_Meredith) and [Judith Anderson](/source/Judith_Anderson).[2] ## TV adaptations Three television adaptations have been made. ### 1954 US TV adaptation The American adaptation was broadcast on 20 April 1954 as part of ABC's *[The Motorola Television Hour](/source/The_Motorola_Television_Hour)*; the stars were [Judith Anderson](/source/Judith_Anderson), [Leora Dana](/source/Leora_Dana), and [Martyn Green](/source/Martyn_Green). ### 1959 British TV adaptation The British adaptation was broadcast on 4 July 1959 as part of the BBC's 'Saturday Playhouse' series; the stars were [Jane Baxter](/source/Jane_Baxter), [Ralph Michael](/source/Ralph_Michael) and [Geoffrey Keen](/source/Geoffrey_Keen). ### 1959 Australian TV adaptation An Australian adaptation aired 25 February 1959 in Melbourne on ABC station ABV-2,[3] a kinescope of the program was shown in Sydney on ABN-2 on 11 March 1959. It was produced by [Christopher Muir](/source/Christopher_Muir). ### Cast - [Edward Howell](/source/Edward_Howell_(actor)) as husband - [Patricia Kennedy](/source/Patricia_Kennedy_(actress)) as Alicia - [Frank Gatliff](/source/Frank_Gatliff) as psychiatrist - [Beverley Dunn](/source/Beverley_Dunn) - [Neil Fitzpatrick](/source/Neil_Fitzpatrick) - Margaret Cruickshank - Molly Gallavan ### Production Edward Howell had played the role on stage and he travelled from Sydney to Melbourne to appear in the production.[1] It was Howell's seventh television production but his first in Melbourne – all the others had been in Sydney.[4] It was Patricia Kennedy's fourth TV play. She said during rehearsal that TV acting "still does not give me the satisfaction of theatre, but television is exciting and demanding. I think it is a challenge for actors and the discipline is good."[5] ## See also - [List of live television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1950s)](/source/List_of_live_television_plays_broadcast_on_Australian_Broadcasting_Corporation_(1950s)) ## References 1. "Hour long drama". *Sydney Morning Herald*. 9 March 1959. p. 21. 1. Kirby, Walter (May 10, 1953). ["Better Radio Programs for the Week"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2695625/the_decatur_daily_review/). The Decatur Daily Review. p. 50. Retrieved June 27, 2015. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com) 1. ["TV Guide"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ep5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TqsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4621%2C2853930). *The Age*. 19 February 1959. p. 18. 1. ["Fred Has Role in TV Play"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=MDQ-9Oe3GGUC&dat=19590129&printsec=frontpage&hl=en). *The Age*. 29 January 1959. p. 15. 1. "Actresses Turn to Television Work". *The Age*. 21 February 1959. p. 7. ## Sources - [\[1\]](https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/jul/02/theatre.samanthaellis) - [Black Chiffon](https://web.archive.org/web/20090114170103/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/542822) at BFI - [*Black Chiffon* 1959 Australian TV play](http://colsearch.nfsa.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=1;parentid=;query=Person%3A%22%2FPerson%2Fkey%2F8526-1%22;querytype=;rec=1;resCount=10) at [National Film and Sound Archive](/source/National_Film_and_Sound_Archive) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Black Chiffon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Chiffon) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Chiffon?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.