''Red Sky at Morning'' is a 1935 Australian stage play by

Dymphna Cusack Ellen Dymphna Cusack Order of Australia, AM (21 September 1902 – 19 October 1981) was an Australian writer and playwright. She also wrote as Atalanta. Personal life Born in Wyalong, New South Wales, Cusack was educated at Saint Ursula's Col ...

. The play helped launch Cusack's writing career and was filmed in 1943.

Premise

In 1812 New South Wales, a woman, Alicia, is unhappily married to a brutal officer. She falls in love with an Irish convict, Michael and they decide to flee together.

Production history

The play was first performed at Sydney Player's Club in September 1935 and adapted for radio in 1938. It was later revived in 1939. The play was published in 1942 along with other Australian plays including ''Daybreak'', ''Touch of Silk'' and ''Interval''. The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said "The last scene grips one, though it ends tamely." It was often produced on radio and in amateur theatres during the subsequent years. The play was presented in May 1939 as part of Australian Drama Month at the Independent Theatre. The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' said it was "very well presented" although felt it would have been more effective as a one act play.

Reception

Noted critic Leslie Rees wrote of the play that:

An undertone of passionate resentment against injustice and coercion is heard, but there is also a mannered wit and an acute realisation of character, a clear-cut picture of the times. It is a play of style. Against these considerable merits must be men tioned a sparseness of action, especially the failure to satisfy expectations in the second act. However, the texture of the speech in this play is so fine, the quality of compassion so moving, that such a fault does not, to my mind at any rate, become paramount. To play a curtain-raiser in the same programme would help conceal the deficiency.

One critic said "it is considered by many competent judges to be the best Australian play to date."

Radio adaptations

The play was adapted for radio in 1938 directed by John Cairns. The ''Wireless Weekly'' said "all the way through there was a suggestion of cliches. The fact that the writing was stylish and poetical does not redeem the play one little bit." The play was performed again in 1940. ''Wireless Weekly'' called it "A well-constructed play, and the dialogue has a lambent, graceful quality. But one feels that Miss Cusack’s passion for discussion and the graceful phrase holds up the action too often. " There was a version in 1943 where the play was performed by the members of the film adaptation of the play including

Peter Finch Frederick George Peter Ingle Finch (28 September 191614 January 1977) was an English-Australian actor of theatre, film and radio. Born in London, he emigrated to Australia at the age of ten and was raised in Sydney, where he worked in vaudevi ...

. Other versions of the play were produced on radio in 1952 and 1957.

Film adaptation

The play was turned into a film starring

. See Red Sky at Morning (1944 film).

References

External links

*{{AusStage, event/98872, i=yes 1930s Australian plays 1935 plays 1938 Australian radio dramas 1940 Australian radio dramas 1943 Australian radio dramas 1952 Australian radio dramas 1957 Australian radio dramas Australian radio dramas set in Sydney Australian radio dramas set in colonial Australia Australian plays adapted into films Plays by Dymphna Cusack