Afternoon of a Nymph
| Industry | Television anthology series |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Sydney Newman |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Television plays |
Afternoon of a Nymph is an installment from the British Armchair Theatre anthology, produced by the ITV franchisee ABC Weekend TV and originally aired on 30 September 1962. The script, authored by Robert Muller, features performances by Janet Munro and Ian Hendry, with direction by Philip Saville and production overseen by Sydney Newman.
This episode was pre-recorded at a time when live broadcasts were the norm for televised plays. Additionally, the screenplay was made available in print.
Premise
Elaine, a young woman with ambitions to become an actress, confronts the challenging and often unforgiving nature of the entertainment industry.
Cast
- Janet Munro portraying Elaine
- Ian Hendry as David Simpson
- Peter Butterworth in the role of Ronnie Grimble
- Patrick Holt playing Rogers
- Jackie Lane as Ginger
- Aubrey Morris as Joe, the make-up artist
- Jeremy Lloyd cast as Lord Tony Bright
Production
Afternoon of a Nymph represents Muller's first theatrical work. Sydney Newman recounted that Muller, then a columnist covering show business, aimed to depict "the struggles of an unknown voluptuous actress striving to succeed amid the ruthless world of lecherous men in showbiz." To refine the script, Newman enlisted Peter Luke’s collaboration, resulting in a compelling narrative brought to life through Philip Saville’s inventive direction. The play’s themes were partly inspired by Muller's 1958 interview with a young Shirley Bassey, emphasizing the exploitation faced by aspiring female stars in the entertainment sector.
Reception
As the second among seven plays Muller contributed to Armchair Theatre, Mark Duguid observed that although it does not possess the cynical tone found in Alexander Mackendrick's The Sweet Smell of Success (1957), the script effectively portrays the seedy underbelly of show business.
Maurice Wiggins, writing for The Sunday Times at the time, dismissed the production as "a pretentious affair."
In its review, Variety acknowledged Muller’s sharp development of setting and clever dialogue but noted a lack of emotional connection elicited for Elaine’s character.
Notably, Hendry and Munro entered into marriage in 1963.