The White Carnation
| Company type | Theatrical play |
|---|---|
| Industry | Theatre |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Founder | R. C. Sherriff |
Area served | United Kingdom, Australia |
Key people | R. C. Sherriff (playwright), Ralph Richardson (original cast), Aden Gillett, Benjamin Whitrow (2013 revival) |
| Products | Theatrical productions, television adaptation |
The White Carnation is a theatrical work from 1953, penned by the English dramatist R. C. Sherriff. Its debut production featured Ralph Richardson in the cast, yet it remained unperformed until a revival at the Finborough Theatre in 2013, which starred Aden Gillett alongside Benjamin Whitrow.
The following year, in 2014, the play was presented at the Jermyn Street Theatre.
Plot
On Christmas Eve, John Greenwood is seen saying goodbye to his visitors when a sudden gust locks him outside his residence. To gain entry, he breaks a window and discovers his home in disarray and empty. When questioned by a policeman, Greenwood learns that the house’s occupants perished during a V-1 flying bomb strike at a Christmas Eve gathering in 1944. Further revelations from a coroner and a doctor disclose that Greenwood himself died and has returned as a spirit in 1951.
Lydia Truscott, who is the niece of the town clerk, aids Greenwood in educating himself and supports his attempts to move on to the afterlife. Greenwood also encounters the local vicar, Mr. Pendlebury, and his neighbour Mrs. Carter, while facing resistance from the coroner and Home Office officials intent on demolishing the property to build new flats.
As demolition commences, Greenwood disappears, reliving his final Christmas Eve celebration and making peace with his wife after acknowledging his previous emotional shortcomings.
Critical reaction
In The Sunday Times, critic Harold Hobson praised the original staging as "deeply human and emotionally moving." The 2013 revival was described by Dominic Cavendish of the Telegraph as "an overlooked gem" with a "life-affirming" quality. Conversely, Michael Billington from The Guardian considered it "moderately entertaining," though somewhat stretched.
1963 Australian TV version
In 1963, an Australian television adaptation was produced under the direction of Christopher Muir. At that period, TV drama productions were relatively uncommon in Australia.
Plot
The narrative depicts a group of spirits reenacting the circumstances of their deaths caused by a bomb.
Cast
- Michael Duffield portraying John Greenwood’s ghost
- Stewart Weller
- Neville Thurgood
- Roly Barlee
- Barbara Brandon
- Margaret Cruikshank
- Brian Gilmar
- Edward Hepple
- Jane Oehr as Lydia
- Alwyn Owen
- Hugh Stewart
- Leslie Wright
- Felicity Young
Production
Kevin Bartlett was responsible for the set design. During filming, a fire broke out on set; nonetheless, production continued as studio personnel managed to extinguish the flames before sprinkler systems were triggered.