Saturday, September 12, 2009

Radio review – CP#26 – “Victoria Regina” (1939) **

Campbell Playhouse ended their first season with what Orson Welles describes as his most exciting moment in radio to date - acting with Helen Hayes. Really? Hayes was renowned as a great theatre star around this time - whatever magic she had on stage does not make it across the microphone. Hayes reprises her stage role as Queen Victoria; Vincent Price earned his name playing Prince Albert opposite her in the theatre but Orson Welles nabs that part here.
Apparently the script was based on the play, the German original play and Queen Victoria’s original diaries. Whoopee. It still includes the famous scene where Albert locks Victoria out of his room until she comes sobbing to him as his wife, rather than the monarch. It’s all sweet and sickly, with Hayes doing her lovable schtick and Welles giving loyal support.

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