The Box of Delights is a children's fantasy novel by John Masefield. It is a sequel to The Midnight Folk, and was first published in 1935.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Plot
Kay Harker is returning from boarding school when he finds himself mixed up in a battle to possess a magical box. It allows the owner to shrink in size, to fly swiftly, to go into the past and to experience the magical wonders contained within the box.
The current owner of the box is an old Punch and Judy man called Cole Hawlings whom Kay meets at the railway station. They develop an instant rapport, which leads Cole to confide that he is being chased by a magician called Abner Brown and his gang, which includes Kay's former governess. For safety, Cole (who turns out to be the medieval philosopher and alleged magician Ramon Llull) entrusts the box to Kay. The schoolboy then goes on to have many adventures as he protects the box from those who wish to use it for bad deeds.
Kay Box Video
Adaptations
BBC radio
There have been several radio adaptations of The Box of Delights.
Children's Hour
This six-part adaptation, with a script by Robert Holland and John Keir Cross, was produced three times by the BBC as part of its Children's Hour, in 1943, 1948 and 1955.
Saturday Night Theatre
This was a one-off drama, with a script by John Keir Cross, broadcast in 1966, and repeated in 1968 and 1969. It was then remade with a new cast in 1977.
Radio 4
1995
Two-part drama with a script by John Peacock.
- Abner Brown: Donald Sinden
- Cole Hawlins: Lionel Jeffries
BBC Television 1984
The BBC TV adaptation of The Box of Delights was broadcast in six parts between 21 November and 24 December in 1984. An innovative mixture of live action and animation, using Quantel Paintbox and chroma key effects, was used to portray the adventure. The music included an orchestral arrangement of "The First Nowell" from the Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson.
Cast
- Kay Harker: Devin Stanfield
- Abner Brown: Robert Stephens
- Cole Hawlings: Patrick Troughton
- Foxy Faced Charles: Geoffrey Larder
- Chubby Joe: Jonathan Stephens
- Sylvia Daisy Pouncer: Patricia Quinn
- Inspector: James Grout
- Bishop of Tatchester: John Horsley
- Caroline Louisa: Carol Frazer
- Jemima: Heidi Burton
- Maria: Joanna Dukes
- Susan: Flora Page
- Peter: Crispin Mair
- Herne the Hunter: Glyn Baker
- The Old Lady: Anne Dyson
- Ellen: Helen Fraser
- Chief Constable: Charles Pemberton
- Pirate Rat: Nick Berry
- The Waterfall Boy: Jason Kemp
- The Bronze Head: Nicholas Chagrin
- Arnold of Todi: Philip Locke
- Greek Soldier: Julian Sands
Crew
- Director: Renny Rye
- Producer: Paul Stone
- Adapted by: Alan Seymour
- Incidental music: Roger Limb
- Visual Effects Designer: Tony Harding
- Video Effects: Robin Lobb
Production
Railway station scenes were filmed at Bewdley and Arley on the steam heritage Severn Valley Railway; Tewkesbury became the fictional Tatchester; the bishop's children's party was done at Kinlet Hall, Shropshire (the location of Moffats Independent School, whose pupils and staff served as extras); Hereford Cathedral and its choir took centre stage in the final episode; and the exterior shots of Abner Brown's theological college were filmed at Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury, Herefordshire.
Awards
The BBC TV production of The Box of Delights won three British Academy of Film & Television Arts awards (BAFTAs) and a Royal Television Society award: The serial was nominated for five BAFTAs - for best Children's Programme, Video Cameraman, Graphics, Video Lighting and VTR Editor; and won three - for best Children's Programme, VTR Editor and Video Lighting. The Royal Television Society award was won for Technique, for Robin Lobb and the BBC Special Effects team.
Episodes
During December 1986 the series was repeated on BBC1 as three 50-minute episodes:
The television version was shown by PBS in the US for three years in the late 1980s.
DVD Release
BBC Worldwide released the serial on DVD in 2004.
Opera
John Masefield adapted an opera libretto from his book, also incorporating elements of The Midnight Folk, which was eventually set to music in the late 1980s by the British composer Robert Steadman.
Theatre
Wilton's Music Hall will be presenting an adaptation by Piers Torday between 1 December 2017 and 6 January 2018. Billed as a world stage premiere, the production is to be directed by Justin Audibert and designed by Tom Piper.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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