The Seas Between
Daily Telegraph 19 May 1946 | |
| Genre | drama play |
|---|---|
| Running time | 8:00 pm– |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Hosted by | Harry Dearth[1] |
| Written by | Philip Grenville Mann |
| Recording studio | Sydney |
| Original release | 19 May 1946 |
The Seas Between is a 1946 Australian radio play by Phillip Grenville Mann which starred Peter Finch. Mann was a former naval officer and the play had autobiographical elements.
Premise
"The story dramatises the problem of post-war marriage as it affects a young naval man and the girl he wants to marry. Stephen had dropped a promising musical career to join the Navy. Stella is in doubt about Stephen's ability to resume civilian life with a reasonable chance of success. The theme reflects a situation that has confronted many young people over the past few months. Unusual treatment has been applied. Much of the action occurs aboard a corvette, with intermittent scenes from Stella's home, where her mother foolishly attempts to rush the daughter into marriage."[2]
Cast
- Peter Finch
- Joan Lord
Production
Mann was a naval officer who wrote the play over several months in late 1945 while serving on a boat in Morotai Harbour and the Celebes on HMAS Wilcannia. He had seen war service on the corvette HMAS Ararat.[3]
The play won a 1946 playwriting competition held by Lux Radio Theatre, winning over 1,140 entries.[4][5] Frank Clelow of the ABC, one of the judges, said "the winning drama was written against a background with which the author was obviously well acquainted and, for that reason, had great fidelity of actual occurrence... the author had made excellent dramatic use of his knowledge.” [6] Another judge, George Edwards, said the "play had been constructed for radio by someone wi:h a knowledge of radio technique. Atmosphere was well sustained throughout to a most unusual climax.”[6] (Second price was Small Town by Kathleen Carroll.[7])
Lux presented the play in 1946 with Peter Finch and Joan Lord.
Reception
The Herald said "At last a real radio play written, acted and produced to suit the medium of the microphone!... The scenes on the corvette were made realistic by the sounds heard, and brought . the thrilling action against the submarine vividly to fireside listeners."[8]
The Sun said it was "Intelligently written, capably produced and sensitively portrayed by a first-rate cast."[9]
References
- ^ "Prize Play to Be On Air Sunday". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 35, no. 1, 773. South Australia. 18 May 1946. p. 11. Retrieved 6 October 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "THIS WEEK'S RADIO FEATURES". The Advertiser (Adelaide). South Australia. 18 May 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Here, There & Everywhere". The Sun News-pictorial. No. 7376. Victoria, Australia. 18 May 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 6 October 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Studio New and VIEWS", ABC Weekly, Sydney: ABC, 5 November 1949, nla.obj-1362939865, retrieved 18 February 2024 – via Trove
- ^ "Navy Man Wins £200 For Radio Play". The Sun News-pictorial. No. 7342. Victoria, Australia. 8 April 1946. p. 26. Retrieved 6 October 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ a b "EX-ABC BOY PLAYWRIGHT WINS £200 PRIZE", ABC Weekly, Sydney: ABC, 27 April 1946, retrieved 18 February 2024 – via Trove
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission. (20 April 1946), "The tutorial era", ABC Weekly, Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1334061640, retrieved 6 October 2025 – via Trove
- ^ "RADIO REVIEW". The Herald. No. 21, 528. Victoria, Australia. 20 May 1946. p. 5. Retrieved 26 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Radio Roundup". The Sun. No. 11, 332. New South Wales, Australia. 20 May 1946. p. 6 (LATE FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via National Library of Australia.