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Frankly Speaking: Tennessee Williams

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Tennessee Williams

31/03/2015

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Frankly Speaking, Tennessee Williams

The American playwright discusses his career.

The American playwright discusses his career in the BBC Home Service's pioneering three-way interview series. From August 1959.

American playwright Tennessee Williams faces a three-way interview with John Freeman, John Bowen and Peter Duval Smith.
 
Recorded during a visit to England in 1959, Tennessee had by then written all his major plays - but despite that was seriously questioning his future in the commercial theatre. He talks candidly of the misery of waiting for the reviews after opening night.

Launched in 1952 on the BBC Home Service, Frankly Speaking was a novel, ground breaking series. Unrehearsed and unscripted, the traditional interviewee/interviewer pairing was initially jettisoned for three interviewers firing direct questions - straight to the point. 

Early critics described it as 'unkempt', 'an inquisition' and described the guest as prey being cornered, quarry being pursued - with calls to axe the unscripted interview. But the format won out and eventually won over its detractors. 

Unknown or very inexperienced broadcasters were employed as interviewers, notably John Freeman, John Betjeman, Malcolm Muggeridge, Harold Hobson, Penelope Mortimer, Elizabeth Beresford and Katherine Whitehorn. 

Only about 40 of the original 100 programmes survive. 

First broadcast on the BBC Home Service in 1959.

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