| The Shifting Heart | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Richard Beynon |
| Date premiered | October 1957 (1957-10) |
| Place premiered | Elizabethan Theatre, Sydney |
| Original language | English |
| Setting | Christmas Eve 1956,Collingwood, Melbourne |
The Shifting Heart is a play written in 1957[1] in Australia byRichard Beynon, it is an insight to thepsychology of racism and its victims. In the background of 1950sCollingwood,Melbourne.
It has been called "the second most famous Australian play of the 1950s."[2]
The Shifting Heart is set in 1956,Collingwood, Melbourne on Christmas Eve. At the time, Collingwood was a poor suburb populated by lower class Australian families and Italian immigrants.
The play published in 1960 byAngus & Robertson begins with two pages of stage direction. It describes the home of Italians Mr. & Mrs. Vicenzo Bianchi, the stage is their backyard. On stage left there is a largegarbage can that is overfilled, the overflow is in a small household bucket. On each side of the stage is the wall of the neighbours.
On stage left is the wall between the Pratt family, Leila and Donny. The wall is a fence that relaxes in the wind and shows an air ofdilapidation. The boards are able to be pushed apart enough to let the Pratts enter the Bianchis' backyard.
On stage right there is a wall described as a formidable barrier, complete with a length ofbarbed wire across the top. It is low enough for the woman living there to toss garbage over. In the first pages of dialog and notes in the stage direction, it is clear that there is a "war" going on between the family living stage right against the Bianchis because they are Italian. The Pratt family is on the side of the Bianchi family.
The play came third in a play writing competition held byLondon'sObserver newspaper.
The Shifting Heart premiered at theElizabethan Theatre in Sydney in October 1957, presented by theAustralian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. It toured nationally for a year, including seasons at theComedy Theatre in Melbourne andHer Majesty’s Theatre in Brisbane.[3]
The play debuted in England in 1959 where it played a West End season at theDuke of York's Theatre.[4][5]
The ABC made a radio version of the play in 1962. It was adapted for Australian television on the ABC in 1968.[6]
Notable revivals include those of Melbourne'sUnion Theatre Repertory Company in 1962, Sydney'sMarian Street Theatre in 1981, Sydney'sPhillip Street Theatre in 1984, and theState Theatre Company of South Australia in 1996.
The play was filmed by British TV in 1962.[7][8]
It screened for theGeneral Motors Hour in Australia on 1 September 1962.[9]
The play was filmed for TV in 1968[10] and aired on 21 August 1968 (Melbourne)[11] as part ofWednesday Theatre. It starred Anne Charleston and Tom Oliver, who later worked together on the TV seriesNeighbours.
Madge Ryan appeared in the premiere season of the play as Leila.[12]
TheAge said "the entirety works despite some stray accents."[13]
Filmink argued "the play is ideal for television because it mostly takes place in a cramped, working class house. It’s a faithful adaptation, and is mostly shot like a stage play, with a few location scenes thrown in" adding "The big stumbling block of the TV version... was the fact that all the Italian roles are played by non-Italian actors who use broad accents for their parts."[2]