THE BOX OF DELIGHTS

This time The Box of Delights returned to the airwaves as a feature length radio play which aired on Saturday Evening Theatre on the BBC Home Service in 1966. It was produced by David Davis and had a new script by John Keir Cross, but a few cast members from the earlier Childrens Hour productions did return. A notable difference in this version is that we have a grown-up Kay retelling his boyhood adventures.

It aired on the BBC Home Service at 8.30 PM on Saturday, December 24th 1966, finishing at 10 PM.

THE CAST
• Cole Hawlings - Cyril Shaps
• Kay Harker as a man - Harman Grisewood
• Kay Harker as a boy- Patricia Hayes *
• Peter Jones - Eva Hadbon
• Maria Jones - Jo Manning Wilson
• Susan Jones - Sian Davies
• Caroline Louisa - Carol Marsh
• The Lady of the Ring - Noel Howe
• The Inspector - Hector Ross
• The Bishop - Preston Lockwood
• Abner Brown - Felix Felton
• Sylvia Pouncer - Joan Matheson
• Foxy Man - Henry Stamp
• Chubby Man - Wilfred Babbage **
• Rat - Norman Shelley ***
• Alf Rat - Stanley Unwin

* - returned from the 1948 production to the role
** - Wilfred Babbage had played Chubby Man in all the previous versions!
*** - Norman Shelley had played the Narrator in the three Childrens Hour productions

This production was repeated twice in the next few years, airing on BBC Radio 4 as part of The Sunday Play series.
The Radio Times describes it thus -

“A work not only for young folk but for readers and listeners of all ages: full of charm and villainy, of magic black and magic white, of tremendous fun, of heroism, of tenderness, of hosts of engaging characters - above all, of the true spirit of Christmas…”

The Box of Delights 1968 Repeat
broadcast as The Sunday Play on BBC Radio 4 2.30 PM to 4.00 PM on Sunday, 29th December 1968

The Box of Delights 1969 Repeat
broadcast as The Sunday Play on BBC Radio 4 2.30 PM to 4.00 PM on Sunday, 28th December 1969