Written by Peter Ustinov Original language English Playwright Peter Ustinov Genres Satire, Drama, Comedy | Date premiered 1951 First performance 1951 Place premiered Adelphi Theatre | |
 | ||
Characters The Girl
The General
The Victor
The Foreign Minister
The Prime Minister
The Marshal
The Nurse
The Photographer Subject The mechanics of toppling governments, the pretenses of war and the power of propaganda. Setting The era of World War II, inside the cabinet office and latter a desolate prison. Similar Comedy plays, Other plays | ||
Peter ustinov the moment of truth
The Moment of Truth is a satire comedy drama play by Peter Ustinov written in 1951, telling the story of a republic which is about to fall, while facing the threat of invading army with crippling government structure.
Contents
- Peter ustinov the moment of truth
- Plot summary
- Characters
- Revival
- Cast of 2013 Revival
- Film adaptation
- References
Ustinov wrote the play inspired by French hero Marshal Petain and his political collusion with the Nazi's and the events resulting in creation of Vichy France. The play was first premiered at the Adelphi Theatre, Adelphi in 1951. The play was revived in 2013 at the Southwark Playhouse in Newington Causeway, London by The New Actors Company. The production was directed by Rob Laycock, and opened on 26 June 2013 and closed on 20 July 2013 after 26 performances.
Plot summary
Act One
The play opens with an anonymous Prime Minister, his Foreign Minister and General inside the cabinet office, their country is on the verge of war and they are waiting for their enemy's armies invasion. When The Victor arrived, instead of surrendering they formed a scheme and offer him a deal which will give power to both of them. They uses retired Marshal, who was once a military hero now an old and senile man and made him the dictator of the country behind which they hide and uses him as a puppet.
Act Two
Four years later, General overthrow the puppet government and Marshal who is now much older, is sent to a remote prison after sudden change in leadership of the country. His daughter (The Girl), Nurse and a Photographer who captures the daily life of Marshal stand by him.
Characters
Revival
In June 2013, the play was revived by The New Actors Company and performed at the Southwark Playhouse in Newington Causeway, London.
Cast of 2013 Revival
Film adaptation
The play was adapted as a TV film for the Sunday Night Theatre, a long-running series of televised plays created by BBC and aired on 6 March 1955. Peter Ustinov himself played the role of The Marshal while rest of the characters were played by Peter Cushing as The Prime Minister, Jeanette Sterke as The Girl, Walter Rilla as The Victor, Donald Pleasence as The Foreign Minister, Hugh Griffith as The Photographer, Ian Colin as The General and Noel Hood as The Nurse.