Spiegel the Cat is a 1952 Australian radio play by David Martin. It was adapted from Spiegel the Cat [de], a story from the Swiss writer Gottfried Keller.[1]

Spiegel the Cat
Genredrama play
Running time60 mins (8:00 pm – 9:00 pm)
Country of originAustralia
Language(s)English
SyndicatesABC
Written byDavid Martin
Original releaseDecember 15, 1951 (1951-12-15)

It was first written as a poem then adapted for radio.[2]

The play was one of the most highly regarded Australian radio plays of the 1950s.[3]

The Australian Jewish News called it "a wholly delightful piece of legendary, full of dancing wit and good humour, of sorcery and charm, mixing some of the folk flavour of Grimm with the versifying elegancies of Chaucer. It is certainly a novelty in ABC programmes."[4]

It was repeated in 1952[5] and recorded again in 1953[6][7] and 1955.

It was adapted into a book in 1961.[8][9]

References

edit
  1. ^ "David Martin". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. XXXI, no. 52. Victoria, Australia. 20 August 1965. p. 14. Retrieved 12 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Radio plays for next week", ABC Weekly, 13 (49), Sydney, 8 December 1951, retrieved 13 October 2023 – via Trove
  3. ^ Rees, Leslie (1953). Towards an Australian Drama. p. 147.
  4. ^ ""Spiegel the Cat"". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. XVIII, no. 30. Victoria, Australia. 18 April 1952. p. 16. Retrieved 12 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "RADIO PLAYS A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, 14 (16), Sydney, 19 April 1952, retrieved 13 October 2023 – via Trove
  6. ^ "RADIO PLAYS for NEXT WEEK A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, 15 (37), Sydney, 12 September 1953, retrieved 13 October 2023 – via Trove
  7. ^ "BUDGET WAS THIS WEEK'S BEST LISTENING". The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 43, no. 2, 153. South Australia. 12 September 1953. p. 55. Retrieved 12 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Spiegel the Gat at AustLit
  9. ^ "MEOW! MEOW!". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. XXXVI, no. 30. Victoria, Australia. 3 April 1970. p. 7. Retrieved 12 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.