The Naked Island (book)
{{Short description|Memoir by Russell Braddon}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:The Naked Island (book)}}
The Naked Island is a 1952 memoir by Russell Braddon about his time as a prisoner of war in Changi, Singapore during World War II. It sold over two million copies and has come to be regarded as a classic of Australian literature.[https://www.nla.gov.au/pub/nlanews/2009/sep09/the-mind-of-russell-braddon.pdf Nigel Starck, "The Mind of Russell", National Library of Australia Magazine, September 2009] accessed 2 April 2014 It was also adapted into a play and led to a sequel.[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-russell-braddon-1613338.html James Whitehand, "OBITUARIES Russell Braddon", Independent 30 March 1995] accessed 2 April 2014{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18259411 |title=Back From The Dead. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 March 1952 |accessdate=2 April 2014 |page=8 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}
The book was illustrated by Ronald Searle, who had himself been a Japanese prisoner of war.
Play
The play version debuted at the Union Theatre in Sydney on 18 January 1962 as part of a series of three new Australian plays under the auspices of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust. The others were Shipwreck by Douglas Stewart and The Break by Philip Albright. {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121264582|title=Australian plays at the Union Theatre|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=10 January 1962|page= 6}}
Critical reception was mixed.{{cite news|title=Musicals outshone the plays|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 July 1962|page= 77}}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/121272610|title="Naked Island" as play|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 January 1962|page= 6}}
Radio
The novel was adapted for radio on the ABC in 1961 and 1963.
TV Adaptation
The novel was adapted for British television in 1965.
It screened in the US in June 1970.
=Premise=
The time is August 1945, the place is the infamous Changi Jail in Japanese occupied Singapore. In the last few days of the war five Australian POW's are faced with summary execution. It is their job to pass on the news to the rest of the camp to ensure the success of a planned breakout.
=Cast=
- Ray Barrett as Jacko
- James Bolam as Magpie
- John Breslin as Oscar
- Lewis Fiander as Ken
- Burt Kwouk as Yamomoto
- Barry Lowe as Robbie
- Alan White as Mum
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20230718125024/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b80359b65 1965 TV Play] at BFI
Category:Australian plays presented by the Elizabethan Theatre Trust