Danton's Death | Norman Rodway, Ian Richardson (Play of the Month 1978)

Danton's Death is a "freely adaptation" of Georg Büchners' play (incorporating some material from Büchner's Woyzeck) for a BBC Play of the Month in 1978 by Stuart Griffiths and director Alan Clarke, with Norman Rodway as Danton and Ian Richardson as Robespierre.

Danton's Death (Dantons Tod) was the first play written by Georg Büchner, set during the French Revolution. Georg Büchner wrote his works in the period between Romanticism and Realism in the so-called Vormärz era in German history and literature (1815/1830-1848).

The play follows the story of Georges Danton, a leader of the French Revolution, during the lull between the first and second terrors. Georges Danton created the office of the Revolutionary Tribunal as a strong arm for the Revolutionary Government. With this, to be accused of anything real or imagined was to be condemned to death without trial, proofs, evidence or witnesses. Within months he knew this power was a terrible mistake and fought to have it ended. Robespierre stopped him and used the Tribunal to have Danton and all opposition killed, consolidate his power and slaughter uncounted thousands of French men, women, and children. Ultimately he followed Danton to the guillotine. Witnesses describe Danton as dying bravely comforting other innocents executed with him.

Main Cast & Characters:
Norman Rodway as Danton
Ian Richardson as Robespierre
Michael Pennington as Saint-Just
Anthony Higgins as Camille Desmoulins
James Aubrey as Lacroix
Kate Fahy as Julie (Danton's wife)
Zoë Wanamake as Lucile Desmoulins
Shane Briant as Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles
Roger Sloman as Bertrand Barère
John Woodnutt as Fouquier-Tinville
Michael Hughes as Louis Legendre
Jonathan Adam as Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois
Emma Garden as Marion (a prostitute)