The Box of Delights (TV series) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Box of Delights
Screenplay by	Alan Seymour
Directed by	Renny Rye
Starring	Devin Stanfield Patrick Troughton Robert Stephens
Theme music composer	Victor Hely-Hutchinson
Opening theme	Andante quasi lento e contabile from Carol Symphony
Composer(s)	Roger Limb
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	6
Production
Producer(s)	Paul Stone
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	BBC1
Original release	21 November (1984-11-21) – 24 December 1984 (1984-12-24)

The Box of Delights is a classic BBC Television show. It is based on John Masefield's 1935 fantasy novel for children. The series stars Devin Stanfield, Patrick Troughton, and Robert Stephens. It was shown on BBC1 from November 21 to December 24, 1984. Alan Seymour adapted the book for TV. Renny Rye directed it, and Paul Stone produced it.

This show is a fantasy adventure. It is about a schoolboy who gets a magical box. This box lets him travel through time and change his shape. He must protect the box from an evil magician. The show used a cool mix of live action and animation. It used special effects tools like the Quantel Paintbox and chroma key. In 1984, it cost £1 million to make. This made it the most expensive children's show the BBC had ever made. But it was very popular and won many awards for its special effects.

Making the Show: Production Details

John Masefield was a famous poet. He was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1930 until he died in 1967. Besides poetry, he wrote books for children. The Box of Delights was published in 1935. It was a follow-up to his 1927 book, The Midnight Folk. The BBC had adapted Masefield's novel for radio many times before.

Producer Paul Stone really wanted to make this story into a TV show. He found Masefield's book in the 1970s. Stone said he wanted to make it for television right away. He felt the book was a mix of adventure and magic. He thought TV could bring its amazing pictures to life.

It took Stone ten years to get the rights to make the show. There were plans for a Hollywood movie of the book. So, the rights had to be agreed upon again. Stone said this delay was actually good. He explained that the story needed special animation. TV technology simply wasn't ready a few years earlier.

Renny Rye was the director. He worked in the BBC Children's department. He was chosen to direct this big children's drama. The show had many special effects. It also had a lot of filming in real places. This made it the most expensive children's show the BBC had made.

Cool Visual Effects

Cole Hawlings (Patrick Troughton) shows Kay Harker the Box of Delights. This scene used many video layers. It combined actors in a blue studio with a snowy background.

The show had many amazing visual effects for its time. It combined real actors with hand-drawn animation. This was used in the scenes with Herne the Hunter. Tony Harding and Robin Lobb were in charge of these effects. Paul Stone said the show used new ways of doing `colour separation overlay` (which is like `green screen`). It also used `electronic 'paintbox'` and `Quantel` tools.

These tools let them shrink actors. Kay could shrink to fit in a toy boat. Cole could disappear into a painting. `Colour Separation Overlay` (CSO) used blue as the main color to make things disappear. This was different from the `green screen` used today.

When they started filming, effects had to be made live in the studio. But the team found a way to combine images later. This meant they could film things at different times. Director Renny Rye said this was a huge step forward. It allowed them to do many things they couldn't before.

The special effects took six months to finish. The BBC even built a new effects studio. They used the show to test new technology. For example, a new `Digital Optics` machine helped them zoom in on video during flying scenes. For one scene, they needed eleven different video inputs. They even borrowed machines from other popular shows like Match of the Day!

Filming Locations

Many scenes were filmed in real places. Railway station scenes were shot at Bewdley and Arley. These are on the Severn Valley Railway, which uses steam trains. Tewkesbury became the made-up town of Tatchester. The bishop's children's party was filmed at Kinlet Hall in Shropshire. Students and staff from Moffats Independent School acted as extras there.

The inside of Hereford Cathedral was used in the last episode. But the outside of "Tatchester Cathedral" was actually Tewkesbury Abbey. Abner Brown's college was filmed at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire. The snowy mountains for King Arthur's castle were filmed in Lumphanan, Scotland. The film crew almost got stuck in 12-foot snowstorms! Renny Rye said they could barely use the planned locations. The snow was so thick that they filmed mostly in the hotel gardens.

Show Music

The opening and closing music is from "The First Nowell". It is part of the Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson. This music was also used for earlier radio versions of the story. It has become very linked to The Box of Delights. Hely-Hutchinson wrote his Carol Symphony in 1927. He worked for the BBC for a long time.

The music starts with a steady note. A harp makes an eerie, music-box sound. Then another tune joins in. It feels a bit mysterious at first. But then it becomes quiet and triumphant. This leads into the familiar carol, "The First Noel."

The music used in the 1984 show was from a 1966 recording. It featured the Pro Arte Orchestra. Roger Limb from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop created the other music. He used both orchestra sounds and electronic sounds. This mix of old and new, real and fantasy, made the show's atmosphere even better.

Who's Who: Casting the Characters

The show needed a child to play Kay Harker, the main character. Two hundred children auditioned for the role. Director Renny Rye wanted children who were naturally imaginative. He visited many schools to find them. Devin Stanfield was chosen because he had a good face. He also had a lot of energy. He needed to react to things that would be added later with special effects. Devin Stanfield was the grandson of actor Leslie Sands. He had acted in a few TV shows before.

Patrick Troughton played Cole Hawlings, the kind `Punch and Judy` man. Troughton was famous for playing the Second Doctor in Doctor Who. Renny Rye said Troughton was his favorite Doctor Who. He had a special way of drawing you into a story. A TV show at the time even said Cole Hawlings was like the Doctor. Both were mysterious, scruffy time travelers.

Robert Stephens played the scary bad guy, Abner Brown. He remembered hearing the radio version of the story when he was seventeen. He was so excited to be asked for the TV show that he said yes for free! Stephens liked that Abner, a magician and gangster, dressed as a clergyman. This surprised the audience. One reviewer said Stephens made Abner truly frightening.

Stephens' partner, Patricia Quinn, also acted in the show. She is known for The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She played Sylvia Daisy Pouncer, Abner Brown's partner in crime.

Main Cast

Story: The Plot of the Show

Kay Harker (Devin Stanfield) is coming home from boarding school for Christmas in 1934. He soon gets caught up in a fight over a magical box. The box belongs to an old `Punch and Judy` man named Cole Hawlings (Patrick Troughton). Kay meets Cole at the railway station. They quickly become friends. Cole tells Kay that a magician named Abner Brown (Robert Stephens) and his gang are chasing him. Kay's old governess is even part of the gang!

The magical box lets its owner do many things. They can shrink in size, change their shape, and fly. They can also travel to the past and see amazing creatures. Abner wants the box for evil reasons. Cole, who is actually an old philosopher named Ramon Llull, trusts Kay with the box. Kay then goes on many adventures through time. He must protect the box from Abner Brown.

During his travels, Kay meets many characters. These come from English folklore, history, and old myths. He meets Herne the Hunter, King Arthur, and Father Christmas. He also sees unicorns, Roman soldiers, and medieval monks. The show often mixes old pagan beliefs with Christian ideas.

Episodes List

The show first aired as six half-hour episodes in 1984. BBC Worldwide released the series on DVD in 2004.

The series was shown again in December 1986. It was aired on BBC1 as three longer episodes.

Music from the Show: Soundtrack Release

A small part of the "First Nowell" theme music was released as a single. A full soundtrack album came out in December 2018. It was released by Silva Screen Records.

Song List

All songs written and composed by Roger Limb, except where noted.