The Box of Delights
First edition cover
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| Author | John Masefield |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Heinemann |
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Publication date
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1935 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| Pages | 309 |
| Preceded by | The Midnight Folk |
| The Box of Delights | |
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| Created by | John Masefield |
| Starring | Devin Stanfield Patrick Troughton Robert Stephens |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Original release | November 1984 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Box of Delights is a children's fantasy novel by John Masefield. It is a sequel to The Midnight Folk, and was first published in 1935.
Kay Harker is returning from boarding school when he finds himself mixed up in a battle to possess a magical box. It allows the owner to shrink in size, to fly swiftly, to go into the past and to experience the magical wonders contained within the box.
The current owner of the box is an old Punch and Judy man called Cole Hawlings whom Kay meets at the railway station. They develop an instant rapport, which leads Cole to confide that he is being chased by a magician called Abner Brown and his gang, which includes Kay's former governess. For safety, Cole (who turns out to be the medieval philosopher and alleged magician Ramon Llull) entrusts the box to Kay. The schoolboy then goes on to have many adventures as he protects the box from those who wish to use it for bad deeds.
There have been several radio adaptations of The Box of Delights.
This six-part adaptation, with a script by Robert Holland and John Keir Cross, was produced three times by the BBC as part of its Children's Hour, in 1943, 1948 and 1955.
This was a one-off drama, with a script by John Keir Cross, broadcast in 1966, and repeated in 1968 and 1969. It was then remade with a new cast in 1977.
Two-part drama with a script by John Peacock.
The BBC TV adaptation of the The Box of Delights was broadcast in six parts between 21 November and 24 December in 1984. It featured notable British actors of the time, such as Patrick Troughton, Robert Stephens, Patricia Quinn, John Horsley and James Grout, and starred a newcomer, Devin Stanfield, as Kay. An innovative mixture of live action and animation, using Quantel Paintbox and chroma key effects, was used to portray the adventure. The music included an orchestral arrangement of "The First Nowell" from the Carol Symphony by Victor Hely-Hutchinson, and incidental music by Roger Limb.
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Wikipedia