The Sacred Flame - W. Somerset Maugham - Saturday Night Theatre

The Sacred Flame is the story about the misfortune of Maurice Tabret, previously a soldier of World War I who had returned home unscathed to marry his sweetheart Stella.
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The Sacred Flame (1928) is William Somerset Maugham's 21st play, written at the age of 54. Maugham dedicated the publication to his friend Messmore Kendall.
William Somerset Maugham was an English playwright, novelist, and short-story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s.
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[@marydugan4120]

As a person who is sick and homebound these audiobooks and plays are such a comfort to me .I get totally lost in the wonderful acting and writing !!!!! Thanks so much from Ireland 😊

[@louise7552]

Arnt they wonderful ❤️. I'm in a similar position and with winter arrived in Australia 🇦🇺, I'm enjoying every play. May I recommend a radio play called, 40 Years On. Sir John Guilgude is the main character. It's so brilliant, the wit and nuances are on another level. You will chuckle all the way through it. 😊😊 .regards Louise.

[@thresagraham8181]

They are wonderful. I hope your health improves quickly. 🙏🙏👍🌻

[@michaeldillon3113]

​@@louise7552All best wishes to you from Kent , England .

[@Michael-bp5im]

Wiley was the best !

[@juanitarogal1324]

I love this play, it's the second time I've listened to it, love, love, love ❤️

[@LudaMas-b6k]

Great to hear classics perform ed in original (excellent English)

[@angeladennis2879]

Incredible acting, a wonderful production.

[@hazelmead1434]

I loved this play. I agree, Maugham had a profound understanding of human emotions.

[@trixiepettman-south8500]

WELL. I GUESS IT GOES ON IN REAL LIFE. SO VERY SAD. WHAT MORE CAN ONE SAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT SPELLBINDING PLAY. BLESSINGS. TRIXIE, 86, SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

[@dab505279]

This is one of the absolute best radio plays I've ever listened to. I think I'll remember it for a long time. Thank you very much for providing such great entertainment. Much respect to you from Larry.

[@kayi9236]

Thank you for this excellent play!

[@johardy8512]

Thankyou so very much for this wonderful opportunity.

[@feralbluee]

a beautifully written piece about human emotion and relationships. Maugham had such a profound understanding of humanity. the actors and the directing are integrated perfectly with the writing.

[@mariewilliams602]

I loved this play ❤ I am a great fan of the actors and actresses to brought this play to life .the writer is a wonderful story teller thankyou ❤

[@mrscpc1918]

My dearest old friend is dying at the moment. So much of her life is reflected in this wonderful tender story. Thankyou.

[@tedar3986]

God Bless 🙏🏼🥰✝️

[@jow6845]

Strength to you all.

[@JB---]

I'm so sorry! 😢❤️

[@MsBettyRubble]

Kind and tender thoughts to you and your friend.

[@natasharosetarrant]

God bless xxx

[@deborahrobertson8606]

Exquisitely performed and genuinely moving. Thank you so much. More of the old BBC productions please. They take me back to a saner time...one that I can just remember!!

[@glendacame5931]

What a beautiful story; life, death, all the emotions so well portrayed. Thank you.

[@texasoutlook60]

This touched many aspects of a dying loved one and caretaker! Thanks

[@johnwatson9702]

How well Somerset Maugham writes; this play is nothing short of brilliant. It transported me into another era and l was in the sitting room absorbing every word with all the characters in the cast.

[@susanweston9510]

No

[@roderickfernandez5382]

I was there also you probably won't remember me but I was wearing the green Tweed with Heather trousers and a nice pair of brogues

[@louise7552]

Another Chersterton Classic .Thankyou so much, wonderful acting, especially the nurse. So emotive.❤ Now on my favourites list.😊

[@OperaJH]

Dame Sybil. Maugham. Just palpably real all the way through. Just wow. Thank you so much for posting.

[@francespunnett9677]

I loved that !

[@leimaniax]

That was simply incredible. It had me on the edge of my pillow, as I tried, unsuccessfully, to sleep. Beautifully done. Thank you to Somerset Maugham and the cast, and all who made it possible. An incredible work of art.

[@janefitton1198]

These plays are so enjoyable. Thank you for the download Adelaide South Australia 24.8.21 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@janeclarkson8471]

It's the second time I've listened to his play. It was gripping. The story of human emotions, perception, differences, understanding, forgiveness is astonishing. What a wonderful writer Maugham was! It was conveyed by some of the most astounding and brilliant acting I've ever heard. Thank you everyone for for holding me spellbound! 👌❤️🙏🏻

[@yesterdayitrained]

Thank you for your comment- it expresses my feelings exactly.

[@helenferullo5706]

I thoroughly enjoyed this play. I was initially confused identifying the characters and their roles, but after replaying the early parts of the play I easily understood. The acting was superb! I will long remember the insight and wisdom “Mother” shared.

[@Justanopinionnooffense]

Yes! What Mother said was amazing!

[@tedar3986]

She needed more dialogue. Best part done very well by treasure of an actress.

[@ginaharrison5560]

Whoa & woe... Such a poignant story... Somerset Maugham was a favorite author of mine my Freshman year of High School. Such an astute observer of human nature, Somerset Maugham. Thank you for putting this on KZbin for us. 🙏💞🙏

[@followyourheart7818]

I agree with John Watson brilliant and so absorbed it felt like I was there with them. Thank you for posting this.

[@TedaR]

Superb author, cast & all! Never gets old. Thank you CR! 💙 09:11 LOL!

[@totoro9590]

Wonderful play, enjoyed it very much. Many thanks 👍👍👍

[@maridambrosio523]

What a story!

[@frankah]

Wonderful entertainment - as I would expect from Somerset Maughan , one of my favorite writers. Unfortunately I listened to it in Phuket , Thailand where it was interrupted every 10 minutes or so by effing ads from Russian estate agents trying to sell property here. As if they think any Russian buyer is listening to a Somerset Maughan radio play ! Drives one crazy.

[@tomb4496]

Stunning

[@phildyrtt6433]

Love is so good and so powerful and so permanent.

[@jenniferpierno6108]

Maugham could write a great story. I always enjoy reading them and enjoyed this excellent production.

[@Bertie_and_Dot]

Brilliant, everything about this play is brilliant. Dame Sybil Thorndike one of our greatest actresses in theatrical history always wonderful

[@doreekaplan2589]

"What do we live for but our illusions?"....,not me.

[@davelawday6609]

That was absolutely brilliant...and sad.. thoroughly enjoyed it.. thanks for sharing.kind regards Dave 👍👍👍👍

[@michaeldillon3113]

How wonderful to see such an international group of listerners enjoying this play ✌️

[@martinpolach6171]

Tears are running down my cheeks …Brilliant …absolutely brilliant !

[@JudeNance]

I call DEATH GOING TO DANCE ON THE WIND BECAUSE LOVE NEVER DIES.🎉

[@jordsupp]

I love Mr SM's work. Thankyou.

[@MoonChild-yg3nw]

Beautiful story

[@roxanavasilakis9435]

Thank you so much , 🌷

[@iqosuser2754]

Absolutely brilliant 👏 God Bless for posting it.

[@arliefor-real9749]

A marvelous play!! Loved it emencly 😊

[@dontaylor7315]

I did too. And that's got to be the most original way to spell "immensely" that I've ever seen. I'm not criticizing! I kinda like it.

[@rubytuesday5412]

Thank you Chester. My second listen to this one. Outstanding!

[@tedar3986]

Same. Hey Ruby 👋

[@rubytuesday5412]

@@tedar3986 ~ Hey Teda. We get around!

[@tedar3986]

@@rubytuesday5412 Speak for yourself… Cheeky! JKJKLOL Hope you and yours are all well! Blessings kindred!

[@rubytuesday5412]

@@tedar3986 ~ Well speaking for myself, I've been known to visit 2 or 3 in a day! Shameless!! Same to you, hope all's good. Where will I see you next, I wonder! LOL!

[@tedar3986]

@@rubytuesday5412 Ik me too! What would our mothers say? Lol Have you been to Mjam from London or Matthew Jones lately?

[@dontaylor7315]

I've loved Maugham's novels and short stories ever since I was a teenager (and that was over 50 years ago) but I've never dipped into his plays before. This one's my first and I'm very pleased, the more so because it's a whodunnit. It's been a complaint of many people, including me, that the classic mystery story in the vein of Christie, Poe and Conan Doyle makes it impossible to portray fully fleshed-out characters because in order to make the solution a surprise the culprit has to be the one whose personality is least capable of the crime. Since Maugham has too much regard for character to play a cheap trick like that, the murderer was inevitably just who I thought from the start. Even as a mystery fan I'm ok with that because when WSM is the author the real reward isn't the solution to a puzzle but the pleasure of watching a master prose artist at work.

[@TimGreig]

It's the journey and not the goal that is to be enjoyed 😊

[@dubinatub1]

Powerful play.stirring the emotions,love the template of the universe.

[@naradaian]

" I was on my way home and I dropped in for a ‘doc n doris’" - miss those days when we dropped in for a dip into a friends stash unannounced

[@madammim694]

So powerfully played, excellent

[@fatimajcat6536]

Brilliant play, I'd forgotten how wonderful Somerset Maugham is

[@dennisthemenace57]

, Once opon a time the BBC was a great institution. Not now sadly

[@renardeargent1]

Guessed "whodunnit" early on, but well acted and presented.

[@catherinedavies3727]

Thank you😊

[@mazgriffiths8922]

Sitting here in floods of tears. This play is so full of love and pain all blended into the complexity of life. The language and themes seem to be contemporary too!

[@sidicniy874]

I listen to this once and I refused to go through that heartbreaking emotion again, even I know the story is very good.

[@lynnmetzner4578]

Still digesting the mother killing her own son as having more than one parent in my family, including my own mother, suffer the death of her child, and knowing the grief such a death causes very personally, I find that plot twist rather implausible. However, I love Somerset Maugham nonetheless, and appreciate the upload.

[@sockmonkey22]

What was implausible was that the doctor and nurse knew that the mother, Stella, her lover, and both the doctor and nurse each had a motive to murder him and this was not discussed. Even a country detective would have discovered this in about five minutes.

[@sockmonkey22]

I think the wife killed her husband and the mother covered for her.

[@davelawday6609]

Wow... thank you ❤❤❤

[@jlb9368]

Very impressive!

[@Kojoanna]

I liked this mystery

[@lorrainenormanton9316]

Excellent loved it . Thanks for this .

[@waynemoore1708]

This is my 3rd time I've heard this. Brilliant.

[@naradaian]

Yes me too …but for good art like this - time moves more slowly so it stays interesting xx

[@thecrone7964]

what we do for love

[@chrissythornhill]

Intelligent entertainment …. Wonderful 👌🏼

[@adiconstantin4598]

I admire the rounded shape of this play. Still, I do consider (Am I the only one?) the alternative of a diplomatic, long explanation that one of 3 characters - wife, brother or mother - could have had with the husband, to avoid the horrible act. I really think that he could understand that life is precious and there are so many great activities he could do, no to have a rich, accomplished life, even in those dreadful circumstances

[@yesterdayitrained]

A the time this was written, things were very different than today. Morris was deeply unhappy, and at his request, his mother promised him, if life became too much to bear, she would help him end it. And that is exactly what she did- I see it as a selfless act of mercy.

[@nandi9318]

How casually loyalty is forsaken...

[@michellemiller4909]

These types think other caucasian folks are meant to be relocated to traffic ⛔ dark times

[@dawn.cheripaul3168]

Important to remember the times it was written in. Not the same through our modern lense of social security support and womens lib

[@dl18336]

Good story

[@martinadarcy781]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@rosebud3971]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@sockmonkey22]

Spoiler alert. I now believe the wife did it while her mother-in-law covered for her.

[@marymary5494]

Excellent 👌💕

[@michaeldillon3113]

Beautiful diction without being too regal . In many modern productions it seems fashionable to mumble through the script .

[@johngalvin6010]

I thought it was the butler that did it!

[@21anusha]

Emotive . Cheers ✌🏽

[@grandmahanustime]

Very modern values! Happiness, no matter how fleeting and shallow, is King. Forget the marriage vows, avoid suffering at all costs, and claim the right to decide who’s life is valuable, and who should be “put out of their misery.” Not a fan of this play, though of course it is well written and brilliantly performed.

[@gabyshepherd8855]

With a slight hint of Lawrence’s Lady Chatterly’s Lover, but the end is rather generous- relieved.

[@olivemd]

I liked the ideas explored in this play, but I’m not sure I liked the play. Very thought provoking though.

[@eshaibraheem4218]

Oh, dear. So obvious.

[@littlebrookreader949]

Why do some people think that Wagner is romantic? Tristin and Isolde are forlornly wretched. Depressing.

[@tandyjen]

This was precisely the correct opera for Maugham to choose to mention in the play--because it suits his plot! 1:31:10 Tristan and Isolde are the original lovers who cannot be together. It is a tribute.

[@AT-qe3ib]

But it's all wrong. How can one build a happiness on the lie and murder?

[@deegeraghty9426]

Stella irritating, feeble character !

[@Stormlucy111]

Horrific

[@thach295]

What a load of crap!

[@adrischolte]

Mirrors can be cruel

[@anaderol5408]

@@adrischolte LOL. Well said - However, to be fair if one enjoys the Kardashians one would find Somerset a load of crap.....equally I'm certain I'd find the Kardashians a load of crap.....if I watched TV and had actually seen an episode....the rubbish magazines at the hairdressers are sufficient to give me a glimpse.😂😂

[@spanishDoll1]

I guess you have to have a bit of double digit IQ to enjoy it. This is top tier

[@2msvalkyrie529]

I agree ! What a ghastly shower of middle class prigs . And the way in which the husband tried to force his wife to display herself to his friends is downright creepy !

[@jansmith6121]

After googling I find that this was the first play he wrote in that flowery style. And the last. Smart man. And no I don’t like the Kardashians and I have a three digit IQ. Good grief. Over acted nonsense. Been listening to Easy Wand channel. MUCH better selections than the stuff here. Mistake to listen here again. Bleh.

[@DD-sr7no]

This was a beautiful play, a tribute to life and incondicional love. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year to you and your team🤗🥳!!

[@karenlake1656]

Made me cry 🥺 beautifully acted and a heartfelt story.

[@olivemd]

I liked the ideas explored in this play, but I’m not sure I liked the play. Very thought provoking though.