Royal54-09-0148Country Of The Blind

This is Theatre Royal. Tonight's play is the last in this important series of command performances. Transcribe for your pleasure by the greatest stars of the English Theatre and their distinguished host, Sir Lawrence Olivier. Tonight Sir Lawrence himself is starred in H.G. Wells Immortal Classic, The Country of the Blind.

The National Broadcasting Company presents, transcribes, so Lawrence Olivier in Theatre Royal. This is Lawrence Olivier.

Today's play is based upon one of my own most favorite stories, written by an author who in his day foretold many of the miracles which today we treat as commonplace. H. G. Wells. This particular story deals like so many of his others with the world of his imagination.

I shall play the part of Nunyeth, the man who tells the story. Here then is H. T. Wells, the country of the blind. Three hundred miles and more from Kimborofo, one hundred from the snows of Cut-A-Paxi.

In the wildest wastes of the Ecuador Andes, there lies that mysterious mountain valley cut off from the world of men. The country of the blind. Long years ago that valley had been accessible, indeed it had been settled and farmed by Peruvians, who had fled there from the tyranny of their Spanish ruler.

But then in the 17th century, a violent volcanic eruption had brought down one whole side of Mount Aralka. The landslide had completely cut off the valley from the outside world. And ever since that day, the country of the blind had been no more than a legend.

The legend was known to me, and I told it to the party of mountaineers to which I was acting as a guide in the attempt to climb Párásca Topoto, the so-called Matterhorn of the Andi.