Forgotten Dramas Bbc Series ‘Six’ Creator of the John Mcgrath, of Thepoemor Novel’ Attain Status the Artistic ‘We Want Thefilmto

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38 TV’S FORGOTTEN DRAMAS BBC SERIES ‘SIX’ CREATOR OF THE JOHN MCGRATH, OF THEPOEMOR NOVEL’ ATTAIN STATUS THE ARTISTIC ‘WE WANT THEFILMTO

rediscovering more of British TV’s forgotten history. history. forgotten TV’s more of British rediscovering for catalyst the be audiencewider we hope it will a to dramas sadly neglected these bringing In Richardson. and Tony Blair Les Morahan, Christopher Saville, Philip of form the in pedigree directing and amazing Peter Cushing, and Richardson Ralph Steadman, Alison from performances plays showcase these Bleasdale great McEwan, and Ian Alan to and John Betjeman Priestley JB authors from ahost by of famous Written unseen. have remained mostly but or wiped junked being have that survived productions afew many of the highlights season This archived. or forgotten have that been and serials plays,countless series just name four. to ‘classic’ are (1986), there TV But for every Image: Six: Six: Image: Today for Play on collection Mediatheque (free) our for p44 See WANT MORE? Home (1954), Eighty-Four Nineteen some dramas, classic celebrated for been producing rightly has television British Cooke Lez curators write transmission, original their since seen been rarely have that plays of classic avariety Rediscover TELEVISION’S NEGLECTEDPLAYS REDISCOVERING BRITISH FORGOTTEN DRAMAS Abigail’s Party Abigail’s (1966), The Logic Game Logic The Billy Smart Billy and The Singing Detective (1977) Singing and The Royal Holloway, University of London Holloway,Royal University project, Drama TV Forgotten of History The IN ASSOCIATION WITH Cathy Come Come Cathy

TV’S FORGOTTEN DRAMAS 39 @BFI Introduced by Dr Lez Cooke, Senior Holloway Royal Officer, Research University of London , based on the by play INTRO TUE FEB 10 NFT2 18:20 Anastasia Sunday Night Theatre. BBC 1953. Dirs John Counsell and Rosemary Hill. With Helen Haye, Mary Kerridge, Anthony Ireland, Peter Cushing. 100min. 35mm Anastasia Marcelle Maurette, is a prime example the of rediscovery a TV of long afterplay was it thought to have been destroyed. Cushing gives an outstanding performance as one of the Russian conspirators come who to realise that the woman they want to impersonate Anastasia, the rumoured surviving member the of Romanov royal family, may actually be authentic. , this Jack Flea’s Birthday Celebration Jack Flea’s

drama – Ian first McEwan’s TV for – was recorded in the studio Pebble at Mill, with the confined set greatly enhancing the tension when David’s parents visit on his birthday. Followed by a panel discussion with actor Alison Steadman, former Commissioning Editor of Drama at Channel 4 Peter Ansorge, director Les Blair and producer Tara Prem + BBC 1975. Dir Mike Newell. With Sara Kestelman, David Wilkinson, 30min McCallum. Eileen David (Wilkinson) is a young man living with Ruth (Kestelman), a woman nearly twice his age. Like the majority Second of City Firsts

TALK TUE 3 FEB 18:10 NFT3 Second City Firsts. BBC 1975. Dir Leslie Blair. With David Warwick, Early to Bed Alan Bleasdale’s first TV drama is about an man 18-year-old (Warwick) embarkswho on an affair with the young, married woman (Steadman) liveswho next door in their small mining village in Lancashire. Filmed on location by Les Blair as who, Bleasdale acknowledged, ‘made a script some of promise, no but Alison Steadman, Patricia Leach. 30min great quality, into something worth watching.’ 40 TV’S FORGOTTEN DRAMAS book onlineat bfi.org.uk book effect. emotional and awe-inspiring to studio TV 1960s of the resources the tested fully that world expressionist abstract, asoulful, presents drama Priestley’s JB afterlife. the into passes he as existence his upon reflect and relive who must Johnson, titular the plays He revival. TV little-known greatest stage successes in this of his one reprises Richardson Ralph 16mm 80min. Gordon. Hannah Eddington, Paul Richardson, Ralph With Harris. Lionel Dir 1965. BBC Theatre. Thursday Johnson OverJordon 16:10 NFT2 16:10 FEB 15 SUN INTRO

each play in the series. the play in each for actors four same of the company repertory afixed using television, of medium new the through told be only could that drama original an create to attempts Priestley’s JB into insight a fascinating of You Are is People What Know edition surviving sole this transmission, original its since Unseen 30min Stratton. John Rowe, Frances Parry, Natasha Morton, Clive With Tony Richardson. Dir 1955. BBC + Royal Holloway University of London of University Holloway Royal Television Studies Research Officer, Smart, Billy Dr by Introduced You KnowWhatPeople Are the London Film Festival in 1964. in Festival Film London the at shown it was when controversy aroused –and Laing RD psychiatrist with interview an – it includes psychoanalysis of existential ideas by informed was film the stars), (who also Arden Jane by Co-written game. guessing out acomplex Game Logic The Saville’s Philip BBC2, on films of six of aseries one as Shown 35mm 62min. Henry. Peter Arden, Jane Keyser, de David With Saville. Philip Dir 1965. BBC Six. The LogicGame 18:20 NFT2 FEB 18 WED INTRO features two characters playing playing characters two features

University of London of University Research Officer, Royal Holloway Senior Cooke, Lez Dr by Introduced role). aminor in Fox Edward (including performances strong by complemented structure experimental its with deceit, and of infidelity astory it tells present, and past London, and Highlands Scottish the between Moving marriage. and of love theme the Six to follow-up series for the McGrath John producer by Shotgun Markham. 50min Petra Walker, Zena Davenport, Nigel Field, Anne Shirley With McGrath. John Dir 1965. BBC More. Five + Shotgun Shotgun was one of two films directed directed films of two one was , this time on on time , this TV’S FORGOTTEN DRAMAS 41 @BFI have recently been The Common tells the story of Passion Play THU 26 FEB NFT2 18:20 revived in the End, West his contemporaneous TV dramas remain unseen. an affair across divisions age of and class between true-blue Jane (Merchant) and socialist teacher Sean (Waterman). The result is an effective, subtle and mature comedy about London society. Introduced by Dr Billy Smart, Officer, Research Studies Television Royal Holloway University of London The Common Play of the Month. BBC 1973. Dir Christopher Morahan. With Peter Jeffrey, Vivien Merchant, Dennis Waterman. 100min While Peter Nichols’ Privates on Parade and ©FreemantleMedia Image Library assistant persona, as the Introduced by Dr Billy Smart, Officer, Research Studies Television Royal Holloway University of London features a beguiling performance from Manning, shaking off her Doctor Who free-spirited lodger who profoundly disrupts the lives the of suburban family she moves in with. The Golden Road believed is The Golden Road INTRO + Armchair Theatre. Thames 1973. Dir Douglas Camfield. With Katy Manning, Olive McFarland, Joyce 50min. 35mm Heron. Unseen over for 40 years, Pat Hooker’s to be the first lesbian drama written by a woman made British for It TV.

. Co-written by INTRO MON 23 FEB 17:50 NFT2 Pity About the Abbey is the only surviving from play a 1965BBC2 series called Londoners Derek Francis. 75min. 35mm John Betjeman, beforebecame he Poet Laureate, adopts it a deliciously comic tone (it was subtitled ‘A Comedy About the Future’), and describes a plan to knock down Westminster Abbey and replace it with a new government building. Londoners. BBC 1965. Dir Ian Curteis. With Henry McGee, John Harvey, Suzanne Mockler, Pity About the Abbey