Category: Drama

Pity in History – photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

Pity in History was part of the 1985 ‘Summer Season’ of dramas, it went out on 4th July.  It was produced at Pebble Mill by Chris Parr, the executive producer was Robin Midgley and  Sarah Pia Anderson the director.  The play was performed in Studio A.

The play by Howard Barker starred Norman Rodway, Anna Massey, Alan Rickman, Patrick Malahide and Ian McDiarmid.

Set in the Civil War, the story is about a sculptor working to finish a memorial to the Royalist years, as Cromwell’s men break down the surrounding cathedral walls.

The first photo has Alec Robson (TM1) on the left, setting lights and a back view of Keith Schofield with camera; the photo of the rehearsal featuring the crew includes: camera supervisor Dave Doogood, P.A. Bobbie Chapman, Dawn Robertson, cameraman Keith Schofield (crouched), Kevin Heffernan (design), Chris Parr (prod on left), George Allen (TM2) is in the centre with the dark sweater, on his right is cameraman Doug Smith.

John Greening comments: “Gareth Williams is b/g in white trousers. I was AFM and the rehearsals were at Five Ways in an empty office block. Actor in f/g is Roger Frost, husband of Pam Ferris. Howard Barker wrote the play as a vehicle for Ian McDiarmid – he was at the RSC at the time and I had to play his part during rehearsals when there was a matinee..”

Thanks to Dave Bushell, David Short and John Greening for adding to the information.

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Pity in History rehearsalSave

Soundman, Hugh O’Donnell – photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photo by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

This photo was dates from the late 1980s.  The soundman is Hugh O’Donnell, and the drama is probably ‘Shalom Salaam’, working title ‘Coming Together’ – I think it’s a great photo!

Thanks to Dave Bushell and Bev Dartnall for identifying who it is of.

Vanessa

Two Point Four Children – Lynda Kettle’s photos

Photos by Lynda Kettle, no reproduction without permission.  Lynda Kettle was a Production Designer at BBC Pebble Mill, working on factual, entertainment and drama shows in studio and on location.  The photos were taken as records of the Sets.

Two Point Four Children was a studio based sitcom, with an audience, and outside broadcast inserts, hosted at Pebble Mill in Studio A.  It was directed and produced by Richard Boden, written and created by Andrew Marshall.  It was broadcast in the 1990s, there being eight series in all, although I don’t know how many were made at Pebble Mill.

It featured the lives of the extremely very average Porter family, who often faced unusual situations and bad luck.  Belinda Lang played Bill Porter, with Gary Olsen as Ben Porter.

Production Designer, Lynda Kettle also worked as a theatre designer and an artist, and now runs courses from her art studio http://www.lynda-kettle.com.  She is a member of the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Birmingham Water Colour Society. Midland Pastel Society and Birmingham Art Circle . She exhibits her paintings several times a year at selected galleries.

Studio A Set of Two Point Four Children

Debut on Two – TX Card from Dave Bushell

Debut on Two TX Card

Debut on Two TX Card reverse

Debut on Two was a series of six dramas produced at Pebble Mill in 1990 for BBC 2, to promote the work of writers new to television.  Two of the dramas were shot on location, the other four were studio based.

Michael Wearing was the executive producer, Vicky Licorish and Philippa Giles the producers, Diana Patrick and Bob Landgon the directors.  A company of established actors including Pete Postlethwaite, Hilary Sesta and Adrian Dunbar, appeared across the six different plays.

The plays in the series were:

  • The Conversion of St Paul
  • Breast is Best
  • The Wake
  • Window of Vulnerability
  • Kingdom Come
  • A Box of Swan

Thanks to Dave Bushell for keeping the TX Card safe, and for sharing it.

‘Fair Game’ – photos by Bev Dartnall

Photos by Bev Dartnall, no reproduction without permission.

Fair Game was a Pebble Mill drama transmitted in 1994.  It was set recorded in Italy and Britain.  The photos look like Florence.  Michael Wearing was the executive producer, Alan Dosser the director, Carol Parks the producer, and Stephen Bill wrote the script.

The drama starred: Massimo Bellinzoni as Marco, Lena Headey as Ellie, Julian Kerridge as Carl, Prunella Scales as Marjorie and Anita Zagaria as Maria.

The BFI database describes the synopsis of the storyline:

‘It is 1970, there is World Cup and General Election fever. Marco, a wealthy Italian has come to England to discover his true identity. Carl, a student is torn between canvassing for the Labour party, watching the World Cup or going on a walking holiday with his girlfriend Ellie. Their paths cross in Preston library and the three take an epic journey across the Pennines.’  http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/495778?view=synopsis

'Fair Game'