Specially shot interview with writer David Rudkin, talking about the relative success of the 1974 Play for Today, ‘Penda’s Fen’, made by BBC Pebble Mill. Alan Clarke was the director, David Rose the producer, and Tara Prem the script editor.
Caroline Hawkins left the following message on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group: ‘I remember it. I was in it. I was the little girl who had her hands chopped off and my mother was the costume designer (who persuaded me to do it!)’.
Specially shot interview with writer, David Rudkin, talking about working with director, Alan Clarke, on the 1974 Play for Today, ‘Penda’s Fen’.
‘Penda’s Fen’ was produced at Pebble Mill by David Rose, and script edited by Tara Prem. The film tells the story of Stephen, a troubled 18 year old who rejects the traditional church he was brought up into, in search of an older pagan faith.
The following blog is part of an interview I recorded with English Regions Drama Department Script Writer and Producer, Tara Prem. The English Regions Drama Department was innovative, and sometimes used unusual methods, as described here, talking about the 1973, Play for Today – ‘Shakespeare or Bust’ .
‘Peter Terson wrote ‘The Fishing Party’ and then ‘Shakespeare or Bust’ and ‘Three for the Fancy’. He wrote ‘The Fishing Party’ and then he said he wanted to have the three guys go to Stratford on a narrowboat by canal. So David (Rose) said why don’t you do the journey and see how you get on. So he did the journey and he would write as he went. I was script editor and my job was that he’d get to a lock and use the lock-keeper’s phone and say – ‘I’ve got another 30 pages, you can come and get them’. And that’s how the thing came. And when I’d got all the pages together he said he’d got to the end and they didn’t get into the theatre, and he decided they would see ‘Anthony and Cleopatra’ actors Richard Johnson and Janet Suzman on the balcony, and somehow this would be how the piece ended – that although they didn’t get into the theatre, because there were no seats, that they would get the Shakespeare from them. But Peter said they meet them – and then you sort it out. So that’s how much freedom again. Firstly the idea of just going to get 30 pages and putting several lots of 30 pages until you got to the end, and then sorting it all out, as a method! Obviously I’d give it to David, and everybody would read it, but there was no committee to decide. If it had been dreadful I suppose, somebody could have said we’re not going to do this, but otherwise the idea was that when we’d got enough pages to make the whole script, the whole filming process would crank into action, and off we’d go!’
Tara Prem, Script Editor ‘Shakespeare or Bust’
‘Shakespeare or Bust’ starred Brian Glover, Ray Mort, Douglas Livingstone, and Frank Woodfield.
(Copyright of the photo remains with the original holder)
I was asked to man the lift when Princess Anne opened the building….even bought a new scarf for the occasion. As a PA of only 4’11” stature and spending most of my time in the 2nd floor bar, nervous personnel doctored the lift buttons to make sure I pressed number ‘4’ to take her to the lofty management echelons! I also practically passed out waving my antennae on the reception steps in an extremely unwieldy rubber ant costume for a Pebble Mill At One, Doctor Who feature. The joys of being diminutive. I joined the Asian Unit as Gerry Hynes PA in 1971, became a Production Assistant a year later & left for ATV in ’78. Carole Glover, Coral Higson, Heather Storr, Jenny Homer, Polly Whitehouse, Jane Alderson & Pam Relton were my partners in crime.
(The photo includes Dr Charles Hill (Chairman of BBC Governors), white haired man on the left, it is David Rose (Head of Drama) who Princess Anne is talking to, and 3rd from the right is Bob Gale (senior dresser).)
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
These stills are of the original title cards for the 1976 Pebble Mill, Play for Today, ‘Nuts in Play’. The title cards are hand painted on individual sheets of acetate. They have been kept safe by Film Editor, Oliver White.
Mike Leigh was asked by Producer, David Rose, to set a television drama in his home county of Dorset. Mike then wrote and directed ‘Nuts in Play’, which starred Roger Sloman as Keith and Alison Steadman as Candice-Marie. Keith and Candice-Marie are a politically correct home counties couple on a camping holiday in Dorset. They have a frustrating encounter with a Brummie motorcycling couple whose loud music and uncivilised behaviour offend them.
Mike Williams was the cameraman, John Gilbert the sound recordist, and Dave Baumber the dubbing mixer. The costume designer was Gini Hardy, make-up was by Gwen Arthy, the production designer was David Crozier. The production unit manager was Dawn Robertson, with production assistants Cyril Gates and Gerard Patterson.
Thanks to Oliver White for making the title cards available.
Dawn Trotman (nee Mears) left the following comment about ‘Nuts in May’: ‘Just such a wonderful and very funny film. Pebble Mill at its height, and Oliver White a brilliant editor. He taught so many of us lowly assistants our craft. Who will teach the Tech ops, as they are called, now? There is no training.’
