‘Brilliant but nauseating' Potter play on radio
The British playwright, Dennis Potter, is perhaps best known in New Zealand for his award-win-ning scripts for such television series as “Pennies from Heaven.” Some of his writings have been highly controversial, notablv his treatment of Christ in “The Son of Man” starring Colin Blakely.
The play, “Brimstone and Treacle” to he heard tonight in a Radio New Zealand production by Fergus Dick, is among his most controversial writings.
Clever and disturbing, it concerns the intrusion of a slick, satanic young man into the lives of a humdrum couple, Mr and Mrs Bates. Their only deviation from the appalling norm to which they steadfastly adhere is that they have an attractive only daughter who has been reduced to the state of a vegetable bv a car accident.
“Brimstone and Treacle" was comissioned, paid for and recorded by 8.8. C. television, but never shown.
The director of programmes found the play
“brilliantly written and made, but nauseating.” Rewritten by Potter tor the stage, it was seen first in Shetfield and then in Londons’ West End in 1978. Fergus Dick's production for Radio New Zealand draws from both scripts.
The cast is made up of John McKelvey (Mr Bates), Joanna Derrill (Mrs Bates), Stuart Devenie (Martin), and Vivienne Laube (Pattie). Concert programme, 9 p.m.
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Bibliographic details
Press, 14 July 1980, Page 14
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219‘Brilliant but nauseating' Potter play on radio Press, 14 July 1980, Page 14
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