"The Wednesday Play" (1964) TV series 1964-1970

Creator:

Sydney Newman

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

28 October 1964 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Series of one-off plays made by BBC television which gave breaks a wide range of writers and directors in the late 60s...

Plot Keywords:

Partially Lost TV Series | Day In Title

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Edwin Brown	...	Chief Prison Officer / ... (9 episodes, 1965-1969)
Ken Jones	...	Arthur / ... (7 episodes, 1965-1969)
Neville Smith	...	Eddie / ... (7 episodes, 1965-1969)
Michael Robbins	...	Albert Barking / ... (7 episodes, 1966-1970)
Alec Coleman	...	Gambler / ... (7 episodes, 1965-1967)
Tony Selby	...	Brother Malachay / ... (6 episodes, 1965-1967)
George Sewell	...	Barney the tallyman, in the washhouse / ... (6 episodes, 1965-1967)
Paddy Joyce	...	Docker / ... (6 episodes, 1965-1969)
Griffith Davies	...	Jackie Coulson / ... (6 episodes, 1965-1969)
Alan Selwyn	...	Gambler / ... (6 episodes, 1965-1967)
William Moore	...	Constable Howell / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
John Bailey	...	Humphrey Wiles / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
John Kidd	...	Auctioneer / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Will Stampe	...	Boat Proprietor / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Wally Patch	...	Grandad / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Tommy Godfrey	...	Plantaganet King / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1967)
Keith Campbell	...	American / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1969)
Julie May	...	Inmate at Cumbermere Lodge / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1968)
Eric Mason	...	Policeman / ... (5 episodes, 1965-1969)
Peter Jeffrey	...	Charles / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
Keith Barron	...	Nigel Barton / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
Eileen Atkins	...	Joan / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1969)
Rosemary Leach	...	Jean Marfield / ... (4 episodes, 1967-1970)
Derek Francis	...	Cornelius Shafton / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1969)
James Maxwell	...	Captain Miller / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1966)
Elizabeth Begley	...	Auntie / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Geraldine Moffat	...	Jo / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1969)
Dennis Golding	...	Boy / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
Llewellyn Rees	...	Arnold / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Walter Hall	...	Henry Cooper / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1969)
Godfrey James	...	Bert / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1970)
Yvonne Antrobus	...	Girl / ... (4 episodes, 1966-1967)
Frank Littlewood	...	Judge / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1970)
John Phillips	...	Cardinal Runan / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Isobel Black	...	Annabel Tranter-Percy / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Barbara Couper	...	Agnes Kinsale / ... (4 episodes, 1966-1967)
Jo Rowbottom	...	Christine / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1970)
Bryan Pringle	...	Trumper / ... (4 episodes, 1966-1969)
Winifred Dennis	...	Mrs. Ward / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Yootha Joyce	...	Miriam Green / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
John Woodnutt	...	Albert Stamp / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Alan Lake	...	Arthur / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Basil Henson	...	Brigadier Terence O'Brian / ... (4 episodes, 1964-1968)
Eileen Way	...	Aunt Erika / ... (4 episodes, 1966-1969)
Fanny Carby	...	Connie / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1970)
Lucy Griffiths	...	Bishop's wife / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1966)
Lionel Wheeler	...	Policeman / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Eunice Black	...	Audrey / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
Frank Jarvis	...	Customer / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Andrea Lawrence	...	Gambler / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1967)
David Hutcheson	...	Blecker / ... (4 episodes, 1966-1969)
Christine Hargreaves	...	Doreen / ... (4 episodes, 1967-1970)
George Tovey	...	Little George / ... (4 episodes, 1965)
Eileen Colgan	...	Dora / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)
Cleo Sylvestre	...	Inmate at Holm Lea / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1969)
James Appleby	...	Bushey / ... (4 episodes, 1965-1968)

Runtime:

75 min (172 episodes) | UK:75 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

This series does not exist complete in the archives, with several episodes having been wiped years ago (meaning they no longer exist).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (2008) (TV)

Not all formulae are formulaic

The Wednesday play seemed to me a brave attempt to do something new and interesting with drama on television. Very like fringe theatre in some respects but with an ability to stretch locations I found it immensely stimulating as a teenager and would love to see more TV drama like it.

Things like The Sopranos or 6' under seem to me to represent a very commercialised aspect of the attempt to surprise and stimulate that The Wednesday Play did in an understated way.

I suppose one could look back to things like Armchair Theatre to such one-offs too. I know that writers of equally good talent must still exist but are they getting the chances they deserve? Otherwise, what do we do? Flog off to Edinburgh again and sleep on a floor? At my age? Well, yes of course if I have to.