Remember "Play For Today" Back In The Seventies?

I used to watch Play for Today too - good variety. It seems today that many plays are centred around murders and police which becomes rather boring after a while.

Talking To A Stranger was so impressive. It still stands up to day.

Maggiemaybe

An Inspector Calls was written by J B Priestley.

My favourite Play For Today was Nuts in May, the trials and tribulations of Candice Marie and Keith on their camping trip. It was another by Mike Leigh.

I bought the DVD of this several years ago and loved it just as much.

Very, very funny and great characters. I have met people just like Keith and Candice Marie in real life. 🤣🤣

Maggiemaybe

Oo, Tales of the Unexpected! I loved that series. My favourite being the one where she despatched her husband with a frozen leg of lamb to the head, then cooked the evidence.

It actually still sounds feasible to me.

Oh yes, brilliant!
Ronald Dahl wrote the tales.

Why don't they produce such good television any more?

The Evacuees by Jack Rosenthal is on BBC 4 next week.

I clearly remember a linked series of plays in the mid-60s called "Talking to a Stranger" starring Judi Dench, Maurice Denham, Margery Mason and Michael Bryant. It's about a family weekend told from each viewpoint - father, mother, daughter, son. It was brutal and brilliant.

Some were overly political and tedious, but others like Abigail's Party were so successful that they are still being performed in theatres.

There was a very sad play by Dennis Potter called Where The Buffalo Roam, which I've never seen repeated. I think it starred Hywel Bennett. Another brilliant Potter play was Blue Remembered Hills.

There are many episodes on YouTube and a few on BBCiplayer.

Yes!! I loved Play for Today and wish the Beeb would air more (but new) shows like this!

Oh yes!
She fed it to the policeman.

I watched the one called William and Mary last week, where the preserve William's brain, and one eye.

It was called Lamb to the Slaughter.

Oo, Tales of the Unexpected! I loved that series. My favourite being the one where she despatched her husband with a frozen leg of lamb to the head, then cooked the evidence.

It actually still sounds feasible to me.

I've got Tales Of The Unexpected on, and Patricia Routledge and Richard Briars are in it, as well as some other "faces".

Alison Steadman was Candice the female lead in Nuts in May. The husband, Keith, was an appalling and know-all prig.

Brilliant!

I love Nuts In May, and Abigails Party.

I loved the plays and that's what got me interested in the theatre. I loved all the Classic serials as well @Pin to the the Peepshow', 'Madame Bovary', Les Miserables (no singing thank heaven) all the Hardy's. I am watching some good things on Netflix currently 'Henry' Benedict Cumberbatch is mesmerising.

I watched Nuts in May quite recently, loved it

Maggiemaybe

An Inspector Calls was written by J B Priestley.

My favourite Play For Today was Nuts in May, the trials and tribulations of Candice Marie and Keith on their camping trip. It was another by Mike Leigh.

I saw both of those in recent years, they must be reruns then.
Both very good, also Abigails Party.
I wish they would show more old plays.

I remember Play for Today, but also remember Tales of Mystery and Imagination much more vividly. I was about 8 years old and 1 episode in particular frightened me to death (I shouldn't have been watching it, but Mum was out and I watched with my 2 older siblings). The episode featured a doll that came to life during the night and strangled the young girl who owned it. I hid my doll in another bedroom and had nightmares for months after!

I remember when BBC radio had a repertory company - a group of actors who were on the BBC payroll and were in everything. They tackled everything from Shakespeare to dramatisations of James Bond novels. Sometimes well known actors like Ian Carmichael, Peggy Mount or John Gielgud guest starred.

These cast list was read out at the end of the broadcast and often "Other parts were played by Stanley McKenzie" I wonder what happened to him.

Parsley Jeremy Sandford wrote Edna and Cathy come Home . I was so distressed watching Edna

Anniebach

Edna The Inebriated Woman was on Play for Today

This play has stayed with me to this day Anniebach. My younger self was heartbroken for Edna and I still am. Cathy Come Home needs to be updated now to shock us once more about how families are still being made homeless by circumstances outwith their control.

An Inspector Calls is in BBC Sounds at the moment with Bob Peck - it’s only available for 16 days.

I listened to it earlier this week and enjoyed it.

I find Sounds has some good things on but I have to trail through all the music to get to spoken word.

An Inspector Calls was written by J B Priestley.

My favourite Play For Today was Nuts in May, the trials and tribulations of Candice Marie and Keith on their camping trip. It was another by Mike Leigh.