Beyond the Fourth Wall: Experiments in TV Drama is season of screenings at the BFI Southbank, comprised of television plays that experimented with new forms and styles to create truly exciting and original TV dramas.

Highlights include the BBC adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Baal (BBC, 1982) starring David Bowie and directed by Alan Clarke, The Old Crowd (Six Plays by Alan Bennett), directed by Lindsay Anderson, (LWT, 1979) and a trio of plays by Samuel Beckett – Ghostrio, But the Clouds and Not I (BBC 1977). Another highlight of the season will be a panel discussion ‘Experimental Drama Then & Now’ with directors Philip Saville and Piers Haggard, producer Ken Trodd and TV historian Lez Cooke. This season will give audiences an opportunity to see a set of extremely rare dramas which push the boundaries of television drama, many of which have not been seen on our TV screens since they originally aired.

For more information about the season, see the BFI website here and see also the profile over at the Spaces of Television blog.

Beyond the Fourth Wall Season (PDF, 1.8 Mb)

The BBC adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s Baal (BBC, 1982) starring David Bowie (Image: BFI/BBC)