British Universities Film & Video Council

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Troilus and Cressida

Alternative title
The Shakespeare Plays
Synopsis
Television production with Anton Lesser as Troilus and Suzanne Burden as Cressida. Blind artist Jack Birkett aka The Incredible Orlando (who also played Caliban in Derek Jarman THE TEMPEST) as Thersites.
Series
BBC Television Shakespeare
Language
English
Country
Great Britain; United States
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Recording date
28 Jul 1981
Transmission details
7 Nov 1981 at 20:40 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration
180 mins

Credits

Director
Jonathan Miller
Producer
Jonathan Miller
Writer
William Shakespeare
Music
Stephen Oliver
Costume
Alun Hughes
Art Direction
Colin Lowrey
Contributor
David Snodin
Cast
Anton LesserTroilus
Suzanne BurdenCressida
Jack BirkettThersites
Charles GrayPandarus
Benjamin WhitrowUlysses
Ann PenningtonHelen
Anthony PedleyAjax
Bernard BrownMenelaus
Cornelius GarrettMargarelon (Margareton)
David FirthParis
David KinseyServant (attending on Paris)
Elayne SharlingCassandra
Esmond KnightPriam, King of Troy
Geoffrey ChaterNestor
John ShrapnelHector
Kenneth HaighAchilles
Max HarveyAlexander
Merelina KendallAndromache
Paul MoriartyDiomedes
Peter J. CassellDeiphobus
Peter WalmsleyServant to Troilus (Boy (Troilus’ servant))
Peter WhitbreadCalchas
Simon CutterPatroclus
Tony PortacioHelenus
Tony SteedmanAeneas
Vernon DobtcheffAgamemnon

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Historical period
Renaissance Italy
Plays
Troilus and Cressida
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
drama in English; performances; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Related items
Troilus and Cressida
Troilus and Cressida

Notes

Notes
The production is commercially available on DVD as part of the BBC TV SHAKESPEARE COLLECTION box set (see separate entry).
History
This production was part of the fourth season (producer: Jonathan Miller). It was recorded in nine days.
Textual information
Between 1978 and 1986 the BBC published individual scripts of the series. Each volume of The BBC TV Shakespeare, ed. Peter Alexander et al. (London: British Broadcasting Corporation) contains the full text of the play (the Peter Alexander edition) with accompanying notes on the scene breaks and cuts made in the production, as well as a glossary. A general introduction to the play by series literary advisor John Wilders is followed by an essay on the production of the play by Henry Fenwick. This is based on interviews with actors, directors, and designers.
Reviews
Susan Willis, The BBC Shakespeare Plays: Making the Televised Canon (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1991).

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Name

Time-Life Films Inc

Phone
0101 201 843 4545
Address
PO Box 644
NJ 07652
USA

Distributor (Sale)

Name

Simply Media

Contact
Laura Smith
Email
info@simplymedia.tv
Web
http://www.simplymedia.tv/ External site opens in new window
Phone
0203 542 3722
Address
Highlight House
57 Margaret Street
London W1W 8SJ
Notes
Formerly known as DD Home Entertainment or DDHE
Name

Trumedia Ltd

Contact
Bill Cotton
Email
sales@trumedia.co.uk
Web
https://trumedia.co.uk/ External site opens in new window
Phone
01865 847837
Fax
01865 847837
Address
9 Meadow View
Kidlington
Kidlington
OX5 2XY
Notes
Trumedia supplies video tapes and DVDs to UK schools, colleges and universities and is geared up to take official orders from educational institutions. The catalogue highlights programmes likely to be of use in the curriculum, but the company can supply any video in current UK distribution, as well as some deleted titles. Particularly strong in the areas of English literature and drama, as well as history, natural history, art & artists, and foreign language films.

Online Retailer

Name

Moviemail

Web
https://www.simplyhe.com/3000-moviemail External site opens in new window
Phone
0844 848 2000
Address
Simply Home Entertainment
PO Box 7741
Ringwood
BH24 9FA
UK
Notes
As of December 2016 the Moviemail web presence is incorporated within the Simply Media website

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