British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Final Curtain

Synopsis
BBC television police drama series which follows the work of the Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad (UCOS) led by Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman (Redman). It is made up of retired police officers who have been recruited to reinvestigate unsolved crimes. In this episode the team are asked to look again at the death of actor Bill Morley who was shot on stage in 1972 in what was deemed a tragic accident. The plot involves Brian (Armstrong) unwittingly taking part in an audition for a role in Julius Caesar. He recites part of Mark Antony’s funeral oration speech (III ii). He at first reads in a hesitant and stagey manner but as the words begin to have more meaning for him he reaches new heights of feeling. The director praises his performance and regional accent [Armstrong comes from County Durham]. Previously Brian had spoken with affection of learning Shakespeare at school with his teacher Mr Higginbottom who urged the class ‘in your own accents, give it welly’ and says of Julius Caesar ‘a bunch of middle class prats prancing about in togas...for an audience of middle-class prats’.
Series
New Tricks
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Television
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Transmission details
14 Jul 2008 at 21:00 (Channel: BBC1)
Duration
60 mins

Credits

Director
Julian Simpson
Producer
Keith Thompson
Writer
Chris Coghill
Cast
Alun ArmstrongBrian Lane (Mark Antony)
Amanda RedmanSandra Pullman
Dennis WatermanGerry Standing
Gavin MillerTheatre director

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Plays
Julius Caesar
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Auditions

Notes

History
Episode 2, season 5.

Production Company

Name

Wall to Wall Television

Phone
020 7485 7424
Fax
020 7267 5292
Address
8-9 Spring Place
Kentish Town
London NW5 3ER

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web
http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7255 1444
Fax
020 7436 0165
Address
21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN
Name

Learning on Screen Off-Air Recording Back-up Service

Email
services@bufvc.ac.uk
Web
http://bufvc.ac.uk/tvandradio/offair External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7393 1514
Fax
020 7393 1555
Address
For Learning on Screen Members only
77 Wells Street
London
W1T 3QJ

Record Stats

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