British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Denmark Hill

Synopsis
Radio drama by Alan Bennett. In a leafy south London suburb 15-year old schoolgirl Harriet struggles with an essay on Shakespeare’s view on the family as her ailing father Frank lies on his deathbed upstairs. Following Frank’s demise, the story takes a familiar turn, with characters reminiscent of Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonious and Ophelia all playing their allotted parts.
Series
Saturday Drama
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Radio
Transmission details
27 Sep 2014 at 19:30 (Channel: BBC Radio 4)
Duration
60 mins

Credits

Director
Tristram Powell
Producer
Marilyn Imrie
Writer
Alan Bennett
Adaptor for Radio
Honor Borwick
Cast
Alan BennettNarrator
Bryony HannahHarriet
Geoffrey PalmerCanon Everest/Frank/Drunk
Penny DownieGwen
Robert GlenisterGeorge
Samuel BarnettCharles

Additional Details

Production type
Television and Radio Drama
Plays
Hamlet
Subjects
Drama
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)

Notes

General
Denmark Hill was originally written as an uncommissioned TV/film screenplay in 1981/2. For whatever reasons, Bennett can’t remember, he kept it in a drawer until it went with all his papers to the Bodleian library for archival storage. Honor Borwick urged Tristram Powell, with Bennett’s permission, to search the archives and Powell unearthed the typescript.

Production Company

Name

Catherine Bailey Productions

Archive

Name

British Library Sound Archive

Email
listening@bl.uk
Web
http://www.bl.uk/nsa External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7412 7676
Fax
020 7412 7441
Address
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB
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

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