Among the books that I collect and cherish are early publications about television. Anything from before about 1960 qualifies as ‘early’, but volumes from the 1930s and 1940s are especially interesting. So I was particularly pleased on a visit to Whitstable on Sunday to purchase for just £4.95 a compact (and to me previously unknown) guide titled Television Behind the Scenes. The author of this 1948 introduction is John K. Newnham, a movie critic who wrote for Film Weekly and Picturegoer, and it was published by Convoy Publications, the address of which is given rather wonderfully as North Circular Road, Neasden, N.W.10. The 103-page book comprises twelve chapters from ‘So This is Television’ to a (very useful) ‘Who’s Who in Television’, with short essays devoted to ‘The Announcers’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Outside Broadcasts’ and ‘The Viewer’. And, thrillingly, there are 21 photographic illustrations, several of which I reproduce here. read more »
Whisper it softly but the best drama on American television – or should that be television tout court? – is about to come to an end. Depending on quite how far along you are on More4 this side of the Atlantic, there are just 7 or 8 episodes left of the seventh season of The Good Wife. They’ve just shot the final show and running major spoiler avoidance will be essential next Sunday, 8 May, when that airs in the States. Show after show, for 22 weeks a year, The Good Wife has delivered smart, sexy, compelling, provocative, involving, moving, snatched-from-the-headlines, and did-I-say-sexy, stories. read more »
I purchased my first artwork in, I believe, 1972. I’m not talking here about an Athena poster, but rather a print that I could just about imagine encountering in what was then London’s only Tate Gallery. Not that I dared enter a fancy Cork Street emporium; rather this artwork came by post, ordered from a Habitat catalogue and arriving rolled up in a sturdy cardboard tube. It cost just a few pounds, although I recall that whatever the price it felt like a fortune to me. I don’t remember its name, nor even exactly what it looked like, but I am certain that the artist was Richard Smith, who died recently at the age of 84. read more »
If you are thinking of coming to the ‘From Stage to Screen’ workshop in Nottingham on Saturday, the details of which I posted yesterday, then the perfect prep for this would be to watch the 2013 RSC Live from Stratford-upon-Avon recording of Gregory Doran’s production of Richard II with David Tennant. But of course there’s absolutely no need to have a ticket for the workshop. As part of the BBC-British Council initiative Shakespeare Lives, the recording is freely available online for the next six months – and is really something of a treat. (Am I allowed to say that, since I produced it?) read more »
I’m very much looking forward to this workshop on Saturday in Nottingham. The event is free but do please register online if you would like to attend – there are just a few places left. I hope there will be plenty of time for exploring ideas together, and I’ll write up a note about the discussions early next week. The image, of course, is of David Tennant and Mariah Gale in our 2009 BBC television film of Gregory Doran’s production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. read more »
Saturday night’s celebration of Shakespeare on BBC Two and in cinemas, Shakespeare Live!: From the RSC, started life back in November 2013. Illuminations was not involved as a production company, but in my role as Director, Screen Productions for the RSC I have been working towards Saturday’s realisation ever since then. You can judge for yourself as the programme is on BBC iPlayer for another 28 days but I think it’s fair to say that those of us involved in the project are happy with its realisation. And of the many highlights this is the one that has attracted most of the attention:
Next Saturday, 23 April, I am one of the producers on the Royal Shakespeare Company-BBC collaboration Shakespeare Live! From the RSC. It is going to be a great show, and you can see it at 8.30pm on BBC Two and in cinemas. But it is not leaving me much time to post, apart from this further set of links to stuff that I have found interesting in the past week.
• The art of secrecy: … and this from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists – the articles are complementary, and compelling for anyone interested in auctions, galleries and collectors. read more »
