Jump to content

Performance (British TV series): Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
ce
m Bearcat moved page Performance (TV series) to Performance (British TV series) over redirect: WP:INCDAB: another television series of the same title now exists
 
(40 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|British television series}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}

{{multiple issues|
{{Missing information|three further short series|date=November 2020}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2021}}
}}
{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
| name = Performance
| image = <!-- include ALT text per [[WP:ALT]] guideline -->
| caption =
| image = <!-- include ALT text per [[WP:ALT]] guideline -->
| caption =
| alt_name =
| alt_name =
| genre = Stage drama
| genre = Stage drama
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English (including translations)
| country = UK
| num_series =
| language = English (including translations)
| num_episodes =
| num_series =
| num_episodes =
| company = BBC (some co-productions)
| company = BBC (some co-productions)
| channel = [[BBC Two|BBC2]]
| first_aired = {{start date|df=yes|1991|10|05}}
| distributor =
| last_aired = {{end date|df=yes|1998|03|21}}
| channel = [[BBC Two|BBC 2]]
| picture_format =
| related = ''[[Theatre Night]]''
| audio_format =
| first_aired = {{Start date|df=yes|1991|10|12}}
| last_aired = {{End date|df=yes|1998|03|21}}
| preceded_by = ''[[Theatre Night]]''
| followed_by =
}}
}}


'''''Performance''''' was a [[UK]] television anthology series produced by [[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]] for the [[BBC]]. Twenty-six episodes aired on the BBC between 12 October 1991 and 21 March 1998, almost all of which were productions of classic and contemporary plays, including ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' by [[Anton Chekhov]], ''[[A Doll's House]]'' and ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' by [[Henrik Ibsen]], ''[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]'' by [[Luigi Pirandello]], ''[[King Lear]]'' by [[William Shakespeare]], and ''[[The Deep Blue Sea (play)|The Deep Blue Sea]]'' by [[Terence Rattigan]].
'''''Performance''''' is a [[UK]] television anthology series produced by [[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]] for the [[BBC]]. Twenty-six episodes aired on [[BBC2]] between 5 October 1991 and 21 March 1998, almost all of which were productions of classic and contemporary plays, including ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' by [[Anton Chekhov]], ''[[A Doll's House]]'' and ''[[Hedda Gabler]]'' by [[Henrik Ibsen]], ''[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]'' by [[Luigi Pirandello]], ''[[King Lear]]'' by [[William Shakespeare]], and ''[[The Deep Blue Sea (play)|The Deep Blue Sea]]'' by [[Terence Rattigan]].


Among its directors were [[Karel Reisz]], [[Anthony Page]], [[Richard Eyre]], [[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]], and [[Harold Pinter]].
Among its directors were [[Karel Reisz]], [[Anthony Page]], [[Richard Eyre]], [[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]], and [[Harold Pinter]].


Its high-profile cast included [[Colin Firth]], [[Kenneth Branagh]], [[Elizabeth McGovern]], [[Jeremy Irons]], [[Judi Dench]], [[Hugh Grant]], [[Alec Guinness]], [[Tom Wilkinson]], [[Miranda Richardson]], [[Ian Holm]], [[Bill Nighy]], [[John Gielgud]], and [[Juliet Stevenson]].
Its high-profile cast included [[Colin Firth]], [[Kenneth Branagh]], [[Elizabeth McGovern]], [[Jeremy Irons]], [[Judi Dench]], [[Hugh Grant]], [[Alec Guinness]], [[Tom Wilkinson]], [[Miranda Richardson]], [[Ian Holm]], [[Bill Nighy]], [[John Gielgud]], [[Geraldine Somerville]] and [[Juliet Stevenson]].


==List of episodes==
==List of episodes==
The main sources for compiling this list was the BFI Film and TV Database<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/14439 |title=BFI Film and TV Database |access-date=20 November 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902202307/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/14439 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the website of the [[BBC Genome Project]].
The main sources for compiling this list was the BFI Film and TV Database<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/14439 |title=BFI Film and TV Database |access-date=20 November 2020 |archive-date=2 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902202307/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/14439 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and the website of the [[BBC Genome Project]].


Legend: '''Se''' = Season; '''Ep''' = Episode
Legend: '''Se''' = Season; '''Ep''' = Episode
Line 49: Line 41:
|1
|1
|1
|1
|''Absolute Hell''
|''{{va|Absolute Hell}}''
|[[Rodney Ackland]]
|[[Rodney Ackland]]
|[[Anthony Page]] (d),<br />[[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]] (p)
|[[Anthony Page]] (d),<br />[[Simon Curtis (filmmaker)|Simon Curtis]] (p)
|[[Judi Dench]],<br />[[Bill Nighy]],<br />[[Ronald Pickup]],<br />[[Charles Gray (actor)|Charles Gray]],<br />[[Anthony Calf]]
|[[Judi Dench]]
|5 October 1991
|5 October 1991<ref>Repeated 19 December 1992.</ref>
|-
|-
|1
|1
|2
|2
|''[[Uncle Vanya]]''
|''{{va|[[Uncle Vanya]]|Uncle Vanya}}''
|[[Anton Chekhov]]
|[[Anton Chekhov]]
|[[Gregory Mosher]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Gregory Mosher]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[David Warner (actor)|David Warner]],<br />[[Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio]]
|[[David Warner (actor)|David Warner]],<br />[[Ian Holm]],<br />[[Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio]],<br />[[Ian Bannen]],<br />[[Roger Hammond (actor)|Roger Hammond]]
|12 October 1991
|12 October 1991
|-
|-
|1
|1
|3
|3
|''Nona''
|''{{va|Nona}}''
|[[Roberto Cossa]] (play),<br />[[Michael Hastings (playwright)|Michael Hastings]] (adaptation)
|Roberto Cossa
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|[[Les Dawson]],<br />[[Liz Smith (actress)|Liz Smith]],<br />[[Jim Broadbent]],<br />[[Timothy Spall]],<br />[[Jane Horrocks]],<br />[[Maurice Denham]]
|[[Les Dawson]]
|19 October 1991
|19 October 1991<ref>Repeated 20 November 1993.</ref>
|-
|-
|1
|1
|4
|4
|''[[Old Times]]''
|''{{va|[[Old Times]]|[Old Times}}''
|[[Harold Pinter]]
|[[Harold Pinter]]
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
Line 81: Line 73:
|1
|1
|5
|5
|''[[Top Girls]]''
|''{{va|[[Top Girls]]|Top Girls}}''
|[[Caryl Churchill]]
|[[Caryl Churchill]]
|[[Max Stafford-Clark]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Max Stafford-Clark]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Deborah Findlay]],<br />[[Beth Goddard]],<br />[[Lesley Manville]]
|
|2 November 1991
|2 November 1991
|-
|-
|1
|1
|6
|6
|''[[The Trials of Oz]]''
|''{{va|[[The Trials of Oz]]|The Trials of Oz}}''
|[[Geoffrey Robertson]]<br />[[John Mortimer]]
|[[Geoffrey Robertson]]<br />[[John Mortimer]]
|Sheree Folkson (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Sheree Folkson]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Hugh Grant]],<br />[[Peter O'Brien (actor)|Peter O'Brien]],<br />[[Kevin Allen (director)|Kevin Allen]]<br />[[Leslie Phillips]]
|[[Hugh Grant]],<br />[[Peter O'Brien (actor)|Peter O'Brien]],<br />[[Kevin Allen (director)|Kevin Allen]]<br />[[Leslie Phillips]],<br />[[Nigel Hawthorne]],<br />[[Simon Callow]],<br />[[David Troughton]],<br />[[Alfred Molina]],<br />[[Nicholas Farrell]],<br />[[Nigel Planer]],<br />[[Lee Cornes]]
|9 November 1991
|9 November 1991
|-
|-
|2
|2
|1
|1
|''Tales from Hollywood''
|''{{va|[[Tales from Hollywood (play)|Tales from Hollywood]]|Tales from Hollywood}}''
|[[Christopher Hampton]]
|[[Christopher Hampton]]
|[[Howard Davies (director)|Howard Davies]] (d),</br>Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Howard Davies (director)|Howard Davies]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Jeremy Irons]],<br />[[Alec Guinness]],<br />[[Elizabeth McGovern]],<br />[[Sinéad Cusack]]<br />[[Ian Thompson (actor)|Ian Thompson]],<br />[[George Raistrick]],<br />[[Jack Shepherd (actor)|Jack Shepherd]],<br />[[Lynn Farleigh]],<br />[[Mike McShane]],<br />[[Iain Rattray]]
|[[Jeremy Irons]],<br />[[Alec Guinness]]
|19 October 1992
|19 October 1992 (U.S.)<br />14 November 1992 (UK)
|-
|-
|2
|2
|2
|2
|''[[A Doll's House]]''
|''{{va|[[A Doll's House]]|A Doll's House}}''
|[[Henrik Ibsen]]
|[[Henrik Ibsen]]
|[[David Thacker]],<br />Simon Curtis
|[[David Thacker]],<br />Simon Curtis
|[[Juliet Stevenson]],<br />[[Trevor Eve]]
|[[Juliet Stevenson]],<br />[[Trevor Eve]],<br />[[Geraldine James]],<br />[[Patrick Malahide]],<br />[[David Calder (actor)|David Calder]],<br />[[Helen Blatch]]
|21 November 1992
|21 November 1992<ref>Repeated 10 December 1994.</ref>
|-
|-
|2
|2
|3
|3
|''[[Roots (play)|Roots]]''
|''{{va|[[Roots (play)|Roots]]|Roots}}''
|[[Arnold Wesker]]
|[[Arnold Wesker]]
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|[[Jane Horrocks]],<br />[[Pam Ferris]],<br />[[Imelda Staunton]]
|Jane Horrocks,<br />[[Pam Ferris]],<br />[[Imelda Staunton]],<br />[[Christopher Eccleston]],<br />Timothy Spall
|28 November 1992
|28 November 1992
|-
|-
|2
|2
|4
|4
|''[[After the Dance (play)|After the Dance]]''
|''{{va|[[After the Dance (play)|After the Dance]]|After the Dance}}''
|[[Terence Rattigan]]
|[[Terence Rattigan]]
|[[Stuart Burge]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Stuart Burge]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Anton Rodgers]]<br />[[Gemma Jones]]<br />[[Imogen Stubbs]]
|[[Anton Rodgers]],<br />[[Gemma Jones]],<br />[[Imogen Stubbs]],<br />[[John Bird (actor)|John Bird]],<br />[[Geoffrey Beevers]]
|5 December 1992
|5 December 1992
|-
|-
|2
|2
|5
|5
|''[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]''
|''{{va|[[Six Characters in Search of an Author]]|Six Characters in Search of an Author}}''
|[[Luigi Pirandello]]
|[[Luigi Pirandello]]
|[[Bill Bryden]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Bill Bryden]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]],<br />[[John Hurt]]
|[[Brian Cox (actor)|Brian Cox]],<br />[[John Hurt]],<br />[[Tara Fitzgerald]],<br />[[Susan Fleetwood]],<br />[[Brian Glover]],<br />[[Steven Mackintosh]]
|12 December 1992
|12 December 1992
|-
|-
|3
|3
|1
|1
|''The Maitlands''
|''{{va|The Maitlands}}''
|Robert MacKenzie
|Robert MacKenzie
|[[Lindsay Posner]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Lindsay Posner]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Eileen Atkins]],<br />[[Jennifer Ehle]],<br />[[Bill Nighy]],<br />[[Edward Fox]]
|[[Eileen Atkins]],<br />[[Jennifer Ehle]],<br />Bill Nighy,<br />[[Edward Fox (actor)|Edward Fox]],<br />[[Samuel West]]
|13 November 1993
|13 November 1993
|-
|-
|3
|3
|2
|2
|''[[Hedda Gabler]]''
|''{{va|[[Hedda Gabler]]|Hedda Gabler}}''
|[[Henrik Ibsen]]
|[[Henrik Ibsen]]
|[[Deborah Warner]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Deborah Warner]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
Line 153: Line 145:
|3
|3
|3
|3
|''[[The Entertainer (play)|The Entertainer]]''
|''{{va|[[The Entertainer (play)|The Entertainer]]|The Entertainer}}''
|[[John Osborne]]
|[[John Osborne]]
|Nicholas Renton (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|Nicholas Renton (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Michael Gambon]],<br />[[Helen McCrory]],<br />[[Bill Owen (actor)|Bill Owen]],<br />[[Billie Whitelaw]]
|[[Michael Gambon]]
|4 December 1993
|4 December 1993
|-
|-
|3
|3
|4
|4
|''[[The Changeling (play)|The Changeling]]''
|''{{va|[[The Changeling (play)|The Changeling]]|The Changeling}}''
|[[Thomas Middleton]] and [[William Rowley]]
|[[Thomas Middleton]] and [[William Rowley]]<br />Michael Hastings (adaptation)
|Simon Curtis (p)
|Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Bob Hoskins]],<br />[[Elizabeth McGovern]],<br />Hugh Grant,<br />Leslie Phillips
|[[Bob Hoskins]],<br />Elizabeth McGovern,<br />Hugh Grant,<br />Leslie Phillips,<br />[[Sean Pertwee]]
|11 December 1993
|11 December 1993
|-
|-
|4
|4
|1
|1
|''Message for Posterity''
|''{{va|Message for Posterity}}''
|[[Dennis Potter]]
|[[Dennis Potter]]
|Simon Curtis (p)
|[[David Jones (director)|David Jones]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[John Neville (actor)|John Neville]],<br />[[Eric Porter]]
|[[John Neville (actor)|John Neville]],<br />[[Eric Porter]],<br />Ronald Pickup,<br />[[Sophie Thompson]],<br />[[Abigail Cruttenden]],<br />[[Annette Crosbie]],<br />[[Tony Haygarth]],<br />[[Patrick Godfrey]],<br />[[Nicholas Selby]],<br />[[Stephen Moore (actor)|Stephen Moore]]
|29 October 1994
|29 October 1994
|-
|-
|4
|4
|2
|2
|''[[Measure for Measure]]''
|''{{va|[[Measure for Measure]]|Measure for Measure}}''
|[[William Shakespeare]]
|[[William Shakespeare]]
|[[David Thacker]] (d)
|[[David Thacker]] (d)
|[[Tom Wilkinson]],<br />[[Corin Regrave]],<br />[[Juliet Aubrey]]
|[[Tom Wilkinson]],<br />[[Corin Redgrave]],<br />[[Juliet Aubrey]],<br />Ian Bannen,<br />[[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]],<br />Geoffrey Beevers,<br />[[Rob Edwards (actor)|Rob Edwards]],<br />[[Sue Johnston]]
|5 November 1994
|5 November 1994
|-
|-
|4
|4
|3
|3
|''[[The Deep Blue Sea (play)|The Deep Blue Sea]]''
|''{{va|[[The Deep Blue Sea (play)|The Deep Blue Sea]]|The Deep Blue Sea}}''
|[[Terence Rattigan]]
|[[Terence Rattigan]]
|[[Karel Reisz]] (d)<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Karel Reisz]] (d)<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Penelope Wilton]],<br />[[Ian Holm]],<br />[[Colin Firth]]
|[[Penelope Wilton]],<br />Ian Holm,<br />[[Colin Firth]],<br />[[Stephen Tompkinson]],<br />[[Geraldine Somerville]],<br />[[Edward Tudor-Pole]]
|12 November 1994
|12 November 1994
|-
|-
|4
|4
|4
|4
|''[[The Mother (TV play)|The Mother]]''
|''{{va|[[The Mother (TV play)|The Mother]]|The Mother}}''
|[[Paddy Chayefsky]]
|[[Paddy Chayefsky]]
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
|Simon Curtis (d/p)
Line 201: Line 193:
|4
|4
|5
|5
|''[[Summer Day's Dream]]''
|''{{va|[[Summer Day's Dream]]|Summer Day's Dream}}''
|[[J. B. Priestley]]
|[[J. B. Priestley]]
|[[Christopher Morahan]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[Christopher Morahan]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|[[John Gielgud]],<br />[[Terence Rigby]],<br />[[Rosemary Harris]]
|[[John Gielgud]],<br />[[Terence Rigby]],<br />[[Rosemary Harris]],<br />Mike McShane<br />[[Vincent Wong (UK actor)|Vincent Wong]]
|26 November 1994
|26 November 1994
|-
|-
|5
|5
|1
|1
|''Shadow of a Gunman''
|''{{va|[[Shadow of a Gunman]]|Shadow of a Gunman}}''
|[[Sean O'Casey]]
|[[Sean O'Casey]]
|Nye Heron
|Nye Heron
|[[Kenneth Branagh]],<br />Stephen Rea
|[[Kenneth Branagh]],<br />Stephen Rea,<br />[[James Ellis (actor)|James Ellis]]
|7 October 1995
|7 October 1995
|-
|-
|5
|5
|2
|2
|''[[The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd]]''
|''{{va|[[The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd]]|The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd}}''
|[[D. H. Lawrence]]
|[[D. H. Lawrence]]
|[[Katie Mitchell]] (d)
|[[Katie Mitchell]] (d)
|[[Zoë Wanamaker]],<br />[[Stephen Dillane]],<br />Colin Firth
|[[Zoë Wanamaker]],<br />[[Stephen Dillane]],<br />Colin Firth,<br />[[Brenda Bruce]]
|14 October 1995
|14 October 1995
|-
|-
|5
|5
|3a
|3a
|''{{va|[[Landscape (play)|Landscape]]|Landscape}}''
|
|Harold Pinter
|
|Harold Pinter (d),<br />Simon Curtis (p)
|
|Ian Holm,<br />Penelope Wilton
|
|21 October 1995
|
|-
|-
|5
|5
|3b
|3b
|''{{va|Bed}}''
|
|[[Jim Cartwright]]
|
|[[Steve Shill]] (d),<br />[[Kevin Loader]]
|
|[[Renée Asherson]],<br />[[Robin Bailey]],<br />[[June Brown]],<br />[[Maurice Denham]],<br />[[Richard E. Grant]],<br />[[Lionel Jeffries]]
|
|21 October 1995
|
|-
|-
|5
|5
|4
|4
|''{{va|Henry IV}}'' ([[Henry IV, Part 1|Pt 1]] & [[Henry IV, Part 2|Pt 2]])
|
|William Shakespeare (plays),<br />[[John Caird (director)|John Caird]] (adaptation)
|
|John Caird (d),<br />[[Annie Castledine]] (p)
|
|Ronald Pickup,<br />[[John Woodvine]],<br />[[Peter Jeffrey]],<br />[[Joseph O'Conor]],<br />David Calder,<br />[[Geoffrey Hutchings]],<br />Jane Horrocks,<br />[[Elizabeth Spriggs]],<br />[[Peter-Hugo Daly]],<br />[[Paul Eddington]],<br />[[Clive Kneller]],<br />[[Toby Jones]]
|
|28 October 1995
|
|-
|-
|5
|5
|5
|5
|''{{va|[[After Miss Julie]]|After Miss Julie}}''
|
|[[Patrick Marber]],<br />[[August Strindberg]]
|
|Patrick Marber (d),<br />[[Fiona Finlay (producer)|Fiona Finlay]]
|
|Geraldine Somerville,<br />[[Phil Daniels]],<br />[[Kathy Burke]]
|
|4 November 1995
|
|-
|6
|1
|''{{va|[[Company (musical)|Company]]|Company}}''
|[[Stephen Sondheim]]
|[[Sam Mendes]] (d),<br />Simon Curtis (ex p)
|[[Adrian Lester]],<br />[[Sheila Gish]],<br />Sophie Thompson
|1 March 1997
|-
|6
|2
|''{{va|[[My Night with Reg]]|My Night with Reg}}''
|[[Kevin Elyot]]
|[[Roger Michell]] (d),<br />Kevin Loader (p)
|[[David Bamber]],<br />[[John Sessions]],<br />Anthony Calf,<br />[[Kenneth MacDonald (English actor)|Kenneth MacDonald]]
|15 March 1997<!-- A live performance of Jonathan Miller's production of "Cosi Fan Tutti" was on 8 March. -->
|-
|6
|3
|''{{va|[[Richard II (play)|Richard II]]|Richard II}}''
|William Shakespeare
|Deborah Warner (d),<br />John Wyver (p)
|Fiona Shaw (as Richard II),<br />[[Graham Crowden]],<br />[[Richard Bremmer]],<br />[[Julian Rhind-Tutt]],<br />[[Donald Sinden]]
|22 March 1997
|-
|6
|4
|''{{va|[[Broken Glass (play)|Broken Glass]]|Broken Glass}}''
|[[Arthur Miller]]
|David Thacker (d),<br />Fiona Finlay (p)
|[[Henry Goodman]],<br />[[Margot Leicester]],<br />[[Mandy Patinkin]],<br />Elizabeth McGovern,<br />[[Ed Bishop]]
|29 March 1997
|-
|6
|5
|''{{va|Macbeth on the Estate}}''
|William Shakespeare,<br />Penny Woolcock (adaptation)
|[[Penny Woolcock]] (d),<br />Alison Gilby (p)
|[[James Frain]],<br />Susan Vidler,<br />[[Ray Winstone]]
|5 April 1997
|-
|7
|1
|''{{va|[[King Lear]]|King Lear}}''
|William Shakespeare
|[[Richard Eyre]] (d),<br />[[Sue Birtwistle]], Joy Spink (p)
|Ian Holm<br />[[Timothy West]],<br />[[Amanda Redman]],<br />[[Michael Bryant (actor)|Michael Bryant]]
|21 March 1998
|}
|}


Line 260: Line 300:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{BBC programme|b01nv7qg}}
*{{BBC programme|b01nv7qg}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0298685|title=Performance}}
*{{IMDb title|id=0298685|title=Performance}}


Line 268: Line 308:
[[Category:1990s British drama television series]]
[[Category:1990s British drama television series]]
[[Category:BBC television dramas]]
[[Category:BBC television dramas]]
[[Category:British anthology television series]]
[[Category:BBC anthology television shows]]
[[Category:English-language television shows]]
[[Category:1990s British anthology television series]]
[[Category:British English-language television shows]]



{{UK-tv-prog-stub}}
{{UK-tv-prog-stub}}

Latest revision as of 14:52, 1 July 2024

Performance
GenreStage drama
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish (including translations)
Production
Production companyBBC (some co-productions)
Original release
NetworkBBC2
Release5 October 1991 (1991-10-05) –
21 March 1998 (1998-03-21)
Related
Theatre Night

Performance is a UK television anthology series produced by Simon Curtis for the BBC. Twenty-six episodes aired on BBC2 between 5 October 1991 and 21 March 1998, almost all of which were productions of classic and contemporary plays, including Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen, Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello, King Lear by William Shakespeare, and The Deep Blue Sea by Terence Rattigan.

Among its directors were Karel Reisz, Anthony Page, Richard Eyre, Simon Curtis, and Harold Pinter.

Its high-profile cast included Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, Elizabeth McGovern, Jeremy Irons, Judi Dench, Hugh Grant, Alec Guinness, Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Ian Holm, Bill Nighy, John Gielgud, Geraldine Somerville and Juliet Stevenson.

List of episodes

[edit]

The main sources for compiling this list was the BFI Film and TV Database[1] and the website of the BBC Genome Project.

Legend: Se = Season; Ep = Episode

Se Ep Title Author Producer/
Director 		Performers UK
Transmission
date
1 1 Absolute Hell Rodney Ackland Anthony Page (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Judi Dench,
Bill Nighy,
Ronald Pickup,
Charles Gray,
Anthony Calf 		5 October 1991[2]
1 2 Uncle Vanya Anton Chekhov Gregory Mosher (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		David Warner,
Ian Holm,
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio,
Ian Bannen,
Roger Hammond 		12 October 1991
1 3 Nona Roberto Cossa (play),
Michael Hastings (adaptation) 		Simon Curtis (d/p) Les Dawson,
Liz Smith,
Jim Broadbent,
Timothy Spall,
Jane Horrocks,
Maurice Denham 		19 October 1991[3]
1 4 Old Times Harold Pinter Simon Curtis (d/p) John Malkovich,
Kate Nelligan,
Miranda Richardson 		26 October 1991
1 5 Top Girls Caryl Churchill Max Stafford-Clark (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Deborah Findlay,
Beth Goddard,
Lesley Manville 		2 November 1991
1 6 The Trials of Oz Geoffrey Robertson
John Mortimer 		Sheree Folkson (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Hugh Grant,
Peter O'Brien,
Kevin Allen
Leslie Phillips,
Nigel Hawthorne,
Simon Callow,
David Troughton,
Alfred Molina,
Nicholas Farrell,
Nigel Planer,
Lee Cornes 		9 November 1991
2 1 Tales from Hollywood Christopher Hampton Howard Davies (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Jeremy Irons,
Alec Guinness,
Elizabeth McGovern,
Sinéad Cusack
Ian Thompson,
George Raistrick,
Jack Shepherd,
Lynn Farleigh,
Mike McShane,
Iain Rattray 		19 October 1992 (U.S.)
14 November 1992 (UK)
2 2 A Doll's House Henrik Ibsen David Thacker,
Simon Curtis 		Juliet Stevenson,
Trevor Eve,
Geraldine James,
Patrick Malahide,
David Calder,
Helen Blatch 		21 November 1992[4]
2 3 Roots Arnold Wesker Simon Curtis (d/p) Jane Horrocks,
Pam Ferris,
Imelda Staunton,
Christopher Eccleston,
Timothy Spall 		28 November 1992
2 4 After the Dance Terence Rattigan Stuart Burge (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Anton Rodgers,
Gemma Jones,
Imogen Stubbs,
John Bird,
Geoffrey Beevers 		5 December 1992
2 5 Six Characters in Search of an Author Luigi Pirandello Bill Bryden (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Brian Cox,
John Hurt,
Tara Fitzgerald,
Susan Fleetwood,
Brian Glover,
Steven Mackintosh 		12 December 1992
3 1 The Maitlands Robert MacKenzie Lindsay Posner (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Eileen Atkins,
Jennifer Ehle,
Bill Nighy,
Edward Fox,
Samuel West 		13 November 1993
3 2 Hedda Gabler Henrik Ibsen Deborah Warner (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Fiona Shaw,
Nicholas Woodeson,
Stephen Rea 		27 November 1993
3 3 The Entertainer John Osborne Nicholas Renton (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Michael Gambon,
Helen McCrory,
Bill Owen,
Billie Whitelaw 		4 December 1993
3 4 The Changeling Thomas Middleton and William Rowley
Michael Hastings (adaptation) 		Simon Curtis (p) Bob Hoskins,
Elizabeth McGovern,
Hugh Grant,
Leslie Phillips,
Sean Pertwee 		11 December 1993
4 1 Message for Posterity Dennis Potter David Jones (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		John Neville,
Eric Porter,
Ronald Pickup,
Sophie Thompson,
Abigail Cruttenden,
Annette Crosbie,
Tony Haygarth,
Patrick Godfrey,
Nicholas Selby,
Stephen Moore 		29 October 1994
4 2 Measure for Measure William Shakespeare David Thacker (d) Tom Wilkinson,
Corin Redgrave,
Juliet Aubrey,
Ian Bannen,
David Bradley,
Geoffrey Beevers,
Rob Edwards,
Sue Johnston 		5 November 1994
4 3 The Deep Blue Sea Terence Rattigan Karel Reisz (d)
Simon Curtis (p) 		Penelope Wilton,
Ian Holm,
Colin Firth,
Stephen Tompkinson,
Geraldine Somerville,
Edward Tudor-Pole 		12 November 1994
4 4 The Mother Paddy Chayefsky Simon Curtis (d/p) Anne Bancroft,
Katherine Borowitz,
Joan Cusack 		19 November 1994
4 5 Summer Day's Dream J. B. Priestley Christopher Morahan (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		John Gielgud,
Terence Rigby,
Rosemary Harris,
Mike McShane
Vincent Wong 		26 November 1994
5 1 Shadow of a Gunman Sean O'Casey Nye Heron Kenneth Branagh,
Stephen Rea,
James Ellis 		7 October 1995
5 2 The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd D. H. Lawrence Katie Mitchell (d) Zoë Wanamaker,
Stephen Dillane,
Colin Firth,
Brenda Bruce 		14 October 1995
5 3a Landscape Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (d),
Simon Curtis (p) 		Ian Holm,
Penelope Wilton 		21 October 1995
5 3b Bed Jim Cartwright Steve Shill (d),
Kevin Loader 		Renée Asherson,
Robin Bailey,
June Brown,
Maurice Denham,
Richard E. Grant,
Lionel Jeffries 		21 October 1995
5 4 Henry IV (Pt 1 & Pt 2) William Shakespeare (plays),
John Caird (adaptation) 		John Caird (d),
Annie Castledine (p) 		Ronald Pickup,
John Woodvine,
Peter Jeffrey,
Joseph O'Conor,
David Calder,
Geoffrey Hutchings,
Jane Horrocks,
Elizabeth Spriggs,
Peter-Hugo Daly,
Paul Eddington,
Clive Kneller,
Toby Jones 		28 October 1995
5 5 After Miss Julie Patrick Marber,
August Strindberg 		Patrick Marber (d),
Fiona Finlay 		Geraldine Somerville,
Phil Daniels,
Kathy Burke 		4 November 1995
6 1 Company Stephen Sondheim Sam Mendes (d),
Simon Curtis (ex p) 		Adrian Lester,
Sheila Gish,
Sophie Thompson 		1 March 1997
6 2 My Night with Reg Kevin Elyot Roger Michell (d),
Kevin Loader (p) 		David Bamber,
John Sessions,
Anthony Calf,
Kenneth MacDonald 		15 March 1997
6 3 Richard II William Shakespeare Deborah Warner (d),
John Wyver (p) 		Fiona Shaw (as Richard II),
Graham Crowden,
Richard Bremmer,
Julian Rhind-Tutt,
Donald Sinden 		22 March 1997
6 4 Broken Glass Arthur Miller David Thacker (d),
Fiona Finlay (p) 		Henry Goodman,
Margot Leicester,
Mandy Patinkin,
Elizabeth McGovern,
Ed Bishop 		29 March 1997
6 5 Macbeth on the Estate William Shakespeare,
Penny Woolcock (adaptation) 		Penny Woolcock (d),
Alison Gilby (p) 		James Frain,
Susan Vidler,
Ray Winstone 		5 April 1997
7 1 King Lear William Shakespeare Richard Eyre (d),
Sue Birtwistle, Joy Spink (p) 		Ian Holm
Timothy West,
Amanda Redman,
Michael Bryant 		21 March 1998

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "BFI Film and TV Database". Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  2. ^ Repeated 19 December 1992.
  3. ^ Repeated 20 November 1993.
  4. ^ Repeated 10 December 1994.
[edit]


Stub icon

This article relating to a television programme from the UK is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Performance_(British_TV_series)&oldid=1232024885"