michael_gothard_archive: (Default)
From 19 April to 20 May 1983, Michael Gothard appeared on stage, playing Agrippa, and Thidias, in The Young Vic Company's 'Anthony and Cleopatra' at the Young Vic Theatre, 66 The Cut, in Waterloo.

Michael Covenay in the Financial Times: 25 April 1983

"All things considered, I have no hesitation in recommending the young Vic’s version in preference to that of the RSC at the Pit … [being staged concurrently]

The exotic swirl of the piece is excitingly maintained in Keith Hack’s production …

The Young Vic cast is, on the whole, stronger than at the Pit.

The whole show has a movement and energy missing at the RSC …"
michael_gothard_archive: (wild)
“The Perfect House” is a television play that tells the story of a casting agent, who finds her home taken over and used as a safe house by a terrorist group. Michael Gothard plays Dieter, one of the terrorists. The production can be viewed at the BFI's Reuben Library, South Bank, by prior appointment.

Part 1

The play opens with the agent, Victoria Gainsborough (Ann Lynn), having a discussion with her house-guest Didier (Brian Protheroe), a young independent filmmaker. He wants to use her phone, but Victoria, fed up with people taking advantage of her, sends him off.

We get a brief glimpse of her day, as she discusses casting issues with a colleague, then she is in a taxi, during the rush hour. The taxi driver complains of delays, which he blames on “those bleedin’ Arabs again, shooting at each other”, and Victoria ends up travelling by Underground.

She arrives at a party, where she meets Juan Garcia Gomez (Marcelo Romo), whom she assumes is also in the film business. She is immediately attracted to him, but – inter-cut with her flirtations with Juan – we see flashbacks to a scene that recently took place on her doorstep. A man with long blond hair, wearing octagonal-framed glasses, and carrying a red folder, says – in a German accent – “Good morning. I’m from the town hall”, and then, “So, there are no other tenants?” In this first iteration of the scene, the man’s face is very close to the camera.

A scene at a bar follows. While Victoria is talking shop with a film producer, she is pleased to see Juan again, apparently by chance, and contrives to pass him a note inviting him to visit her.

Later, back at her house, while a TV newscaster heard in the background talks about how, “refugees from a holocaust which were Jews, made refugees of a nation which was Arab”, Victoria discusses her budding romance on the phone, with a friend. The doorbell rings, and once again, she remembers the man who came to the front door, saying, “Good morning – I’m from the town hall.” She goes to the door, and lets Juan into her home.

She is convinced she has seen him somewhere – before the party where they first spoke – but Juan denies this, and almost immediately starts asking probing questions about her situation, and the layout of the house. He even takes an interest in her security arrangements, and offers to bring locks for her windows. Disregarding her slight misgivings about Juan, Victoria is soon in bed with him.

Meanwhile, Didier returns to the house, and goes upstairs to the room where he has been staying.

Victoria is woken by a memory of the man from the town hall, saying, “So you need this big house all for yourself? Wonderful for all the homeless families.” She sits up in bed, and remembers him saying, “When will the builders be finished here?” and “We have not received your electoral roll from.” Then the camera pulls back, and shows Juan, wearing dark glasses, standing near the other man’s van.

Despite this suspicious stranger in her bed, Victoria lies down and goes back to sleep, but next morning, as they have breakfast, she tries to find out more about him.

Juan tells her that he is from Buenos Aires, and asks whether his brother – who is interested in cinema – can come and stay at her house. He also asks to borrow her car, and Victoria is so smitten with him, that she accedes to his requests. He seems to know where the garage is without being told.

Victoria then goes to see Emma Sloane (Cathleen Nesbitt), at whose party they met, but all she finds out is that Juan seems to know more about her than he should.


Part 2

At the beginning of part two, Victoria talks to her older colleague, Marjorie (Anna Cropper) about Juan. Marjorie advises caution.

Later, when Victoria goes to a restaurant with Juan, she asks him what he actually does in London, and how he came to be at Emma’s party, but he fobs her off. When she presses him for answers, he flatly denies doing any work for the council. Even now, the worst she suspects is that he is using her to try to get his brother a film career.

Juan insists they leave the restaurant before they have finished their meal, and leads her firmly towards a taxi; the driver says they can’t get through because someone has been shot – an Arab he thinks.

That’s when Victoria realises that they are being followed; Juan says their pursuers are friends of his father. Fed up of being lied to, Victoria demands to know what trouble he is in, but she gets no answers.

They arrive at her home. As she is going up the stairs, a man comes down them, as if he owns the place; it’s the man who came to her door, claiming to be from the town hall. Victoria demands to know who he is, but he just says something to Juan in Spanish. This is Dieter (Michael Gothard), and he is not from the town hall; he is working with, or for, Juan.

Juan goes upstairs, and Dieter comes down, forcing Victoria to back off. Another man, Ziggi (Kevin Costello) also appears from upstairs.

While Dieter looms in the background. Juan asks Victoria for dressings, and tells her his brother is here. They then have a private talk, and Juan tells her that his brother can’t walk, and is lying down. Victoria is having trouble making sense of things.

They go into the bedroom and find Dieter tending Juan’s wounded brother, Pancho (Francisco Morales); Pancho has obviously been shot in the stomach, but Juan tries to persuade Victoria that he has been in a road accident. Victoria realises that the men holed up in her house are responsible for today’s shooting.

Dieter calls to Juan – whom he addresses by his middle name, “Garcia!” – and gives him news of his brother. “He’s not going to make it. We should leave him, and get out, now.”

But Juan won’t hear of it. He demands antiseptic, and tells Dieter to tear up some cloth, and use it to stop the bleeding, and Dieter gets on with it. Juan is clearly the leader of the group.

Juan reveals to Victoria that in Europe, her house has a reputation as a free place to stay! Victoria tells him to get the wounded man out, but he just tells her to shut up.

Back in the room where Pancho is lying on the bed, Dieter says “His temperature is going up and up.” He goes to stand in the doorway, looking concerned, while Juan goes to tend to Pancho.

Later, in the kitchen, Ziggi finds something to eat in Victoria’s fridge while Dieter checks and loads weapons with brisk efficiency. Victoria asks what will happen to her. Dieter goes to stand by the door, looking defensive. As Juan argues politics with Victoria, Dieter listens, and drinks fruit juice from a carton.

Meanwhile, Victoria’s lodger, Didier, has snuck into the house by his usual route, and is moving quietly about the house.

Juan tries to make Victoria understand his agenda. He is concerned about inequalities in the world, where “all these countries cream off the assets” from the poorer countries, and repress their peoples. He wants to stage terror incidents, so that the oppressors will have to become repressive in their own countries, to “bring political consciousness” to their people.

All this time, Dieter looks on, listening, but not joining in. He seems more concerned with practical matters than with helping convert his leader’s girlfriend to the cause, and in any case, Victoria is only interested in getting on with her own life.

Didier looks into the dying man’s room, then goes to hide, just in time to avoid Ziggi, who is on his way up the stairs, while Juan gives Dieter some items, with which he goes out.

Victoria’s biggest concern seems to be that Juan has abused her trust, rather than fear of her life, and in fact, no real threat has been offered to her. Juan reveals that he used to be a lawyer, defending political prisoners, but now he has come to the source of the oppression.

Dieter calls from upstairs: “Garcia!” He has found Didier lurking in the house, and in the general confusion, Didier escapes out of a window. Juan demands Victoria’s car keys. Dieter and Ziggi carry the injured man down the stairs, cradled between them. Dieter tells Juan “He asked to be left behind”, but Juan insists they take him with them.

As they all depart, presumably in Victoria’s car, Victoria tearfully tells Juan, “You’ll never change anything.” Juan retorts that Special Branch will soon come and lock her up, just for being involved with him.


In the final scene, Victoria speaks with Marjorie again. She makes no mention of having attracted the attention of the authorities, but she looks around, in a rather paranoid manner. This incident has spoiled the house for her – a house that both she and the terrorists thought was ‘perfect’ – and she doesn’t think she will ever trust her own judgement again.
michael_gothard_archive: (wild)
There are two references to "The Perfect House" in “The Stage”, the first on 31 May 1979.

“Of eight single plays recorded by Thames for transmission in the one-hour ITV Playhouse slot later in the year, five have been produced by John Bowen well-known of course as a writer, and three by Rob Buckler ...

On film and tape, The Perfect House, by Patricia Chaplin, is directed by Ken Grieve. Among the actors are Brian Protheroe, Cathleen Nesbitt, Leonard Cavenagh, Helen Rappaport, Anna Cropper, Michael Gothard, Ann Lynn and Gary Waldhorn.”

“The Perfect House” must have been filmed early in 1979, before the producer, Rob Buckler, left his post with ITV Playhouse in April of that year. Evidently, it was supposed to be screened later in 1979, but – for some reason – this, and Rob Buckler’s other two plays, were kept under wraps.

The second article to mention “The Perfect House”, on 26 February 1981, was entitled “Thames plays at last”, evidently referring to the two-year gap between filming and transmission.

“Three Thames single plays, all produced by Rob Buckler during his year as producer in charge of the company’s ITV Playhouse productions, are to be shown next month.

… The Perfect House will … be shown from 9 pm in an hour slot. This production was directed by Ken Grieve and the large cast included Anna Cropper, Brian Protheroe, Leonard Cavanagh, Cathleen Nesbitt, Helen Rappaport, Ann Lynn, Danny Rae, Gus Roy, Frank Lee, Marcello Rono, Gary Waldhorn, John Cassaday, Rachel Warren, Charles Warren, Lizie Spender, Bob Curtis, Michael Gothard, Kevin Costello and Francesco Moralis.”

“The Perfect House” was finally broadcast on 17 March 1981 as episode 2 of season 13 of ITV Playhouse.

This is the entry in the TV Times.

The Perfect House 1

The accompanying article by Larry Ashe on pages 6 and 7, entitled, "The terror that could be on the street where you live" has this to say:

"They are all respectable enough today – but these houses and flats were not as innocent as they look. They were used as bomb factories, boltholes or transmitting stations for terrorists and spies. Neighbours were unaware of what went on behind those ordinary-looking doors and windows.

Today there will almost certainly be other houses and flats hiding similar deadly secrets – perhaps on the street where you live. Tuesday’s play, The Perfect House, is a story about terrorists and their need for what in the jargon of spying is called a 'safe house'."

It then goes on to give details of real life "safe" houses which could be harbouring dangerous terrorists or criminals in your own neighbourhood - so long as you live in London or Middlesex!

The Perfect House 2

The BFI's Reuben Library holds a copy of the play, which can be viewed by prior appointment.

IMDB entry
michael_gothard_archive: (wild)
"The Perfect House", broadcast 17 March 1981, must have been filmed early in 1979, before the producer, Rob Buckler, left his post with ITV Playhouse in April of that year. Evidently, it was supposed to be screened later in 1979, but – for some reason – this, and Rob Buckler’s other two plays, were kept under wraps for two years.

Michael Gothard played a member of a gang of terrorists; his character's name was Dieter.

On 31 May 1979, “The Stage” included this report:

“Of eight single plays recorded by Thames for transmission in the one-hour ITV Playhouse slot later in the year, five have been produced by John Bowen well-known of course as a writer, and three by Rob Buckler ...

On film and tape, The Perfect House, by Patricia Chaplin, is directed by Ken Grieve. Among the actors are Brian Protheroe, Cathleen Nesbitt, Leonard Cavenagh, Helen Rappaport, Anna Cropper, Michael Gothard, Ann Lynn and Gary Waldhorn.”

A plot synopsis can be found here
michael_gothard_archive: (John in Michael Kohlhaas)
This was one of a long-running series of television plays, each lasting an hour, and shown on ITV.

"The Story-Teller" was shown at 8:30 pm on Monday 3 March 1969.
Written by William Corlett
Directed by Piers Haggard

The TV Times synopsis

"A strange young man gate-crashes a private party with a disturbing message for the guests. But is he worth listening to? He mustn’t be allowed to spoil the party.

The young man, Brian, has something about him that is not quite of this world. No one knows how he comes to be at the party, and his conversation is far removed from the usual brittle and frivolous chat.

Jan, already feeling a bit detached from the swinging scene because of her heavily pregnant condition, is buttonholed by the young man, and finds him increasingly difficult to ignore.

He seems to have divined from the start that she is troubled by fears she can’t quite describe, but which have much to do with the child she expects very soon.

Brian is posing all the questions that she dreads … questions she knows her child will grow up to ask."

Michael Gothard played Brian, and Frances White played Jan.

The Story-Teller picture
Picture from the TV Times.

From: “Armchair Theatre: The Lost Years” by Leonard White

"A year after his debut for us with The Scallop Shell, William Corlett said of this next play, 'I’ve tried to point out that people should sometimes take stock of themselves. I’ve known quite a few people like the characters I’ve written about, girls who worry about their right to bring children into the world, and young men who search for the truth.'

The ratings for that particular week were interesting, showing that ATV’s series The Power Game came top of the Top Twenty, beating even Coronation Street. Our own ‘difficult’ production, The Story-Teller, slipped somewhat, [presumably compared to Armchair Theatre from the week before] but still did better than The Avengers and Softly, Softly."

This particular production illustrated sharply the differing reception reported by the critics on the one hand and the viewers on the other.

The critics were at best luke-warm or ‘kind’:

Sylvia Clayton (Daily Telegraph, 04/03/1969) – 'Dramatically it was wooden …'

Michael Billington (The Times) – 'A fairly elaborate contrivance to make a simple point.'

Mary Malone (Daily Mirror) - The Night They Called for the Extras

'Reacting extras have even been known to contribute gestures if the director is feeling generous. When plot and dialogue are so racy that even the stars cannot muster enthusiasm what is a director to do but throw it to the extras – and like trained seals they reacted, a dozen glances to the left, a dozen to the right, as well trained as a chorus (or should it be a choir?) as the play ascended in a cloud of mist on to some plane beyond mortal ken.'

Nevertheless, in the TV ratings for the week, The Story-Teller was number 13 in the table, with 6.4 million viewers.

Unfortunately, according to Lisa Kerrigan at the BFI, "The Storyteller" appears not to have survived.

IMDB entry

.
michael_gothard_archive: (Default)
Brian (Michael Gothard), a "strange young man" in "The Storyteller."

The Storyteller

Brian with Jan (Frances White).

23621429_10210560581990669_8031430484525526945_n.jpg
michael_gothard_archive: (wild)
The information below is based on a viewing of the shooting script at the BFI’s Reuben Library, where it can be seen by appointment.

“The Storyteller” was broadcast on 3 March 1969, as part of the Armchair Theatre series, Season 9, Episode 9.

Specially written by William Corlett, the title of the shooting script is “The Story.” Presumably Michael Gothard’s role as Brian was considered sufficiently important to change the title, prior to broadcast.

Camera rehearsals were scheduled for 13 and 14 December 1967, and on the second day, filming also took place.

The main characters were a young man, Brian (played by Michael Gothard), who has gate-crashed a party and two of the invited guests, a young pregnant woman, Jan (Frances White), and her husband Derek (James Villiers). Also featured are the hostess of the party, Greta (Phyllida Law), and her friends Hugh (John Line), and Patsy (Cyd Hayman). Jan’s mother (Anna Wing) and father (George Moon) appear in separate scenes, scattered throughout the main action.

Michael Gothard’s role as Brian seems like a toned-down version of his role as Max in "Herostratus". Max sets out to challenge and provoke Clio and Farson, and Brian seems to want to challenge and provoke almost everyone with whom he comes into contact.

The play is fairly typical of the 1960s, and addresses such questions as: “What’s the point of it all?” and “What do I teach my children?”

Synopsis

The play begins with a voice-over by Brian, telling the story of how Man approached the Holy Mountain, and asked the gods for his promised immortality; the gods were afraid, and sent Man away forever.
Read more... )
michael_gothard_archive: (Default)
Despite the fact that it was 55 years since she had appeared in "The Excavation", Natasha Pyne very kindly responded to a request for any memories of the production.

This is what she said:

"‘The Excavation’ was a play for BBC TV, producer Graeme McDonald, director James Ferman, that was transmitted live in the Thirty Minute Theatre slot in 1966.

Michael and I had a good, mutually supportive working relationship which helped hugely during the rigours and unpredictability of live television.

I remember that we had the amazing Bessie Love as voice coach which gave us the confidence to play with the Southern States accent of the young couple of dubious reputation that we were playing. We both enjoyed working with David Bauer.

The play was a three-hander and as far as I recall we all three survived... but I couldn't swear to that!!

And that’s about all I can remember about the job which happened a long time ago during a very busy period in my young career.

Best wishes, NP"
michael_gothard_archive: (Default)
WARNING: the transcriber has retained all the dialogue present in the original story, including the racist and sexist language, which was in common use when the story was published in 1961.

Act 2

Twenty minutes later.  Justin, carrying a quart bottle of rye in a brown paper bag, knocks on the door of Grady and Jackie’s flat, and enters.

Jackie:  He took Rex out for a walk.

Justin takes off his coat and puts it on a chair.

Jackie:  Is it colder out?

Jackie goes to the window and draws down the blind, then returns to the bed and sits down.  Justin takes the bottle of rye out of the bag.

Justin:  What did you decide?

Jackie:  Grady’s thinking about it.

Justin:  Does he always take the dog for a walk when he wants to think?

Jackie:  Sometimes.

Justin:  Shall I open this?

Jackie:  Yeah.

Justin:  There’s something I want you to understand, Jackie.

Jackie:  What’s that?

Justin:  I’m not here to judge you.  We do what life’s made us do.  We’re all, in a way, victims.

Jackie:  How do you mean, victims?

Read more... )
michael_gothard_archive: (Default)
WARNING: the transcriber has retained all the dialogue present in the original story, including the racist and sexist language, which was in common use when the story was published in 1961.

Act 1

A low rent part of town.  A lawyer mounts the stairs to a flat, and knocks on the door.  When no one answers, he knocks more insistently.  The door opens a crack, and Grady’s blue eye looks out suspiciously.

Grady:  Who is it?  What do you want?

Justin:  Grady Boland?

Grady:  Boland?

Justin:  Yes, Boland; because you’re Grady Boland, aren’t you?

Grady:  Boland … Ain’t nobody here called Boland.

Justin:  Except yourself; yourself and Jackie.

Grady:  Jackie?

Justin:  Yes, Jackie.  Jackie Tarr.

Grady:  Boland ... Boland?  Boland …

Justin:  The hall’s uncomfortable.  Do you mind?

Grady admits Justin to the flat.  A dog is present in the room.  A female voice comes from the bathroom.

Jackie:  Grady, who is it?

Read more... )
michael_gothard_archive: (Kuno)
In 1966, Michael Gothard appeared in a TV play, "The Excavation." This story was adapted by James Ferman, from a novella called "The Gondola", which appears in "The Temptation of Don Volpi" by Alfred Hayes, published in 1961.

In this psychological drama, a wealthy civil rights lawyer tries to get the truth from two witnesses, who perjured themselves at a murder trial.

Michael, one of a cast of three, took the role of one of the witnesses, Grady. The other witness, Grady's partner Jackie, was played by Natasha Pyne, and David Bauer was the lawyer, Justin.

The half-hour episode was broadcast on BBC2 at 8:35 pm on Monday 31 October 1966.

The Radio Times plot synopsis reads:

"'The jury gave a verdict, mister. But you came here. Why? Because I was off a chain gang and Jackie used to hustle.'

An American lawyer challenges the evidence given by a young couple, which has led to the conviction of two boys for rape and murder."

~~

Plot synopsis based on reading of the source material

Louis Justin, a lawyer who works pro bono for a few weeks of the year, trying to save the lives of those condemned through miscarriages of justice, arrives in a low rent neighbourhood. He is admitted to a boarding house. He goes upstairs, knocks, and is grudgingly admitted by Grady Bolland - who has recently come off a chain gang, and gets by as a street entertainer. Grady has a dog, Rex. Jackie Tarr, his traveling companion - a former prostitute - emerges from the bedroom.

The case about which Justin is concerned occurred when Jackie and Grady were travelling in an open-topped container forming part of a train, a "gondola". Jackie was raped; the train's brakeman and a black youngster fell from the top of a boxcar and were killed, and two remaining black youths were convicted of the rape and murders. Jackie and Grady said that one of the black youths raped her, while another held a gun on Grady - but no gun was found at the scene.

The whole story consists of Justin trying to understand what really happened, digging away at Jackie and Grady to get to the truth, hence the title of the TV play, "The Excavation."

Justin suspects that Grady and Jackie have been browbeaten or bribed by local law enforcement officers to give the testimony they did. He offers them protection, and money to start afresh, if they will return to the town where it happened, and tell the truth.

At first, both Grady and Jackie refuse to admit to having lied, but eventually, while Grady is out walking Rex, Justin manages to get under Jackie's skin.

When Grady returns, Jackie mocks him. She admits that it was the brakeman who raped her. There was no gun, but Grady had done nothing to defend her, because he was afraid of anyone with any kind of authority. The black youths happened to see what was happening, and stayed to watch. The brakeman had gone up on top of the boxcar after them, and when he and one of the youths struggled together, both had fallen off the train.

The local law enforcement officers and politicians had made it clear to Jackie and Grady that they were to blame the surviving black youths for the rape, and the deaths; neither Jackie nor Grady had had the power or the incentive to resist that narrative. Justin needs more than a confession of the truth - he needs a sworn testimony.

Angry at having had his weakness exposed, Grady becomes violent towards Jackie, and when Justin intervenes, he is knocked unconscious. When he comes around, Grady and Jackie have fled.

The story looks at the powerlessness of the poor - both black and white - in the face of a crooked and racist system of law enforcement.

~~

It is not known whether a recording of this episode exists. Per Wolf Solent on IMDB, 11 December 2011: “This has now at least been found, and was recently shown as part of one of the BFI's Missing Believed Wiped events.” However, Lisa Kerrigan at the BFI has found no trace of it.

IMDB entry
michael_gothard_archive: (Paris circa 1960)
"A Pretty Row of Pretty Ribbons", a play written by Brian Gear, was commissioned by the BBC for its "Out of Town Theatre" series. According to “The Stage”, it had already been shown on the Western Region TV Channel, starring Philip Locke - as ‘The Man’ - and Cherie Lunghi – as ‘The Young Girl’ - when Michael Gothard and Lyndel Rowe brought it to life for Theatrescope, at Little Theatre Club, Garrick Yard, London.

According to "The Stage", 15 September 1966, it was to be performed “from Monday to Friday of next week at 12:15 and 1:15.”

It was reviewed in “The Times”, 20 September 1966:

A 20-minute play worth seeing

This 20-minute lunch-time production is the best thing Theatrescope have presented here for some time, and it is well worth a visit.

The slight plot is based on a familiar pattern. An odd visitor appears in a rich house with only the young daughter at home. If his arrival is strange, his visit soon begins to assume sinister undertones; and we soon find ourselves with the well-known situation of a menacing outsider bearing down on a claustrophobically enclosed victim. The familiarity of the situation, however, is relieved by strong and convincing dialogue; and at the end there is an unexpected twist which turns the familiar pattern into a disturbing and genuinely human confrontation.

The play was originally commissioned by B.B.C. Television but, it is said, it will not now be shown in London, which is a pity. However, it occupies this tiny stage with great ease. The two performances, by Miss Lyndell [sic] Rowe and Mr. Michael Gothard, were neat and well turned out.


According to IMDB, the play was, in fact, shown by BBC One London, on 11 November 1966, and a further plot synopsis is as follows: “A young girl, around 13, is home alone. The scene starts with this young girl admiring herself in front of a mirror and in the background a man’s face appears in the window. He is about 40 years old. He knocks on the door which she hesitantly opens and after a while of talking he lets himself in, telling her he is the gardener. The play focuses on who this man really is and why he is in her home.”

The synopsis on the BBC Genome website describes the plot as, “A delicate see-saw of power between a man who might, or might not, be dangerous, and a schoolgirl - clever, pretty, and alarmingly innocent.”

It is easy to imagine Michael Gothard in this role.

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