The Beiderbecke Affair
Published on 19. September 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
144 pages
978-1-84457-469-8 (ISBN)
Description
With as little plot as its creator Alan Plater could get away with and as much jazz as he could manage, the 1985 television drama The Beiderbecke Affair had a far-reaching impact, inspiring sequels, novels, albums and even jazz tours. Much like its Bix Beiderbecke-style soundtrack, Plater's quietly joyous drama was unconventional, free: its narrative following the lives and relationships of its leading characters - teachers-turned-amateur detectives Trevor Chaplin (James Bolam) and Jill Swinburne (Barbara Flynn) - with a gentle, whimsical humour.
William Gallagher's illuminating study is the first critical account of this much-loved series. Drawing on interviews with cast members and musicians, the production team and Yorkshire TV executives, as well as on insights from Plater himself, Gallagher explores Beiderbecke's origins in Plater's 1981 tv drama Get Lost! before moving on to an in-depth analysis of the series itself, to reveal why such an unassuming series remains one of the best-loved examples of British television drama.
The book also includes a previously unpublished BBC Radio 4 short story featuring the character of Jill Swinburne, 'A Brief Encounter with Richard Wagner'.
William Gallagher's illuminating study is the first critical account of this much-loved series. Drawing on interviews with cast members and musicians, the production team and Yorkshire TV executives, as well as on insights from Plater himself, Gallagher explores Beiderbecke's origins in Plater's 1981 tv drama Get Lost! before moving on to an in-depth analysis of the series itself, to reveal why such an unassuming series remains one of the best-loved examples of British television drama.
The book also includes a previously unpublished BBC Radio 4 short story featuring the character of Jill Swinburne, 'A Brief Encounter with Richard Wagner'.
Reviews / Votes
A welcome book -- Critical Studies in TelevisionMore details
Series
Edition
2012
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 190 mm
Width: 135 mm
Weight
254 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84457-469-8 (9781844574698)
DOI
10.1057/9781137316004
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
WILLIAM GALLAGHER is a journalist and television historian whose work has appeared in Radio Times, The Independent and the Los Angeles Times. His drama credits include: Charlie Fairhead's Diary (BBC), Crossroads (ITV) and Doctor Who (Big Finish).
Content
An exchange of compliments' - Acknowledgments.- Introduction.- 'The voice of Coronation Street but the spirit of Chekhov'; A.Plater.- 'Four episodes of something else' - Get Lost!.- 'Changed course' - Creating The Beiderbecke Affair.- 'That was a very funny evening' - The Beiderbecke Affair Episodes.- 'How many records do you have?' - The Music of The Beiderbecke Affair.- 'Hearing the music' - Reactions to The Beiderbecke Affair.- 'Encores' - Life After The Beiderbecke Affair.- The Unpublished Beiderbecke.- Notes.- Credits.- Index.