1 9 9 7 (UK)
4 x 100 minute episodes
In 1997, Britain’s Channel 4 undertook one of the biggest drama productions ever to be staged when they tackled all 12 of Anthony Powell’s epic novels about life among the English upper-classes from the 1920s to the 1950s which make up A Dance To The Music of Time. The cast of characters was whittled down to a mere 100.
Five decades of life as seen through the eyes of Hooray Henrys and Henriettas were painted with a satirical brush.
The story – told in flashback by novelist Nicholas Jenkins (played by James D’Arcy as a student, James Purefoy as a young man and John Standing in middle age) – began with an introduction to a character called Kenneth Widmerpool, the much-teased accident-prone school buffoon who looked the spitting image of Billy Bunter.
At the time, his pals didn’t realise it, but he was to have a long-lasting influence on their lives.
The series presented an endless round of parties at country houses and smart London addresses, and if you got bored, you could always play spot the famous face. Alan Bennett appeared as a dotty Don, and Sir John Gielgud turned up in a silly hat as a fading novelist.
Edward Fox tried to pass himself off as a bit of a bad egg as Uncle Giles, while Claire Skinner made quite an impression as Jean Templer (memorably appearing naked in the opening scene, thus proving to the world that Jean was a genuine redhead).
By the conclusion of the four-part miniseries, the insidious, supercilious Widmerpool – one of the truly great performances in TV literary adaptation – had become a Labour MP.
Simon Russell Beale won the 1998 BAFTA award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Widmerpool.
Mrs Erdleigh
Gillian Barge
Bob Duport
Nicholas Jones
Kenneth Widmerpool
Simon Russell Beale
Uncle Alfred
Robin Bailey
Peter Templer
Jonathan Cake
Moreland
James Fleet
Sir Magnus Donners
Richard Pasco
Nicholas Jenkins
James D’Arcy (1)
James Purefoy (2)
John Standing (3)
Charles Stringham
Paul Rhys
Jean Templer
Claire Skinner
Mona
Annabel Mullion
JG Quiggin
Adrian Scarborough
Mark Members
Grant Thatcher
Lady Molly
Sarah Badel
Sillery
Alan Bennett
Isobel
Emma Fielding
Uncle Giles
Edward Fox
Le Bas
Oliver Ford Davies
Matilda
Anastasia Hille
Odo Stevens
Nigel Lindsay
Pamela Flitton
Miranda Richardson
Audrey Maclintick
Zoë Wanamaker
Ted Jeavons
Michael Williams
Susan
Geraldine Alexander
David Pennistone
Nicholas Rowe
Miss Weedon
Carmen Du Sautoy
Betty
Barbara Durkin
Sunny Farebrother
Andrew Havill
Erridge
Osmund Bullock
Priscilla
Caroline Harker
Colonel Flores
Tony Osoba
Smith
Bryan Pringle
St. John Clarke
John Gielgud
Canon Fenneau
Colin Baker
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