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
