Theatre: Playwrights of the 70's
Arena - S2 - E39
In the last ten years an astonishing number of new writers have emerged. Plays by Barrie Keeffe, John McGrath, David Hare, Howard Barker, Howard Brenton, Trevor Griffiths and Stephen Poli akoff have been performed at the Royal Court, the Aldwych, in the West End and at the National Theatre. The plays they write are about violence, sex and politics. How accurate and useful is their portrayal of society? What is the reason for their success? What are their own roots, influences and attitudes? In an extended Arena, writer and critic Albert Hunt assesses this renaissance of British playwrights, which has given the theatre of the 70s a distinctive voice. Including interviews with, and extracts of plays by: Howard Bren ton, Trevor Griffiths, David Hare, Barrie Keeffe and John McGrath.
Arena: Season 2 - 39 Episode s
2x1 - Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 1
August 25, 1976
Features Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Galina Visnevskaya in the Scottish Opera's production of Macbeth, The Kantor Theatre Company from Poland, and Fenella Fielding in a late-night revue.
2x2 - Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 2
September 1, 1976
Features the La Mama Theatre Company from New York; Bunraku, traditional Japanese Puppet Theatre; a recital by Frederica Von Stade; and Judith Blegen as Susanna in 'The Marriage of Figaro'.
2x3 - Edinburgh International Festival 1976: Part 3
September 8, 1976
Writer Germaine Greer and her god-daughter Ruby take a look at a child's Edinburgh Festival and some of the fringe activities, including Gruppo Teatro Libero from Rome and Quentin Crisp.
2x4 - Theatre: A Dream Come True
September 15, 1976
A look at the opening of the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.
2x5 - Robert Altman
September 22, 1976
Gavin Miller interviews the director Robert Altman on "M*A*S*H", "Nashville", "Buffalo Bill and the Indians" and more.
2x6 - Art and Design: After Samuel Palmer
September 29, 1976
David Gould, the expert who discovered Tom Keating's Samuel Palmer imitations, shows the process of identifying and analyzing suspected pictures.
2x7 - Frank Westmore
October 6, 1976
Gavin Millar talks with Frank Westmore, whose family has dominated the make-up departments of American cinema for decades.
2x8 - Theatre
October 13, 1976
Peter Shaffer, writer of 'Equus', talks about his plays, his life and the theatre with an excerpt from the 1976 stage production of 'Equus'.
2x9 - Cinema: Eric Rohmer
October 20, 1976
Gavin Millar interviews director Eric Rohmer about 'Die Marquise von O', 'Claire's Knee' and 'Love in the Afternoon'.
2x10 - Art and Design: The Illustrators: The Work of Mick Brownfield and Allan Manham/The Swish of the Curtain
October 27, 1976
British illustrators Mick Brownfield and Allan Manham are documented working on their current projects; Artist Chris Orr probes the dreadful truth behind the net curtains of suburbia.
2x11 - Don Siegel
November 3, 1976
Don Siegel, director of 'The Shootist', 'Charley Varrick', 'Coogan's Bluff', 'Dirty Harry' and many other violent thrillers talks about the problems of the director who is typecast by his success in one specialized genre.
2x12 - Theatre: The Cultural Common Market
November 10, 1976
A look at Theatre National Populaire, one of France's leading theaters, and Patrice Chéreau's 'La Dispute' by Marivaux and Roger Planchon's 'Tartuffe', as well as scene's from Planchon's scenes from his Blues, Whites and Reds.
2x13 - Cinema
November 17, 1976
In light of the low proportion of British films in the 20th London Film Festival, Gavin Millar looks at what's wrong with the British film industry and distribution system.
2x14 - Art and Design: Sculpture for the Blind/Linda Benedict-Jones/James Boswell
November 24, 1976
Sculpture for the Blind - a special Tate Gallery exhibition; Linda Benedict-Jones, photographer; James Boswell - a revival of his war pictures.
2x15 - Cinema
December 1, 1976
Arena speaks with Spanish directors at the Madrid premiere of 'The Long Vacation of 36'.
2x16 - Theatre: Brecht in Newcastle
December 8, 1976
20th anniversary tribute to Bertolt Brecht at Newcastle's University Theatre with scenes from 'The Good Woman of Setzuan' and prose, poetry and music.
2x17 - Cinema: Christmas Special
December 15, 1976
A look at the Disney exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum; an interview with 'The Ritz' director Dick Lester and actress Rita Moreno; an excerpt from Buster Keaton's 'Spite Marriage'; and the results of the Titles Competition.
2x18 - Cinema
January 5, 1977
Gavin Millar talks to Mel Brooks just before the London release of 'Silent Movie'.
2x19 - Art and Design: Sam Smith: Genuine England/Arena Review
January 12, 1977
An introduction to the magical world of wood-sculptor Sam Smith, plus a look at one of this month's major exhibitions.
2x20 - Cinema
January 19, 1977
Gavin Miller talks to director Martin Ritt, writer Walter Bernstein, and actors Woody Allen and Zero Mostel about 'The Front'
2x21 - Theatre: Spokesong/At Home with Mole
January 26, 1977
An interview with Stewart Parker about his new musical 'Spokesong' with excerpt; a profile of 81 year old actor Richard Goolden with scenes from 'Toad of Toad Hall' and Tom Stoppard's 'Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land'.
2x22 - Cinema
February 2, 1977
2x23 - Art and Design: Ralph Steadman
February 9, 1977
Ralph Steadman illustrates a children's anti-war story, caricatures at his local pub, and speaks about his drawing techniques and his work, including Alice, and impressions of the Patty Hearst trial and the Watergate hearings.
2x24 - Cinema
February 16, 1977
Gavin Miller discusses 'Network' with director Sidney Lumet and Robert Kee; Alberto Cavalcanti talks about his film career on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
2x25 - Theatre: The Cultural Common Market: Peter Stein and the Schaubuhne
February 23, 1977
Peter Stein, director of Die Schaubuhne theatre co-operative, comes to London with his Shakespeare Project. Includes extracts from 'Summerfolk' and 'Shakespeare's Memory'.
2x26 - Cinema
March 2, 1977
Gavin Millar talks to New Yorker critic Pauline Kael about Costa-Gavras' 'Z' and 'Section Speciale', along with her passion for the movies and how she wields her power.
2x27 - Art and Design: What Is a Hologram?/Kit Williams - Ring Around the Moon
March 9, 1977
Arena investigates holograms and their potential in the arts; artist Kit Williams' vivid folklore paintings.
2x28 - Cinema
March 16, 1977
On the occasion of the release of the third film version of 'A Star is Born', James Mason talks about the curious business of stardom and how it has changed.
2x29 - Theatre: A Night Out
March 23, 1977
Arena visits three theatres - the Mercury Theater in Colchester, the Humberside Theatre in Hull, and the Duke's Playhouse in Lancaster - to find out what they are doing, how they are doing it and why they think they should go on doing it.
2x30 - Cinema
March 30, 1977
A look at Ealing Studios, including excerpts of many of their popular films.
2x31 - Art and Design: Family Pieces/Both Sides of the Line/The Divine and the Fantastic
April 6, 1977
Portrait painter Philip Sutton; Helmut Weissenborn, a German WWI soldier who illustrated with wood engravings the war diary of Edward Thomas, an English poet who died in WWI; and Gothic art in Cologne.
2x32 - Cinema
April 13, 1977
In a special edition from Rome, Gavin Millar interviews Bernardo Bertolucci, director of 'Last Tango in Paris' and '1900', and Gore Vidal on Hollywood and 'Cinecitta'.
2x33 - Theatre: The Prospect Before Us
April 20, 1977
Prospect Theatre Company reopens the Old Vic. Includes rehearsal footage from 'St Joan', 'Hamlet', 'Antony and Cleopatra', and 'War Music', a new musical adaptation of 'The Iliad' by Christopher Logue.
2x34 - Cinema
April 27, 1977
Gavin Millar talks to director Bernardo Berolucci in Rome about '1900', his new five and a half hour film, as well as his earlier work.
2x35 - Art and Design: The Continuous Diary/Dine's Drawings
May 4, 1977
The artist Ian Breakwall gave up painting for the art of a daily diary; Jim Dine explains why he returned from pop art to drawing the human figure.
2x36 - Cinema
May 11, 1977
Arena looks at erotic films, including 'Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus', 'Hardcore', and 'Come Play With Me'.
2x37 - Cinema
May 25, 1977
An interview with Sophia Loren on the occasion of the opening of 'The Cassandra Crossing'.
2x38 - Cinema
June 8, 1977
Mr Universe, the Crazy Horse Girls de Paris, Yum Yum Shaw, superstars with police escorts, topless bathing beauties-the Cannes Film Festival still sometimes seems more like a circus than a trade fair. But for all that, film people find it an indispensable fortnight in their calendar. More buying, selling and setting up of movies takes place in the jostling corridors of the Carlton Hotel in the last two weeks of May than anywhere else the rest of the year. A report on the business and the ballyhoo.
2x39 - Theatre: Playwrights of the 70's
June 15, 1977
In the last ten years an astonishing number of new writers have emerged. Plays by Barrie Keeffe, John McGrath, David Hare, Howard Barker, Howard Brenton, Trevor Griffiths and Stephen Poli akoff have been performed at the Royal Court, the Aldwych, in the West End and at the National Theatre. The plays they write are about violence, sex and politics. How accurate and useful is their portrayal of society? What is the reason for their success? What are their own roots, influences and attitudes? In an extended Arena, writer and critic Albert Hunt assesses this renaissance of British playwrights, which has given the theatre of the 70s a distinctive voice. Including interviews with, and extracts of plays by: Howard Bren ton, Trevor Griffiths, David Hare, Barrie Keeffe and John McGrath.
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