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The Wednesday Play

  • TV Series
  • 1964–1970
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
151
YOUR RATING
The Wednesday Play (1964)
Watch 3 CLEAR SUNDAYS Trailer
Play trailer2:51
5 Videos
99+ Photos
Drama

Groundbreaking one-off plays in late 1960s, launching careers of Potter, Loach, Mercer and Hopkins. Notable works like "Cathy Come Home" and "Up the Junction" tackled social issues like home... Read allGroundbreaking one-off plays in late 1960s, launching careers of Potter, Loach, Mercer and Hopkins. Notable works like "Cathy Come Home" and "Up the Junction" tackled social issues like homelessness and abortion.Groundbreaking one-off plays in late 1960s, launching careers of Potter, Loach, Mercer and Hopkins. Notable works like "Cathy Come Home" and "Up the Junction" tackled social issues like homelessness and abortion.

  • Creator
    • Sydney Newman
  • Stars
    • Edwin Brown
    • Neville Smith
    • Tony Selby
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    151
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • Sydney Newman
    • Stars
      • Edwin Brown
      • Neville Smith
      • Tony Selby
    • 1User review
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 7 wins & 7 nominations total

    Episodes176

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos5

    3 CLEAR SUNDAYS Trailer
    Trailer 2:51
    3 CLEAR SUNDAYS Trailer
    UP THE JUNCTION Trailer
    Trailer 2:01
    UP THE JUNCTION Trailer
    UP THE JUNCTION Trailer
    Trailer 2:01
    UP THE JUNCTION Trailer
    THE END OF ARTHUR'S MARRIAGE Trailer
    Trailer 2:41
    THE END OF ARTHUR'S MARRIAGE Trailer
    IN TWO MINDS Trailer
    Trailer 3:27
    IN TWO MINDS Trailer
    THE BIG FLAME Trailer
    Trailer 2:32
    THE BIG FLAME Trailer

    Photos100

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    + 94
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    Top Cast99+

    Edit
    Edwin Brown
    Edwin Brown
    • Chief Prison Officer…
    • 1965–1969
    Neville Smith
    • Izzy…
    • 1965–1969
    Tony Selby
    Tony Selby
    • Danny Lee…
    • 1965–1967
    Ken Jones
    • Robbo Robertson…
    • 1965–1969
    Michael Robbins
    Michael Robbins
    • Manager…
    • 1966–1970
    Alec Coleman
    • Gambler…
    • 1965–1967
    George Sewell
    George Sewell
    • Johnny May…
    • 1965–1967
    Paddy Joyce
    Paddy Joyce
    • Mr. Abercander…
    • 1965–1969
    Griffith Davies
    • Joss…
    • 1965–1969
    Alan Selwyn
    • Gambler…
    • 1965–1967
    Alec Ross
    • Major…
    • 1965–1969
    Tommy Godfrey
    • Plantaganet King…
    • 1965–1967
    John Kidd
    John Kidd
    • Dr. Haslam…
    • 1965–1967
    William Moore
    • Constable Howell…
    • 1965–1967
    Keith Campbell
    • Caterpillar…
    • 1965–1969
    Will Stampe
    • Porky…
    • 1965–1967
    Wally Patch
    • Grandad…
    • 1965–1967
    John Bailey
    John Bailey
    • Humphrey Wiles, Counsel for Defence…
    • 1965–1967
    • Creator
      • Sydney Newman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews1

    7.4151
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    Featured reviews

    10ian-butterworth

    Not all formulae are formulaic

    The Wednesday play seemed to me a brave attempt to do something new and interesting with drama on television. Very like fringe theatre in some respects but with an ability to stretch locations I found it immensely stimulating as a teenager and would love to see more TV drama like it.

    Things like The Sopranos or 6' under seem to me to represent a very commercialised aspect of the attempt to surprise and stimulate that The Wednesday Play did in an understated way.

    I suppose one could look back to things like Armchair Theatre to such one-offs too. I know that writers of equally good talent must still exist but are they getting the chances they deserve? Otherwise, what do we do? Flog off to Edinburgh again and sleep on a floor? At my age? Well, yes of course if I have to.

    More like this

    Play for Today
    7.8
    Play for Today
    Thirty-Minute Theatre
    7.0
    Thirty-Minute Theatre
    Armchair Theatre
    7.7
    Armchair Theatre
    ITV Playhouse
    7.0
    ITV Playhouse
    BBC Play of the Month
    7.1
    BBC Play of the Month
    ITV Play of the Week
    6.6
    ITV Play of the Week
    ITV Saturday Night Theatre
    5.9
    ITV Saturday Night Theatre
    Emergency-Ward 10
    6.4
    Emergency-Ward 10
    5.0
    Diary of a Young Man
    Up the Junction
    6.9
    Up the Junction
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
    8.0
    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
    ITV Sunday Night Drama
    6.6
    ITV Sunday Night Drama

    Related interests

    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This series does not exist complete in the archives, with several episodes having been wiped (meaning they no longer exist) for reasons of saving money and storage space before 1978, when the BBC audited its program archives, and established a proper archiving policy.
    • Connections
      Featured in TCM Guest Programmer: Tim Roth (2008)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does The Wednesday Play have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 30, 1964 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 15m(75 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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