tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post8889047796488549770..comments2024-03-26T13:44:31.435+00:00Comments on Curious British Telly: A Small ProblemBen Rickettshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01749284122022718064noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-48862870940103825222024-01-08T19:12:43.842+00:002024-01-08T19:12:43.842+00:00Thank you Simon for your kind comments. Yes, I too...Thank you Simon for your kind comments. Yes, I too was disappointed that nothing came of the series or indeed an advancement in my TV career. My roots were in theatre and that's what I went back to until I retired. It was an exciting period in my career and a great team to work with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-15814658701223269392022-11-12T15:21:08.381+00:002022-11-12T15:21:08.381+00:00I was just thinking about this show today, and rem...I was just thinking about this show today, and remember it very well. As a 'person of restricted height' myself, I was surprised by the complaints, and by how people genuinely seemed to not get the satirical intent. (I was 13 years old at the time, and completely got the point.)<br /><br />Christopher Ryan was great in it, but Mike Elles' performance was equally affecting, which was another reason I was googling the series today, trying to remember the actor who played Roy Pink. <br /><br />Great to see you in the comments, Mike, and totally agree with Ben that you should have become much more widely known. And also that it would be good to rewatch the series...Simonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10858899715313108981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-85264982027212411802022-10-23T12:58:09.432+01:002022-10-23T12:58:09.432+01:00Please do Ben - be interesting to hear how you vie...Please do Ben - be interesting to hear how you view it now.Mike Ellesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-68867852839266441602022-08-27T08:37:03.530+01:002022-08-27T08:37:03.530+01:00Thanks for popping by the blog, Mike, and the comm...Thanks for popping by the blog, Mike, and the comments. I really enjoyed A Small Problem and I need to give it a rewatch soon!Ben Rickettshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01749284122022718064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-12710015060820488462022-08-24T09:37:41.803+01:002022-08-24T09:37:41.803+01:00Oh Wow! Well this is quite unexpected.
I'd lik...Oh Wow! Well this is quite unexpected.<br />I'd like to thank Ben Ricketts for his thorough appraisal and critique of the programme and kind observation about my performance.<br />It was a wonderful opportunity for me and an exciting thing to make that summer. Rehearsing and recording in front of a live audience was exhilarating. We knew that is was a bit 'edgy' but disappointed by the small number of objections blown out of proportion by some in the media and the mixed reviews. It didn't help that we were pitched against the popular second series of 'Rumpole of the Bailey' on ITV<br />Curious how the Pandemic made many of us of a certain age reflective of our past experiences, reaching out to people we had not been in touch with for many years. One such person was Tony Millan and it was really good to catch up and hear the production side of the series. It was originally conceived as a 'one off' but as we neared the end making the episodes both the writers and the director David Askey saw a way to a second series. Not to be, sadly, for the company of actors and production crew. Hey ho.<br />It was fun being a 'celebrity' for a while as people recognized me, usually young black men and women who quite clearly understood the satire within the programme as well as sad letters from teenagers at school who were bullied for being different in some way. <br />The cast were nice to work with. Bid Mick in particular had a sharp observation on life saying that this was a brilliant chance for him because there was very little beyond the occasional panto of Snow White and a reduced compliment of Dwarfs!<br />I went on to make some TV commercials - the most popular being the Halifax 'House' commercial. The rest of my career was back in live theatre.<br /> Mike Ellesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-63703559801493333712022-08-02T15:36:16.844+01:002022-08-02T15:36:16.844+01:00I was directed to this series recently and, though...I was directed to this series recently and, though it's dated somewhat and technology has moved on quality wise, the msg is still very relevant today. At the time of making this programme the AIDS crisis would have been at its height but the bigotry, hate and homophobia pumped out by the press, police, politicians and church was shameful. Fortunately things have improved dramatically in that direction but not so in many others. Despotic leaders are still controlling their populations with misinformation which, thanks to Trump, we can amusingly call 'Fake News', amusing if it wasn't so destructive. It's debatable as to whether you make such situations into situation comedies but as Ben Ricketts says 'satire is a powerful way to get a message across' and British writers are rather clever at satire. It's a shame that 'A Small Problem' didn't catch the public's imagination. Perhaps it was ahead of its time. Humour can be a deep and dark pool to drink from and there are plenty of new series now on streaming services that do just that - and very successfully. Breaking Bad, Black Mirror etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-65760683564759662592021-09-05T00:13:24.438+01:002021-09-05T00:13:24.438+01:00"And, in 1987, when it came to prejudice, the..."And, in 1987, when it came to prejudice, there was a pressing need for the megaphone of satire."<br /><br />Oh, goodness, yes, just what the 80s needed, satire about apartheid: because there wasn't already enough satire about apartheid in the 80s, or to counter all the pro-apartheid programmes on the box?M. Anonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09690876384597359030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4901944301852919470.post-54273047257382996762021-02-22T21:39:43.540+00:002021-02-22T21:39:43.540+00:00I vaguely remember this, though those memories did...I vaguely remember this, though those memories didn't mark it as a comedy! Iannoreply@blogger.com