National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries

Subject: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Ian Burdon
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 01:06 PM

In the early 1980s The National Theatre production of The Mysteries was filmed and broadcast in three parts on the then new Channel 4 television (in the UK). Music was by the Home Service and there was a wonderful turn as God by the late Brian Glover. At the time I recorded (most of) them on a fairly primitive VHS machine.   The tapes, now 20-odd years old are pretty worn out and I have been looking for a replacement but they do not appear to be available on DVD (or VHS).   

Can anyone help?

Cheers

Ian

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Blowzabella
Date: 11 Mar 07 - 01:43 PM

Can't help, but I remembe it and would equally love a copy (might even buy a DVD player in its honour!)

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Ian Burdon
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 03:55 AM

bump!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: BB
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 05:36 PM

We have video copies, but not the means to copy onto either video tape or DVD. If we find someone who can, I'll let you know.

Barbara

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: nickp
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 04:13 AM

I can put to dvd and have done so on the two of the three I have although one - from memory the Nativity - has a few seconds sound loss during it. I did have the 3rd on vhs but can't find it.
Nick

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Dazbo
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 06:35 AM

Were Adam and Eve really naked or is my memory playing me false?

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: nickp
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 06:36 AM

From memory they certainly appeared to be.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Surreysinger
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 06:39 AM

And the musical import of that question might be.....????? :-)

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: nickp
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 08:51 AM

Urmm.... what was that song called? Something like 'Adam Catched Eve...' Grin!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: RTim
Date: 15 Mar 07 - 09:18 AM

We (The MIll Drama Group) did a performance of this in North Oxfordshire/Banbury - in the Mill Theatre (where the Folk. Fest. is situated) for the Theatre's opening a few years ago (must be at least 15 years!) and it was great.
Our Adam and Eve were naked, and from memory I had at least 4 singing/acting parts.
We did performances of Larkrise & Candleford many years previously which were as much fun.

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: nickp
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:21 AM

I was going to say 'refresh' but perhaps tehat should be 'nudge' or even 'nudge, nudge'!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,peterobs
Date: 28 Jun 10 - 09:22 AM

Old thread

But did anyone have any success with getting a nice fresh dvd?
I have tried to contact The National but they don't seem to care?

Such a shame I can't watch the old VHS anymore - too poor

Pete

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 05:13 PM

Pete

my apologies - I missed your comment in June and only just found it. I never managed to get hold of this and my VHS copies continue to deteriorate to the unwatchable stage.

Ian

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Anne Lister
Date: 17 Oct 10 - 05:39 PM

I was at one of the performances,standing right next to Adam and Eve, and still wasn't certain if they were naked or not. There was mud involved, as I recall, which led to my confusion. But if they weren't naked they were wearing very good body suits!

Can't help with the rest of the query, though, but if you find anything out I'd probably like a copy myself.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 03:17 AM

Can't help with either of the main lines of enquiry (e.g. 1, I haven't got a DVD of the plays and 2, I've no idea, after 20+ years, about the clothed/unclothed debate):

But I just thought I'd mention there's lots of interesting background detail, anecdote and general context about The Mysteries and the Cottesloe Company that created them in the book 'Impossible Plays' by Jack Shepherd and Keith Dewhurst.

Someone on concertina.net tipped me off about it, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it brought back some happy memories of The Mysteries and Lark Rise, so I'm passing the favour on ...

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 06:02 AM

The excellent "Impossible Plays" gives a clue to why The Mysteries on video never made it to the NT shop, and why the Mysteries album was only available briefly in the eighties.

Basically the Cottesloe company of the time ceased to be supported by the NT high and mighties - read the book to find out the gory details. A similar punch up happened at Nottingham Playhouse in the 1960s.

Also I don't think Limehouse Films, who did the film, exist any more.

I too have VHS copies but at this rate will not have a DVD of Doomsday copied until....Doomsday.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Edthefolkie
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 06:04 AM

Oh yeah, the clothed/unclothed debate - Adam and Eve appeared to be wearing Rice Krispies in strategic areas when we saw The Nativity at the NT!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 03:59 PM

Did anyone see all three Mystery shows on the same day - quite a marathon. I nearly got caught taping one of the shows by Brian Glover! Simon Nicol deputised for Graeme Taylor of Home Service for a performance of the Nativity on 22/03/85!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 18 Oct 10 - 04:07 PM

Remember this?

calvarycross.mp3

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: SteveMansfield
Date: 19 Oct 10 - 03:04 AM

Did anyone see all three Mystery shows on the same day - quite a marathon.

I saw the Nativity and Crucifixion in one day at the Edinburgh Festival in 1980(?), and caught as many as possible of the short excerpts performed out on the streets of Edinburgh with the band mounted on a fairground-themed trailer.

I also saw the three-play all-dayer at The Lyceum in, I think, 1985; and even though I happened to be sat down in the very first row at the time, I still didn't manage to see the exact transformational moment when the linen sheet was origamied into the baby Jesus ...

The whole trilogy is still one of the most moving and joyous pieces of theatre this old atheist has ever seen :)

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 06:23 AM

If anyone has VHS, DVD or whatever version of the plays, I would really love to get hold of copies

Chris Howard
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Mar 11 - 03:59 AM

Oh please say someone has some sort of copy! I tell my kids about this and would love them to see it!
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 05:44 AM

Adam and Eve had wet clay put on them and then cork chippings stuck in strategic places. As they were preset in the cork paddeling pool lots of cork would stick and fall off during the scene. I was on the stage management team. It was a messy job!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 11:25 AM

I'm pretty sure I still have VHS copies of these from when they were originally broadcast. I play them from time to time - they're still watchable albeit over 25 years old now.

My tape of 'The Passion' also has Bill Bryden's 'The Holy City' on it which was his resetting of the passion to (then) modern-day Glasgow with David Hayman as the Jesus character, Fulton McKay (Mr McKay from 'Porridge') as Doubting Thomas and Richard Wilson as the Pontius Pilate character. Several of the cast of 'The Mysteries' also appeared in various roles as well as the Home Service. Some of the music later appeared on their 'Alright Jack' album.

At the time John Tams said that he wasn't happy with the TV productions - they were too brightly lit on account of the cameras and the sound wasn't good enough. I think he was probably right. At the time there was a BBC documentary about the National that focused on 'The Mysteries' and the excerpts that were filmed for that were much more atmospheric. I would guess that the footage is probably still in the BBC archives somewhere. The archive used to be in Windmill Road in Brentford.

I saw the original Cottesloe productions several times, including the last performance of 'The Nativity' before the theatre closed in the spring of 1985. The production then did a further run that year at the Lyceum Theatre across Waterloo Bridge, although several cast changes were necessary due to the original actors having other commitments.

Over the years many actors took part in Bill Bryden's promenade productions, though for me the greatest performance in the cycle was probably Derek Newark as Abraham in 'The Mysteries'. Edna Dore was also one of the stalwarts - she was getting on even then and was still acting in 'Gavin And Stacey' just before her death a couple of years ago.

About a year later, I was coming home from meeting a mate for a drink near the LSE when I passed by the Lyceum, which was closed for refurbishment. I came across an old glass hoarding with a 5 foot poster for the production. Figuring it was only going to get thrown away I put it under my arm and walked with it all the way to Waterloo Station. Who should I meet at the station but Howard Evans, the trumpet player with the Home Service. I said something inane to him like 'Hello Howard, remember this?' He looked at me like I was mad. I took the thing home on the train and kept it for years.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 11:34 AM

By the way, the Adam and Eve characters were played in the 1980 production of 'The Nativity' by Dai Bradley (who'd played the lead role in Ken Loach's 'Kes' about 12 years earlier) and Valerie Whittington, a lovely young actress who's played Laura in the NT production of 'Lark Rise'. I believe she left the acting profession not long after, which is a pity. In 84/85, they were played by (I think) Stephen Petcher and Eve Matheson - another gorgeous actress you never seem to hear of anymore.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 11:37 AM

The Globe Mysteries are at the Globe Theatre from August this year - open to the elements!!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 12:03 PM

Hang on - sticking cork chippings on Eve Matheson's lady bits? I think I've just discovered my dream job....

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 07:55 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69_fFePCBkc
A clip! Wheres the dvd?

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 09:03 AM

I don't think there are any, folks recorded off air on video and transferred to DVD when the technology arrived. That clip was from the tail end of a documentary about the making of the Mysteries.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,AEG
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 10:48 AM

They were definitely filmed, at the Limehouse studios,and shown as 3 programmes. The clip is actually the trailer (left on because the person who recorded it was after the C4 ident) and I think the BFI holds a copy (it won a bafta for sound!). What would be nice is a comercial release or at least making it available on 4OD or some such...

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 10:49 AM

Just fired up my old VHS player at the weekend and watched 'The Nativity' again. Still watchable. What sort of kit would I need to transfer it to my PC/Laptop and start putting it on Youtube? Be nice to get it done by Christmas.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,AEG
Date: 14 Nov 11 - 11:43 AM

Well gee thanks!
"Thank you for contacting Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries regarding THE MYSTERIES.

We don't automatically have the rights to release the programmes we broadcast on DVD and for those we do, as a rule we tend to choose titles to release that we feel will be financially viable. Unfortunately, this particular programme was not released through Channel 4 DVD or any other distributor that we are aware of.

As we are sure you can appreciate, we receive hundreds of requests for copies of programmes that were not released commercially, therefore, Channel 4's policy is that we do not provide one-off copies.   

I am sorry that we are unable to help with your request.

Kind regards,

Dylan Redmond

Channel 4 Viewer Enquiries"

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 11:15 AM

I too, would love to have a copy of this. I remember some scene which was about the flood I think, Glover was in it. A bench was used for the boat and umbrellas did the flapping of birds wings. Which one is this? If anyone can make me a good copy, I would be very grateful.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: RTim
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 12:13 PM

The Whole of the Mysteries - from the original Cottesloe Theatre NT version,
is now up and watchable on Youtube.
see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrK_MgK0hA8&feature=related

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 01:14 PM

Albeit with uberdoopdt subtitles!!!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Ian Burdon
Date: 28 Jan 12 - 03:41 PM

As I recall another issue with this is that the company which owned the rights went under years ago and the ownership of those rights is in limbo somewhere - in which case Ch4 wouldn't take the risk of releasing it anyway.   I doubt they even have the rights to rebroadcast them so that we could make a recordning off air.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,MacNewark
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 11:02 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EyjfOhkfj8&feature=related

There is now what appears to be a complete version of it on YouTube.

It is gratifying to know that so many people remember these wonderful productions. I saw a 30 minute section of 'The Passion' on Easter Day 1977 on the terrace overlooking the Thames featuring Mark McManus as Jesus and Derek Newark and Trevor Ray (and maybe James Grant and Dave Hill, if I remember well) as the soldiers. It was my very first experience of theatre and was so magical.

Peter Hall let Bill Bryden's Cosstesloe Company die as a tactic to fight the Thatcher government's Arts polices. A terribly short-sighted decision. So many wonderful actors were involved in The Mysteries Derek Newark, Brian Glover, Jack Shepherd, Edna Dore, Brenda Blethyn, Robert Stephens, Don Warrington... I could go on and on. It was a true landmark of British theatre and those recordings should be released so that a new generation can experience a taste of how wonderful they were.

By the way, thank you Chris B, for your opinion of the "greatest performance of the cycle" being Derek Newark as Abraham. He was my Dad and was proud of that performance. It's nice to know that it is remembered.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 20 Feb 12 - 04:54 AM

You're very welcome, MacNewark. Your father was a wonderful actor. He was also brilliant in 'Glengarry Glen Ross'. A great loss.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 20 Feb 12 - 05:37 AM

Mac, I always enjoyed your father's performances in The Mysteries, having seen the shows several times at the Cottesloe and the Lyceum - with the future "Carson" in Downton Abbey!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 20 Feb 12 - 10:36 AM

That's right, Jim Carter was in it as well. Hasn't changed all that much. You can see another of his performances from the same period at the moment on 'Ths Singing Detective', which is being repeated on the BBC. The whole Cottesloe company were magnificent.

Rather sad these days to see such a great actor in such a piece of reactionary drivel as 'Downton Abbey'.

Mac's quite right - Peter Hall threw a hissy fit and shut the theatre down in 1985 (I was at the last performance of 'The Nativity' in the Cottesloe) and the company was dispersed. Mind you, it's debatable whether they could ever have topped 'The Mysteries'.

A magical time, though.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Susie
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 12:58 PM

I've just heard a recording of Brian Glover's turn as God broadcast on Radio 4 as part of Richard Coles' programme, The Voice of God. It took me back to the absolutely magical day I spent, aged 10, hanging from the scaffolding watching all three of the Mystery plays at the Cottesloe. I was absolutely transfixed, and can still remember all the songs, even though my audio cassette of the Home Service bit the dust years ago.

Anyway, that's what prompted me to jump online to see if there's any DVD of the full cycle. I'm thinking that since R4 have a broadcastable recording, it must surely exist in some clean, digitised format, no?

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 03:34 PM

Hi Susie. 'The Nativity' is on YouTube now, albeit with.Dutch (I think) subtitles. No DVD as far as I know.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 04:00 PM

The Passion

Here is The Passion

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 04:02 PM

Doomsday

Here is Doomsday!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 02:32 AM

They can be easily downloaded using Firefox with the DownloadHelper add on!!

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,viennesewaltz
Date: 09 Oct 13 - 05:20 AM

If you're a member of certain torrent sites you can download the whole thing without the Dutch subtitles.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: RolyH
Date: 09 Oct 13 - 07:33 AM

The Nativity includes one of my favourite stage directions. "After the music, God enters on a fork-lift truck"

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST,FitzNicely
Date: 13 Dec 13 - 06:39 AM

Can anyone tell me the name of the actor who played Joseph in the Nativity? Mary was played by a very pretty Brenda Blethyn, and her beautiful smile lit up the stage.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 13 Dec 13 - 11:09 AM

Was it Don Warrington? He's certainly credited as having appeared in the Mysteries.

Subject: RE: National Theatre/Channel 4 Mysteries
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Dec 13 - 02:04 PM

No, he was one of the angels - Michael I think. This guy is bald on top with longish hair, and has been in lots of British TV drama, but never as a lead AFAIK.
If you can avoid being distracted by the Dutch subtitles, it is worth watching the entire series on YouTube. Although, as I am about to play Herod, I think it might be easier to learn it in Dutch!