Kaleidoscope: The Play’s The Thing

Join Midlands TV archivists Kaleidoscope for a day long celebration of the TV play, including little seen works featuring Charlotte Rampling and Glenda Jackson and a celebration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous creation - including a Q&A with Sherlock Holmes expert Dr. Mark Jones and the world premiere of an animated version of a lost Peter Cushing audio play from 1968.

10am: Thirty Minute Theatre: Interview For Wives (1962)
The only Television Wales & The West drama that survives, never shown in the Midlands (until today)

10.30am: Saturday Night Theatre: Salve Regina (1969)
Science fiction drama with an out of this world cast

11am: Steve Finch and Nina Saville Q&A
John Finch was the author of countless plays and many episodes of Coronation Street and dramas such as Sam and A Family at War. Philip Saville directed many plays and series including Armchair Theatre. Nina Saville is a former actress from Count Dracula and Are You Being Served, who is now a talented author and wrote the memoirs of Philip Saville. Nina and Steve Finch will be signing copies of the memoirs of John Finch and Philip Saville afterwards. Hosted by Lez Cooke.

11.45am: Them Down There (1968)
Granada play filmed by MIke Newell at John Finch’s home

12.45pm: Lunch

1.15pm: Armchair Theatre: The Bandstand (1964)

2.15pm: Dr. Mark Jones Q&A
Dr Mark Jones is a writer, historian and educator who has been enchanted by the works of Conan Doyle since childhood. He is co-host of Doings of Doyle – The Arthur Conan Doyle Podcast and is an invested member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the world’s oldest Sherlockian society. Conan Doyle: Mystery and Adventure, a book by Kaleidoscope, combines his love of Conan Doyle with his fascination for archive television and all those programmes sadly lost for future generations. Mark will be signing copies of his book afterwards.

3pm: The Mystery of Cader Ifan (1967)
Rare BBC Conan Doyle play featuring an early role for Charlotte Rampling

4pm: Sherlock Holmes: The Second Stain (1968)
Found in 2024, this is the lost audio of an original Peter Cushing mystery for Granada, animated and premiered at today’s event

5pm: Television Theatre From…The Midlands (1968)

5.25pm: Train to Lymington (1990)
Four minute Channel 4 play to close the day