"Fable" is a British television play, shown on 27 January 1965[1] as an episode of The Wednesday Play series on BBC 1.[1] Written by John Hopkins, the play is set in a parallel totalitarian Britain where those in authority are black people, and white people are their social underdogs – a reversal of the situation in contemporary apartheid South Africa.[2]
| "Fable" | |
|---|---|
| The Wednesday Play episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 4 |
| Directed by | Christopher Morahan |
| Written by | John Hopkins |
| Narrated by | Keith Barron |
| Produced by | James MacTaggart |
It was directed by Christopher Morahan and produced by James MacTaggart.
Cast edit
- Eileen Atkins - Joan
- Ronald Lacey - Len
- Thomas Baptiste - Mark
- Barbara Assoon - Francesca
- Carmen Munroe - Lala
- Keith Barron - Narrator
- Rudolph Walker - Policeman
- Leo Carera - Editor
- Bari Johnson - Deputy Editor
- Dan Jackson - Overseer
- Sally Lahee - Lilian
- George Roderick - Laughton
- Trevor D. Rhone - Assistant Editor
- John Rapley - Michael
- André Dakar - Head Of State
- Frank Singuineau - Minister
- Charles Hyatt - Newsreader
- Thor Pierres - Secretary
- Kenneth Gardnier - Interrogator
Commentary edit
Hopkins had anti-racist intentions in writing the play.[1] Carmen Munroe has said that for the actors the production was a frightening experience "because suddenly you were being asked to perform the sorts of acts that were performed against you in real life".[1]
The programme's original screening, scheduled for 20 January 1965, was postponed by the BBC for one week "to avoid accentuating the colour issue" during the Leyton by-election to be held on 21 January.[3] In an era when negative responses to immigration were very high[2] audience research at the time of the original broadcast suggested that some whites in the audience saw the role reversal as threatening and reinforced their racist views.[1]
See also edit
- BabaKiueria - a 1986 Australian mockumentary about an oppressed white minority in a society dominated by Aboriginal Australians.
- White Man's Burden (film) - a 1995 film about similar subject matter.
- Noughts and Crosses (TV series) - a 2020 television series, based on the novels by Malorie Blackman, about similar subject matter.
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Sarita Malik Representing Black Britain: Black and Asian Images on Television, London: SAGE Publishing, 2002, p.138–139. Some sources suggest the play went out on 20 January, including the BFI's Screenonline article below, but the Leyton by-election was held on 21 January 1965.
- ^ a b Mark Duguid "Fable (1965)", BFI screenonline
- ^ "T.V. Play on Colour Issue Deferred". The Times. London. 13 January 1965. p. 6.
External links edit
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