Blue Remembered Hills

Synopsis

Originally written for TV, Dennis Potter's deceptively simple tale relates to the activities of seven West-Country seven-year-olds on a summer afternoon during the Second World War, in a wood, a field and a barn. The children (all played by adult actors) play, fight fantasise and swagger, their aggressions, fears, hostilities and rivalries a microcosm of adult interaction. Easy-going Willie tags along as burly Peter bullies gentle Raymond and is challenged by fair minded John. Plain Audrey is overshadowed by Angela's prettiness and wreaks her angry frustrations on the boys. All of them gang up on the terrified 'Donald Duck' who, abused by his mother and ridiculed by his peers, plays his own dangerous game of pyromania which ends in tragedy.

Our Review:

Damian Robson - 24 April 2013

A lyked it lots and lots and lots… and lots!

How quickly you become adept at listening to the language of a child, fall into their world of make believe and play, and in doing so relive the memories of a forgotten childhood. But that what is so very telling in this play from the penmanship of Dennis Potter. A long forgotten world when childhood was about creating worlds of make believe and using imagination, where the cruelty of a child could manifest and resolve in a mouthful of spit and where fights could be lost and won with face to face bravado and bravery.

How different is the world of social networks and gaming of childhood in 2013.

But fear; what we learn and how we deal with peer pressure are all similar themes of today’s childhood, except without the click of a mouse to destroy and hurt and humiliate.

The seven strong cast are joyous and embody the characters of a group of sometimes friend, sometime enemy, the best friend and the bullied, with s...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

Steve May - 28 April 2013:

Incorrect score attached to my review above...it should be 5!...

Read more and add your own review