Different Versions
Brimstone and Treacle was originally written by Potter as a television play, commissioned, paid for and recorded in 1976 by the BBC, for their Play for Today slot. It was withdrawn shortly before its scheduled transmission, it was listed in the Radio Times, because then Director of Television Programmes Alasdair Milne found it "nauseating" though "brilliantly made". Later, between 1982 and 1987, Milne was Director-General of the BBC, in which role he became a hate figure of the Thatcher government for, among other reasons, not being censorious enough. Brimstone and Treacle was finally shown in 1987, and is now available on DVD.
The cast were Denholm Elliott (Mr. Bates), Michael Kitchen (Martin), Patricia Lawrence (Mrs. Bates) and Michelle Newell (Pattie); plus minor characters.
Rewritten by Potter for the stage, the play premiered on October 11, 1977 at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield.
A film version directed by Richard Loncraine and starring Denholm Elliott (Bates), Joan Plowright (Mrs. Bates), Suzanna Hamilton (Pattie) and Sting (Martin) was released in 1982 and is also available on DVD. In the film, Mrs. Bates' first name is Norma instead of Amy.
| Brimstone and Treacle | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Richard Loncraine |
| Written by | Dennis Potter |
| Starring | Sting Denholm Elliott Joan Plowright Suzanna Hamilton |
| Release date(s) | 1982 |
| Running time | 87 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
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