Stephen Poliakoff's "Dancing on the edge."

[Ian Thumwood]

Wondered if anyone else caught this programe last night? The story seemed quite slow moving but I loved the premise of a group of black musicians creating the foremost jazz group in london in the early 1930's. The music was excellent even if it gave the impression that is the band sounded as advanced as that in 1931 they would have been ahead of the game in the States. The sound seemed much more akin to the late thirties despite some noteworthy names like Steve Williamson and member of
"Empircal" in the line up. Some elements of the film had the ring of truth (The Prince of Wales sitting in on drums - something he actually famously did with McKinney's Cottonpickers during a spell in the US) and the hostility towards jazz / blacm musicians. I'd never heard of the bandleader but I felt that the music was pretty good even if I wanted to yell at the screen don't hire a singers and just record instrumentals!!

As a piece of drama I felt that it was very good. There were obviously elements where reality was conceded in favour of good story (was it aqctuially possible to privately hire a train and use it on the main line in those days? I felt that this was improbable.) By and large, this was pretty much a fantasy band insofar that there weren't too many British bands who would have sounded as good as the band featured last night. I suppose the band was based on the legendary Ken Johnson's (Dodgy singer alert.)-

[Nick Armstrong]

Agreed, pleasurable viewing... Not gripping, at least initially, but worth staying with

[Byas'd Opinion]

I enjoyed it too, although the pace was fairly stately. I didn't catch the names of all the musicians in the credits, but I gather trumpeter Jay Phelps played one of the band members. And it was it THE Steve Williamson playing alto?

[Historian]

As a piece of drama I felt that it was very good. There were obviously elements where reality was conceded in favour of good story (was it aqctuially possible to privately hire a train and use it on the main line in those days? I felt that this was improbable.)

I can't comment on the programme as I didn't watch it. However, it was certainly possible, although unusual and expensive, to hire a "Special" train; I believe it still is. This extensive article gives details about all sorts of 'Specials' including a brief mention of 'the trains chartered on occasion by private individuals.'

[Hornspieler]

Wondered if anyone else caught this programe last night? The story seemed quite slow moving but I loved the premise of a group of black musicians creating the foremost jazz group in london in the early 1930's. The music was excellent even if it gave the impression that is the band sounded as advanced as that in 1931 they would have been ahead of the game in the States. The sound seemed much more akin to the late thirties despite some noteworthy names like Steve Williamson and member of
"Empircal" in the line up. Some elements of the film had the ring of truth (The Prince of Wales sitting in on drums - something he actually famously did with McKinney's Cottonpickers during a spell in the US) and the hostility towards jazz / blacm musicians. I'd never heard of the bandleader but I felt that the music was pretty good even if I wanted to yell at the screen don't hire a singers and just record instrumentals!!

As a piece of drama I felt that it was very good. There were obviously elements where reality was conceded in favour of good story (was it aqctuially possible to privately hire a train and use it on the main line in those days? I felt that this was improbable.) By and large, this was pretty much a fantasy band insofar that there weren't too many British bands who would have sounded as good as the band featured last night. I suppose the band was based on the legendary Ken Johnson's (Dodgy singer alert.)-

Ken (Snakehips) Johnson was tragically killed in 1941, along with two of his "Wild West Indian" orchestra, in the Café de Paris, when a German bomb came through the roof and landed on the stage.

I have a much treasured 78rpm 10" record of "Ida" and "Tuxedo Junction" (which is played up-tempo as a one-step and puts Glenn Miller's version to shame).

HS

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

loved the music hate the play; slow and irritating ...Poliwhatsits self indulgence again ...

[Stephen Whitaker]

Anyone irritated by the slow pace and extended length of this drama should be forever forbidden
from making derogatory observations about the frenetic pace of modern life and the minuscule attention spans of younger generations.

How to distinguish between self-indulgence and considered artistic judgement is a debate that could be applied to Bruckner, Berlioz and any number of creators of grand designs.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i can take slow and irritating if it seems to have a point, but Poliakoff rarely does imv ... i experience an indulgent mannerism in his works, as if style were morality or dramatic purpose ... all his recent work has seemed to me to be hollow or indeed naked as in emperor's clothes &c and horribly overblown by the trailing publicity ....

i would offer in contrast this as a slow drama that is both deep and aware but not self regarding nor inflated with its own importance

[aeolium]

i can take slow and irritating if it seems to have a point, but Poliakoff rarely does imv ... i experience an indulgent mannerism in his works, as if style were morality or dramatic purpose ... all his recent work has seemed to me to be hollow or indeed naked as in emperor's clothes &c and horribly overblown by the trailing publicity ....

I couldn't agree more, calum. To me it is a kind of photophilia: pretty faces, pretty clothes, pretty buildings, pretty trains, pretty countryside all wrapped up in a flabby, empty script. Poliakoff likes to present himself and his work as that of outsiders looking in to undiscovered backwaters of British society and typically has such outsiders as key characters (here, members of the jazz band). But in fact they are caught up in the glossy indulgence of it, loving the hotels and meals on private trains, hobnobbing with the aristocracy (and a royal, to boot!). There is no tension, no interesting characterisation, barely any plot, just a screenwriter in love with his pictures of luxury and indulgence. It is self-indulgent, top-dollar, period trash, with a "for export to the USA" stamped all over it. I'd rather have something that genuinely fed the imagination, like the quirky, unpredictable, sometimes very violent Utopia on C4.

[eighthobstruction]

I hope that in 50 years time there is a Pollywhatsit type playwright who writes a really detailed overblown empty play about Stephen Pollwatsit writing an empty highend '£' budget play....

....didn't watch this one, I have learned my lesson from before....

[Anna]

I've been watching, it is rather slow (although I like slow) and could turn out to be more style than substance (I did read a description as being "Downton Abbey with Trumpets") however I suspect it is about to get darker and pacier. However, it's beautiful to watch and I'm enjoying the music.
The Poliakoff I most recently remember was The Lost Prince which I thought was excellent.

[Nick Armstrong]

I've been watching, it is rather slow (although I like slow) and could turn out to be more style than substance (I did read a description as being "Downton Abbey with Trumpets") however I suspect it is about to get darker and pacier. However, it's beautiful to watch and I'm enjoying the music.
The Poliakoff I most recently remember was The Lost Prince which I thought was excellent.

.... and did you notice that the Prince (George) who was often with poor little Prince John in that earlier production is the same Prince who, grown up, is introduced to the band in this programme... and subsequently brings his elder bro the Prince of Wales along to hear them...

[Anna]

.... and did you notice that the Prince (George) who was often with poor little Prince John in that earlier production is the same Prince who, grown up, is introduced to the band in this programme... and subsequently brings his elder bro the Prince of Wales along to hear them...

<doh> Yes, of course I did, when I heard it was a new Poliakoff I suddenly thought of his poor Prince John, hidden away .... (I do recommend it if it is ever repeated) I now read that it was whilst doing research for Prince John he came across certain letters concerning the PoW which inspired him to write Dancing on the Edge.
Edit: The other Poliakoff I was glued to was Shooting the Past, which is ages old.

[salymap]

All singers sounded like that clip in the 1930s as far as I can remember. Can't see it in the RT. Which channel please?

[Globaltruth]

<
Edit: The other Poliakoff I was glued to was Shooting the Past, which is ages old.

Spot on Anna - Shooting the Past is the one that I measure all the others by & which first draw our attention to him.
It's a slightly odd habit to think you're going to like everything that anyone does, not just Poliakoff.
However I'm enjoying this one (the music least of all sadly - I agree with an earlier poster who suggested they lose the vocals, although their dramatic presence is essential. Tricky) - and I'd like to challenge others to post examples of better UK drama productions currently available on the major channels??