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Description
Scenes from Peter Nichols' play showing the reactions of two parents to their severely handicapped daughter. The play achieves its impact by using a particular device - the actors role play sketche...s within the play to caricature situations faced by the parents.
Scenes from Peter Nichols' play showing the reactions of two parents to their severely handicapped daughter. The play achieves its impact by using a particular device - the actors role play sketche...s within the play to caricature situations faced by the parents.
| Module code and title: | P853, The handicapped person in the community |
|---|---|
| Item code: | P853; 02 |
| First transmission date: | 27-02-1975 |
| Published: | 1975 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:23:53 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Richard Argent |
| Contributors: | Harriet Buchan; Romana Kaye |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Guilt; Handicapped children; Independence; Over-protection |
| Footage description: | The programme opens with Bri teasing Sheila. His advances to her are interrupted by Joe's arrival home. Bri wheels Joe into the room and remains alone with her. His chatter to her is both affectionate and sarcastic. Bri addresses the viewer, giving his views on his wife and himself, and on their reactions to Joe. He resumes his flippant chatter to Joe. Sheila and Bri together describe Joe's birth and the initial symptoms of her handicap. The actors role-play a sketch caricaturing Sheila's visit to her G.P. The sketch shows the G.P.'s initial failure to diagnose Joe's handicap correctly or to diminish Sheila's anxiety about Joe. Sheila introduces her visit to the paediatrician, which she and Bri then re-enact. Bri caricatures the paediatrician as extremely flippant and unsympathetic, offering no constructive advice. Bri and Sheila explain how the vicar came to call on Sheila. They re-enact the visit, during which Sheila reveals her sense of guilt regarding Joe. She also tells the vicar her view of Dri's feelings about Joe. Bri, playing the vicar,suggests faith healing. Sheila and Bri discuss the suggestion of faith healing. They argue, and Bri gives his reasons for refusing to pursue the idea, despite Sheila's desire to try it. Bri resumes his flippant chatter, leaving Sheila alone to explain her position to the viewer. She describes in detail a temporary sign of improvement in Joe, her reason for hope. |
| Master spool number: | OU 3416 |
| Production number: | 00525_6073 |
| Videofinder number: | 3041 |
| Available to public: | no |
