An archive of blog entries about UK TV programmes and production.
The Weekly Play
The Wednesday Play: Nuts In May (1976)
To end this year and my current season of Wednesday Plays, I’m going to leave you with what is arguably the best of all the plays that have ever aired on British TV (discuss): Mike Leigh’s 1976 Play For Today Nuts in May. Starring Alison Steadman and Roger Sloman as the eccentric married couple Candice Marie and Keith, it sees the nature-loving duo going on a camping holiday and putting vast amounts of work into ensuring that they have the perfect vacation. But when less high-minded campers arrive, things get a little… strained.
Voted the 49th greatest British TV programme by the BFI, the play has influenced everyone from Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer through to Ben Wheatley, the director of the recent Sightseers*. So put your feet up and enjoy the hilarious and near to the bone Nuts In May. As always, if you like it, buy it to support those nice people who made it in the first place.
* Although he hadn’t seen it before he was about to make the movie, so ended up removing bits to make Sightseers less like Nuts In May
