Jonathan Powell

by Colin

The title of this lecture was 'Who adapts to who' and was given from the viewpoint of the producer.There was no room in this world for creativity and the art of the writer. This was about which classic could be adapted and how.

At first thought dull...Who would want to hear about the machinations and manouvering of managment?What emerged was a sparkling,erudite and fasinating story about the adaptions of classic works of literature for Television.

The tales of skulduggery, posturing,petulence and punctured ego's would grace the pages of a classic itself.

Jonathan Powell began his career in the British library researching Coppard and H.E.Bates. Literature he thought was a treasure trove of dreams ,an opportunity for a cultural upheaval. He had, along with his colleagues an ability to realise a vision. A chance to tell unsurpassable stories that original work could not compete with.

He told of the battles that ensued between producers,management, directors and stars. The warzone that enveloped the BBC and Commercial television around the adaptions of programmes such as 'Jewel in the Crown','Tinker,Tailor,Soldier,Spy', 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Bleak House' and 'Cranford'.

Like a good book,it was almost sad when the story came to an end, most in the room wanted it to continue.

Most enjoyable.