Dorothy Sayers' Whimsey novels - do you know the (1980s) TV adaptations?

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I wasn't sure where to put this thread, but it feels as if it'd be more at home here that the TV threads. I love Dorothy Sayers. MN introduced me to her. I wish they'd do another adaptation, but the 1980s ones are surprisingly good.

The wonderful sconerhymeswithgone showed me the existence of these on youtube. (The link is to Gaudy Night, because that's what I'm watching, but there are lots of earlier ones).

What do you think? I liked the casting, but I have quibbles. And the ending to Gaudy Night is a travesty, right?

The roses are from the book - the first line is 'There were crimson roses on the bench, they looked like splashes of blood' (except obviously a million times better written than that.

Then the final scene when Harriet is acquitted begins 'There were golden chrysanthemums on the bench, they looked like flaming banners.'

Hmm, I really need a life.

Thanks, irene.

Impressive!

Anna Maxwell Martin for Harriet Vane?

Ian C was in the radio plays but also read the unabridged books. Available on Audible

IrenetheQuaint I saw Harriet Walter in Henry IV, too! And her Brutus in Junius Caesar, which is the best thing I have ever, ever seen on stage.

I loved the books first, but thought the casting of Petherbridge and Walter was perfect.

Yes possibly... Anna Maxwell Martin is an excellent actress and could probably pull it off. I'm not sure they could improve on Edward Petherbridge and Harriet Walter, though.

(Still reeling at the thought of Peter/Impey Biggs shenanigans. So wrong, yet so right!)

Ha,Artus, Patrick malahide read the Five red herrings audiobook!

Julius Caesar was totally amazing, wasn't it? It really blew me away. So exciting to see all those fantastic women actors playing those iconic male parts. Felt really transgressive somehow.

Sorry, irene, but it's definitely in the text. I might go see how much more there is.

I think she was quite open to that.

I've seen some amazing stuff in the theatre over the years, but nothing has affected me like that production of Julius Caesar did. Nothing.

(Plus, I totally fell in love with her Brutus, which, talking to other people who saw that production, seems to be a pretty common response!)

I'm jealous of you.

Jeanne if you are ever in London, the V&A has a copy of that production, filmed, and you can apply to see it!

Oh I believe you Jeanne, I'd just never spotted it. (I am quite innocent.)

There is a hint of lesbian goings on in Strong Poison with Eiluned and co, isn't there? And of course the much more explicit Evil Lesbian in Unnatural Death. (Hmm, is the title a reference to the subject matter? Hadn't thought of that.)

Thanks annie, I will try to do that!

irene - oh. I am not innocent.

I hope she wasn't anti-lesbian. I liked the TV lesbians (who were more than hinted at, I think!) for Strong Poison, but can't quite remember how the book does it.

I think UD previously had a different title. But I think it's more a play on whether the original death was natural, as first certified.

I didn't know that about the earlier title, Yonic. But yes, I'm sure you're right about the 'unnatural' reference. The sexual element of Unnatural Death makes me feel a bit uneasy; I don't see it as DLS being anti-lesbian, she was too sophisticated for that, but (inevitably!) it reflects attitudes of the time to some extent. Have you read it, Jeanne? Would be v. interested to hear your view.

I have just rewatched the first part of Strong Poison for the first time in mumblety-mumble years, and the TV lesbians in it were great!

In the book Eiluned was indeed described, very cheerfully, by Marjorie as "rather anti-man".

I love the bit where she blows smoke in his face.

She is in fact just awesome all round. She reminded me of a young Sandi Toksvig (the voice and manner, rather than the sexuality!).

They were pretty definitely lesbians in the book, too.

I was desperately in love with Peter Wimsey for most of my teens. And twenties. I did GCSE Latin in the hope that one day I would meet a man who would propose to me in Latin. I read Donne and Catullus and ended up falling for a bearded maths graduate who can't even speak French.

Oh, sorry, irene, missed your question.

No, I've not read it, and I admit I've been a bit put off because I know the outlines of the plot. But I should.

There's a lot to be said for bearded maths graduates too, holly.

I have a cousin who is a lesbian, and when she came out, my grandmother didn't just say that X is a lesbian, she said "X doesn't like men". I was baffled for a few minutes until my mum translated it!

Oh, my dad still does that.

Yes, this is why I didn't pick up on the lesbians in Strong Poison until I was well into my 20s. I thought 'anti-man' meant 'didn't like men' rather than 'actively shagged women'.

That said, I do find all the euphemisms interesting. I don't know when 'musical' came in as a euphemism?