Absent Friends: Adaptations In Other Media

Radio (1977)

Broadcast: 1977
Time: Unknown
Channel: BBC World Service
Duration: 60mins

Production: BBC World Service

Availability
Cassette: Not available
CD: Not available
Digital: Not available

Director
Adaptation

Character
Diana
Evelyn
Marge
Paul
John
Colin

Dickon Reed
Peter King

Actor
Jo Manning Wilson
Angela Pleasance
Miriam Margoyles
Anthony Jackson
John Ball
David Jason

Note: For reasons not fully ascertained from archive, this adaptation of Absent Friends was not approved by Alan Ayckbourn (who may not actually have been aware of it until 1978). Unhappy with the dramatic cuts to the play, he requested the play be withdrawn and not broadcast again. It has subsequently been broadcast but the BBC has now officially been requested to not broadcast the adaptation in the future.

Television (1985)

Broadcast: 29 September 1985
Time: 8.35pm
Channel: BBC2
Duration: 90mins

Production: BBC

Availability
Video: Not available
DVD: Not available
Blu-ray: Not available
Digital: Not available

Director
Lighting
Design
Music
Producer

Character
John
Colin
Paul
Marge
Evelyn
Diana

Michael Simpson
Dave Sydenham
Don Homfray
Harry Rabinowitz
Shaun Sutton

Actor
Hywel Bennett
Tom Courtenay
Dinsdale Landen
Maureen Lipman
Kate Lock
Julia McKenzie

Notes: The original transmission of Absent Friends was preceded with an introduction by the actress Julia McKenzie.

All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.