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Her Big Chance
"Her Big Chance" is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett as part of his ''Talking Heads'' series for the BBC. The series became very popular, moving onto BBC Radio and international theatre, as well as becoming one of the best-selling audio book releases of all time and being included as part of both the A-level and GCSE English syllabus. It was the fifth episode of the first series of ''Talking Heads'', and originally aired on 17 May 1988. In the 2020 remake, the character of Lesley was played by Jodie Comer. Storyline Lesley (portrayed by Julie Walters in the original 1988 broadcast and Jodie Comer in the 2020 remake) is an aspiring actress who, after a series of unpromising bit parts on television, is offered what she believes to be her breakout role in a new film for the West German market. However, Lesley does not realise that the film is a soft pornographic film. Reception See also * English A-level and GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary E ...
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Alan Bennett
Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and two Tony Awards. He also earned an Academy Award nomination for his film '' The Madness of King George'' (1994). In 2005 he received the Society of London Theatre Special Award. Bennett was born in Leeds and attended Oxford University, where he studied history and performed with the Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research medieval history at the university for several years. His collaboration as writer and performer with Dudley Moore, Jonathan Miller and Peter Cook in the satirical revue '' Beyond the Fringe'' at the 1960 Edinburgh Festival brought him instant fame and later a Special Tony Award. He gave up academia, and turned to writing full time, his first stage play, '' Forty Years On'', being produced in 1968. He also b ...
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Stuart Burge
Stuart Burge (15 January 1918 – 24 January 2002) was an English stage and film director, actor and producer. The son of H. O. Burge, by his marriage to K. M. Haig, Burge was educated at Eagle House School, Sandhurst, and Felsted School, Essex, then trained for an acting career at the Old Vic, 1936–37, and at Oxford Rep, 1937–38. He was back at the Old Vic and appearing in the West End theatre in 1938–39, then during the Second World War of 1939–45 he served in the British Army's Intelligence Corps. After the war he returned to his acting career at the Bristol Old Vic, the Young Vic, and the Commercial Theatre, between 1946 and 1949.‘BURGE, Stuart’, in ''Who Was Who'' (A. & C. Black, 1920–2008)online article(subscription site), by Oxford University Press, December 2007, accessed 20 April 2012 He was a director by 1948. He was responsible for many distinguished productions for both stage and television, including four film adaptations of plays. He married Josep ...
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Innes Lloyd
George Innes Llewelyn Lloyd (24 December 1925 – 23 August 1991) was a Welsh television producer. He had a long career in BBC drama, which included producing series such as '' Doctor Who'' and ''Talking Heads''. Early life and career Following service in the Royal Navy, Innes Lloyd trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He joined the BBC in the 1950s, initially in presentation before moving into outside broadcasts. As an outside broadcast producer he covered many important sporting events such as tennis at Wimbledon, golf and motor racing. He also produced important national events such as the Royal Christmas Message and Winston Churchill's state funeral. ''Doctor Who'' Lloyd began his drama career when he was made the producer of the science fiction series '' Doctor Who'' in 1966. He was the third producer on the programme and his duration as producer ran for two seasons between ''The Celestial Toymaker'' and '' The Enemy of the World'' (wi ...
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Soldiering On
"Soldiering On" is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett in 1987 for television, as part of his ''Talking Heads'' series for the BBC. The series became very popular, moving onto BBC Radio, international theatre, becoming one of the best-selling audio book releases of all time and included as part of both the A-level and GCSE English syllabus. It was the fourth episode of the first series of ''Talking Heads'', starring Stephanie Cole. "Soldiering On" was remade in 2020 starring Harriet Walter. Storyline Muriel Carpenter ( Stephanie Cole in 1988, Harriet Walter in 2020) is a strong woman, and always has been – a pillar of the community, a regular charity worker, and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels; and looking after her mentally ill daughter, Margaret, has fortified her resolve – so, after the death of her husband, Muriel is well prepared to cope with the crisis. She adopts a brisk, cheerful approach: socialising with guests at the wake, giving her husband's be ...
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A Cream Cracker Under The Settee
"A Cream Cracker Under The Settee" is a dramatic monologue written by Alan Bennett in 1987 for television, as part of his ''Talking Heads'' series for the BBC. The series became very popular, moving onto BBC Radio, international theatre, becoming one of the best-selling audio book releases of all time and included as part of both the A-level and GCSE English syllabus. It was the sixth and final episode of the first series of ''Talking Heads''. Storyline "A Cream Cracker under the Settee" is played out as a monologue by Doris (Thora Hird), a seventy-five-year-old woman who is a widow, following her slip off a pouffe (pronounced 'buffet' in the play). Her disapproval of home-helper Zulema's cleaning leads her to attempt to clean a picture of her and Wilfred, her late husband, and subsequently her fall. Her position, now suffering from a "numby" leg, prompts her natural desire to find help. Thus she moves from her place on a chair, to the floor near where she fell, and finally t ...
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A-level
The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational authorities of British Crown dependencies to students completing secondary or pre-university education. They were introduced in England and Wales in 1951 to replace the Higher School Certificate. A number of Commonwealth countries have developed qualifications with the same name as and a similar format to the British A Levels. Obtaining an A Level, or equivalent qualifications, is generally required across the board for university entrance, with universities granting offers based on grades achieved. Particularly in Singapore, its A level examinations have been regarded as being much more challenging than the United Kingdom, with most universities offering lower entry qualifications with regard to grades achieved on a Singaporean A level cer ...
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GCSEs
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private schools in Scotland may choose to use GCSEs from England. Each GCSE qualification is offered in a specific school subject (English literature, English language, mathematics, science, history, geography, art and design, design and technology, business studies, classical civilisation, drama, music, foreign languages, etc). The Department for Education has drawn up a list of preferred subjects known as the English Baccalaureate for England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ... on the results in eight GCSEs including English, mathem ...
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Jodie Comer
Jodie Marie Comer ( ; born 11 March 1993) is an English actress who rose to global prominence for her role as Oksana Astankova / Villanelle in the BBC America spy thriller ''Killing Eve'' (2018–2022). She has received various accolades including two British Academy Television Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award, in addition to nominations for two Golden Globe Awards, two Critics Choice Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Born and raised in Liverpool, Comer began her career in an episode of ''The Royal Today'' in 2008. Following appearances in several television series, she landed the roles of Chloe Gemell in the E4 comedy-drama series ''My Mad Fat Diary'' (2013–2015) and Kate Parks in the BBC One drama series '' Doctor Foster'' (2015–2017). In between the series, Comer received critical acclaim for her portrayal as Ivy Moxam in the BBC Three drama miniseries ''Thirteen''. Her other major television roles include Elizabeth of York in the Starz historical miniseries '' ...
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Julie Walters
Dame Julia Mary Walters (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Julie Walters, is an English actress. She is the recipient of four British Academy Television Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, two International Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Fellowship, and a Golden Globe. Walters has twice been nominated for an Academy Award: once for Best Actress and once for Best Supporting Actress. She was made a Dame (DBE) in 2017 for services to drama. Walters rose to prominence playing the title role in '' Educating Rita'' (1983), a part she originated on the West End. She has appeared in many other films, including '' Personal Services'' (1987), ''Prick Up Your Ears'' (1987), '' Stepping Out'' (1991), '' Sister My Sister'' (1994), '' Girls' Night'' (1998), '' Titanic Town'' (1998), ''Billy Elliot'' (2000), the ''Harry Potter'' series (2001–2011), ''Calendar Girls'' (2003), '' Wah-Wah'' (2005), ''Driving Lessons'' (2006), ''Becoming Jane'' (2007), ''Mamma Mia!'' (2008) and i ...
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Breakout Role
A breakthrough role, also known as a breakout role, is a term in the film industry to describe the performance of an actor or actress which contributed significantly to the development of their career and beginning of critical recognition. The similar term "big break" indicates the occurrence for the performer and not the role itself. Such a moment in an actor's career may often occur some time after they begin acting, as their roles become more substantial. A breakthrough role is often a significant increase in importance in the actor's part in the film, such as moving up from a minor character to one of the main cast or a "high impact" role in a film which has mainstream success and results in the actor's widespread recognition and popularity. A breakthrough performance has also been defined as one which "attracts the attention of film critics, or receives rave reviews and is subsequently nominated for many major film awards". Most notable performers throughout the film and tele ...
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West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 October 1990. During the Cold War, the western portion of Germany and the associated territory of West Berlin were parts of the Western Bloc. West Germany was formed as a political entity during the Allied occupation of Germany after World War II, established from eleven states formed in the three Allied zones of occupation held by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. The FRG's provisional capital was the city of Bonn, and the Cold War era country is retrospectively designated as the Bonn Republic. At the onset of the Cold War, Europe was divided between the Western and Eastern blocs. Germany was divided into the two countries. Initially, West Germany claimed an exclusive mandate for all of Germany, representing itself ...
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