Dennis Potter's Play for Today, Brimstone and Treacle was banned by the BBC and later became a film with pop star Sting playing the role of Martin Taylor.
The banned play was later broadcast by the BBC allowing us to see what the controversy was all about. Potter wrote this as a religious parable and instead of thinking about the power of goodness, Potter thought what if the power of evil actually brought some happiness or sense of purpose.
Michael Kitchen is the polite young man called Martin but in essence is the devil who visits a middle aged couple who look after their severely brain damaged daughter left that way after a car accident. He claims to be a friend of the daughter and stays on as a lodger.
The father (Denholm Elliott) is a little man frustrated with life and is a racist. Of course once the devil suggests that we should kill them all, leave no black, brown, yellow people alive, he sorts of thinks twice about his racism and realises the implications of his hatred.
The wife (Patricia Lawrence) is downtrodden with no life of her own looking after and bickering with her husband and caring for her daughter but the devil brings a little meaning to her life. As to the brain damaged daughter he cures her by attempting to rape her which is the element of the story that left the film unscreened for so many years and of course is the most disturbing especially as he wheels her around in anticipation of the dark deed.
Kitchen is charming, infuriating and shady as Martin the devil incarnate. However despite the 1970s production values, Potter's writing shines through here and it is a play that makes you think.
The banned play was later broadcast by the BBC allowing us to see what the controversy was all about. Potter wrote this as a religious parable and instead of thinking about the power of goodness, Potter thought what if the power of evil actually brought some happiness or sense of purpose.
Michael Kitchen is the polite young man called Martin but in essence is the devil who visits a middle aged couple who look after their severely brain damaged daughter left that way after a car accident. He claims to be a friend of the daughter and stays on as a lodger.
The father (Denholm Elliott) is a little man frustrated with life and is a racist. Of course once the devil suggests that we should kill them all, leave no black, brown, yellow people alive, he sorts of thinks twice about his racism and realises the implications of his hatred.
The wife (Patricia Lawrence) is downtrodden with no life of her own looking after and bickering with her husband and caring for her daughter but the devil brings a little meaning to her life. As to the brain damaged daughter he cures her by attempting to rape her which is the element of the story that left the film unscreened for so many years and of course is the most disturbing especially as he wheels her around in anticipation of the dark deed.
Kitchen is charming, infuriating and shady as Martin the devil incarnate. However despite the 1970s production values, Potter's writing shines through here and it is a play that makes you think.