Tomorrow La Scala!

UK / BBC2 / 1×90 minute episode / 10 December 2002 / 9:00pm

Writer/Director: Francesca Joseph / Producers: Ruth Caleb, Christopher Collins

Comedy drama. Victoria’s small opera company is putting on a production of Sweeney Todd at the maximum security prison HMP Seaworth with the chorus parts being played by prisoners serving life sentences and one of the guards (all actors, not real prisoners or guards).

This drama watches the rehearsals and the relationships and tensions between the players and the prisoners.

Note: The BBC had wanted to release this as a commercial feature in cinemas but Stephen Sondheim whose opera the characters are rehearsing refused permission for his music to be used, except for the TV rights which had already been given.

cast
JESSICA STEVENSON as Victoria
SAMANTHA SPIRO as Jayney
SHAUN DINGWALL as Kevin
KULVINDER GHIR
KARL JOHNSON
IAN BURFIELD
MEL RAIDO
DANIEL EVANS
DAVID OYELOWO
PHELIM MCDERMOTT
DUDLEY SUTTON
KEVIN DIGNAM
BRUCE BYRON
STEVEN PAGE
RICHARD VAN ALLAN
LUCY BATES
BRENDA LONGMAN
BYRON WATSON
HELENE KVALE