In Prisoner by Marriage Jane Grogan seems well versed in the ways of the prison system but at home her husband Dennis is seriously struggling to cope with bringing up their two children. Jane is more concerned with trying to escape.
Faye’s son Paul has a new girlfriend, an artist, who is keen to know what Stone Park is doing to help with inmates creative urges. Faye is more concerned with 16 year old newly arrived inmate Mary Harris who doesn’t actually have a criminal record but is serial absconder from borstal and reform school. She clearly should not be in the prison system and is very depressed and uncommunicative at all. Dr Mayes tries to get through to her and thinks he is making progress but then Mary tries to kill herself by drinking metal polish.
There is as much time devoted to Faye at home and Dennis Brogan’s problems, these scenes are good at diluting the oppressiveness of the prison atmosphere.
Jane Brogan is excellently played by Pam Scotcher, she usually popped up in tarty type roles in shows such as Villains or Thick As Thieves. Meanwhile art teacher David Jenkins is played by a bearded Colin Baker. He finds himself in trouble after getting a little too friendly with Brogan’s cellmate Isabelle Coyne.
A bearded Colin Baker plays a sympathetic character here – very different to his concurrent role in The Brothers.
production details
UK / ITV – London Weekend Television / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Friday 1 February 1974 at 9.00pm
Writer: Tony Hoare / Production Design: John Henry, Brian Bagge / Director: Paul Annett
Series: Within These Walls Season 1 Episode 5
cast
Googie Withers as Faye Boswell
Jerome Willis as Charles Radley
Denys Hawthorne as Dr Mayes
Mona Bruce as Mrs Armitage
Beth Harris as Miss Clarke
Katie Flower as Officer Moffitt
Audrey Muir as Miss Flaxton
Maureen O’Reilly as Officer Green
Pam Scotcher as Jane Brogan
Nan Marriott-Watson as Milly Jones
Adrienne Byrne as Mary Harris
Diana Beevers as Isabelle Coyne
Jacqueline Blackmore as Sister
Nigel Crewe as Paul Boswell
Tom Chadbon as Dennis Brogan
Vanessa Miles as Joyce Fletcher
Colin Baker as David Jenkins
Maurice Quick as Mr Sewell