Coup! was a dramatised account of a real-life attempt by an old Etonian and mercenary to organise a coup in Equatorial New Guinea to help an exiled leader regain his oil rich country – done because he wants to do something adventurous with his life. It also tells how some rich and influential people were duped into helping him fund the project.
Jared Harris as Simon Mann was superb in the lead role and Lucy Cohu as his wife Amanda, despite having little to do, still managed to impress. Stand out though would have to be Robert Bathurst as Mark Thatcher.
Cast: JARED HARRIS as Simon Mann; ROBERT BATHURST as Mark Thatcher; LUCY COHU as Amanda Mann; TOM MANNION as John Strick; RUPERT VANSITTART as Roddy Hamilton; CAROLINE BLAKISTON as Margaret Thatcher; JOE MASON as Sandy Mann; ANDREE EVANS as Enid; IAN ROBERTS as Nick Du Toit; DAVID DENNIS as Rafael Acosta; PUTLA SEHLAPELO as David; LIONEL NEWTON as Crause Steyl; GEOFFREY MBENGE as Moto; ERNEST NDLOVU as Pedro; ASHLEY HAYDEN as Diana Thatcher; ROBIN SMITH asa Horn; CHANTAL NATIVEL as Belinda Du Toit
Writer: John Fortune / Costume Design: Ruy Filipe / Music: Adrian Johnston / Production Design: John Stevenson / Director of Photography: Donal Gilligan / Executive Producers: Alex Holmes. Jessica Pope / Producer: Jo Wright / Director: Simon Cellan Jones
UK / BBC Two / 1×105 minute episode / Broadcast 30 June 2006
