Play For Today: Bavarian Night (BBC-1 1981, Bob Peck, Sarah Badel)

In the superbly funny Bavarian Night middle class scriptwriter Joe Pike (Bob Peck) and his wife Alice (Sarah Badel) have agreed to attend a social evening at their daughter’s primary school. Neither particularly want to attend but Joe has promised fellow parents Jim (Malcolm Terris) and Arlene (Arwen Holm) that they would. Right on head teacher Godfrey Rigg (Barrie Rutter) has high hopes for the evening but it very quickly descends into drunken chaos.

Things get even further out of hand when Joe has a quickie with Arlene in the infants cloakroom. Especially when their partners find out (mainly because Arlene has failed to do her blouse up correctly).

The dialogue in Bavarian Night is Andrew Davies at his best and Sarah Badel in particular is fantastic as Alice, but there isn’t a duff note from any of the players.

Series: Play For Today Season 11 Episode 22

Cast: Bob Peck as Joe Pike; Sarah Badel as Alice Pike; Gawn Grainger as Tim Forrest; Barrie Rutter as Godfrey Rigg; Christine Hargreaves as Estelle Parsons; Allan Surtees as Fred Foleshill; Brian Protheroe as Hans; Michael Parkhouse as Carl; Liza Hayden as Florence; Bert Crome as Otto; Julian Littman as Robert; Phil Langham as Heinrich; Kristopher Kum as Mr Chin; Pamela Ah-Young as Su Chin; Kris Emmerson as Chinny; Malcolm Terris as Jim; Arwen Holm as Arlene; Jack Chissick as Little Man; Karen Craig as Little Man’s Wife; Noel Collins as Phil; Gary Olsen as Youth

Writer: Andrew Davies / Producer: Louis Marks / Director: Jack Gold

UK / BBC-1 / 1×80 minute episode / Broadcast 31 March 1981