BEDLAM: ASH: Manchild

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Television series, comedy/drama, BBC2. Written by Nick Fisher. Produced by Sophie Clarke-Jervoise and Pete Thornton. Directed by David Evans. Series One: February 20-April 3, 2002.

Series Description
(From the press packet): Nigel Havers, Anthony Head, Don Warrington and Ray Burdis star in Manchild - a story of the "middle youth" generation about money, divorce, motorbikes, models and sex.

Four forty-something men - Terry (Nigel Havers), James (Anthony Head), Patrick (Don Warrington) and Gary (Ray Burdis) - have all reached an age and a stage where life is potentially their fat, juicy oyster. All, that is, except for Gary (Ray Burdis) who has remained married to his shrewish wife, Cheryl (Lindsey Coulson). Essex boy made very good, he can only watch with envy as Terry (Nigel Havers), James (Anthony Head) and Patrick (Don Warrington) shrug off the responsibilities of marriage and fatherhood. They have paid the alimony, education fees and emotional price and now they're ready to play. Free to enjoy their new-found adolescence they enjoy the thrill of being men-about-town - with tons of cash and style. Surely knocking on the door of 50 can't be this much fun...?

Cast
Nigel Havers (Terry), Anthony Head (James), Don Warrington (Patrick), Ray Burdis (Gary), Lindsey Coulson (Cheryl, Gary's wife), Jamie Sweeney (Wayne, Gary's son), Christine Kavanagh (Christine, Terry's ex-wife), Will Adamsdale (Justin, Terry's son), Frances Barber (Elizabeth, James' ex-wife), Melanie Gutteridge (Sonja, Terry's girlfriend), Louise Delamere (Silvie).

Press Packet: Feature Interviews

Nigel Havers (Terry).
"I was hunting around to find a good comedy," says Havers. "And Manchild came so far ahead of the rest that I just had to do it. It's just very intelligently written - really sophisticated. It's good to have a grown-up subject to play around with. It's about grown-up men in their late-forties having a good time. It's fun!" [more]

Related articles:
- Evening Chronicle, "Man envied by millions," 05 March 2002.
- Irish News, "Smoothies like Nigel they just don't exist," 23 February 2002, by Frank McNamara.
- Evening Times (Glasgow), "Nigel is living in fast lane," 19 February 2002.
- The Express, "TV Express Inside Television: Interview: Men behaving badly," 19 February 2002, by James Rampton.
- Liverpool Echo, "Boy, Nigel just loves Manchild," 19 February 2002.
- The Sun, "Boys and their toys," 16 February 2002, by Jon Peake.
- The Times, "Cold call," 16 February 2002, by Alan Jackson.

Don Warrington (Patrick).
"I think what's interesting about this series is that you see men of a certain age exploring areas that you don't assume that generation would," he says. "They are still searching for the perfect love, the perfect business, the perfect life. And it's especially fascinating because, whatever they decide to pursue, they go after it with a kind of richness because they bring all their experience to it. [more]

Related Article:
- The Sun, "Find me Miss Right...Now," 23 March 2002, by Jon Peake.

Anthony Head (James).
"The thing about James is that he's sort of leading-man material," says Head. "He's handsome - with money and wealth. But he's flawed. He's very human. I don' t have a lot in common with James, apart from being in my forties. The thing that we all share is the fact that we are men and we are all, essentially, children. [more]

Ray Burdis (Gary).
"I showed the script to my wife and said: 'Look, what do you think? Do you think it's a bit near the mark?' And she said: 'But this character is you!' I would say that 75 per cent of Gary is me. Most of the things that go through his head would go through my head. Although, I hasten to add, his rocky marriage is definitely not a reflection of my own!" [more]

Related article: - The Sun, "Young at Heart, 23 February 2002, by Jon Peake.

Lindsay Coulson (Cheryl).
"You wouldn't want to mess with Cheryl. She is very sure of what she wants and, though her relationship with Gary is tempestuous, she is his 'rock' and he wouldn't know what to do without her. She is not stupid but her world is very small. She doesn't read newspapers. She reads OK! and Hello because they tell her everything she needs to know." [more]

Related Article:
- The Sun, "Trouble & strife," 02 March 2002, by Jon Peake.

Cast and Crew Biographies:

Christine Kavanaugh (Christine).
Frances Barber (Elizabeth).
Writer Nick Fisher [article about Dirty Tackle] [credits].
Director David Evans.
Producer Sophie Clarke-Jervoise.
Co-Producer Peter Thornton [credits].

Bentley's Bedlam: Untitled Gallery.

Related Press and Links

Portowebbo (Portobello Road Filming): four pictures from location filming.

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Page created December 13, 2001; last updated April 16, 2002. Original material (c) Betsy Vera (bentley@umich.edu). This website is for information and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to infringe on copyrights held by others.

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