Biographical Dramas [The Real George Orwell]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Burma

20130128

20200120 (R4)

By Mike Walker

The first of four dramas featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair.

After an undistinguished academic career at Eton, Eric leaves in December 1921. Unlike most of his friends, his parents can't afford to send him to University. When the girl he hopes to marry rejects him, he sets sail for Burma to join the colonial police. His experiences in Burma will affect him profoundly. They will give him material for essays such as 'A Hanging' and 'Shooting An Elephant', and his first novel, 'Burmese Days' - and they will begin to shape his political thinking. When he rejects the Empire and returns to England, Blair begins to spend more and more time with the poor.

Eric Blair . . . Joseph Millson

Jacintha Buddicom . . . Sophie Roberts

Wilson . . . Joseph Kloska

Inspector d'Souza . . . Ernest Ignatius

Burmese youth . . . Armaan Kirmani

Man on Train . . . Derek Riddell

Ted . . . Alun Raglan

A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll.

By Mike Walker. In October 1922, Eric Blair travels to Burma to join the Imperial Police.

Dreaming

20130204

20200121 (R4)

By Mike Walker

The second of four plays featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair.

In September 1938, Eric and Eileen Blair leave London for Marrakech. He is hoping that the climate will be good for his health, and that he will be able to complete 'Coming Up for Air' a novel that examines, among other things, the nature of England. But the bruising reception he received following the publication of Homage to Catalonia is troubling Eric. And both Eric and Eileen are still feeling guilty about the fate of one of their Spanish Civil War comrades, Georges Kopp. In the summer of 1938 Kopp had just been released from prison. In Marrakech, Eileen falls ill, and Eric dreams of England, and of Kopp.

Eric Blair... Joseph Millson

Eileen Blair... Lyndsey Marshal

Georges Kopp... Ewan Bailey

Tommy... Paul Stonehouse

With Ben Crowe and Will Howard

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer

Of course there is no real George Orwell - it was the pen name of Eric Blair - but he was a writer and political commentator who is very hard to pin down. Ever since his early death in 1950, he has been at one and the same time the darling of some on both the left and the right of British politics - whilst being reviled by others. For all the beautiful simplicity of his writing and storytelling Orwell/Blair is a complex mass of confusions - an anti-establishment, pro-English, ex-Etonian ex-policeman and socialist, who was ardently anti-authoritarian. He was as anti-fascist as he was anti-communist, a former Spanish Civil War soldier who was anti-war but pro the Second World War, and so on and so on.

By Mike Walker. In Sept 1938, Eric and Eileen travel to Morocco. With Joseph Millson.

Loving

20130211

20200122 (R4)

By Jonathan Holloway

The third of four dramas featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair.

Eric Blair's relationship with the opposite sex could be a distraught one; over the course of his lifetime, he made several awkward marriage proposals to different women. But his relationship with Eileen O'Shaugnessy, whom he married in 1935, had a huge influence both on his life and his writing. This drama explores the nine years of their relationship.

Eric Blair . . . Joseph Millson

Eileen O'Shaugnessy/Blair . . . Lyndsey Marshal

Dorothy . . . Isabella Marshall

Lydia Jackson . . . Vera Filatova

Inspector Summerfield . . . Dick Bradnum

Len . . . Alun Raglan

A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll.

By Jonathan Holloway. Eric Blair's relationship with the women in his life.

Jura

20130218

20200123 (R4)

By Jonathan Holloway

The last of four plays featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. In 1947, the year after Eileen's death, Eric leaves London and moves to Jura, with his sister Avril, and his three year old son. He is suffering from tuberculosis but is determined to try and make a go of living off the land. But most of all he is determined to finish Nineteen Eighty-Four, his final book.

Eric Blair..Joseph Millson

Avril Blair...Liza Sadovy

David Holbrook... Adam Nagaitis

Sonia Orwell ...Stephanie Racine

Ricky Blair...James Foster

Henry...Will Howard

Lucy...Alexandra Guelff

Jane...Lizzie Watts

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer

By Jonathan Holloway. Summer 1947, Eric has moved to Jura. With Joseph Millson.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Burma	20130128	20200120 (R4)	By Mike Walker The first of four dramas featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. After an undistinguished academic career at Eton, Eric leaves in December 1921. Unlike most of his friends, his parents can't afford to send him to University. When the girl he hopes to marry rejects him, he sets sail for Burma to join the colonial police. His experiences in Burma will affect him profoundly. They will give him material for essays such as 'A Hanging' and 'Shooting An Elephant', and his first novel, 'Burmese Days' - and they will begin to shape his political thinking. When he rejects the Empire and returns to England, Blair begins to spend more and more time with the poor. Eric Blair . . . Joseph Millson Jacintha Buddicom . . . Sophie Roberts Wilson . . . Joseph Kloska Inspector d'Souza . . . Ernest Ignatius Burmese youth . . . Armaan Kirmani Man on Train . . . Derek Riddell Ted . . . Alun Raglan A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll. By Mike Walker. In October 1922, Eric Blair travels to Burma to join the Imperial Police.
02	Dreaming	20130204	20200121 (R4)	By Mike Walker The second of four plays featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. In September 1938, Eric and Eileen Blair leave London for Marrakech. He is hoping that the climate will be good for his health, and that he will be able to complete 'Coming Up for Air' a novel that examines, among other things, the nature of England. But the bruising reception he received following the publication of Homage to Catalonia is troubling Eric. And both Eric and Eileen are still feeling guilty about the fate of one of their Spanish Civil War comrades, Georges Kopp. In the summer of 1938 Kopp had just been released from prison. In Marrakech, Eileen falls ill, and Eric dreams of England, and of Kopp. Eric Blair... Joseph Millson Eileen Blair... Lyndsey Marshal Georges Kopp... Ewan Bailey Tommy... Paul Stonehouse With Ben Crowe and Will Howard Directed by Jeremy Mortimer Of course there is no real George Orwell - it was the pen name of Eric Blair - but he was a writer and political commentator who is very hard to pin down. Ever since his early death in 1950, he has been at one and the same time the darling of some on both the left and the right of British politics - whilst being reviled by others. For all the beautiful simplicity of his writing and storytelling Orwell/Blair is a complex mass of confusions - an anti-establishment, pro-English, ex-Etonian ex-policeman and socialist, who was ardently anti-authoritarian. He was as anti-fascist as he was anti-communist, a former Spanish Civil War soldier who was anti-war but pro the Second World War, and so on and so on. By Mike Walker. In Sept 1938, Eric and Eileen travel to Morocco. With Joseph Millson.
03	Loving	20130211	20200122 (R4)	By Jonathan Holloway The third of four dramas featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. Eric Blair's relationship with the opposite sex could be a distraught one; over the course of his lifetime, he made several awkward marriage proposals to different women. But his relationship with Eileen O'Shaugnessy, whom he married in 1935, had a huge influence both on his life and his writing. This drama explores the nine years of their relationship. Eric Blair . . . Joseph Millson Eileen O'Shaugnessy/Blair . . . Lyndsey Marshal Dorothy . . . Isabella Marshall Lydia Jackson . . . Vera Filatova Inspector Summerfield . . . Dick Bradnum Len . . . Alun Raglan A BBC/Cymru Wales production, directed by Kate McAll. By Jonathan Holloway. Eric Blair's relationship with the women in his life.
04	Jura	20130218	20200123 (R4)	By Jonathan Holloway The last of four plays featuring episodes in the life of Eric Blair. In 1947, the year after Eileen's death, Eric leaves London and moves to Jura, with his sister Avril, and his three year old son. He is suffering from tuberculosis but is determined to try and make a go of living off the land. But most of all he is determined to finish Nineteen Eighty-Four, his final book. Eric Blair..Joseph Millson Avril Blair...Liza Sadovy David Holbrook... Adam Nagaitis Sonia Orwell ...Stephanie Racine Ricky Blair...James Foster Henry...Will Howard Lucy...Alexandra Guelff Jane...Lizzie Watts Directed by Jeremy Mortimer Of course there is no real George Orwell - it was the pen name of Eric Blair - but he was a writer and political commentator who is very hard to pin down. Ever since his early death in 1950, he has been at one and the same time the darling of some on both the left and the right of British politics - whilst being reviled by others. For all the beautiful simplicity of his writing and storytelling Orwell/Blair is a complex mass of confusions - an anti-establishment, pro-English, ex-Etonian ex-policeman and socialist, who was ardently anti-authoritarian. He was as anti-fascist as he was anti-communist, a former Spanish Civil War soldier who was anti-war but pro the Second World War, and so on and so on. By Jonathan Holloway. Summer 1947, Eric has moved to Jura. With Joseph Millson.