Dramarama (TV series)

Dramarama
Genre drama
supernatural
science-fiction
Format children's anthology series
Created by Anna Home[1]
Starring varied by episode
Country of origin

United Kingdom

] (CITV)
Production
Executive producer(s) varied by episode
Producer(s) varied by episode
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) ITV
Broadcast
Original run 12 September 1983 – 21 August 1989

Dramarama is the name of a British children's' anthology series broadcast on ITV between 1983 and 1989. It tended to feature drama of a science fiction or supernatural bent. The programme was administered by Tyne Tees Television in Newcastle, who had a track-record for organising cross-franchise series for the ITV network. The programme split production responsibilities amongst most of the regional ITV franchise holders. Thus, each episode was in practice a one-off production with its own cast and crew, up to and including the executive producer.

Dramarama was largely a place for new talent to prove themselves, but sometimes was a place that veteran artists could alight. The series was an early credit for writers Anthony Horowitz, Paul Abbott, Kay Mellor, Janice Hally and Ann Marie Di Mambro, but the last place Dennis Spooner sold a script.

One of Dramarama's episodes, Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest, gained so much popularity that it was turned in to its own series the following year. It starred Lee Ross and was based around a large foster home. The episode Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night was developed into the TV series Children's Ward.

Contents

Episodes

90 episodes (1983–89)

Series One (1983)

  1. Mighty Mum and the Petnappers (TVS)
  2. Rip It Up (TVS)
  3. Venchie (Tyne Tees)
  4. Jack and the Computer (TVS)
  5. Because I Say So (Central)
  6. Bully for Cosmo (Central)
  7. Messages (Tyne Tees)
  8. The Young Person's Guide to Getting Their Ball Back (TVS)
  9. Sweet Revenge (Central)

Series Two (1984)

  1. Night of the Narrow Boats (Central)
  2. Fowl Pest (TVS)
  3. Dodger, Bonzo and the Rest (Thames)
  4. Que Sera (TVS)
  5. Stalemate (Central)
  6. Snoop! (Thames)
  7. Mr. Stabe (Thames)
  8. Josephine Jo]] (Central)
  9. The Purple People Eater (TVS)
  10. On Your Tod (Thames)
  11. The Old Firm: Two for Starters (Granada)
  12. Rachel and Rosie (TVS)

Series Three (1985)

  1. Easy (TVS)
  2. The Coal Princess (Tyne Tees)
  3. Look at Me (Central)
  4. The Young Person's Guide to Going Backwards in the World (TVS)
  5. The Audition (Tyne Tees)
  6. The Universe Downstairs (TVS)
  7. A Proper Little Nooryeff (Central)
  8. Frog (TVS)
  9. Private Eye (Scottish)
  10. Emily (TVS)
  11. Silver (Scottish)
  12. The Golden Conch (HTV)
  13. Purple Passion Video (HTV West)

Series Four (1986)

  1. The Come-Uppance of Captain Katt (TVS)
  2. A Couple of Charlies (Central)
  3. Wayfarers (Scottish)
  4. Play Acting (HTV)
  5. Last Days at Black Bert's (TVS)
  6. Maureen Reid, Where Are You? (Scottish)
  7. Flashback (HTV West)
  8. Direct Action (TVS)
  9. Waiting for Elvis (Scottish)
  10. Just a Game (TVS)
  11. Flyaway Friend (Tyne Tees)
  12. Pig Ignorance (Thames)
  13. Jessie's Place (Thames)
  14. Frankie's Hat (Thames)

Series Five (1987)

  1. Cannondrum (TVS)
  2. Snap (TVS)
  3. The Horrible Story (Thames)
  4. My Friend Julie (Thames)
  5. The Creature Beyond Torches' End (TVS)
  6. My Mum's a Courgette (Scottish)
  7. Brainwaves (Scottish)
  8. Undertow of the Armada (Ulster)
  9. Stan's First Night (Scottish)
  10. Living Doll (TVS)
  11. Peter (Central)
  12. The Halt (Central)
  13. Mr Magus is Waiting for You (Thames)
  14. Tam (HTV West)
  15. A Spirited Performance (HTV Wales)
  16. Badger on the Barge (Border)

Series Six (1988)

  1. Forever Young (Granada)
  2. The Macramé Man (Scottish)
  3. The Wrong Button (Central)
  4. Bubbles (Granada)
  5. Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night (Granada)
  6. Big T for Trouble (Tyne Tees)
  7. Room for One More (Scottish)
  8. Making Waves (TVS)
  9. Just a Normal Girl (Husson Productions for Central)
  10. Now You See Them (TVS)
  11. Bogeymen (TVS)
  12. The Alien (Border)
  13. The Secret of Croftmore (Scottish)
  14. The Bubblegum Brigade (HTV)
  15. Playing for Wales (HTV Wales)
  16. Snap Decision (Husson Productions for Central)

Series Seven (1989)

  1. Codzmorf (TVS)
  2. Ghost Story (Granada)
  3. Badger (Granada)
  4. Back to Front (Yorkshire)
  5. Monstrous (HTV Wales)
  6. The Pisces Connection (HTV West)
  7. Rosie the Great (Teliesyn Productions for Thames)
  8. Snakes and Loofahs (KPO Ltd/Border)
  9. Just Wild About Harry (Tyne Tees)
  10. Mitchin (TSW)
  11. In the Pink (Husson Productions for Central)

Note: only four ITV companies did not contribue to the series - Anglia, Channel, Grampian and LWT.

Video

A videotape containing the episodes Big T for Trouble, Just Wild About Harry and Venchie (all Tyne Tees productions) was released by Video Gems, circa 1990. It is now out of print.

Notes

References

  1. ^ BFI biography of Anna Home, indicating her as responsible for the show's setup.

External links