A schoolgirl tells her own story of an evening dining at a grand restaurant.
In this play for children, schoolgirl Angela Hepworth (Sarah Long) recounts her experiences visiting the “very splendid” Restaurant Splendide. She introduces the various figures she encounters, including her Father (Arthur Lawrence) and Mother (Audrey Noble), the restaurant’s Manager (Michael Anthony), the Head Waiter (John G. Heller), and a colourful cast of staff and patrons such as Dizzy Bing (Irene French) and Patsy Ponsonby (Ann Castaldini).
This charming piece from the BBC’s “Children’s Television” strand was distinguished by its playful narrative conceit. The programme was presented as if written by its young protagonist, with the actual writer, C. E. Webber, credited only with having “written it down”. This framing device, giving a child’s-eye view of the formal adult world of fine dining, lent the production a storybook quality. Behind the simple premise, however, were the established talents of producer Rex Tucker and Webber himself, a key figure in the development of British television science fiction, who here demonstrates a light and whimsical touch.
Broadcast: BBC, 1 Episode, Tuesday 6 May 1958
Written by: C. E. Webber
Production by: Rex Tucker
Designer: John Cooper
Main Cast: Sarah Long (Angela Hepworth), Arthur Lawrence (Father), Audrey Noble (Mother), Violet Loxley (Receptionist), Irene French (Dizzy Bing), Ann Castaldini (Patsy Ponsonby), Brenda Dunrich (Cloakroom Attendant), Michael Anthony (Manager), John G. Heller (Head Waiter), Hannah Watt (Virginia Verity), Peter Doughty, Stuart Nichol, Anthea Wyndham
