...
The Norman Conquests (staring Tom Conti as Norman) was made by Thames Television. It is a series of individual plays that cover the weekend of a weekend at a house in the country.
The play are entitled Table Manners, Living Together, and Round and Round the Table. The audience is allowed ... Read review
The Norman Conquest - The aftermath of 1066In newly conquered England, the years which ... more
followed the Battle of Hastings were marked by violent turmoil. King William eventually responded to the constant uprisings of the Anglo-Saxon people by laying waste to the North of England. It was a brutal period of English history, which saw the introduction of feudalism, a proliferation of Norman churches and castles, and the completion of the remarkable Domesday Book.Authentic re-enactments, dramatised contemporary account, period imagery and expert analysis from Doctor Matthew Strickland (University of Glasgow) give an in-depth understanding of these dark times.
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Director: Tony Dow - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: John Challis, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Tessa Peake-Jones, Gwyneth Strong
Advantages: Three great plays in one set Disadvantages: No extras
...Ayckbourn is probably one of the greatest comedic playwrights of his generation. His plays are extremely well-executed looks at the frailties and foibles of everyday life and of "ordinary" people.
The Norman Conquests (staring Tom Conti as Norman) was made by Thames Television. It is a series of individual plays that cover the weekend of a weekend at a house in the country.
The play are entitled Table Manners, ... ...events that all involve the characters who are living at or staying at the house over the weekend.
The events start at about 5.30 on the Saturday afternoon and continue through until a little after 9 on Monday morning.
Each play is complete of itself, but you would miss the joy of watching everything unfold as things happen and as things go terribly wrong for the hapless inhabitants of the house.
It stars Tom Conti, Penelope ... more
Alan Ayckbourn is probably one of the greatest comedic playwrights of his generation. His plays are extremely well-executed looks at the frailties and foibles of everyday life and of "ordinary" people.
The Norman Conquests (staring Tom Conti as Norman) was made by Thames Television. It is a series of individual plays that cover the weekend of a weekend at a house in the country.
The play are entitled Table Manners, Living Together, and Round and Round the Table. The audience is allowed to eavesdrop on a series of happenings and events that all involve the characters who are living at or staying at the house over the weekend. The events start at about 5.30 on the Saturday afternoon and continue through until a little after 9 on Monday morning. Each play is complete of itself, but you would miss the joy of watching everything unfold as things happen and as things go terribly wrong for the hapless inhabitants of the house. It stars Tom Conti, Penelope Wilton, Richard Briers, Fiona Walker, David Troughton, Penelope Keith, and was made in 1978. Despite the age of the film, it still stands up very well and it is obvious to see why The Norman Conquests are so popular with amateur theatre groups up and down the country.
The storyline is straightforward. To their horror, a family becomes aware Annie (played by Penelope Wilton) is working up towards having an affair with Norman (played by Tom Conti).
They each react to this disturbing news in their own way, and react in various different ways. The casting was very well realised and the comic timing of the cast first rate. It shows that the cast are all as experienced on the stage as they are on television, because this is, very much, as stage play that has been filmed for television. I think they used to call this type of play a "comedy of manners."
The comedy is very much in evidence but as are the tragic elements of the plays. For example, what do you do should you find out your husband is trying to have an affair with your sister? This is something that every fan of British theatre needs for their DVD collection. Though the lack of any extras (other than scene selection) is a pity. As is the absence of subtitles.
Should cost about £25, check on Ciao comparisons for the best deal.
A television adaptation of three plays by Alan Ayckbourn covering the events that take place over a single weekend.
Release details
DVD Region
DVD
Studio(s)
METRODOME DISTRIBUTION; DELUXE VIDEO SERVICE - METRODOME
Release date
19/04/2004
No of Discs
3
Catalogue No
MTD 5152
Screenwriter
Alan Ayckbourn
Languages
Main Language
English
Professional reviews
Review
"...A landmark of theatrical achievement..." (Jack Tinker) (Daily Mail, )
"...A tour-de-force so exceptional I can only throw my hat in the air and rejoice..." (John Barber) (Daily Telegraph, )
"...A consistently funny...[and] significant comedy of manners..." (The Stage, )
DVD Description
A trilogy of comedic plays originally broadcast in the late 1970s. The three plays follow the events that happen to a groups of friends over the course of a weekend. Includes: THE NORMAN CONQUESTS: Living Together, THE NORMAN CONQUESTS: Round & Round The Garden, and THE NORMAN CONQUESTS: Table Manners.
Compare The Norman Conquests (Box Set) (DVD) to other similar Comedy »
Similar products and search queries by other users »
The DVD, The Norman DVD, The Conquests DVD, The Box DVD, The Set DVD, The Norman Conquests DVD, The Norman Box DVD, The Norman Set DVD, The Conquests Box DVD, The Conquests Set DVD, The Box Set DVD, The Norman Conquests Box DVD, The Norman Conquests Set DVD, The Norman Box Set DVD, The Conquests Box Set DVD
Are you the manufacturer / provider of The Norman Conquests (Box Set) (DVD)? Click here
![Norman Conquests - The Harrying Of The North [DVD] [1994]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78492190.jpg "Norman Conquests - The Harrying Of The North [DVD] [1994]")
