''Son of Man'' is a British television play by playwright

Dennis Potter Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Singing Detective'' (198 ...

which was first broadcast on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

on 16 April 1969, in ''

The Wednesday Play ''The Wednesday Play'' is an anthology series of British television plays which ran on BBC1 for six seasons from October 1964 to May 1970. The plays were usually original works written for television, although dramatic adaptations of fiction ...

'' slot. An alternative depiction of the last days of

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, ''Son of Man'' was directed by Gareth Davies and starred

Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...

actor

Colin Blakely Colin George Blakely (23 September 1930 – 7 May 1987) was a Northern Irish actor. He had roles in the films '' A Man for All Seasons'' (1966), '' The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes'' (1970), '' Murder on the Orient Express'' (1974), and '' ...

. The play was shot on videotape over three days on a very limited budget: Potter was later to say that the set "looks as though it's trembling and about to fall down."

Controversy

The treatment of the subject matter led to Potter's being accused of

blasphemy Blasphemy is a speech crime and religious crime usually defined as an utterance that shows contempt, disrespects or insults a deity, an object considered sacred or something considered inviolable. Some religions regard blasphemy as a religiou ...

by Christian morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse. Blakely's burly, disheveled Jesus was depicted as being tormented by seizures and self-doubt, repeatedly crying out, "Is it me?", as he struggles with his own nature as God incarnate whilst being vulnerable to human frailty. Potter's work focuses on Jesus's message of universal love, but eschews any mention of miracles or the resurrection. Potter's Jesus believes that people should try to love their enemies rather than fight all the time, but is racked by self-doubt as to whether or not he is the popularly-anticipated Messiah. In one of the play's most oft-cited moments, Jesus examines an upright cross recently used for crucifixion, admires the quality of its timber, and sighs, "You should have stayed a tree, and I should have stayed a carpenter." The character of

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; grc-x-biblical, Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; syc, ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; died AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betraye ...

is identified with the rich young man of the

synoptic gospels The gospels of Gospel of Matthew, Matthew, Gospel of Mark, Mark, and Gospel of Luke, Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical ...

and

Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...

is depicted as a callous and wily political manipulator who recognizes the danger of Jesus' teachings upsetting the Roman status quo; Pilate therefore means to have Jesus executed whilst appearing outwardly reluctant to give the order, leaving the Jewish

Sanhedrin The Sanhedrin (Hebrew and Aramaic: סַנְהֶדְרִין; Greek: , ''synedrion'', 'sitting together,' hence 'assembly' or 'council') was an assembly of either 23 or 71 elders (known as "rabbis" after the destruction of the Second Temple), ap ...

the blame. The Jewish high priest

Caiaphas Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famous ...

is depicted as caught between appeasement of the Roman occupiers and the satisfaction of a

Messiah In Abrahamic religions, a messiah or messias (; , ; , ; ) is a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of ''mashiach'', messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a ''mashiach'' ...

-hungry Jerusalem; both Pilate and Caiaphas show moments of doubt when they condemn Jesus. The play fades to black upon the death of Jesus on the cross.

Cast and crew

''Cast'' *

Robert Hardy Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy (29 October 1925 – 3 August 2017) was an English actor who had a long career in theatre, film and television. He began his career as a classical actor and later earned widespread recognition for roles such as Sieg ...

Bernard Hepton Francis Bernard Heptonstall (19 October 1925 – 27 July 2018) better known by the stage name Bernard Hepton, was an English theatre director and actor. Best known for his stage work and television roles in teleplays and series, he also appeare ...

Brian Blessed Brian Blessed (; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor, presenter, writer and mountaineer. Blessed is known for portraying PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars'', Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of ''I, Claudius'', King Richard IV i ...

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

Edward Hardwicke Edward Cedric Hardwicke (7 August 1932 – 16 May 2011) was an English actor, who had a distinguished career on the stage and on-screen. He was best known for playing Captain Pat Grant in ''Colditz'' (1972-73), and Dr. Watson in Granada Te ...

Godfrey Quigley Godfrey Quigley (4 May 1923 – 7 September 1994) was an Irish film, television and stage actor. He appeared in Stanley Kubrick's films ''A Clockwork Orange'' and ''Barry Lyndon''. Biography Quigley was born in Jerusalem, Mandatory Palestine, ...

as the Roman Commander *

Patricia Lawrence Patricia Lawrence (19 November 1925, Andover, Hampshire – 7 March 1993, Chelsea, London) was a British actress. Personal life In 1947 she married writer and arts administrator Greville Poke (1912–2000) in the City of Westminster. Lawrence ...

as Procla *

Gawn Grainger Gawn Grainger (born 12 October 1937) is a British actor, playwright and screenwriter. Early life Some sources indicate he was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 12 October 1937. He is the son of Charles Neil Grainger and his wife Elizabeth (née Gal ...

Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...

Clive Graham Clive Graham (7 October 1937 in Swansea– 11 June 2007) was a British television actor. He had a lengthy career, roles included Robin of Locksley in ''Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' () by Walter Scott is a historical novel published ...

as Roman Centurion *

Godfrey James Godfrey James (16 April 1931 – 29 October 2019) was an English actor. His film appearances include: '' Séance on a Wet Afternoon'' (1964), ''Witchfinder General'' (1968), '' The Oblong Box'' (1969), ''Cry of the Banshee'' (1970), ''The Blood ...

as 1st Soldier *

Eric Mason Eric Mason (died 7 June 2010) was a British actor. Originally a stevedore working at Surrey Docks, he sustained a back injury in a road accident and end up taking an acting career. He made his theatrical debut in ''Gentle Jack'' by Robert Bolt, st ...

as 2nd Soldier * Brian Spink as

Zealot The Zealots were a political movement in 1st-century Second Temple Judaism which sought to incite the people of Judea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the Holy Land by force of arms, most notably during the First Je ...

Hugh Futcher Hugh Futcher (born 29 October 1937 in Portsmouth, Hampshire) is an English actor in theatre, television and film. He was a member of the stock company of the Carry On films, with notable parts in '' Carry On Spying'', '' Carry On at Your Conven ...

as 1st Heckler *

Raymond Witch Raymond Herbert Witch (6 October 1927 – 10 December 2009) was an English theatre, motion picture and television actor. Biography Witch was born to parents Herbert Witch and Nellie Witch (née Gilbert) on 6 October 1927Kristján Jónsson (2012) ...

as 2nd Heckler * Robin Chadwick as Young Officer * Colin Rix as

James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

* Walter Hall as

Philip Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

Wendy Allnutt Wendy Allnutt (born 1 May 1946) is an English stage and screen actress. She now teaches at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, leading a degree course in Training Actors Movement. Life Born in Lincoln, Allnutt trained for an acting career ...

as Ruth * Keith Campbell as 1st Priest * Edmund Bennett as 2nd Priest * Allan Lawrance as Money Changed * Paul Prescott as Man in Crowd * George Desmond as Leper * Polly Murch as Woman Possessed * Peter Beton as Beaten Samaritan * Edmund Bailey as 3rd Heckler * David Cannon as Beggar *

Roy Stewart Roy Stewart (15 May 1925 – 27 October 2008) was a Jamaican-born British actor. He began his career as a stuntman and went on to work in film and television. In 1954 he founded Roy Stewart's Gym in Powis Square, North Kensington, and ran th ...

and Dinny Powell as Boxers ''Crew'' * Written by

* Music: Carmel College Choir (Choirmaster: Martin Fogell) * Lighting: Robert Wright * Sound: Bryan Forgham * Costumes: Dinah Collin * Makeup: Sandra Hurll * Story Editor: Shaun MacLoughlin * Designer: Spencer Chapman * Producer:

Graeme MacDonald Graeme Patrick David MacDonald (30 July 1930 – 30 September 1997), sometimes credited as Graeme McDonald or Graham McDonald, was a British television producer and executive. Early life MacDonald was educated at St Paul's School, London an ...

* Director: Gareth Davies

Stage version

Potter's play was also adapted for the stage and played at the Roundhouse, London, with

Frank Finlay Francis Finlay, (6 August 1926 – 30 January 2016) was an English stage, film and television actor, Oscar-nominated for a supporting role as Iago in Laurence Olivier's 1965 film adaptation of ''Othello''. In 1983, Finlay was directed by Ital ...

in the leading role. The stage version of ''Son of Man'' was first produced on 22 October 1969, at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester.

Phoenix Theatre cast

as Jesus *

Joseph O'Conor Joseph O'Conor (14 February 1916 – 21 January 2001) was an Irish actor and playwright. Early years O'Conor was born in DublinAlan Strachan ''The Independent'', 2 February 2001Stephen GilbertObituary ''The Guardian'', 25 January 2001 on ...

as Pontius Pilate * Ian Mullins as Caiaphas *

David Daker Colin David Daker (born 29 September 1935) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as Harry Crawford in the hit series ''Boon''. He also played Tommy Mackay in ''Only Fools and Horses'' and Jarvis in '' Porridge''. He has made two ap ...

as Peter * David Henry as the Roman Commander * Linda Polan as Procla *

Stanley Lebor Stanley Harvey Lebor (24 September 1934 – 22 November 2014) was an English actor. He was best known for his roles as Howard Hughes in the 1980s BBC TV comedy series ''Ever Decreasing Circles'', the Mongon Doctor in ''Flash Gordon'' (1980), and ...

as Andrew *

as Ruth

Legacy

''Son of Man'' co-stars Colin Blakely and Robert Hardy would both portray the eccentric

Siegfried Farnon Donald Vaughan Sinclair (22 April 1911 – 28 June 1995) was a British veterinary surgeon who graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in 1933. He was made famous as the inspiration for the eccentric character Siegfried ...

from the

James Herriot James Alfred Wight (3 October 1916 – 23 February 1995), better known by his pen name James Herriot, was a British veterinary surgeon and author. Born in Sunderland, Wight graduated from Glasgow Veterinary College in 1939, returning to Engl ...

books; Blakely in the 1975 film ''

It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet ''It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet'' (in the United States also known as ''All Things Bright and Beautiful''), is a 1976 sequel to the 1975 film '' All Creatures Great and Small''. Although having the same title as James Herriot's second novel, the ...

'' and Hardy in the 1978-1990 television series '' All Creatures Great and Small''. Colin Blakely would appear in another televised dramatization of the life and death of Jesus Christ; he played Caiaphas in the 1980 American

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

'' The Day Christ Died'' (in which the role of Jesus was played by

Chris Sarandon Christopher Sarandon (; born July 24, 1942) is an American actor. He is well known for playing a variety of iconic characters, including Jerry Dandrige in ''Fright Night'' (1985), Prince Humperdinck in ''The Princess Bride'' (1987), Detective Mik ...

). Interviewed by ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' in 2020, Irish actor

Ciarán Hinds Ciarán Hinds (; born 9 February 1953) is an Irish actor. Born in Belfast, Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover'' (1989), ''Persuasion'' (19 ...

listed the 1969 broadcast of ''Son of Man'' as one of his "teenage obsessions": ''Son of Man'' has been repeated on television but, to date, has never received an official release on any physical home entertainment format.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Son Of Man (Play) 1969 television plays Television shows written by Dennis Potter Portrayals of Jesus on television Biographical films about Jesus Television shows based on the Bible Cultural depictions of Judas Iscariot Cultural depictions of Pontius Pilate Cultural depictions of Saint Peter