''Cream in My Coffee'' is a television drama by

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 ...

, broadcast on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

on 2 November 1980 as the last in a loosely connected trilogy of plays exploring language and betrayal. A juxtaposition between youth and old age, the play combines a

non-linear narrative Nonlinear narrative, disjointed narrative, or disrupted narrative is a narrative technique, sometimes used in literature, film, video games, and other narratives, where events are portrayed, for example, out of chronological order or in other way ...

with the use of popular music to heighten dramatic tension, a feature of much of Potter's work. ''Cream in My Coffee'' was awarded the

Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international Television, Radio-broadcasting and Web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with the ...

for best drama in 1981 and

Peggy Ashcroft Dame Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991), known professionally as Peggy Ashcroft, was an English actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. Born to a comfortable middle-class family, Ashcroft was deter ...

gained a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1981. The play's title is taken from the popular song "

You're the Cream in My Coffee "You're the Cream in My Coffee" is a popular song published in 1928. Popular recordings were by Annette Hanshaw, Ben Selvin (vocal by Jack Palmer), Ted Weems (vocal by Parker Gibbs) and Ruth Etting. The music was written by Ray Henderson, with ...

", from the 1929

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

musical ''

Hold Everything! ''Hold Everything!'' is a musical comedy with lyrics by Lew Brown and B. G. de Sylva, music by Ray Henderson, and has an accompanying book by John McGowan and B. G. de Sylva. Produced by Alex A. Aarons and Vinton Freedley, the Broadway production ...

Synopsis

In the summer of 1934, young lovers Bernard and Jean head to the five star

Grand Hotel A grand hotel is a large and luxurious hotel, especially one housed in a building with traditional architectural style. It began to flourish in the 1800s in Europe and North America. Grand Hotel may refer to: Hotels Africa * Grande Hotel Beir ...

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

for a dirty weekend. Bernard comes from an affluent middle-class family while Jean works at the local post office; they intend to be married within a matter of months, much to the annoyance of Bernard's domineering mother. During their stay the couple make the acquaintance of the resident

dance band ''Dance Band'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Marcel Varnel and starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, June Clyde and Steven Geray. It was shot at Welwyn Studios with sets designed by the art director David Rawnsley. Plot When dance band ...

singer Jack Butcher, who takes a particular liking to Jean. When Bernard receives word that his father has died he returns home immediately to be at his mother's side, leaving Jean alone at the hotel. Hurt by Bernard's abandonment, Jean goes to console herself in the ballroom, where she is approached by Butcher who plies her with alcohol before taking her back to her room, where the two have sex. Despite Bernard's mother's objections to her son marrying a shop girl, Bernard returns to the hotel and marries Jean soon after. In the summer of 1980, the elderly Bernard and Jean return to the hotel to rekindle the spark in their marriage. Bernard's earlier class-driven condescension towards Jean has turned to cruelty, constantly examining and cross-examining every comment she makes; Jean's earlier naivety and impetuousness have transformed into resignation and tolerance, despite her husband's maliciousness. The hotel has also changed since the couple last stayed there: the orchestra who once played to the residents as they took their afternoon tea has been replaced by a man on an electronic keyboard, and the ballroom holds discos rather than dances. Bernard and Jean spend much of their holiday arguing, usually as a result of Bernard's imagined slights from his wife. Time, however, is running out and the couple are aware that with Bernard being in ill-health this may prove to be the last holiday they take together. On the final evening of their stay the couple attend a 1930s night. Bernard's mind travels back to their first time at the hotel; the rush of memory causes him to recognise the legacy of his mother's dominance, the love he once had with Jean, the significance of Jack Butcher and his own loneliness. He attacks Jean but suffers a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...

. As St John's Ambulance men remove his body the rock band on stage launch into a rendition of "

Button Up Your Overcoat "Button Up Your Overcoat" is a popular song. The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1928, and was first performed later that same year by vocalist Ruth Etting. However, the mos ...

Production

''Cream in My Coffee'' was the third play of an intended series of nine dramas produced by Potter and

Kenith Trodd Kenith Trodd (born 1936, in Southampton) is a British television producer best known for his professional association with television playwright Dennis Potter. Early life The son of a crane driver, Trodd was raised in the Christian fundamentalist ...

's own production company Pennies From Heaven Ltd. to be broadcast on

in 1980 and 1981. Commissioned by

Michael Grade Michael Ian Grade, Baron Grade of Yarmouth, (born 8 March 1943) is an English television executive and businessman. He has held a number of senior roles in television, including controller of BBC1 (1984–1986), chief executive of Channel 4 ( ...

and distributed through

London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 unt ...

, six of the plays would be written by Potter while the remaining three were to be shared between Jim Allen and an undisclosed writer. In the event, budget cuts and scheduling problems led to only three plays being produced: ''

Blade on the Feather ''Blade on the Feather'' is a television drama by Dennis Potter, broadcast by ITV on 19 October 1980 as the first in a loosely connected trilogy of plays exploring language and betrayal. A pastiche of the John Le Carré spy thriller and trans ...

'', ''

Rain on the Roof ''Rain on the Roof'' is a television drama by Dennis Potter, broadcast by ITV on 26 October 1980. It is the second in a loosely connected trilogy of plays exploring language and betrayal, produced for London Weekend Television by the independen ...

'' and ''Cream in My Coffee''.

Principal cast

Lionel Jeffries Lionel Charles Jeffries (10 June 1926 – 19 February 2010) was an English actor, director, and screenwriter. He appeared primarily in films and received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Awa ...

as Bernard Wilsher *

as Jean Wilsher *

Peter Chelsom Peter Chelsom (born 20 April 1956) is a British film director, writer, and actor. He has directed such films as ''Hector and the Search for Happiness'', ''Serendipity'', and '' Shall We Dance?'' Peter Chelsom is a member of the British Academ ...

as young Bernard *

Shelagh McLeod Shelagh McLeod'', sometimes credited as Shelagh MacLeod or Sheleigh McCleod, is a British-based Canadian film and television actress. Early life and education McLeod was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. At the age of five and a hal ...

as young Jean *

Martin Shaw Martin Shaw (born 21 January 1945) is an English actor. He came to national recognition as Doyle in ITV (TV network), ITV crime-action television drama series ''The Professionals (TV series), The Professionals'' (1977–1983). Further notable ...

as Jack Butcher *

Faith Brook Faith Brook (16 February 1922 – 11 March 2012) was an English actress who appeared on stage, in films and on television, generally in upper-class roles. She was the daughter of actor Clive Brook. Early years Although she was born in York ...

as Mrs Wilsher

Sources

Humphrey Carpenter Humphrey William Bouverie Carpenter (29 April 1946 – 4 January 2005) was an English biographer, writer, and radio broadcaster. He is known especially for his biographies of J. R. R. Tolkien and other members of the literary society the Inkli ...

, ''Dennis Potter: A Biography''; 1998 *Graham Fuller (ed.), ''Potter on Potter''; 1993 *W. Stephen Gilbert, ''Fight & Kick & Bite: The Life and Work of Dennis Potter''; 1995

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cream in My Coffee 1980 television films 1980 films 1980 television plays ITV television dramas Television shows written by Dennis Potter English-language television shows Films directed by Gavin Millar Films set in 1934 London Weekend Television shows