Brian Thompson
Turning Over

A deliciously funny satire on how television documentaries are made. A BBC film crew is on a hill station in India, making a programme for a series entitled 'I could be happy here'. But the presenter, director and technicians are far from happy as they battle with the climate, the food and the souring relationships... Originally starring Charles Dance. (Cast 5m, 2f)

“...Turning Over is a waspish, revealing and uproariously funny account of the making of a BBC documentary about a hill station in India ... Thompson has a nice line in poisonous insults and captures all the tension, anxiety, and spite of the fractious crew. He also finds plenty of comic mileage in the technicalities of filming.”
~ Charles Spencer, Standard

“...a wickedly funny picture of life the wrong side of the camera lens ... the play brings us a wonderfully observed gallery of telly-folk in action...”
~ Ann McFerran, Time Out

“[In his] excellent new play ... Mr Thompson, who knows his stuff, skilfully interweaves two different kinds of cultural conflict: one between the English intruders and the Indian residents, and the other between the image-hungry, technocratic TV director and his urbane, children’s novelist presenter.”
~ Michael Billington, The Guardian

“...hilarious accuracy ... a knowing and knowledgeable play.”
~ John Barber, Daily Telegraph