Sally
1964 - United KingdomVanessa Redgrave made her Independent Television drama debut on December 6, 1964, in the Armchair Theatre production, Sally. This three-character play, written by William Woods (Probation Officer, No Hiding Place), featured Redgrave (Call the Midwife) in the eponymous role as a young, talented artist struggling with insecurities. She shares her studio flat with her creative ambitions and a chronic battle to keep her surroundings in order. Sally’s artistry is apparent, yet her confidence is undermined, partly due to her pronounced limp, a feature that makes her self-conscious, and also by the pressure of meeting the mother of her barrister lover, Charles, played by Nigel Stock (Sherlock Holmes). Charles is married, with children, and Sally has been commissioned by him to paint a portrait of his mother, Mrs. Drummond, portrayed by Joyce Carey (Father Dear Father), a woman who becomes a source of emotional tension in Sally's life.
The character of Mrs. Drummond is rich with overtones, with Carey’s portrayal adding layers beyond the scripted role. She initially appears as a cold and demanding figure, echoing her son’s accusation that she has rendered "love a dirty word." As the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that Mrs. Drummond embodies a blend of selfishness and cruelty that both contrasts and parallels Sally’s sensitivity. Meanwhile, Charles, the story’s weakest link in personality, is portrayed by Stock as a largely passive character, a man of few convictions, whose only real assertion in life has been to love Sally. Stock’s performance brings an empathetic quality to Charles, despite the character’s lack of strength and decisiveness.
The play centres not on Charles himself but on how both women perceive him, creating a sharp character study and drawing out the emotional and psychological complexities of each relationship. The Scotsman’s critic, Peggie Phillips, praised the play as 'a moral tale in the deepest sense,' viewing it as a reflection on the bleak realities of adultery and societal judgment. She commended the entire production for its authenticity, describing the characterizations as deeply compelling. In her view, the play’s themes left little to be romanticised about infidelity or social disgrace, highlighting instead the painful consequences.
However, one particular viewer from Portsmouth was so unimpressed with the production that they were moved to write to the Daily Mirror; 'For sheer boredom, ITV's play, Sally, must surely go to the top of the list. Week in and week out, almost without exception, the same old shallow stories are on offer. Where they find their writers I cannot imagine. What a crime to inflict an actress of Vanessa Redgrave's talents with such terrible material.'
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Published on October 29th, 2024. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.
