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Face Lift

THE PREMISE: in 2074, we’re all going to be idle proles (Names), apart from those of us who happen to be among the technologically-literate elite Numbers), searching for a scientific proof of mankind’s soul, and never the twain shall meet. Oh, and we’ll burst into song at the merest opportunity, this being a musical. Only stage magician Zax (MARTIN SHAW in a blonde wig) will be able to break down the barriers between Names and Numbers by romancing cold-hearted scientist SUE JONES-DAVIES. Very much an of-its-time offering from former agitprop dramatist and David Hare collaborator TONY BICAT (with, as ever, his brother Nick providing the score), now doomed to raise snide chuckles via its combination of unashamedly ’80s hair, the all-white costumes, rock opera lyrics about soul, love and test tubes, laser light tunnels and clomping choreography. A relic from a more earnest, on-the-nose era of drama. Best not judge too harshly, but that said, if Central didn’t bury a tape of this in a time capsule, we want to know why.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Myra Kinghorn

    February 24, 2011 at 4:41 pm

    I watched facelift and certainly do not think it needs to be buried. Martin Shaw is an amazing actor who did a lot of tv work before and after The Professionals, unfortunately it seems that a lot of it is lost to us forever as it is impossible to get hold of copies of them. ‘The most dangerous man in the world’ is a prime example. It is not that copies do not exist, its a case of tv and film companies not being prepared to allow copies to be bought.

  2. richardpd

    October 3, 2019 at 11:09 pm

    I remember Clive James once digging up a clip from this, with a girl singing “Never hand any dolls just a chemistry set”.

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