Search results for ""Author Stephen Poliakoff""

Close to the Enemy is a seven-part television series, mostly set in a bomb-damaged London hotel in the aftermath of the Second World War. The drama follows intelligence officer Captain Callum Ferguson whose last task for the Army is to ensure that a captured German scientist, Dieter, starts working for the British RAF on urgently developing the jet engine. With the background of the emerging Cold War, it is clear to all that it's crucial for British national security that cutting-edge technology is made available to the armed forces as quickly as possible. Callum uses unorthodox methods in his attempt to convince Dieter to work with the British and eventually a friendship develops between the two men, but soon tensions arise as all is not as it seems. Over the course of the series, Callum encounters a number of other characters whose stories all intertwine. These characters include Victor, Callum’s younger brother, struggling to deal with psychological trauma caused by his experience in the fighting; Harold, a Foreign Office official who reveals some startling truths about the outbreak of the war; Rachel, an enchanting Anglophile American engaged to his best friend; and Kathy, a tough young woman working for the War Crimes Unit, fighting to bring war criminals who escaped prosecution to justice. All these characters are trying to rebuild and move their lives forward in the aftermath of the war, a war that scarred them all so deeply. Close to the Enemy was first screened on BBC2 in November 2016 in a production by Little Island Productions. It starred Jim Sturgess, Freddie Highmore, Charlotte Riley, Phoebe Fox, August Diehl, Robert Glenister, Alfie Allen, Charity Wakefield, Angela Bassett, Lindsay Duncan and Alfred Molina.

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Set in a time of immense change, Dancing on the Edge tells the story of a black jazz group, the Louis Lester Band, as they rise to fame, entertaining guests at exclusive high society gatherings in 1930s London. While many recoil at the presence of black musicians in polite society, the capital's more progressive socialites, including younger members of the Royal Family, take the band under their wing. In this explosive five-part series, Stephen Poliakoff returns to television with his most ambitious work to date. Dancing on the Edge provides a new angle on an extraordinary time in history, giving us a piercingly original vision of Britain in the 1930s; a time of glamour, hardship, vibrant new music and financial meltdown. Combining the rich characterisation of Shooting The Past with the epic sweep of The Lost Prince and inspired by true stories of the era, Dancing on the Edge was produced by Ruby Film and Television for BBC2. Also included is the innovative epilogue to the whole drama, Interviewing Louis, where music journalist Stanley conducts a combative in-depth interview with Louis Lester. This funny and disturbing drama complements the main story perfectly while leading us towards a shocking and unexpected conclusion.

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