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Then Barbara Met Alan centres around two activists – comedian Barbara Lisicki (Ruth Madeley) and singer-songwriter Alan Holdsworth (Arthur Hughes), who meet up a gig where she’s doing stand-up, and he’s performing in a band, and rather hit it off.
The drama begins in 1990 when they first clap eyes on each other, and goes on to eventually pass the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which includes access to pubs and restaurants, the need for accessible housing, better employment rights, even if by that point, there was still much more work for the government of the day to do, since not outlet had to comply, for example.
Also taking into account the ITV Telethons that patronised disabled people, during which they attempt to get onscreen and disrupt the process (which I remember seeing on the news, later, albeit not live), Barbara often breaks the fourth wall and talks to us, narrating elements of the story. Plus, there’s the obligatory appearance from both members of the real-life couple.
Overall, this passes just over an hour, and as a drama is reasonably entertaining, but while the acting is fine and it all gets the point across, it’s hardly gripping.
Then Barbara Met Alan is on Monday March 21st on BBC2 at 10pm. It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
After episode one has been broadcast, I expect the whole series will be on the BBC iPlayer.
Directors: Bruce Goodison, Amit Sharma
Producers: Bryony Arnold, Debbie Shuter
Writers: Genevieve Barr, Jack Thorne
Cast:
Barbara Lisicki: Ruth Madeley
Alan Holdsworth: Arthur Hughes
Francesca: Elizabeth Hill
Gwen: Faith Edwards
Sue: Philippa Cole
Activist: Josh Merritt
Police Officer: Andy Chaplin
Protestors: Kieran Thomas Peace, Poppy Sansom
Themselves: Barbara Lisicki, Alan Holdsworth
Dev: Manny Ahmed
Liz: Liz Carr
Mat: Mat Fraser
Ian: Fergus Rattigan
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.