Boys & girls come out to play

[John Stewart Miller]

I recall this billed as a one off play, early 1974 BBC 1. The trailer showed a young girl looking out of the top window of her house, at night. Whereupon, the modern street light faded & was replaced by a gas lamp with victorian children playing beneath it. The vision faded when they formed a circle singing 'Ring a ring a roses' and sat down on the cobbled road surface.

Interest surfaced later when it was noted the main role was an early one for Sarah Sutton ('Nyssa' in 80s 'Dr Who').

It was apparently an entry originally to the series MENACE, and despite being repeated alone, was wiped.

[Stephen Doran]

i recall it didnt they terroise a old lady?

[Andy Meredith]

I had no idea it was Sarah Sutton. Yeah, they killed the old lady's cat. This story has stayed with me in fragmented bits ever since, all rather disturbing, every one was talking about it at school the next day. Can't believe the Beeb would wipe it, there again, one only has to look at their record in this department to concede they probably did. Boo, hiss.

[William Martin]

this may have survived on a school off air recording it sounds the sort of thing an English teacher would record.

[norrinradd]

sarah sutton yes.

[John Bisson]

See also reference to this in " Beast/Menace??" last posted on 17 May.

[John Stewart Miller]

It was also cryptically referred to as being a sought after item by the NFA about 10 years ago I think. I say cryptically, what someone said to me was; the way it was written implied there might be reasonable evidence to suggest someone somewhere may have a copy. All I can think of is a T/R for overseas, or possibly an off air Philips machine recording. I recall a special trailer for the one off play repeat (c. April '74). I've long thought with off air recordings of BBC links turning up in recent years at least the trailer might turn up, which would represent it in some way.

By the way, I noticed in a Radio times still another piece of history as suttons character in the piece had a Mickey Mouse clock, a collectable piece now!