Celebrated, controversial, much missed -  television dramatist Dennis Potter passed away thirty years ago this June, and as a celebration of his life and work University of Gloucestershire's Reading the Forest is teaming up with The Palace Cinema and Dean Heritage Centre to mark the anniversary.

On Sunday 9th June The Palace are screening in-full Potter's ultimate television masterpiece: The Singing Detective.

Recognised by critics and fans alike as a tour de force of television drama writing and production the serial did much too to cement Potter's reputation in his native Forest of Dean. Large parts of the drama were filmed in the Forest and as with his other locally filmed works, local people were employed as extras. He was a hugely important figure in the development of British television, but he never forgot the people and places where he grew up. 

The event also marks the passing of the remarkable Michael Gambon last year. 
 
The screening is taking place thanks to the enthusiastic support of Andy and Karen, owners of The Palace Cinema, who have licensed the screening through the British Film Institute. The Palace, built in 1910 is one of the oldest purpose-built cinemas still operating in Britain, and Potter himself knew it as a youngster. The audience is being encouraged to come dressed as characters in the drama – detectives, spivs, doctors, nurses, patients, or in 1940s period clothing.

The screening will be introduced (via video) by world renowned Potter expert and author Professor John Cook of Glasgow Caledonian University, a long-standing friend and consultant to the Potter Archive. John’s own research in the archive saw him author a recent paper demonstrating how Potter drew on several of his longstanding themes and ideas in his writing of The Singing Detective. 

Those attending the screening will also get to see some of the unique artefacts relating to the drama that are held by the Dennis Potter Archive.
 
The screening is on Sunday 9th June 10am-6pm. Tickets available to pre-book online at https://cinderpal.com/cinderford/soon/ 


Professor John Cook's paper on his discoveries in the Dennis Potter achive can be read for free here: : 
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://researchonline.gcu.ac.uk/files/72336635/Cook_J._R._2022_The_Country_Boy.pdf