dennis potter is still the best playwright of the television age and this is his best work.
set in the forrest of dean on a summers day during world war 2,we follow the a group of children at play.but the children's play has a tragic outcome.
potter set out to challenge our perception as all the children are played by adults.(colin welland, who plays willie,in an interview at the time said that the play challenged the actors as well).it could have foundered instead it draws you in until you only see children.children who are by turns nasty,nice,scared,brave,stupid, clever,bloodthirsty and imaginative.one of the best scenes remains when three of the children play mums and dads-adults playing children playing adults-pure genius.
the acting is first-class.none of them has ever done anything better.
an absolute must see