This week we discuss two Mike Leigh period films which examine vastly different areas of British culture. The first is Topsy Turvy (1999), which depicts Gilbert and Sullivan’s tumultuous creative process in bringing their acclaimed operetta, The Mikado, to the stage. The second is Vera Drake (2004), a hard-hitting look into the life of a working-class housewife in 1950s London who performs backstreet abortions.   Timestamps Topsy Turvy (00:07:25) Vera Drake (00:42:35)   Links  Justwatch.com – streaming and rental links https://www.justwatch.com   A Deadly Trade – Jennifer Worth https://www.theguardian.com/film/2005/jan/06/health.healthandwellbeing   Arab Strap – Pro Your Life https://youtu.be/E2wLVsD_R_g   A Sense of History (Mike Leigh, 1992) https://youtu.be/HPtaw2QwBeQ

Broadcast on:

04 Jan 2021