As part of an evening of programmes celebrating the life and work of the playwright and diarist, Simon Gray, who died last year, the BBC will be screening an updated version of Margy Kinmonth’s film Smoking Diaries. The film gives a rare insight into one of Britain’s foremost playwrights, author of many West End hits, but best known for his work with Harold Pinter, and as the writer of the notorious Cell Mates.
This intimate film gives a darkly entertaining account of his childhood experiences and very personal views on addictions to smoking, alcohol and the traumas of modern day life for a writer. By way of tribute, the conclusion to the film is provided by a number of friends including Richard Wilson, Simon Callow, Edward Fox, Felicity Kendall and Toby Stephens, reading from Simon Gray’s last volume of diaries, CODA.
The film will be broadcast on BBC Four at 22.30 on Saturday 25 July and repeated at 03.45 on Sunday 26 July.
Watch a clip from Margy Kinmonth’s Smoking Diaries here.
