Thirty-Minute Theatre
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S8 E33 · Shakespeare Country
About Thirty-Minute Theatre
Thirty-Minute Theatre is a drama TV series that premiered on BBC Two on October 7, 1965. It has 8 seasons and 285 episodes so far and has ended. The latest episode, Season 8 Episode 33 "Shakespeare Country", aired on May 17, 1973.
An anthology of short plays shown on BBC Television between 1965 and 1973, used in part at least as a training ground for new writers, on account of its short length, and which therefore attracted many writers who later became well known.
- Drama
Last updated
Episodes
285 episodes · 8 seasons
Series 1
1965 · 38 episodes · Last episode: 60 years ago
- E38
- E37
37. The Queen Street Girls
- E36
36. A Good Reason for Getting Married
- E35
35. Friday Night's the Best Night
- E34
34. The Window
- E33
33. Ella
- E32
32. The Hard Word
- E31
31. The House Mouse
- E30
30. Don't Go Down to the Bingo Mother, Father's Coming to Tea
- E29
29. The Caramel Crisis
- E28
28. A Letter from the Country
- E27
27. Emergency Ward 9
In this medical drama for the BBC's THIRTY MINUTE THEATER series, a doctor is helpless as an old man dies in pain. In the same ward, three other patients of different backgrounds attempt to deal with the old man's death.
- E26
26. A Girl's Best Friend
- E25
25. Magnolia Summer
- E24
24. 'Twas on a Sunday
- E23
23. Not for Just an Hour
- E22
22. Keep on Running
- E21
21. Ships of the Line
- E20
20. Case Suspended
- E19
19. The Sugar Cubes
- E18
18. Janni! Oh Janni!
- E17
17. Brothers
- E16
16. Four-Way Incident
- E15
15. The Enchanted Night
- E14
14. The Flipside
- E13
13. The Passenger
- E12
12. Family Christmas
- E11
11. That's Not My Name
- E10
10. Mr. Ponge
- E9
9. Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat
Mrs. Bixby, a dentist's wife, goes alone once a month to the country "to see her aunt"; she's secretly visiting her lover, the Colonel. But when he gives her an expensive coat, she has to devise a way of explaining it to her husband.
- E8
8. The Late Arrival of the Incoming Aircraft
- E7
7. Application Form
- E6
6. Love in Triplicate
- E5
5. Monica
Simon is trying to convince his mistress, Monica, to leave her husband by staging a suicide. But instead of Monica showing up, a stranger appears, who helps him to carry out the suicide he was staging at the beginning of the play.
- E4
4. Pay as You Go
- E3
3. Portrait of a Madonna
- E2
2. Give the Clown His Supper
Failure to win in a television quiz proves too much for Stuart and Patricia Pendleton.
- E1
1. Parson's Pleasure
An unscrupulous antiques dealer with a method for acquiring invaluable antiques in the countryside, stumbles upon a priceless chair owned by a less than cooperative family.
Series 2
1966 · 37 episodes · Last episode: 59 years ago
- E37
37. Another Moon Called Earth
- E36
36. Child Marlene
- E35
35. The Wake
- E34
34. The Other Side
- E33
33. That Woman
- E32
32. Haven't You People Got Homes?
- E31
31. The Sufferings of Peter Obiznov
- E30
30. Silver Wedding
- E29
29. The Isle is Full of Noises
- E28
28. Boa Constrictor
- E27
27. Failpass
- E26
26. The Gun
- E25
25. Wanted
- E24
24. Two and Two Make Twenty Two
- E23
23. Who Were You With Last Night?
- E22
22. Taffy Came to My House
- E21
21. Go Tell It on Table Mountain
- E20
20. An Absolute Treasure
- E19
19. Turn Off If You Know the Ending
Carol deserts her husband and son for her lover.
- E18
18. Teeth
Does Harry, a rather sinister dentist, know that the young man in his chair is having an affair with his wife? And is he does, is he planning some sort of revenge?
- E17
17. Later a Man Was Questioned
- E16
16. Oldenberg
- E15
15. The Suede Jacket
- E14
14. R.S.V.P.
- E13
13. Taste
At a dinner party, the host hints that one of his guests, an appalling wine snob, will not be able to identify a particular rare vintage. The snob agrees to make a bet on it, but suggests an unusual stake.
- E12
12. The Towers of Manhattan
- E11
11. Brainscrew
- E10
10. First Catch Your Hare...
- E9
9. O-Gosh!
- E8
8. Wife in a Blonde Wig
- E7
7. Confession
- E6
6. Play to Win
- E5
5. The Excavation
The jury gave a verdict, mister. But you came here. Why? Because I was off a chain gang and Jackie used to hustle.' An American lawyer challenges the evidence given by a young couple, which has led to the conviction of two boys for rape and murder
- E4
4. The Sounds of War
- E3
3. The Spoken Word
- E2
2. The Devil and All His Mischief
- E1
1. The Other Fella
Series 3
1967 · 35 episodes · Last episode: 58 years ago
- E35
35. A Question of Honour
- E34
34. Number 30, Approximately
A woman's romantic tryst with a married man is interrupted by the arrival of his wife.
- E33
33. The Boy's Room
A couple wait for their son to return from Vietnam.
- E32
32. Walk In The Dark
- E31
31. Still Death
- E30
30. Thank God for U.D.I.!
A black Rhodesian and a white Rhodesian meet in London.
- E29
29. Empty Bottles
- E28
28. Standing By For Santa Claus
- E27
27. It's On You, John
- E26
26. The Sinner
- E25
25. Pleasant Dreams, Fernando
- E24
24. Father's Day
- E23
23. No Trams To Ethiopia
- E22
22. A Personal Affair
- E21
21. Eveline
- E20
20. The Interview
- E19
19. The Unquiet Man
A ventriloquist , shares a few secrets with his dummy.
- E18
18. Snakes and Reptiles
- E17
17. Child's Play
- E16
16. Happiness Is E Shaped
- E15
15. Lovely In Black
- E14
14. Diary of an Encounter
Keith Michell portrays a sad man who books a room in an English seaside hotel with a revolver in his luggage and an intention to shoot himself. Once in his room alone, we watch him silently and sadly unpack the gun, place it in front of him on the table in his room and prepare to do away with himself. He slowly places a bullet in the chamber and positions the gun to his head. At that moment there comes a knock on the door. He hides the gun and answers the door to find a pretty young woman standing there played by Geraldine McEwan.
- E13
13. The News-Benders
- E12
12. A Private Place
- E11
11. The Metal Martyr
- E10
10. Come Death
Rome, in the latter part of the 19th century. A plague is raging through all that part of Italy, and death is beginning to visit households in the city itself. A rich and famous hostess is determined to crown her social career by giving a splendid ball for the most awesome guest of honour of all--the lordly Death himself.
- E9
9. The Keys on the Streets
- E8
8. A Time of Wolves and Tigers
An alcoholic civil servant is abandoned by his wife and comes home to an empty house.
- E7
7. Notice! Meeting In Progress
- E6
6. Have It On The House
- E5
5. The Top Bunk
- E4
4. The Tape Recorder
- E3
3. You Meet All Sorts
- E2
2. The Timekeepers
- E1
1. Leave Me Alone
Series 4
1968 · 36 episodes · Last episode: 57 years ago
- E36
36. A Borderline Case
- E35
35. ...And Was Invited to Form a Government
- E34
34. Roly Poly
- E33
33. Conversation at Night
- E32
32. Anything You Say
- E31
31. A Nice Cool Pad in the Sky
- E30
30. Invasion
A small group of middle class people are sitting around a table in a windowless room enjoying a dinner party as the TV in the corner reports on events in the Vietnam War. Their trivial chatter, one by one, bores people at the dinner party, who turn their attention to the TV and become encapsulated by the horror of the war and the dinner party continues despite, one by one, each diner being overwhelmed by war scenes and is next seen dead in their seat in the same way as a Vietnamese war victim; meanwhile the babble continues and the guest's demise passes unnoticed, until there is only one left.
- E29
29. The Victims: Progressive Blues
- E28
28. The Victims: Frontier
- E27
27. The Victims: A Degree of Stress
- E26
26. Roses, Roses, All The Way
- E25
25. A Hot Day
- E24
24. The Boat To Addis Ababa
- E23
23. First Confession
- E22
22. Stake Money
- E21
21. These Men Are Dangerous: Stalin
Josef Djugashvili is not a suitable candidate for the priesthood. Revolutionary politics lead him to take the name Stalin.
- E20
20. These Men Are Dangerous: Hitler
- E19
19. These Men Are Dangerous: Mussolini
- E18
18. Absolute Aggers and Torters
A young couple like to change their clothes and personalities to suit the people they've invited to dinner. But one night they forget who their guests are going to be.
- E17
17. Where Have They Gone, All The Little Children
- E16
16. Game, Set and Match
- E15
15. Swallowing the Anchor
Commander Dusting is used to commanding men and having his slightest wish obeyed. So it comes as a great shock when he suddenly finds himself redundant.
- E14
14. Cross Examine
- E13
13. Before Breakfast
- E12
12. The Bishop and the Actress
- E11
11. Loving Israel
- E10
10. The Last Victim
- E9
9. Cause of Death
- E8
8. Of Public Concern
- E7
7. Something To Hide: The Caretaker's Flat
- E6
6. Something To Hide: The Studio
- E5
5. Something To Hide: The First Floor
- E4
4. The Chequers Manoeuvre
- E3
3. The Flag
- E2
2. A Matter of Principle
- E1
1. Baby
Series 5
1969 · 36 episodes · Last episode: 56 years ago
- E36
36. Tropical Wednesdays
- E35
35. Good Times
A woman advertises her services as a portrait model, but a misunderstanding arises.
- E34
34. Hope
- E33
33. An Uncertain Sound
- E32
32. Ben
- E31
31. Lilly: Part 2
- E30
30. Lilly: Part 1
- E29
29. Twenty-Six Efforts at Pornography
- E28
28. The Tidewatchers
- E27
27. Is That Your Body, Boy?
- E26
26. Revolutions: Fidel Castro
- E25
25. Revolutions: Lenin
- E24
24. Revolutions: Cromwell
- E23
23. Whispers
- E22
22. All My Own Army
- E21
21. Meanwhile Back at the Office
- E20
20. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
- E19
19. What a Pity You Can't Stay Longer
- E18
18. Home Is Where You Hang Your Hat
- E17
17. Laying It Off For Spangle
- E16
16. The Scarecrows
- E15
15. Reparation
- E14
14. The Chief Whip Sends His Compliments
- E13
13. Laffin' Gas
- E12
12. The Discharge of Trooper Lusby
- E11
11. The Switch
- E10
10. Lecture to an Academy
- E9
9. Aggers and Torters: Hickory Dickory
- E8
8. Aggers and Torters: Psy-Fi
- E7
7. Aggers and Torters: Back to Nature
- E6
6. Trespassers
- E5
5. Someone's Knocking at Me Door
- E4
4. A Formula for Treason
- E3
3. Trial
- E2
2. Gangster
- E1
1. Remote Control
Series 6
1970 · 37 episodes · Last episode: 55 years ago
- E37
37. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Decision
- E36
36. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Breakthrough
- E35
35. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Deadlock
- E34
34. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Retreat
- E33
33. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Inquiry
- E32
32. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Suspect
- E31
31. Seven Days in the Life of Andrew Pelham: Crisis
- E30
30. The Room They Left
- E29
29. Something for the Children
- E28
28. Jilly
- E27
27. Death's Head
- E26
26. Listen to the Drums
- E25
25. The Waiting Room
- E24
24. A Distinct Chill
- E23
23. No Charge for the Extra Service
- E22
22. The Railway Man's New Clothes
Mr Lumley's dazzling sales-talk sometimes gets out of control.
- E21
21. Happy Days Are Here Again
- E20
20. Asquith in Orbit
- E19
19. The Proposal
- E18
18. Me MacKenna
- E17
17. The Bequest
- E16
16. Terrible Jim Fitch
- E15
15. Faith
- E14
14. But Now They Are Fled
- E13
13. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Knows the Criminal but not the Crime
Inspector Waugh is looking for a robber from Liverpool, who he believes is in disguise and attempting to leave by boat. Arriving is Ephraim, a well. a known villain with no convictions. Waugh knows he's smuggling something, but what?
- E12
12. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Plays Cops and Robbers
Inspector Waugh is called to the house of Cynthia Holmes to look into the disappearance of her10-year-old son Peter. Waugh quickly spots that Mrs Holmes is lying about her wealth and the boy has escaped to have fun somewhere else.
- E11
11. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Observes the Truth of an Old Music Hall Song
The Mallows return from a three month holiday to discover their house has been broke in to. Inspector Waugh learns nothing has been stolen. Burglar Albert Lawless who found £5,000 hidden in locked draw, at the Mallows, and arrested.
- E10
10. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Encounters the English Class System
P.C. White was chasing a missing dog which leads him to a dead body buried at the Maxwell Reece's garden. She claims it's a tramp but Waugh discovers that her lover died of a heart attack and she doesn't want neighbours to know
- E9
9. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Meets a Man Going to St. Ives
Inspector Waugh investigates an hit and run after a car driving on the wrong side of the road puts Mr Watkins in hospital. Watkins claims to be astronomer but his story doesn't hold water. Waugh finds a bag and Watkins criminal record.
- E8
8. Waugh on Crime: In Which Inspector Waugh Settles an Account
Inspector Waugh is asked to visit his bank manager, who needs some discreet help. Commander Browne formed the British Freedom Party and sailed for Albania. Since his return, his bank account has been emptied by a man posing as him.
- E7
7. The Editor Regrets
- E6
6. The Warmonger
- E5
5. Helen
- E4
4. Tribunal
During the Czech uprising, a tribunal assembles for the trial of Alexander Dubcek.
- E3
3. Did Your Nanny Come from Bergen?
- E2
2. The Year of the Crow
- E1
1. The Raid
Series 7
1971 · 33 episodes · Last episode: 54 years ago
- E33
33. Bermondsey
Pip and Bob, both married, are a couple of ordinary working-class blokes in an ordinary London suburb. It's just that they have also been gay lovers for years.
- E32
32. Knightsbridge
Francesca has some concerns about her mother's business.
- E31
31. Swiss Cottage
- E30
30. King's Cross Lunch Hour
A romantic rendezvous doesn't quite go as planned.
- E29
29. Mill Hill
A dentist discovers his wife on the verge of having an affair with another man - a rival dentist.
- E28
28. The Sit In
- E27
27. And For My Next Trick
- E26
26. Bypass
- E25
25. Under the Age
Gay bartender Susie applies make-up and holds sway over a quiet bar, responding with suspicion and bitterness to two men and then two women who enter, all communicating with meanness, innuendo and sniggering.
- E24
24. That Time of Life
- E23
23. Said the Preacher
- E22
22. That Quiet Earth
- E21
21. An Arrow for Little Audrey
- E20
20. An Affair of Honour
If Major Bartholomew isn't insane, why is he playing Russian roulette with a lovelorn subaltern?
- E19
19. The Penthouse Apartment
Morgan the caretaker really doesn't like Mr. and Mrs. Runca, two of the tenants he's supposed to look after - and he picks the worst possible time to let them know it.
- E18
18. They Don't All Open Men's Boutiques
- E17
17. Uncle Rollo
Uncle Rollo has a bad habit of remembering all the things his nephew Ivor would like to forget.
- E16
16. Not Counting the Savages
An incident in a graveyard has upset a middle-aged housewife, but her husband couldn't care less.
- E15
15. A Wen
- E14
14. Footprints
- E13
13. Farewell Performance
- E12
12. Allotment
- E11
11. Jenkins
- E10
10. Blues in the Morning
- E9
9. The Gardeners of My Youth
- E8
8. A Settled Sort of Life
- E7
7. Psychological Warfare
- E6
6. Getting In
- E5
5. The Moonlighters
- E4
4. Combing Down His Yellow Hair
- E3
3. Gun Play
- E2
2. Soldier Ants
- E1
1. Walt, King of the Dumper
Series 8
1972 · 33 episodes · Last episode: 53 years ago
- E33
33. Shakespeare Country
- E32
32. About a Bout
- E31
31. Kamikaze in a Coffee Bath
- E30
30. The Baby's Name Being Kitchener
- E29
29. Croust
- E28
28. Swamp Music
When Pulsford, an ulcerated impresario, stages a competition to find a new pop-group, the only entrant is The Poetic Works. Their act is truly spectacular, too spectacular for Pulsford's own.
- E27
27. Beginning To End
- E26
26. Atrocity
- E25
25. The Great Acrobile
- E24
24. You and Me and Him
- E23
23. A Chance Encounter
- E22
22. Is Nellie Dead?
- E21
21. Playthings
- E20
20. The Punchy and the Fairy
- E19
19. The Japanese Student
- E18
18. You've Been a Long Time, Alfred
- E17
17. The Chauffeur and the Lady
- E16
16. Krapp's Last Tape
On Krapp's 69th birthday, he reviews a tape recording he made the year he was 39 and makes a new recording commenting on the last 12 months.
- E15
15. Dialogue
- E14
14. You're Free
- E13
13. I Wouldn't Tell on You, Miss
- E12
12. Ten Torrey Canyons
- E11
11. Ronnie's So Long at the Fair
- E10
10. Tonight We Meet Arthur Pendlebury
- E9
9. Scarborough
Holiday work in the countryside brings three young friends peace and tenderness. The richness and innocence of their experience carries with it the seeds of painful disintegration.
- E8
8. The Judge's Wife
- E7
7. I Spy a Stranger
- E6
6. The Seventh Juror
- E5
5. The Argument
- E4
4. Thrills Galore
- E3
3. Too Far
- E2
2. Lushly
- E1
1. Hands
Cast & crew
Thirty-Minute Theatre FAQ
Will there be new episodes of Thirty-Minute Theatre?
Thirty-Minute Theatre has ended, so no new episodes are scheduled. The final episode aired on May 17, 1973.
When did the latest episode of Thirty-Minute Theatre come out?
The most recent episode of Thirty-Minute Theatre, Season 8 Episode 33 "Shakespeare Country", aired on May 17, 1973.
How many seasons of Thirty-Minute Theatre are there?
Thirty-Minute Theatre has 8 seasons with 285 episodes in total.
When did Thirty-Minute Theatre first air?
Thirty-Minute Theatre first aired on BBC Two on October 7, 1965.
How do I get notified when new episodes of Thirty-Minute Theatre are released?
Download the Streambay app, follow Thirty-Minute Theatre, and you'll get a push notification the moment each new episode is released.
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