Dancing on the Edge (TV series)

This article is about Stephen Poliakoff's 2013 TV series. For other uses, see Dancing on the Edge (disambiguation).

Dancing on the Edge
Cover for the published screenplay
Genre	Drama
Created by	Stephen Poliakoff
Written by	Stephen Poliakoff
Directed by	Stephen Poliakoff
Starring	Jacqueline Bisset Angel Coulby Chiwetel Ejiofor Matthew Goode John Goodman Anthony Head Tom Hughes Janet Montgomery Wunmi Mosaku Miles Richardson Mel Smith Joanna Vanderham
Composer	Adrian Johnston
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Running time	360 minutes
Original release
Network	BBC Two BBC HD
Release	4 February (2013-02-04) – 10 March 2013 (2013-03-10)

Dancing on the Edge is a British television drama written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff and produced by the BBC about a black jazz band in London in the early 1930s. The series aired on BBC Two between 4 February and 10 March 2013. It was nominated for three awards at the 71st Golden Globe Awards.

Plot

The series follows a black jazz band's experiences in London in the 1930s. Made up of talented musicians and managed by the compassionate yet short-tempered Wesley Holt, the band gets a gig at the Imperial Hotel, by way of cunning journalist Stanley Mitchell. They prove to be a hit, and become a success at the hotel. Countless aristocrats—and the Royal Family—ask the band to play at parties. The media rush to interview and photograph the band—including the ambitious American businessman Walter Masterson and his enthusiastic British employee Julian. The band's success spirals, being offered record deals. But tragedy strikes, setting off a chain of events that may wreck the band's career.

Cast

The Louis Lester Band

• Chiwetel Ejiofor as Louis Lester: The band leader of the Louis Lester Band. Born in London, Louis travelled the world as a merchant seaman before returning to the UK.
• Angel Coulby as Jessie Taylor: The lead singer with the Louis Lester Band. Beautiful and with an amazing voice, she fascinates even royalty.
• Wunmi Mosaku as Carla: The shy backing vocalist for the Louis Lester Band and Jessie's best friend.
• Ariyon Bakare as Wesley Holt: The irascible manager of the Louis Lester Band. Although born in Cardiff, he has lived in Chicago for most of his life and lost his British birth certificate.

Music Express magazine

• Matthew Goode as Stanley Mitchell: A music journalist at Music Express magazine, who helps bring notice to the band.
• Jenna Coleman as Rosie Williams: Stanley's assistant at the magazine.
• Sam Hoare as Eric: A new journalist at the magazine.
• Allan Corduner as Mr Wax: The owner of Music Express, who has little to do with the day-to-day operations.

The Elite

• Jacqueline Bisset as Lavinia, Lady Cremone: A wealthy aristocrat who has become a recluse after the death of her sons.
• John Goodman as Walter Masterson: An American real estate mogul and one of the richest men in the world.
• Tom Hughes as Julian Luscombe: A charismatic and debonair young man, who works as Mr Masterson's aide.
• Joanna Vanderham as Pamela Luscombe: Julian's sister and a playful, beautiful society girl.
• Janet Montgomery as Sarah Peters: A photographer and Pamela's best friend. She is the daughter of a Russian immigrant.
• Anthony Head as Arthur Donaldson: A wealthy and influential businessman.
• John Hopkins as Prince George, Duke of Kent: Son of the British King.

Non-elite

• Mel Smith as Nathan Schlesinger: The manager of the Imperial Hotel.
• Miles Richardson as Harry Thornton: Mr Schlesinger's right-hand man at the Imperial.
• Maggie McCarthy as Mrs Mitchell: Stanley's mother.
• Caroline Quentin as Deirdre: The owner of a small music club.
• David Dawson as D.I. Horton: A police detective investigating a murder.
• Gerard Horan as D.I. Gunson: A police detective investigating a murder

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers inc.HD (million)
1	"Episode 1"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	4 February 2013 (2013-02-04)	3.00
Music journalist Stanley Mitchell befriends The Louis Lester Band and helps its rise to fame from playing in a basement jazz club to the illustrious Imperial Hotel. At first, the band is treated with hostility by the hotel's elderly audience, most of whom have never heard jazz music nor seen black musicians before. However, one table of young aristocrats love their new music and invite them to play at a garden party.
2	"Episode 2"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	5 February 2013 (2013-02-05)	2.48
The Louis Lester Band has yet to reach the fame it so desires, and is stuck playing children's birthday parties at the Imperial Ballroom. Louis is frustrated. However, the band is introduced to wealthy recluse Lady Cremone and she may be able to change its fortunes.
3	"Episode 3"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	11 February 2013 (2013-02-11)	2.35
The band and their friends are devastated by Jessie's (Angel Coulby) hospitalisation, and take turns to visit her. Louis is interviewed by police about events on the night of Jessie's attack, and he tells them that he saw Julian when he should have been on a train to Paris. The band have to be persuaded to play without Jessie for the Imperial Hotel's Christmas lunch and they are unsettled when a table of racist Germans walks out during the performance. But the mood is lifted when news arrives that Jessie has woken from her coma. For New Year's Eve, Lady Cremone holds a party on her estate. Everybody is surprised when Julian turns up, announcing he has been in France exploring a new business idea. The group goes into the village to hear the New Year announced on a loudspeaker, and there is a joyous and romantic mood. In the middle of the party, Louis confides to Sarah that he saw Julian at the hotel the night of Jessie's attack. Stanley exacts revenge on the racists by smuggling in Louis to play at a German Embassy party. The prank goes brilliantly, but the friends' joy soon turns to tears when tragedy strikes.
4	"Episode 4"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	18 February 2013 (2013-02-18)	2.52
The Band plays for the Freemasons dinner and Louis notices the close ties between Julian, who he believes is the killer, and a powerful elite. Everyone is shocked by events in the United States where an attempt has been made on the President's life. Masterson reveals his plan to build a news empire around the New Music Express Magazine. Stanley warns Louis that the police believe him to be the killer; he tries to see a lawyer, but others seem to be conspiring to hand him over to the police.
5	"Episode 5"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	25 February 2013 (2013-02-25)	2.61
Louis can no longer hide out at the Music Express Office so Stanley takes him to a suburban flat to escape the manhunt. He is to wait until nightfall, whilst Stanley goes to find his passport as they plan his escape out of the country. Stanley returns to the Imperial Hotel, to find that its reputation has been badly affected by the murder there. Masterson takes over the new Music Express magazine, and surprises Stanley by announcing he has offered a large reward for the capture of Louis Lester.
6	"Interviewing Louis"	Stephen Poliakoff	Stephen Poliakoff	10 March 2013 (2013-03-10)	0.39 (overnight)
Presented as a series of interviews undertaken by Stanley for his Music Express magazine and taking place at the peak of fame for the Louis Lester band, Louis, Jessie and Carla give an insight into their thoughts about fame as well as their personal stories. Louis and Stanley remember the First World War, in which Louis's father fought. Louis talks about what it is like to be a black musician in London, and they discuss the band's exotic attraction to the aristocracy. Stanley talks to Carla and Jessie, who open up about their upbringings and their feelings on becoming famous. And Louis describes a chilling story about a female fan, when what started as a prank phone call became something much more sinister.

Locations

Filming took place on location at the Grand Hotel and Council House in Birmingham, where the hotel scenes were shot, the Black Country Living Museum was used to shoot a scene set in a mining village and Ragley Hall in Warwickshire was used as Lady Cremone's home. The headquarters of Music Express are located at No. 4 Princelet Street, Spitalfields and later at Somerset House. The railway scenes in the first episode were shot on the preserved Bluebell Railway. Wilton's Music Hall was used as the club. Fenton House, Hampstead, stands for the house of Donaldson. Some scenes for Donaldson's house were also shot at Upton House, Warwickshire. Kidderminster, on the Severn Valley Railway, was used as "Folkestone" in the fifth episode. Manze's Eel, Pie and Mash shop in Walthamstow also makes an appearance in that episode.

International broadcast

Country	Channel	Premiere date	Timeslot
Greece	NET	1 March 2013	Friday 22:05
United States	Starz	19 October 2013	Saturday 22:00
United States	PBS	26 June 2016	Sunday 20:00
Sweden	SVT1	4 January 2014	Saturday 22:00
Iceland	RUV	11 May 2014	Sunday 21:00
Finland	YLE TV1	24 June 2014	Tuesday 21:00
Mexico	Canal 22	27 July 2014	Sunday 21:00
France	France Ô	7 November 2014	Friday 20:45

Accolades

Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result
Satellite Awards	Best Miniseries or Television Film	Dancing on the Edge	Won
	Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film	Matthew Goode	Nominated
		Chiwetel Ejiofor	Nominated
Golden Globe Awards	Best Miniseries or Television Film	Dancing on the Edge	Nominated
	Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film	Chiwetel Ejiofor	Nominated
	Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Television Film	Jacqueline Bisset	Won
Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie	Chiwetel Ejiofor	Nominated
Black Reel Award	Outstanding Actor, TV Movie or Mini-Series	Chiwetel Ejiofor	Won
Broadcasting Press Guild Award	Best Actor	Chiwetel Ejiofor	Won
Image Award	Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special	Chiwetel Ejiofor	Nominated

External links

• Dancing on the Edge at BBC Online
• Dancing on the Edge at IMDb
• The Guardian, 4 February 2013: "Dancing on the Edge: what was life really like for black jazz bands in 1930s Britain?" Retrieved 2013-02-06