The Changes (TV series) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Changes |
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Title card
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| Genre | Fantasy |
| Written by | Peter Dickinson (novel) Anna Home (adapter) |
| Directed by | John Prowse |
| Starring | Victoria Williams Keith Ashton |
| Composer(s) | Paddy Kingsland |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Anna Home |
| Production location(s) | Bristol |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production company(s) | BBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC1 |
| Original release | 6 January – 10 March 1975 |
The Changes is a British children's science fiction television serial filmed in 1974 and first broadcast in 1975 by the BBC. It was directed by John Prowse and is based on the trilogy written by Peter Dickinson: The Weathermonger (1968), Heartsease (1969), and The Devil's Children (1970) (the books were written in reverse order: the events of The Devil's Children happen first, Heartsease second, and The Weathermonger third).
Contents
Background
The Changes posits a Britain where a sudden enveloping noise emanating from all machinery and technology causes the population to destroy them. The resulting upheaval displaces many people and reverts society to a pre-industrial age where there is a deep suspicion of anyone who may be harbouring machinery. Even the words for technology are taboo. The remnants of modern technology that escape destruction (such as electricity pylons) produce a physical and sometimes violent repulsion among those left in Britain.
The Changes are seen through the eyes of teenage schoolgirl Nicky Gore (Victoria Williams), and the 10-part series, originally broadcast every Monday from 6 January to 10 March 1975, traces Nicky's quest to reunite with her parents and solve the mystery.
Regular cast
- Vicky Williams as Nicky Gore (all episodes)
- Keith Ashton as Jonathon (episodes 5–10)
- David Garfield as Davy Gordon (episodes 5–8)
- Rafiq Anwar as Chacha (episodes 2–5)
- Zuleika Robson as Margaret (episodes 5–8)
- Raghbir Brar as Gopal (episodes 2–5)
- Sahab Qizilbash as Grandmother (episodes 2–5)
- Marc Zuber as Kewal (episodes 2–5)
- Rebecca Mascarenhas as Ajeet (episodes 2–5)
- Jack Watson as Peter (episodes 5–8)
Episode guide
Note: Episode titles were given in Radio Times, but were not shown on-screen.
| No. | Title | Guest cast | Airdate | |
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| 1 | "The Noise" | Sonia Graham (Mrs Gore), Bernard Horsfall (Mr Gore), Clyde Pollitt (Preacher), Bartlett Mullins (Old Man) | 6 January 1975 | |
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A strange noise fills people all over Britain with a violent rage against modern technology.
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| 2 | "The Bad Wires" | Bartlett Mullins (Old Man) | 13 January 1975 | |
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Separated from her parents, Nicky joins a group of Sikhs.
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| 3 | "The Devil's Children" | Arthur Hewlett (Mr Tom), James Ottoway (Maxie), David King (Mr Barnard), Nancy Gabrielle (Mrs Sallow) | 20 January 1975 | |
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Nicky and the Sikhs settle at Brooker's Farm but are dubbed by villagers as "the Devil's Children".
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| 4 | "Hostages!" | Arthur Hewlett (Mr Tom), James Ottoway (Maxie), David King (Mr Barnard), Edward Brayshaw (Chief Robber), Derek Ware (Second Robber) | 27 January 1975 | |
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Bandits attack the village and take the children hostage.
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| 5 | "Witchcraft!" | Roy Evans (Carter), James Ottoway (Maxie), Stella Tanner (Anne) | 3 February 1975 | |
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Nicky tries to track down her aunt, while the farm is visited by a witch finder.
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| 6 | "A Pile of Stones" | Stella Tanner (Anne), Tony Hughes (Jack) | 10 February 1975 | |
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Nicky is found guilty of witchcraft and sentenced to death.
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| 7 | "Heartsease" | Stella Tanner (Anne), Tony Hughes (Jack), Kenneth Gilbert (Innkeeper), Daphne Neville (Villager), Godfrey Jackman (Publican) | 17 February 1975 | |
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Nicky and Jonathon escape, pursued by the witch-finder and enraged villagers.
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| 8 | "Lightning!" | Kenneth Gilbert (Innkeeper), Tom Chadbon (Michael), Merelina Kendall (Mary) | 24 February 1975 | |
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Nicky and Jonathon try to escape to sea but their boat is struck by lightning.
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| 9 | "The Quarry" | Tom Chadbon (Michael), Merelina Kendall (Mary), Oscar Quitak (Mr Furbelow) | 3 March 1975 | |
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Nicky and Jonathon set off to investigate a mysterious power source on the other side of the mountains.
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| 10 | "The Cavern" | Oscar Quitak (Mr Furbelow) | 10 March 1975 | |
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The protagonists enter a cavern and uncover the cause of the unbalancing of the world.
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Soundtrack
| The Changes | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by
Paddy Kingsland and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
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| Released | 21 April 2018 | |||
| Genre | Soundtrack | |||
| Label | Silva Screen | |||
| BBC Radiophonic Workshop chronology | ||||
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A selection of music from this serial was released as a single by BBC Records (RESL 33) in 1976.
The complete soundtrack by Paddy Kingsland was released on double white vinyl LP on 21 April 2018 for Record Store Day 2018.
It was reissued as a bonus disc in the Record Store Day exclusive 6-CD box set Four Albums 1968 – 1978 29 August 2020.
