Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll
Encyclopedia
Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll is a six-part television mini-series which was written and created by Debbie Horsfield
and directed by John Woods. It was produced by Wall to Wall for BBC One
.
Originally shown in 1999, it was later adapted into a stage musical which appeared at Manchester
's Royal Exchange Theatre in 2005.
, a suburb of Salford
in 1965; the story focuses on the Brooks family: twins - Ellie and Arden Brookes. They live with their father and grandmother, and work in their cousin Norman's chip shop. Arden is confident and considered the 'pretty' one, Ellie the quiet and clever one. Irma is 'moral guardian' of the family, a woman determined to control the lives of her family members. Irma's nephew, Norman Kershawe, proposes to Ellie on her birthday. Ellie thinks he is going to propose to Arden - particularly when he asks her to try the ring on and is about to remove it when Norman tells her they're engaged. Shocked but pleased, Ellie accepts but Arden is jealous. Fearing people will say she's on the shelf, she orders Ellie not to tell anyone.
That night, the Ice Cubes, backing group of singer Larry Valentine, meet the girls in the chippy - introduced by Hayley, a friend of Arden's. Justin and Dallas are interested in the girls, tossing a coin to decide who will chase which girl. Dallas gets Arden and Justin gets Ellie. Arden likes Dallas and is happy to flirt with him but Ellie isn't interested in Justin. Hayley tells Arden about a talent contest where the winner will make a demo tape with a London record producer. Seeing it as an opportunity to escape, she and Ellie enter and are hopeful until Justin tells her that the winner is already decided. Unhappy, she challenges Larry (as judge) and he implies she'll win if they come to an "arrangement" but he lies.
Wanting to spend time with Ellie, Justin suggests they make a demo tape anyway as Dallas knows the record producer. Tex, 3rd member of the band, suggests Dallas and Ellie write a song together but they spend the time hding from Larry as he entertains his girlfriend and then Norman and her grandmother. Norman is interested in buying the building from Larry. Not giving up, Justin takes them out to dinner, going to The Belvedere Hotel where Howard, the girls' father, works. He seats them at the best table but Irma is furious to find them there, insisting they go home with her. She tells them not to go out without her permission and tells Norman about Ellie dining out so he brings the wedding forward. Feeling suffocated, Ellie sleeps with Dallas but regrets it, remembering Arden, and tells Dallas she can't see him again. He is devastated and decides to end things with Arden but she won't listen.
Trying again, Justin visits Irma. He impressed her when they met at The Belvedere and agrees to him taking Ellie out but accompanies them, much to Justin's dismay. Ellie also tells him that she's engaged so Justin gets drunk and tells Dallas and Tex that he slept with Ellie. Irma and Ellie visit and Dallas confronts Ellie about their one night stand and they arrange to meet. Unfortunately the conversation is recorded and Justin and Arden hear it. Angry with Ellie, Arden tells her she's pregnant but blames Dallas for not taking precautions leading Ellie to discover she is pregnant too. Norman,(informed by Justin), punches Dallas and confronts Ellie, asking her to trust his assurance that she is better off with him and she agrees.
Following a showcase at the Carlton Ballroom, the Ice Cubes get a recording contract in London. Ellie tells Justin that she and Arden are pregnant and horrifies him with her decision to marry Norman and tell him that the baby's his. Justin suggests marrying him instead but she refuses. Ellie tells Dallas that Arden is pregnant and he proposes at Ellie and Norman's wedding so she goes to London with the Ice Cubes. Ellie goes with Norman initially but runs away when he's distracted. Dallas picks her up and she goes to London with them.
After the first two singles flop, Dallas and Ellie write a song together. Justin supports Ellie during her pregnancy and shares a room with her so people will think he's the baby's father. When the song is recorded, Arden and Ellie sing in the background and she kisses Dallas again but Arden and Justin catch them. Following a row with Arden, Ellie leaves. Unfortunately Norman sees her leave and takes her home, implying he wants a proper marriage so she tells him about the baby. Angry, Norman locks her in her room, convincing Irma it's in Ellie's best interests as there has been enough gossip. Ellie and Irma think she and Norman will raise Ellie's child together, telling people it's his. He doesn't disillusion them.
Unfortunately, Dallas and Arden's marriage isn't a success. They try making the best of it but Larry reveals that Arden is his newest client, so Dallas confronts her and when Justin asks about the baby, she confesses that there isn't one. She lied about being pregnant as she wanted to get married, like Ellie.
On a quick trip home, Howard discovers Irma's secret; she wasn't married as she claimed. She met Howard's father once at a concert, they had a one night stand and she got pregnant. His family paid her and her family threw her out. Wanting respectability, Irma claimed to be a widow. Relieved, her family forgave her eventually. Devastated by this bombshell, Howard leaves and returns to the Ice Cubes for whom he has been acting as roadie. Following an escape attempt foiled by Norman, Ellie gives birth to a daughter, Iona. Irma assumes Justin is the father but is upset to discover that he isn't. Later that day, Irma tells her that she can go home and Norman reveals that he has arranged to have the baby adopted. Panicking, Ellie phones Arden, asking for her help but she hangs up, realising Dallas is the baby's father but knows she has to tell him. Following a TV appearance, Arden tells her father and the band that Ellie is in Manchester, has had a baby girl and that she will be adopted that evening. Rushing to the maternity home, Arden reveals that Ellie has run away with the baby. Norman tries going after her but is stopped by the Ice Cubes and punched twice by Howard. Irma reveals that she helped Ellie escape.
Justin and Arden tell Dallas that he's the baby's father and on reading the birth certificate, realises where Ellie is. The series ends with Ellie and Dallas meeting on the beach and holding their daughter in their arms.
Debbie Horsfield
Debbie Horsfield is a British theatre and television writer and producer.- Early life and career :Hosfield was born in Eccles, Lancashire and she attended Eccles College before studying at Newcastle University....
and directed by John Woods. It was produced by Wall to Wall for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
Originally shown in 1999, it was later adapted into a stage musical which appeared at Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Royal Exchange Theatre in 2005.
Synopsis
Set in EcclesEccles, Greater Manchester
Eccles is a town in the City of Salford, a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England, west of Salford and west of Manchester city centre...
, a suburb of Salford
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
in 1965; the story focuses on the Brooks family: twins - Ellie and Arden Brookes. They live with their father and grandmother, and work in their cousin Norman's chip shop. Arden is confident and considered the 'pretty' one, Ellie the quiet and clever one. Irma is 'moral guardian' of the family, a woman determined to control the lives of her family members. Irma's nephew, Norman Kershawe, proposes to Ellie on her birthday. Ellie thinks he is going to propose to Arden - particularly when he asks her to try the ring on and is about to remove it when Norman tells her they're engaged. Shocked but pleased, Ellie accepts but Arden is jealous. Fearing people will say she's on the shelf, she orders Ellie not to tell anyone.
That night, the Ice Cubes, backing group of singer Larry Valentine, meet the girls in the chippy - introduced by Hayley, a friend of Arden's. Justin and Dallas are interested in the girls, tossing a coin to decide who will chase which girl. Dallas gets Arden and Justin gets Ellie. Arden likes Dallas and is happy to flirt with him but Ellie isn't interested in Justin. Hayley tells Arden about a talent contest where the winner will make a demo tape with a London record producer. Seeing it as an opportunity to escape, she and Ellie enter and are hopeful until Justin tells her that the winner is already decided. Unhappy, she challenges Larry (as judge) and he implies she'll win if they come to an "arrangement" but he lies.
Wanting to spend time with Ellie, Justin suggests they make a demo tape anyway as Dallas knows the record producer. Tex, 3rd member of the band, suggests Dallas and Ellie write a song together but they spend the time hding from Larry as he entertains his girlfriend and then Norman and her grandmother. Norman is interested in buying the building from Larry. Not giving up, Justin takes them out to dinner, going to The Belvedere Hotel where Howard, the girls' father, works. He seats them at the best table but Irma is furious to find them there, insisting they go home with her. She tells them not to go out without her permission and tells Norman about Ellie dining out so he brings the wedding forward. Feeling suffocated, Ellie sleeps with Dallas but regrets it, remembering Arden, and tells Dallas she can't see him again. He is devastated and decides to end things with Arden but she won't listen.
Trying again, Justin visits Irma. He impressed her when they met at The Belvedere and agrees to him taking Ellie out but accompanies them, much to Justin's dismay. Ellie also tells him that she's engaged so Justin gets drunk and tells Dallas and Tex that he slept with Ellie. Irma and Ellie visit and Dallas confronts Ellie about their one night stand and they arrange to meet. Unfortunately the conversation is recorded and Justin and Arden hear it. Angry with Ellie, Arden tells her she's pregnant but blames Dallas for not taking precautions leading Ellie to discover she is pregnant too. Norman,(informed by Justin), punches Dallas and confronts Ellie, asking her to trust his assurance that she is better off with him and she agrees.
Following a showcase at the Carlton Ballroom, the Ice Cubes get a recording contract in London. Ellie tells Justin that she and Arden are pregnant and horrifies him with her decision to marry Norman and tell him that the baby's his. Justin suggests marrying him instead but she refuses. Ellie tells Dallas that Arden is pregnant and he proposes at Ellie and Norman's wedding so she goes to London with the Ice Cubes. Ellie goes with Norman initially but runs away when he's distracted. Dallas picks her up and she goes to London with them.
After the first two singles flop, Dallas and Ellie write a song together. Justin supports Ellie during her pregnancy and shares a room with her so people will think he's the baby's father. When the song is recorded, Arden and Ellie sing in the background and she kisses Dallas again but Arden and Justin catch them. Following a row with Arden, Ellie leaves. Unfortunately Norman sees her leave and takes her home, implying he wants a proper marriage so she tells him about the baby. Angry, Norman locks her in her room, convincing Irma it's in Ellie's best interests as there has been enough gossip. Ellie and Irma think she and Norman will raise Ellie's child together, telling people it's his. He doesn't disillusion them.
Unfortunately, Dallas and Arden's marriage isn't a success. They try making the best of it but Larry reveals that Arden is his newest client, so Dallas confronts her and when Justin asks about the baby, she confesses that there isn't one. She lied about being pregnant as she wanted to get married, like Ellie.
On a quick trip home, Howard discovers Irma's secret; she wasn't married as she claimed. She met Howard's father once at a concert, they had a one night stand and she got pregnant. His family paid her and her family threw her out. Wanting respectability, Irma claimed to be a widow. Relieved, her family forgave her eventually. Devastated by this bombshell, Howard leaves and returns to the Ice Cubes for whom he has been acting as roadie. Following an escape attempt foiled by Norman, Ellie gives birth to a daughter, Iona. Irma assumes Justin is the father but is upset to discover that he isn't. Later that day, Irma tells her that she can go home and Norman reveals that he has arranged to have the baby adopted. Panicking, Ellie phones Arden, asking for her help but she hangs up, realising Dallas is the baby's father but knows she has to tell him. Following a TV appearance, Arden tells her father and the band that Ellie is in Manchester, has had a baby girl and that she will be adopted that evening. Rushing to the maternity home, Arden reveals that Ellie has run away with the baby. Norman tries going after her but is stopped by the Ice Cubes and punched twice by Howard. Irma reveals that she helped Ellie escape.
Justin and Arden tell Dallas that he's the baby's father and on reading the birth certificate, realises where Ellie is. The series ends with Ellie and Dallas meeting on the beach and holding their daughter in their arms.
Main cast
- Ellie Brookes - Gillian KearneyGillian KearneyGillian Louise Kearney is an English actress best known for playing Jessica Harrison in the long-running BBC television medical drama series Casualty, and her early role as Debbie McGrath in Channel 4's Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside and the spin-off mini-series Damon and Debbie.-Early...
- Arden Brookes - Emma Cooke
- Irma Brookes - Sue JohnstonSue JohnstonSusan "Sue" Johnston, OBE is a BAFTA nominated English actress best known for playing Sheila Grant in the long-running soap opera Brookside , Grace Foley in Waking the Dead from 2000 to 2011 and Barbara Royle in the BBC comedy The Royle Family between 1998 and 2000, and again in 2006, 2008, 2009,...
- Larry Valentine - Phil DanielsPhil DanielsPhilip W. "Phil" Daniels is an English actor, most noted for film and television roles as "cockneys" such as Jimmy in Quadrophenia, Richards in Scum, Stewart in The Class of Miss MacMichael, Mark in Meantime, Kevin Wicks in EastEnders, DCS Frank Patterson in New Tricks and Edward Kitchener "Ted"...
- The Wolf (Justin DeVere Montague) - James CallisJames CallisJames Callis is a British actor. He is best known for playing Dr. Gaius Baltar in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, and Bridget Jones' best friend in Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason...
- Tex Tunnicliffe - Julian Kerridge
- Dallas McCabe - Joseph McFaddenJoseph McFaddenJoseph 'Joe' McFadden is a television actor...
- Norman Kershawe - David ThrelfallDavid ThrelfallDavid Threlfall is an English stage, film and television actor and director best known for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4's Manchester-based drama series Shameless. He has also directed several episodes of the show.-Early life:...
- Alphonse - Brian PoyserBrian PoyserBrian Poyser is an English actor whose career started in the early 1960s. His appearances include the musical Poppy, the BBC Television Shakespeare , the series Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, an episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot, and as the recurring character the Revd Aubrey Stewart in two...
- Howard Brookes - Nicholas FarrellNicholas FarrellNicholas Farrell is an English stage, film and television actor. His early screen career included the role of Aubrey Montague in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. In 1983, he starred as Edmund Bertram in a television adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, Mansfield Park...
- Hayley - Michelle Abrahams
- Clifford - Jim Hooper
DVDs and CDs
- Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll — released on DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
(Region 2DVD region codeDVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
) in the UK on 27 December 2001. - "52 hits from the '60s and original songs from the BBC series" — soundtrackSoundtrackA soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
CD released in the UK on 1 October 1999
External links
- RoyalExchange.co.uk — official webpage detailing the stage production.
- RoyalExchange.co.uk — brief interview with Debbie HorsfieldDebbie HorsfieldDebbie Horsfield is a British theatre and television writer and producer.- Early life and career :Hosfield was born in Eccles, Lancashire and she attended Eccles College before studying at Newcastle University....
.