Bureau of Visual Records

    The impression is given that the maid Number 58 arrives at ‘6 Private’ with Number 2. The fact that he places two cups on the work top is suggestive of that. However the maid enters, carrying a breakfast tray, a few moments after Number 2. Of course Number 2 would have seen the tractor approaching, and knew Number 6’s breakfast was being brought to him. Hence his getting two cups ready for tea. Why doesn’t he have a poached egg on quiche like Number 6? Probably because it’s only Number 6’s breakfast which the maid has brought, and Number 2’s probably had his already. Unless that slice of toast with marmalade is his breakfast!
   Although we do not see it, Number 58 may well have brought Number 6 his breakfast via the same mode of transport as the maid Number 56 in ‘Dance of The Dead,’ sitting with two other maids in a trailer pulled by a garden tractor! The only problem with that would be, by the time the maids reached their designated cottages, the breakfasts would be cold!

  Originally, according to the film library order of ‘the Prisoner,’ ‘Dance of the Dead’ was supposed to have been the second episode in the series, and ‘Free For All’ the third, and ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ a much later episode. And if that had actually been the case in the screening order, the fact that Number 6 was about to boil himself two eggs, perhaps demonstrates that the privilege of having his breakfast brought to him on a tray by a maid, had been removed by the time of ‘The Chimes of Big Ben!’

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A Favourite Scene In the Prisoner

   Number 6 can make even the act of putting on his dressing gown appear as a gesture of defiance. And it works, because it appears to annoy Number 2! Perhaps Number 6 himself is annoyed by the music playing through the black loudspeaker!

   During ‘The Chimes of Big Ben’ Number 6 is in the dinette, and about to boil two eggs for his breakfast. This could be his regular breakfast, seeing as the next morning Nadia boils two eggs for him. Mind you there are times when he has bacon and eggs {2 eggs} for breakfast, with toast and marmalade, and tea with lemon. At one time he enjoyed some international cuisine, Quiche with a poached egg on top. And at one time he enjoyed pancakes for breakfast, but this variety of cooked breakfasts was only when others cooked it for him!
   However I digress, back to the music playing through the black loudspeaker, the replacement for the one he trampled to pieces underfoot in ‘Arrival.’ And judging by the way he stares at the loudspeaker he’s annoyed with the music. But he knows that good old fashioned brute force will avail him nothing. Smash it to pieces and the electrician will only bring another one to replace it. I always enjoy the more subtle way Number 6 deals with the loudspeaker. Because obviously an idea has struck him, to place the loudspeaker in the refrigerator, hence bringing peace and quiet to his cottage! It’s a scene which Number 2 finds fascinating.

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Caught On Camera!

    That’s a rather unusual Lava lamp wouldn’t you say? That’s probably because they are renowned for doing the unusual in The Village. In this case they have simply placed the one Lava Lamp on top of another. Which was a good idea as it happens, and very effective giving it height that way. Without which, the one on its own might have gone by unnoticed!

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Escaped!

    The Prisoner finally manages to return to London, and his home of No.1 Buckingham Place. When I first watched ‘Many Happy Returns’ back in 1967, I was truly happy for him, especially considering the disappointment during ‘The Chimes of Big Ben.’ But I thought it unwise for him to go running back to his ex-colleagues a second time, after all, once bitten forever shy and all that. Because how did Number 6 know it would be the Colonel and Thorpe, and not the other Colonel and Fotheringay he would encounter at the country house? I suppose that scenario was never considered, and besides who else was there to help Number 6, other than his ex-colleagues…….the Russians perhaps?
    What’s more, fictionally speaking, its lucky for Number 6 that while he was walking up and down outside his house, that Janet Portland didn’t come walking along the street, as she had in ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ when she saw his car parked in the road and so went knocking on the door of his house. Then there would have been some explaining to do. More than that, Janet might well have seen Mrs. Butterworth driving her fiancés car, and possibly going into the house, and that would have led to even more explanations. And even panic if ZM73 was due to arrive!

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Exhibition of Arts And Crafts

                         “The Desperados!

BCNU

The Village A Smokeless zone!

   When Number 36 in ‘It's Your Funeral,’ told the chap at the kiosk that she couldn't go a whole day without her sweets, originally the script called for it to be cigarettes which she couldn't go a whole day without. I've sometimes wondered why the change. Perhaps it has to do with drug dependence, dependence on nicotine. Perhaps that is why we hardly see anyone smoking in The Village. And why The Village is completely teetotal, no alcohol served here, only non-alcoholic drinks, like gin, whisky, and vodka. Thereby cutting out the dependence on alcohol! Two things Patrick McGoohan enjoyed, smoking and drinking. It’s just a pity that after the mastering, and digital enhancement carried out on the film of ‘the Prisoner,’ that McGoohan’s nicotine stained fingers are so prominent in many scenes! But when it comes to drug addiction, Number 38 couldn’t go a day without her sweets!

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Village Life!

    1^st citizen “What’s all the commotion about?”
    2^nd citizen “Didn’t you hear the announcement?”
    “No, I’ve been busy.”
    “Number Two’s just announced that Number Six has the desire to address us. I think he has an important announcement to make.”

    “What’s he going to announce?”
    “How should I know!”
    “Well the last time he made an announcement he promised that we could enjoy ourselves, that we could take part in the most hazardous sports. So I did.”
    “What happened?”
    “I broke my collar bone in a bout of Kosho!”

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Caught On Camera

   "Stop, don't bring that wet in here! Take your macs and boots off” Number 14 orders. It appears that even Number 14 can be a bit on the severe side! It makes me wonder where they found her, what her background might have been. Certainly it would have entailed her working in the field of drug research, seeing as she has developed a whole new drug that allows one to enter another person’s dreams, and therein manipulate them.  

    Hang on a minute! The two men have removed their wet boots and souwesters and left them in the passageway. But have left the wet rubber sheet over the patient. Mind you Number 14 only told them to take their macs and boots off, she didn’t mention anything about wet sheeting, so I suppose it must have been alright!

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A B and Engadine Makes C!

    It is during 'C' of ‘A B and C’ that ZM73 is handed a key by the roulette croupier in exchange for his bet of a diamond earring, handed to him by an unknown woman. But she could be Mrs. Butterworth, a former Number 2. And it so happens that Engadine has an identical key!
    "It can't be" Number 2 gasps in astonishment. "She can't be 'C. She's fooled us for years, but no longer!"
    "You're bringing her to The Village?" the doctor-Number 14 asks.
    "Yes" No.2 replies eagerly.
    However in Number 6's dream even Engadine works for someone else, a man of mystery. ZM73 may not know him, but he will know him. This man likes impressive offices! If that’s the case, why meet in the street? The doctor makes the comment that Number 2 will have to call him 'D'. However as it turned out, this man of mystery is no other than Number 2 himself.......'C' or is it “See!” seeing as ZM73 turns the man’s face to camera, to show those who are watching.
   But this is only Number 6 manipulating his own dream, and so if Number 2 isn't 'C,’ who is? Well the answer to that seems blatantly obvious, and can be deduced from the description read out by Number 2. “Known to be French. Known to have attended Engadine's parties, probably disguised.” Well Madam Engadine is French, she attended her own parties, not too sure about the probably disguised bit though. Unless of course its Engadine’s celebrity status together with her celebrated parties that is the disguise! But it does appear that by manipulating his dream, Number 6 is protecting Engadine by deflecting suspicion away from her to another figure. After the failure of ‘A B and C’ it might be thought that Engadine wasn’t brought to The Village. But then we’ll never really know, shall we?!

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Before The Prisoner There Was Danger Man!

Before He Went And Resigned!

BCNU

The Prisoner John Drake!

    Why the Lotus 7? John Drake didn’t drive a Lotus 7, he drove a Austin Mini Cooper ‘S’, registration 703 HOP, its paintwork smoke grey, and old English, white roof. Perhaps by having an Austin Mini as the Prisoner’s car would have drawn too much attention to the character being John Drake. And besides perhaps the Austin Mini wouldn’t stand out like the Lotus 7 does in the opening sequence. It might be accused of looking a bit ordinary. But then what’s wrong with that? I should have thought, considering the kind of work the Prisoner used to do, he wouldn’t want to be seen driving a car which, although representing quickness, agility, and independence, with a touch of the rebel thrown in for good measure, he wouldn’t want to drive a car that “stood out from the crowd.” He’d wish to blend in, and not draw attention to himself. Perhaps it would have been more natural to have had the Prisoner, driving the Austin Mini Cooper ‘S’ in the series. But I suppose that would never have done, not having the visual, and dramatic impact of KAR 120C in her British racing green, and yellow nose livery, especially during the opening sequence. But then even the Lotus 7 hadn’t been the first choice car, Patrick McGoohan originally asked for a Lotus Elan. Which he would eventually drive in ‘The Girl Who Was Death’ However the first time he saw KAR 120C he said “It sort of looked me straight in the eye.” Perhaps the Lotus 7 winked at him. Somehow I can imagine it doing that.

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The Tally Ho

               Danger Man Resigns!

                 by our own reporter

    News has reached the office of The Tally Ho today that ‘Danger Man’ John Drake has resigned his position within M9 {British Intelligence}. The reason given is unknown, although colleagues have told our own reporter that Drake had become increasingly concerned about the type of work he had been expected to do.

   Like 007 James Bond and Phillip Calvert, John Drake was recruited by British Intelligence from the Royal Navy, after it was proved that he was ideally suited to Intelligence work. Intelligent, quick witted, with the mind of a detective, both physically and mentally strong. These attributes enabled him to look after himself in a fight, and with the strength of mind to resist any interrogation technique.

    Drake travelled the globe, from London to Mankow. From England to India and the Middle East, and behind both the Iron and Bamboo Curtains. He has rescued scientists, retrieved forged £5 notes from the bottom of an Austrian lake. He once infiltrated the Blue Veil to combat slavers in an unspecified Middle Eastern Country. He broke up a Communist spy ring operating in London, through a book shop specifically selling Incunabula, books before 1501. Further more, Drake infiltrated Colony Three, located somewhere on the Russian Steppes, in order to discover why certain people were disappearing.

  Some of the assignments which Drake had been required to complete, he had not totally agreed with, going against his moral principles. You see other people’s dirty work. Someone has to do it. Someone’s got to – I suppose. And there was the affair of ‘The Black Book,’ when a General Carteret tried to use Drake to achieve his own ends in a case of blackmail. One thing is for sure, Drake took a very dim view of anyone trying to use him to achieve their own ends.

   So what now for John Drake? Official reports state that having stormed into an office, he shouted the odds at the first person he came to, slammed down his resignation letter on the desk, and stormed out. Apparently he then drove home. Gossip has it that he was going on a journey, perhaps to take a holiday. However, his car remained parked outside his house, the owner of which having completely disappeared! I spoke to neighbours across the street from No.1 Buckingham Place, some said they had been out at the time. Others said they hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary. A Mrs. Braithwaite, a very observant woman said she had seen the man at No.1 arrive home, he’d parked his car and had gone into the house. But curiously Mrs. Braithwaite said, a hearse had been parked in the street a few minutes before the man at No.1 came home. Then two undertakers got out of the hearse, one opened up the back of the hearse, while the other went into the house. “The man of the house let the undertaker in?” I asked. No, she said, the undertaker let himself in. A few moments later he came out, and with the other undertaker carried a coffin into the house. “I thought it was a bit strange” Mrs. Braithwaite said “the way the undertakers arrived like that, almost as though they had been waiting.” I asked Mrs. Braithwaite what happened then. She told me that the two undertakers carried the coffin out of the house, put it in the back of the hearse and drove away. Strange she told me when only one young man lived in the house, and he had only just returned home a few moments before!

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NEWS; Coliseum Cinema - Porthmadog

                                                               {Picture The Daily Post}

    I read this evening on the BBC digital service that the demolition of the Coliseum cinema at Porthmadog began on Monday February 22^nd.

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/demolition-porthmadogs-iconic-coliseum-cinema-10918168

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-35660855

http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/article.cfm?id=102566&headline=End%20of%20an%20era%20as%20iconic%20cinema%20demolition%20begins&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2016

   The Coliseum cinema in Portmadog has a place in the history of ‘the Prisoner,’ as it was there that the daily film rushes of the filming of scenes at Portmeirion, were screened for the Production crew in both September 1966, and again for a second shoot in March 1967.

    It was during the late 1980's into the mid 1990's that Bob Piercey would again act as projectionist for ‘the Prisoner’ at the Coliseum, when screenings of two episodes from the series had been organised as part of ‘the Prisoner’ conventions held at Portmeirion.

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The Prisoner At 50

     Here we are then, the 50^th anniversary of ‘the Prisoner.’ Although I suspect some would argue that point, but I suppose it all depends on whether you consider the production of the series to be its 50^th anniversary or the television screening itself. But it could be either or both, if it’s both the 50^th anniversary

takes place over three years, 1966 to 1968! 
    I don’t expect ITV to screen the series either on ITV1, 2, 3, or 4, as I think Network DVD will be issuing another ‘Prisoner’ box set, always an easier thing to do than bother to actually screen the series on television, and to include the commercial bumpers. But I’ve already got ‘the Prisoner’ on video from ITC Precision Video of 1982, and onwards. Not to mention the times I’ve collected ‘the Prisoner’ releases on DVD! So I guess I’ll be left to watch the series with via video or DVD to celebrate the 50^th anniversary. But it doesn’t sound all that exciting does it? After all I can watch the series any time I like. I could always juggle it about a bit, watch the “alternative” ‘Arrival’ and ‘Chimes of Big Ben’ instead of those two regular episodes, and watch the series in the library order instead of the screening order. Or mix all the episodes up to my own particular screening order.

   For this year2016 I could watch all ‘the Prisoner’ production videos which were produced by Steven Ricks between 1990 and 1994. From the two volume video of ‘the Prisoner’ investigated,’ through to ‘the Prisoner’ 6 in-depth tapes. Then ‘the Prisoner Inspired,’ ‘In Production,’ and ‘In Conclusion.’ Which contain numerous interviews with actors, actresses, and production crew members. And do contain some rare and at the times, unseen production film footage. And ‘the Prisoner In Conclusion’ video, hosted by Norma West, with cameos by actors Norman Mitchell, David Arlen {Karel/Post 5 in Chimes of Big Ben} and James Bree. Because what Steven Ricks did was undertake a most ambitious project, in that he partially filmed dramatisations of an unshot scene from ‘The Girl Who Was

Death.’ The location for which was supposed to be Hampton Court maze, but was filmed at another location. I’m not sure if all the readers of The Tally Ho are aware of this, so here is a short synopsis.
        Originally this episode was to have been a 90 minute feature episode of ‘the Prisoner.’ However dramatic cuts were made to the original script, and the episode was chopped to the regular 50 minutes. So what was contained in those cuts? Well some three and a half pages, of an entirely self contained scene were scrapped, from the point where Mister X was in the boxing ring of Barney's Boxing Booth and the Polish giant Killer Kaminski had told him to go to the Tunnel of Love. Originally Mister X was told to go to Hampton Court Maze. He quickly finds the maze, and the following bizarre sequence unfolds.
    Mister X meets with a jovial showman wearing a waistcoat and bowler hat, standing at the entrance to the maze, who is mumbling something incoherent and then he laughs to himself. Mister X enters the maze which looks innocent enough, but he is not prepared for what he is about to encounter around the next corner.
    The maze is suddenly replaced by a tropical rainforest. The air is filled with exotic bird song and wild screeches. It is not long before he is attacked by a New Guinean head hunter brandishing a machete. But Mister X makes short work of the native, disarming him of the machete in the process.

 Continuing his exploration of the rainforest, he is stopped dead in his tracks by the roar of a lion, which turns out to be a Tabby cat. Now deeper into the rainforest Mister X is instructed by a passing parrot to turn thirty degrees left. With nothing to lose he follows the parrot’s instruction, only to find himself back in the maze!
    Mister X continues to tread carefully paying little attention to the gardener spraying insecticide onto the maze’s well tended hedges. As he draws closer he sees the gardener is, dressed in grey overalls with two metal canisters strapped on his back, the one labelled insecticide, the other homicide! The gardener tries to spray Mister X, but using the machete he took from the native in the rainforest, he knocks his assailant to the ground and piercing one of the tanks strapped to the gardeners back, sends him shooting off into the distance like a rocket!

    After regaining his composure, Mister X encounters someone standing over him, a figure of some twelve feet tall. It is in fact a man with a painted face of a clown, wearing a top hat and tails, on stilts, and armed with a sub-machine gun! He picks himself up and a chase ensues through the maze, as he ducks and dives to escape the hail of bullets fired from the sub-machine gun, as the stilted walker uses his elevated height to trap his quarry. Before long he stumbles into the centre of the maze where he finds suitable cover to hide from his pursuer. Unable to locate his quarry, the stilted man is unaware of what is happening to his feet, as Mister X ties the man’s shoelaces together, causing the stilt walker to come toppling to the ground.
    Now desperate to leave the maze, Mister X hacks his way through the hedge using the machete, and finds himself back in the fairground where he is told off by a disapproving mother. The little boy she has in tow with her is holding a balloon on which a message directs him to the Tunnel of Love. The balloon suddenly explodes........BANG!
    The above is an interesting scene, and would have been visually exciting. But perhaps it would have been one scene too far for ‘The Girl Who was Death!’  

   I think it would be an enjoyable experience to watch these video tapes again, after all they have been in my collection for many years, and it has been a while since I last watched them. And a rather novel way to celebrate the 50^th anniversary by delving into ‘the Prisoner’s’ production, rather than the seventeen stories that go to make up the series, which is so familiar.

   And I have to add that if it were not for Steven Ricks’ sterling work back in the early to mid 1990’s all the material gathered and presented on the video tapes below, would have been lost for all time.

                                                   

  

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Look At Them, Brainwashed Imbeciles Can You Laugh? Can you Cry? Can You Think?

   There are thirteen members of the Town Council, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l, with 2 as Chairman. But they are all 2's, subdivided maybe, but 2 nonetheless for that. So are these twelve members past 2's, Chairmen of the Village? And having failed, is this how they ended up, brainwashed imbeciles on the Local Town Council?
    But it’s all a game isn't it? Why the need for a local town Council when there is no democracy of any kind in the Village? And Number 2 admitted as much, when she told Number 6 'Even at best, free democracy is remarkably inefficient' The Village administration is effective, but has no opposition, an irritation they have dispensed with! And perhaps in that lies the truth, that there used to be a democracy in The Village which was clearly demonstrated during the 'free' elections of the Village when 'Every citizen has a choice' Number 2 was clear to point out. But by the time of ‘Dance of the Dead’ the once free democracy of The Village has been swept away. That would give colour as to why the Council Chamber had given way to the Committee Chamber seen in ‘A Change of Mind.’ Well if no Town Council is ever to be needed again, such a chamber would have been put to some other use, as Number 2 says "Waste not, want not!"

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Exhibition of Arts And Crafts

                         “Portrait of No.6”

BcNu

Something’s Upset Him!

    Number 20, the manager of the Labour Exchange asked the Prisoner to fill in a questionnaire. In a later episode he was  to fill in a written questionnaire, that time he tore it up into small pieces. In this case however his response was more of a violent nature, something akin to throwing toys out of a pram! Whether it was the build up of questions asked by Number 20 that caused this response, or the last question in particular “Any politics?” is unknown. But if all the manager of the Labour Exchange has to do all day is tinker with a building toy, well if he’s got nothing better to do with his time, its no wonder Number 20 was eventually taken out of the Labour Exchange and given the position of assistant to Number 2!

   The toy lies broken in pieces on the floor, and all Number 20 can do is busy himself putting it back together. He certainly doesn’t appear to take any notice of what Number 2 tells him about the Prisoner’s file. But if Number 20 can get all he needs from the file, why bother with an interview with the Manager in the Labour Exchange in the first place? Probably because it’s not about the persons there, but more to do with the aptitude test in which the square is circled, a more difficult thing to do than squaring the circle. Something Number 2 finds amusing if not the Prisoner.

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Caught On Camera!

    Number 112, the shopper of the General Store, reported to Number 2 some unusual activity on the part of Number 6. That he had been listening to the recording of Bizet’s l’Arlesienne suite, and that he was timing them, he kept looking at his watch. That there was one record in particular, but he had no idea which one. Then Number 6 wrote something down on a piece of paper. That piece of paper was in the small notebook Number 6 had just purchased. You can see it on top of the records. But that wasn’t all. Number 6 had left his copy of The Tally Ho behind. Well what of that? Just look as this section taken from the paper.

   The word “security” has been circled, and a question mark written above it. It is suggested by the shopkeeper that Number 6 circled the word, and wrote the question mark, but he couldn’t have done. As you can see the copy of The Tally Ho is underneath the six records. And there certainly wasn’t any other opportunity for him inscribe the circle and question mark on the paper while he was in the General Store. So it must have been the shopkeeper. I always thought him to be a most untrustworthy weasel!

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Bureau of Visual Records

    Michael’s car, a Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Hardly a car for a rebellious individual you might say. But then Michael never claimed to be rebellious or an individual. The only claim he made, was that he is not a number, he is Six!
   Perhaps the Subaru Impreza WRX STI does not “stand out” as the Lotus Seven of the original series, but at least it won’t overheat in traffic! And besides they couldn’t use a Caterham Seven for THEPRIS6NER, that wouldn’t have been right seeing as we’re dealing with a new Number 6.
   But in regard to cars standing out from the crowd, consider this for a moment. John Drake as the Prisoner, driving along that long deserted runway, over Westminster bridge, through the streets of London, to that underground car park in his Mini Cooper ‘S,’ on his way to resign his job. The absence of the Lotus seven from that opening sequence does have a visual effect. I’m not saying that the Mini Cooper ‘S’ is any less a car than the Lotus Seven. But visually, because of its British racing green and yellow nosed paintwork, it is that which makes the Lotus Seven stand out in ‘the Prisoner.’ And therein perhaps, lie’s its secret. 

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Village Life!

   1^st security guard “Turn the siren on.”

   2^nd security guard “Why, is there an emergency?”
   “No, we’re late for our tea break!”

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Security?

   What they do these Jammers, is talk, they talk about the plots they’ve been hatching. Escapes mostly, but plans and developments for all kinds of mischief. They do it to confuse the observers. But the plots they talk about are always make-believe, nonexistent.
    As I remember Number 6 learned about Jammers from an eccentric artist Number 18 in ‘It’s Your Funeral.’ However it might pay to examine the article on the left first.

Number 2 called for an increase in vigilance at all times. “We must constantly be on our guard against enemies in our midst,” although Number 2 doesn’t know where these enemies might be, or who they are. Well we know who one was, the late Number 12, who tried to save the Professor’s life! But on the whole, might not these enemies within, be Jammers? After all the actions taken by Number 6 were the acts of a Jammer, non-existent plots and schemes thought up simply to play on Number 2’s paranoia.

There was that episode with the 6 l’arlesiene LP recordings, all of which were exactly the same, with nothing hidden on them. But it did have the effect of Number 2 spending all that morning listening to all the six records! And that note to XO4 signed D6 concerning Number 2’s instability. There was no-one called XO4, but perhaps D6 equates to Drake-6?! Then Number 6 hid an envelope containing blank sheets of paper in the Stoneboat. Number 2 had two laboratory technicians’ time tied up in running a number of tests in order to discover what was written on them, words figures…but there was nothing! Later Number 6 went to a kiosk and asked the assistant to put a private advert in the personal column of the next issue of The Tally Ho. “Hay mas mal en el aldea que se sueña" which Number 6 describes as a personal joke between himself and a certain friend. After which he made a call to the hospital and the head of the psychiatrics department, whom he asked about the doctor’s report on Number 2, knowing full well that telephone calls are recorded. This resulted in Number 2 spending time with the head of the psychiatric department just to prove it was Number 6 who telephoned him. And then demanding to know why Number 6 had telephoned him. In this Number 6 turned the psychiatrist against Number 2. Well if the doctor hadn’t been preparing a report on Number 2’s mental health, he might well have been, after having to put up with Number 2’s false accusations! Then came the incident with the Leader of the Brass Band. Number 2 had him in for close interrogation, wanting to know what Number 6 had said to him. And all Number6 had asked was for the band to play the Farandole from the l’arlesiene suite! Number 6 then sent himself a birthday greeting. But it wasn’t his birthday, and Number 113, who was supposed to have sent it, was an old woman in a wheelchair who had died a month ago. The action of the Supervisor in reading out that message for Number 6 caused the Supervisor to lose his position, because he didn’t know it wasn’t Number 6’s birthday, nor did he know that Number 113 didn’t exist. Number 2 saw the Supervisor as being part of a conspiracy which he was determined to break!

   Number 6’s next action was to purchase a Cuckoo clock from the General Store. He used the box to catch a pigeon, placed the Cuckoo clock at the door of the Green Dome, and used the pigeon to send a coded message. Number 2 thought the clock to be a bomb, and had it dismantled by bomb disposal only to find it was what it portended to be a Cuckoo clock, and in the opinion of the bomb disposal man its Number 2 who’s cuckoo! As for the coded message, it decoded into “Vital message tomorrow 06:00, by visual signal.” That visual signal was by Number 6 heliographing. So at 6 o’clock the next morning Number 2 had a number of cameras and observes watching Number 6 down on the beach. Number 6 began heliographing more code, Number 2 wanted it taken down. But who could Number 6 be heliographing? There was nothing on radar, no helicopter or aircraft. There was no ship at sea, and nothing was coming through on sonar, so no submarine either. Who was Number 6 heliographing? Well the answer is simple one, it was Number 2! And finally Number 6 put the poison in about Number 14, recorded on camera Number 2 finally turned on his loyal assistant, accusing him of being a traitor. Then Number 2 was all alone, all his friends and colleagues having deserted him. If those were not acts of jamming, I don’t know what they were. So how are we to account for these acts of jamming by Number 6, when ‘Hammer Into Anvil’ precedes ‘It’s Your Funeral’ when Number 6 learns about jamming from Number 118? Well if we go by the film library order of 'the Prisoner' according to Tony Sloman- film librarian on the Prisoner , ‘It's your Funeral' appears before 'Hammer Into Anvil.' This then would make sense. Number 6 in having been armed with the knowledge of jamming by Number 118, would then use that knowledge against Number 2. So how was Number 6 able to get away with his acts of jamming? Well either Number 6 was not a known Jammer, and so Number 2 could not then simply ignore his actions. Or perhaps Number 2 had simply never heard of jamming in the first place!
    With these enemies within their midst, which Number 2 feared so much in ‘Hammer Into Anvil,’ might they not be the list of malcontents mentioned by the interim Number 2 in ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ which as the two episodes stand would suggest that those unknown enemies had been discovered and placed on a list of malcontents. But while looking at it the other way, via the library order, it doesn’t make sense that they should have a list of malcontents, and suddenly they don’t know who the enemies are within their midst!  But certainly after the act of assassinating the retiring Number 2, a mass reprisal had been planned, to purge The Village of all malcontents, of which, according to the interim Number 2, Number 6 was top of that list. Public enemy Number 6! Is it possible that such a purge would include Number 6? It seems highly unlikely, and yet Number 6 caused nothing but trouble since his arrival in The Village. When not attempting to escape, then going about poking his nose in where it had no concern, and generally causing as much trouble and disruption as he could. Such is the troublemaker that he is.
  Of course there could be another reason for a controlled purge of The Village, this to control the population, to make sure The Village doesn’t out-grow itself and become over populated, and turn into a town!   

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Prismatic Reflection

     There are parallels between ‘The Magic Flute’ and ‘the Prisoner.’ Mozart’s opera is noted for its Masonic elements, and it is possible to see the delegates of the Assembly in ‘Fall Out’ as being part of some Masonic organisation. The wearing of masks and robes can be interpreted as being ceremonial.
   A very brief summary of ‘The Magic Flute’ follows.
Act 1

    In ancient times, in Egypt, this is an imaginary story. Prince Tamino is attacked by a big serpent. But, three ladies who are the servants of the Queen of the Night save him. Three ladies show him a portrait of the queen’s daughter, Pamina, and Tamino falls in love with her even though he has not even met her. The Queen of the Night promises her daughter to him, if he can rescue Pamina who is enslaved by the evil Sarastro. Tamino decides to rescue her, and is given a magic flute by the three lady servants. There is a man, Papageno who is a bird catcher. Incidentally, he follows Tamino, and is also given magic bells by the ladies. By the power of the magic flute and bells, Tamino finally gets to meet Pamina. They fall in love with each other immediately. In fact, Sarastro is not an evil man, but a high priest. He has protected Pamina from her mother who is filled with ambition to dominate the world.

Act 2

   Sarastro imposes three tests on Tamino to get his lover, Pamina. The first test is “Silence.” When Tamino falls silent, Pamina who knows nothing feels sorrow, but they can endure this test. The second test is “Fire,” and the third test is “Water.” They can overcome these tests through the power of the magic flute.

In addition, Papageno is also tested to get his unseen lover. Papageno is not able to endure the tests. He can’t pass his tests. However, he can meet his lover, Papagena through the power of the magic bells. Papageno falls in love with Papagena. On the other hand, Pamina’s mother, the Queen of the Night is furious. She tries to break into the temple of Sarastro. But, she is hit by a thunderbolt, and goes to hell. In the end, Sarastro blesses Tamino and Pamina for overcoming their tests.
   In ‘the Prisoner’ Number 6, the hero, is put to several tests both mentally and physically. First his aptitude in which the square is circled. Then his skill is put to the test as he attempts to escape The Village, but is thwarted by the Guardian which protects The Village. During ‘The Chimes of Big Ben Number 6’s woodworking skills are tested as an escape by water is formulated. Later he is tested by silence as one morning 6 wakes up to find The Village deserted, and turns to his woodworking skills once more, and is tested by water as he takes a voyage of discovery. And later comes under fire from the Girl Who Was Death, and eventually defeats death. Number 6’s truth is tested, a situation in which he tries to lie his way out of, but cannot help himself but to tell the truth. Yet they knew the truth in the first place.
   So if Number 6 is the hero {Tamino} a young prince who sets out on an adventure to find and rescue his princess, who is Monostatos? Monostatos is the mean and greedy servant of Sarastro. He’s not really loyal to anyone and goes after anything he wants! That would be Number 2 who if not given what he wants, he takes it. Who then is Pamina the damsel in distress? There are a number of candidates for the role of damsels in distress, the maid Number 66, Nadia, but they turn out not to be as they first appeared. Then there is ‘C’, Madam Professor, Number 73, Monique, and finally Janet Portland.

    Sarastro could be Number 2 the bad guy, he is in fact a high priest, as Number 2 was once an influential man, but as the series progresses we may change our minds about him.
   Number 6 faces other tests, amongst them his appearance is altered and appears to be someone else, two times six being Number 12. Who then undergoes a second alteration, and is faced with himself and forced to prove his identity. An identity Number 6 struggles to keep hold of, as he is outwitted by his other self, and betrayed by Alison.

   ‘Dance of the Dead,’ here we meet a female Number 2 who might be described as the Queen {pictured left} with Number 6 and three young, attractive, and unattached ladies as Number 2 tries to match

Number 6 up with a girl for Carnival, just as there are three attractive ladies in attendance to the Queen in ‘The Magic Flute.’ But there is always Number 240 who pays attendance on Number 2, and may be described as Number 2’s sidekick.
   The Prisoner is eventually put on trial, his crime the possession of a radio. He had no radio of his own, there is no radio he could have borrowed, so when acquiring one from the dead man {Number 34} one might ask where he acquired such a radio? The Prisoner is found guilty of his crime, and sentence d to death. The accused has been sentenced in the name of the people. The people carry it out in the name of justice, such is the screaming mob who chase the Prisoner through the Town Hall. It could be interpreted that the Prisoner eludes death, but in reality, if there is reality, that the sentence of death was commuted to life in imprisonment. But it must be remembered that originally ‘Dance of the Dead’ was to have ended with everyone taking part in a frenzied dance, with everyone having died, everyone but Number 6 who may well have become death itself!
   After a game of chess in which both sides look alike, the Prisoner learns of a way to distinguish between the prisoners and the warders, and decides to put it to the test. And it might well have worked, had not the Rook put to the Prisoner his own test. But the Rook fooled himself, and the chance of escape was gone!
   You must be hammer or anvil, and Number 2 seeing the Prisoner as the anvil is going to hammer him. This is a one to one ordeal despite the presence of the loyal Number 14. As for the Shopkeeper and the Supervisor, they have their entrances and exits as they play their parts, but it is Number 2 and the Prisoner who take centre stage. But Number 2 is a weak link in the chain of command and is filled with paranoia seeing enemies and conspiracy everywhere. It is a weakness that the Prisoner is able to take advantage of as he turns jammer in his struggle against Number 2, who can trust everyone, but who trusts no-one, not even those closest to him. Number 14 is vanquished in a violent and physical struggle, and Number 2 is left broken, a man of fragments one might say.
    The Prisoner then becomes embroiled in one of Number 2’s machinations, in particular Plan Division Q. A retiring Number 2 is to be assassinated executed. So where is the test here for the Prisoner? It is to see if he can counter Number 2’s machinations, and save the good citizens of The Village from any such mass reprisals that might occur brought about by the apparent assassination of an out-going Number 2. Otherwise why involve Number 6 in the first place? Surely they must realise that any plan which involved Number 6 never once succeeded!
   There are other tests which take place, when the Prisoner is posted as being unmutual and faced with the prospect of undergoing the ordeal of Instant Social Conversion, but with the aid of Number 86 {Pamina the heroine} is able to turn the tables on Number 2.

   Another love interest is between the Prisoner who becomes known to be ZM73, and Janet Portland {Papagena} {Pictured left}. Released from The Village after a year, Janet doesn’t recognise her fiancé, because he appears to her in the form of another man, the Colonel. But ZM73 gives Janet a message, one that only he can give her. Janet Portland is the most unfortunate of women, for she loses her lover not one, but twice!
    Put the Prisoner in a dangerous environment, give him love, take it away. Isolate him. Make him kill, then face him with death and he’ll crack. But the Prisoner is made of sterner stuff, and Number 8 made a miscalculation, the fact that the Prisoner could separate fact from fantasy so quickly.
    And then Decree Absolute, it’s make or break for Number 2 {Sarastro}, and is just as much an ordeal for him as it is for the Prisoner, but which ultimately costs him his life. We think Number 2 is the bad guy, but in this episode we come to like him, just as Number 2 began to like the Prisoner.
   But now the silence if over, and the man once known as Number 6 is permitted to make a statement which could only be his, but for them. And yet as the hero takes the stand and begins his speech he is shouted down. He stops and begins his speech again, but the result is the same, he is shouted down “I I I I I I I I I I I I I.” Thrice does the Prisoner attempt to make his speech, but the delegates of the Assembly have no wish to hear one word the Prisoner has to say. Which is surprising really because after going to all the trouble to try and extract the reason behind his resignation, one would think they would want to listen to what the Prisoner had to say for himself.
  The end to the string of tests and the overall ordeal is brought about by violent revolution, and ends in ESCAPE. As for Number 2, our opinion of him has changed, we like him as he turns out to be a good man after all. But as for the Prisoner, his ordeal is about to begin. As upon returning to London, to the Village of Westminster to be more precise, his first action is to go and hand in his letter of resignation, the scourge of all his troubles!
   I freely admit that in the writing of this article, there are some aspects which have had to be, shall we say, shaped to fit. But is that not the way of ‘the Prisoner,’ that some parts of the puzzle have to be rough hewn to fit?                  

Be seeing you

Now He Knows Whose Side He’s On!

  I thought Number 6 took it quite calmly at the end of ‘The Chimes of Big Ben,’ simply to walk away like that, with Fotheringay, and Nadia standing on the steps of the Recreation Hall. Certainly Number 6 knows now that he has been betrayed on all fronts, Nadia as a plant, and by those on his own side, even by Fotheringay. Ah, but by this time the Prisoner-Number 6 doesn’t have a “side” anymore, because he had resigned from all that business, even though he still seems to feel a loyalty towards them. And because of that, he might well have thought that loyalty works both ways, that’s why having escaped The Village, he went running back to his ex-colleagues seeking their help. After all who else could he have gone running to? To report the fact of The Village to them. But it doesn’t quite work like that, he’s not one of them anymore, he had resigned, which makes him fair game for any side. Yet it might not have been a lesson learned, as Number 6 does go running back to the Colonel a second time, but then having made his report he is helped by his ex-colleagues, only to be returned to The Village. After all, the Colonel couldn’t have a man like Number 6 who has knowledge about The Village roaming about, free to talk to anyone! After all look at it from their position, by having placed Number 6 in The Village, they were simply protecting their investment in him, together with the information inside his head including that of The Village.

Be seeing you

Exhibition of Arts And Crafts

                           “Election Fever!”

BCNU