Dancing on the Edge - Miniseries (dvd)

In Dancing on the Edge, a diligent music journalist promotes a black jazz band to the British aristocracy. The sweet notes of tempting success soon reveal false notes. The roots of jazz music lie in the nineteenth century and further back. The rise was particularly noticeable in the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression in the thirties. The stormy popularity of various types of dance music also did not leave England untouched. It was the golden age of the so-called British Dance Band era.

Black bands also came increasingly into the spotlight. However, obtaining a permanent contract at a dance hall or hotel was reserved for few. In ‘civilized circles’ prejudices and racial discrimination held back their popularity for a long time.

In Dancing on the Edge, the enormous social distance between the struggling black artists and the extremely wealthy ‘Upper Class’ is almost palpable. The British aristocracy in the 1920s and 1930s did not know what to do with themselves. There were so many changes in society that threatened their marble and gold-clad world. The rise of jazz and other ‘black music’ was an unwanted ‘American influence’. This would certainly herald the beginning of the decline of established norms and values.

Society was still completely focused on white superiority. That racism made it incredibly difficult for black musicians to practice their craft. Playing black music was bad enough, but being black was far from acceptable.

Still, nothing could stop the rise of jazz and all its derivative musical styles. The British Dance Bands became enormously popular from 1930 onwards. Of course, these consisted mainly of white musicians, but it did help to get the music out of the corner of doom. When members of the aristocracy also got a taste for this energetic music, this even opened the door to success for black musicians.

Dancing on the Edge is set in this period. The energetic journalist Stanley (Matthew Goode) puts all his time into writing texts and reviews for a music magazine. He also arranges the comic strip and the columns are also largely written by him. During his continuous search for new music and artists, he discovers the band of Louis Lester (Chiwetel Ejiofor).

The band has reasonable success in the underground scene, where they play in bars and venues in the less respectable neighborhoods. A permanent contract is not in the cards; they live from day to day. Without work, deportation to America is imminent. So the pressure is high. In between the events, we occasionally see glimpses of the rising Nazism and poverty among ordinary citizens.

Their manager Wesley (Ariyon Bakare) works hard to keep the band going, but he barely succeeds. Stanley's influence brings the band into contact with the higher circles and then success beckons. The cynical Wesley sees this as a sign that Stanley is after his job. This causes friction, because the band is all he has. In addition, he has a deadly secret.

The series follows the attempts of the Louis Lester Band to become famous. What follows is an adventure in a make-believe world where friend and foe are rarely recognizable. Open discrimination and sincere friendship alternate constantly. The band must try to survive in this unfamiliar and tough world.

The inevitable happens. A dramatic event threatens to have fatal consequences for the band. A deadly net slowly forms around Louis. Is there anyone he can really trust? For several people it is time to make an important choice.

The series progresses at the slow pace that suits rich people who are bored. Still, the series is worth following. Especially the last two parts are getting more and more exciting and I found the denouement worthwhile.

The acting is absolutely fine by all the actors. Jacqueline Bisset in particular stood out to me. She even won a Golden Globe for it, one of the three nominations for this series. The sets are fantastic, the clothes are beautiful and the music is well chosen.

With four parts of an hour and a half, this is quite a long running time for a miniseries. Although I found the beginning quite slow, the pace improved towards the end. There were some small holes in the script and the editor could have spiced up his stew a bit more, but I ultimately found the series worthwhile.

The DVD box contained three discs. The first two DVDs contain the four parts. The third only contains one video of an hour. Nevertheless, I enjoyed watching that one too. I do recommend watching it after the series, because it contains a huge spoiler.

The video starts with Stanley interviewing Louis. Other main characters, including Carla (Wunmi Mosaku) and Jessie (Angel Coulby), are also featured. The interviews provide a glimpse into the backgrounds of some of the main characters, but the ending also seems to want to leave the door open for a sequel.

It is also an excellent opportunity to see what great actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Matthey Goode are. The chemistry between the two is almost palpable. The ladies also take the opportunity to show off their acting talent. All in all, a nice dessert.

Those who only like fast series and explosive explosions will probably be bored. For connoisseurs of costume dramas and socially critical series, this is worth a try. I give Dancing on the Edge a well-deserved 7.5.