[garinda]

An Englishman in New York.

Even considering there was a thirty four year gap between his first portrayal, in the ground breaking and acclaimed The Naked Civil Servant, and tonight's programme, John Hurt's depiction of Quentin Crisp, from his teens, right through to his nineties, was a masterclass in acting, a theatrical tour de force, and surely must be a worthy certainty for a BAFTA nomination.

Bravo to the post populist television channel, ITV, in giving this programme a prime time spot in Christmas week.

It was beautifully filmed, witty, sad, funny, and sometimes difficult to watch. An extraordinary, yet in some ways very ordinary person's life, coming to an end, after finding some peace and acceptance from those around him.

An utter treat to watch.