TV review

New Tricks (BBC1)

MAT Fraser has a problem with the idea that thalidomide is the new "miracle drug". It's already used to cure leprosy. Trials are taking place to discover its effectiveness in treating lung cancer. The drug may prove helpful in relieving a range of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, MS and various other cancers.

Actor and musician Fraser finds it difficult to reconcile the drug that's left him as one of 455 surviving people in this country affected by thalidomide with a potentially life-saving treatment.

He worries that pharmaceutical companies will see "gold in them thar pills" and view "the drug that shrunk my arms" as a licence to print money. More particularly, that side effects won't be investigated sufficiently in the rush for profits.

He adopted an inquisitive, often critical, approach throughout Happy Birthday Thalidomide as he journeyed to Brazil, where the drug is prescribed for leprosy. What he found in "the land of body fascism", the country where the buttock implant was invented, was that people don't stare as much at him as they do here.

He discovered too that young thalidomides appear to have a much better sex life than he did at their age. Mat is not one to beat around the bush when quizzing people. "Do you have sex?," he inquired of wheelchair-bound Hercules, and was equally keen to know if he'd pulled on a night out at a club.

He met sufferers of leprosy, a painful skin and nerve disease that thalidomide cures. Packets bear a health warning that the drug can cause babies to be born without arms and legs.

Fraser asked to see and hold the pills that had caused him to be born with short arms. He'd expected to feel revulsion. Instead, he admitted as he saw a leprosy victim's pain subside: "When we're faced with this level of need, I don't see how we can begrudge anyone taking it. But it's still pretty weird."

Unlike in this country, thalidomide children receive compensation, although that can be open to abuse. He got angry visiting a teenage girl, who had short arms and was deaf, on finding her father was using her thalidomide pension to build a swimming pool, while she was encouraged to do nothing more than sit in front of the TV.

If British viewers weren't watching Happy Birthday Thalidomide, they could have been watching New Tricks. This is yet another detective series, which the TV schedules need as much as Labour needs another ministerial resignation.

It is, however, a distinctive improvement on ITV's latest cop shows, Murder City/In Suburbia. Amanda Redman runs a police unit dedicated to solving old crimes and, fittingly enough, has been lumbered with a team of old, i.e. retired, detectives.

As they are played by Alun Armstrong, James Bolam and Dennis Waterman, much fun is promised - and the first episode delivered with a diverting mixture of detection and humour.

Silver Street, No Limits Theatre Company, Bishop Auckland Town Hall Theatre

NO Limits is an integrated company for people with and without learning disabilities, who use drama, dance, design and imagery to make plays like Silver Street. This fairytale fable is written by Linda France and Subhadassi about Ezust a refugee who goes to a new country, a new city. During Ezust's journey she experiences several emotions - love, confusion and happiness.

This play is unlike any I have ever seen before: the plot involves feelings and actions, but without speech. Every actor is silent: they dance along to music while portraying the story.

This high-class, first-rate performance is done by six exceptional actors. There are different types of people playing Ezust - Tom, city folk and "moon" people.

People of varying ages, children to the elderly, came to watch this pleasant play and everybody was quiet as mice because they didn't want to miss a second. This unmissable, high-quality, magnificent, moving, emotional, uplifting performance is highly recommended to anyone and everyone.

Louis Dunnill, aged 12, Crook