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Film & Book Group - To Sir With Love

  • Exeter Picturehouse 51 Bartholomew Street West Exeter, England, EX4 3AJ United Kingdom (map)

Bookbag’s next book group combines reading with film, and is a collaboration with neighbouring indie cinema, Exeter Picturehouse.

How it works

Buy the book (hopefully from Bookbag, but we won't check) and start reading. 

Watch the film screening on Thursday 10th November at 6.30pm - tickets available here for a special price of £8.

Aftewards, join lecturer-in-film and local author Davina Quinlivan upstairs in the cafe at Exeter Picturehouse for drinks and discussion.

Cost: £8 film tickets


To Sir With Love

E.R. Braithwaite’s autobiographical novel is a moving insight into the politics of race and class in postwar London. 

Ricky Braithwaite is an engineer from British Guyana. Migrating to Britain after serving in the RAF during the Second World War, he is unable to find work after until he applies for a teaching position in London's East End.

James Clavell's film features the legendary Sidney Poitier. Initially confronted by hostility from his class of ill-disciplined final-year students, he slowly wins their trust by treating them with candour and respect.

A huge hit at the time, and one of Poitier's most memorable performances, the film depicts the physical environment and social confrontation Braithwaite faced, allowing the intersecting contours of class, race, and gender difference, and the link between self-realisation and social cohesion, to be subtly but forcefully illuminated.

The strong cast features emerging talents like Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall and Lulu, whose single of the theme song topped the American Billboard chart.


Accessibility Statement: Both screens, the Box Office, the kiosk and the toilet are fully accessible, including to wheelchair users. There are three spaces for disabled badge holders in the cinema car park immediately next to our building. There is a slope from the car park to the cinema doors. The bar is accessed either from the front foyer, which involves climbing 16 steps or from the bar doors, which are level with the upper car park. Please note the car park is quite steeply inclined (1:9).

The Box Office, kiosk and bar all have adapted counters and accessible levels for transactions.

Visually impaired customers

We have the Dolby ScreenTalk audio description system. This means that for certain films audio description is available. It works by picking up an infrared signal through special headphones that are available from the Box Office. The screenings with this facility are indicated in our printed programme but are always subject to confirmation and update, so please check with the Box Office.

Guide dogs are welcome. If you wish to take your dog into a performance, please let us know when booking so that we can arrange an aisle seat. Alternatively, your dog can be cared for by a member of staff for the duration of the performance. Our staff will be happy to provide drinking water for your dog.

Our stair rails have bumps on the side to indicate the number of steps approaching each level. Three bumps mean that you are on the third step from the landing, two that you are on the second step, and one that you are on the final step.

Customers with impaired hearing

There is an induction loop system in each screen. Please turn your hearing aid to the T position. Reception is best closer to the outer aisles and if you avoid the rear four rows in Screen 1 and the rear three rows in Screen 2.

We have the Dolby ScreenTalk system. This means we are able to provide special subtitled screenings of some English-language films. It works by projecting the words onto the screen. Unlike those for foreign-language films, these subtitles often supply extra information, such as a description of sound effects and the music playing. The screenings with this facility are indicated in our printed programme but are always subject to confirmation and update, so please check with the Box Office.

Foreign-language films usually carry subtitles, and these are clearly indicated in the printed programme.

Toilets

There is an adapted toilet at the rear of the main foyer on the left.

Bookings and general enquiries

Wheelchair spaces and Carers tickets are bookable online. (For Carers Tickets please see Carers section). Alternatively to book wheelchair spaces or carer tickets by phone, or for all other accessibility enquires, please call our dedicated accessibility hotline 02072 947908 (Text Relay call 18001 02072 947908).

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9 November

'What Every Gentleman Should Know': Learning French in Medieval Devon

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15 November

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