Means of Evil
- Episode 15 / Series 4
- First transmitted in two parts in 1991
- Adapted from two short stories by Peter Berry
- Directed by Sarah Hellings
- A Television South Production
- VHS
The poisonous meal Wexford recreates needed a tin of sild which we couldn’t find anywhere until I managed to get some from Budgen’s in Devizes. I made the dish up at home and took it along to the set. Not often you get the detective cooking up the murder weapon, is it?
When Wexford and Burden attend wholefood fanatic Axel Kingman’s wedding, they never suspect that they will shortly be investigating the new bride’s death.
Set against a backdrop of the healthy living revolution, the two detectives try to discover why Hannah Kingman died. Their investigation unravels a tangled web of emotions and an insatiable lust for revenge. 1
Credits
- DCI Wexford
- George Baker
- DI Burden
- Christopher Ravenscroft
- Dora Wexford
- Louie Ramsay
- Jenny Burden
- Diane Keen
- Axel Kingman
- Patrick Malahide
- Corinne Last
- Cheryl Campbell
- Dr Crocker
- John Burgess 2
- DS Martin
- Ken Kitson
- Hannah Kingman
- Wendy Morgan
- Sgt Willoughby
- Colin Campbell 3
- John Hood
- Gerard Hood
- Amyas Ireland
- Michael Hadley
- Saffron
- Fay Masterson
- Foreman
- Phil Hearne
- Shop Owner
- Chris Sullivan
- Kenneth Gandolph
- John Murphy
- John Kingman
- Mark Chapman
- Script Editor
- Corinne Cartier 4
- Casting Director
- Doreen Jones 5
- Original music composed by
- Brian Bennett
- Chamber music arranged by
- Lester Baines
- Stunt Arranger
- Stuart St Paul
- TYLER the dog trained by
- Val Tyson
- Production Manager
- Lars MacFarlane 6
- Location Manager
- Martin Robinson
- 1st Assistant Director
- David Crabtree
- Continuity
- Gwen Hughes
- Production Secretary
- Cathie Willcocks
- Graphic Designer
- The Original Graphics Company
- Stage Manager
- Kerry Bignall
- Costume Designer
- Kimberley Foster
- Makeup Supervisior
- Debbie McKinlay
- Designer
- Mark Ward
- Production Buyer
- Alan Bates
- Camera Grip
- Alan Imeson
- Dubbing Mixers
- Tony Cunningham, Dave Fallon
- Dubbing Editor
- Peter Dansie
- Sound Recordist
- Maurice Hillier
- Camera Operator
- Julian Barber
- Lighting Cameraman
- Michael D Smith
- Film Editor
- Nigel Bate
- Executive Producer
- Graham Benson
- Producer
- Neil Zeiger
Soundtrack
- Wexford’s Theme
- Mother and Daughter
- A Means of Evil
- Wexford’s Theme (Reprise)
Notes
The Wexford soundtrack was composed, performed, arranged and produced by Brian Bennett at Honeyhill Studios in Hertfordshire.
Means of Evil is adapted from two Ruth Rendell short stories: Means of Evil and When the Wedding Was Over.
I’d never played the cello before, but I needed to learn the notes and the fingering so they could film me playing. I only had two lessons, and I had to play two pieces. I practised until I could play them very slowly. I was amazed at the phenomenal strength you need to play the cello.
—Cheryl Campbell