Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson are to star in a new BBC one-off drama based on a narrative poem about a reunion of ex-lovers.
The drama, which uses Christopher Reid's 2009 poem The Song of Lunch in full, will be shown on BBC2 on 7 October to mark National Poetry Day.
The new film tells the story of an unnamed book editor played by Rickman who, 15 years after their break-up, is meeting his former lover, played by Thompson, at a Soho restaurant they used to frequent.
Thompson's character, also unnamed, is now living a glamorous life in Paris, married to a famous writer, while Rickman's character has failed in his writing career, detests his publishing job, and regrets the end of their love affair.
The BBC2 controller, Janice Hadlow, called the commission "truly ambitious" and described the poem as "touching and witty".
The drama will be directed by Niall MacCormick and produced by Pier Wilkie.
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