BEATRICE COLIN RADIO PLAYS
BBC BROADCASTS
27.08.97 A Small Bite
13.10.97 The Electric Angel
28.01.98 Camisole
30.09.99 The Maids of Orleans
10.03.00 Mercury, Sulphur and Salt: Paracelsus
27.10.00 The weight of water (Anita Shreve), dram.
12.02.02 Family Misfortunes (2):Geraldine
20.08.02 The Rocks Below
20.03.03 King of Shadows (Susan Cooper), dram
04.05.03 Precious Bane (Mary Webb), dram, serial
30.01.04 Mapping the Heart
NOTES
A SMALL BITE....1997
Frantic journalists develop a taste for blood at a Paris fashion event;
a short story read by Hilary Neville.
THE ELECTRIC ANGEL....1997
Set in about 1968, when the Apollo space missions were in the news. A
young man from Oban comes to the big city to find work, and falls for a
girl he meets...with Liam Brennan, Anne Kristen, Deirdra Davis; dir.
Patrick Rayner.
CAMISOLE....1998
A short story read by Tamara Kennedy. Penny was a child who loved her
mother's fur coats....
THE MAIDS OF ORLEANS....1999
Set in France during the second World War. As the Germans advance,
three women escape to a chateau in the Loire valley. With Eliza Langland,
Kathryn Howden; dir. Patrick Rayner.
THE WEIGHT OF WATER....2000
On the night of 5th Mar 1873,, two Norwegian immigrants were murdered
on the Isles of Shoals. Over a century later, a photographer
discovers a collection of papers giving an eyewitness account of the
murders. With Nancy Crane, Derbhie Crotty, Emma Fielding, Karl Johnson;
dir. Gaynor Macfarlane. Broadcast in 10 12-minute episodes.
MERCURY, SULPHUR AND SALT....2000
Many men of high intellect and bold spirit who made their names
famous in the Middle Ages came from poor families. One such
individual was the physician and alchemist Philipp Theophrastus
von Hohenheim, known as Paracelsus, who was given a radio
biography on R4, 10 Mar, 2102, in Mercury, Sulphur and Salt,
by Beatrice Colin. Paracelsus was the king of experimenters;
he believed nothing unless he had seen it or done it, and even
went into the metal smelting laboratories to learn what the
fashionable academics of his day despised- Chemistry. He is
known for using mercury compounds to fight syphilis, which was
otherwise incurable. Paracelsus says, in "Paragranum" (1565)
of self-satisfied medics: "Heaven will create other physicians
who will recognize the four elements...they will know the mysteries
and possess the tinctures. ...where will you clowns dwell then,
after the revolution?"
A subject as interesting as this cannot fail to make good radio.
The cast included Mark McDonnell as Theo and Crawford Logan as
Erasmus, and the director was Patrick Rayner. An earlier treatment
by Mark Barratt (The Peacock's Tail) went out in April 1991.
(VRPCC newsletter, Apr 00)
FAMILY MISFORTUNES....2002
Five linked short stories about a Scottish family, by different
writers. This story, "Geraldine", by Beatrice Colin, is read by Eileen
McCallum.
THE ROCKS BELOW....2002
On a Scottish island in the 1950s, identical twins have to come to
terms with a long-hidden secret. Broadcast as afternoon play, 45m.
With Deirdre David, Mairi Gillespie and Derek McGhie; dir. Gaynor
Macfarlane.
KING OF SHADOWS....2003
A magical adventure, set in the present day and also in the
time of Shakespeare. A young American boy is chosen to play Puck
in "A Midsummernight's Dream" at the new Globe Theatre. But he becomes
seriously ill. When he awakes, he's gone back in time to the original
Globe. With Adam Sims as Nat; also stars Robert Glenister, Buffy
Davis, Sally Dexter, Tom George, Martin Hyder and Andrew Woodall.
PRECIOUS BANE....2003
One of the novels mocked so effectively by Stella Gibbons. But
the story isn't at all bad....this was broadcast as the Classic Serial,
in 2 parts starting 4 May 03. It's a love story set in the early 1800s.
A girl is born with a hare lip which is the "precious bane" of the
tale. She is torn between loyalty to her recklessly ambitious brother
and a deep love for the weaver Kester Woodseaves. But she's
convinced that no-one will love her. Some of the scenes are
positively medieval and make one realise how much technology
has revolutionised our lives. To cauterise a wound? Heat a metal poker
in the fire and apply it to the skin....now that's real medicine.
MAPPING THE HEART....2004
Fri. 30 Jan 04, afternoon play, 45m.
An adventure story set in 1950 in the rainforest of Brazil.
Scots-born Kristina Morrison is thrown together with opinionated
American, Ray Epstein, when their light aircraft crashes in the jungle.
Kristina finds herself torn between two men, Ray and her
explorer father, Felix, via the diary of his failed expedition twenty
five years before. ....info. sent by Greg Linden
Kristina Morrison ...... Gayanne Potter
Ray Epstein ...... Stuart Milligan
Miss Spence/Brazilian Woman ...... Monica Gibb
Fred/Mr Hugo ...... Paul Young
Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane.
Beatrice Colin's website:
www.beatricecolin.co.uk
©Nigel Deacon, Diversity website
