John Peacock Radio Plays
John Peacock is a writer of film, television, stage and radio and his work is well known to BBC Radio 4 listeners.
His first radio play 'Attard in Retirement', directed by Jane Morgan, won a Giles Cooper award. He wrote a series of 8 plays, based on Lautrec's paintings 'Posters of the Moulin Rouge' and 'Posters of Montmartre' and an adaptation of George Orwell's 'A Clergyman's Daughter'.
His first children's serial was for Radio 5, when it was the 'young people's' waveband': 'Captain Kidd and the First XV'.
In 2006 he wrote “Bringing Eddie Home”, the true story of the death of a young soldier in Aden and its aftermath. (see articles page)
RADIO WORK
2011 Playing for his Life
2006 Bringing Eddie Home
2005 The murder of my aunt (Richard Hull, dram); rpt 2007
2004 Little White Bird
2004 A lesson in the art of snuff-taking (short story)
2003 I am David, by Ann Holm (dram) 2 x 45m
2001 A kiss from a sailor
1999 The complete adventures of Claudine (Colette, 4 stories, dram)
1999 London Particulars (4 x 45m)
1998 My Gaiety Girls
1998 Basic magic
1997 Diamonds (3 plays, 45m)
1997 Electricity (2 episodes)
1996 The box of delights (dram) – John Masefield
1996 London Particulars (2 x 45m)
1996 Passport to Pimlico
1995 The ratcatcher of Hamelin
1995 Death of an ugly sister
1991 Posters of Montmartre
1991 Excuse Fingers
1990 Jenny Wagon
1990 Madame De Treymes
1989 Posters of the Moulin Rouge
1983 The wild swan
1980 The sitting tenant
1980 Attard in retirement
NOTES
PLAYING FOR HIS LIFE....2011
Play based on truth; 24 Jun 11, by John Peacock, set in the late 1930s. The German tennis star Gottfried von Cramm had a low opinion of the Nazis, and offended Hitler by refusing to join the Party. It was a dangerous decision. Those not supporting the Fuhrer could easily disappear ..... Geoffrey Sreatfield as von Cramm, Paloma Baeza as his wife, Sam Dale as Ribentropp, Geoffrey Whitehead as the tennis commentator. Producer Celia de Wolff.
BRINGING EDDIE HOME....2006
Repatriating the body of Eddie, a serviceman who lost his life in Aden. See separate article.
The Murder of My Aunt….2005
By Richard Hull, adapted by John Peacock.
18 Jun 07, rpt. Edward tries to rid himself of his extremely annoying relation, but finds the task more difficult than he thought.
Mildred ...... Marcia Warren
Edward ...... Adam Godley
Dr Spencer ...... Hugh Dickson
Cook ...... Susan Jameson
Mary ...... Rachel Atkins
Director Jane Morgan.
A LESSON IN THE ART OF SNUFF-TAKING....2004
By John Peacock Beau Brummell, haunted by debt, attempts to re-acquaint himself with the recently Crowned King George IV. Read by Phillip Voss.
LITTLE WHITE BIRD….2004
25 Dec 2004. Dram. by John Peacock. The narrator (MICHAEL SIBERRY) is a ‘gentle whimsical lonely old bachelor’, an author,
whose ambition is to have a son. From his window table at his club, he watches the romantic progress of a young governess
(SARA MARKLAND) and her boyfriend, (CHRIS PAVLO) who meet every lunch time in the park opposite. He secretly intervenes when
they split-up and engineers a re-union which leads to their marriage. He follows them, unseen, to their home, and from then on,
he becomes their ‘unknown friend’ helping the penniless couple, anonymously, when needed.
He follows the birth of their son, David, (THOMAS GLENISTER) from a distance, and as the boy grows up, he becomes a
substitute for the son the narrator never had.
CAST
JAMES - MICHAEL SIBERRY
PETER PAN - JOE ABSOLOM
DAVID - THOMAS GLENISTER
MARIE - SARA MARKLAND
FATHER - CHRIS PAVLO
IRENE - ROBIN WEAVER
WILLIAM - DANIEL RYAN
MRS HICKING - BECKY HINDLY
ELLEN - POLLY ADAMS
SOLOMON - CROW PHILLIP VOSS
TONY - MATTHEW THOMAS DAVIES
MAIMIE - GABRIELLA SMITH
OLIVER - THOMAS ANDERSON
PAWNBROKER - SAM DALE
BEECHER - KEITH DRINKEL
A KISS FROM A SAILOR....2001
Afternoon play, 23 Apr 01.
LONDON PARTICULARS....1999
1. 11 Jun: The last of the Bow Street Runners.
2. 18 Jun: A cuckoo in the nest.
3. 25 Jun: Out on the Drag.
4. 2 Jul: The Kitten-Houser.
THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF CLAUDINE....1999
1. Claudine at school: In her last year at school, Claudine is seduced by the temptation of love. With Jill Balcon, Paloma Baeza and Sally Baxter. Director Celia de Wolff.
2. Claudine In Paris: Claudine explores the city and its vices, and is as tempted by them as she is by her uncle. With John Hartley, Nicholas Farrell and Scott Handy. Director Celia de Wolff.
3. Claudine Married: Claudine's infidelity turns out to be more painful than she could have imagined. With Nicholas Farrell, Julia Ford and Scott Handy. Director Celia de Wolff.
4. Claudine And Annie: Claudine wants to help Annie, but begins to wonder whether she can only help herself. With Poppy Miller, Clare Holman, Philip Voss and Nicholas Farrell. Director Celia de Wolff.
MY GAIETY GIRLS....1998-9
The story of George Edwardes and the girls of the Gaiety Theatre.
BASIC MAGIC....1998
A lonely woman arrives in Porthant Bay with just a handbag and a dog. She claims to be staying in the Jeffersons'
holiday cottage - but nobody was expecting her. With Rosemary Leach, John Hartley and Becky Hindley. Director Janet Whitaker. 5 x 15m.
DIAMONDS....1997
Play titles: Stars of the Orange River 19 May, The Diamond Jousts 26 May, Diamond cut Diamond 2 Jun.
LONDON PARTICULARS....1996
1. 10 Apr 96.
2. 17 Apr 96.
20 Jan 96:Saturday Playhouse - Passport to Pimlico
Adapted by John Peacock from the screenplay by T E B Clarke.
A bomb goes off, and Arthur Pemberton discovers a crater full of treasures. With Teresa Gallagher, Jonathan Tafler, Gavin Muir, David King, Matthew Marsh,
Vivian Pickles, Tom Bevan, David Collings, Stephen Critchlow, John Hartley, Paul Jenkins,
Jonathan Keeble, Ross Livingstone and Linda Regan. Producer Celia de Wolff.
Arthur Pemberton ..... George Cole,
Connie Pemberton ..... Diana Coupland,
Shirley Pemberton ..... Louise Lombard,
Sebastien ..... Michael Maloney,
Frank Huggins ..... Ian Redford,
PC Spiller ..... John Junkin,
Edie Randall ..... Joan Sims.
The Box of Delights…1996
Another bit of cheating here (two for the price of one), but I would not be without either. The first is the 1996 offering
dramatised by John Peacock with original music by Neil Brand. Although I was reared on the John Keir Cross and Robert Holland
version in 1943, with music by Victor Hely-Hutchinson, this wonderful 1996 version is remarkably faithful to to the book and has
performances to savour from an OTT Donald Sinden as Abner Brown and a fruity Lionel Jefferies as Cole Hawkins. The other
version was a re-working by Keir Cross alone and was first aired in 1978 or thereabouts. The marvellous David Davis acts
as narrator (Kay Harker as a man) and the production retains the Hely-Hutchinson music - to be expected, because David
would have been involved with the originals on Children's Hour in 1943 and 1948. Although much truncated, this is still
an adaptation that is surely rewarding to both child and adult. ....Donald Campbell
The Ratcatcher Of Hamelin….1995
By John Peacock 20.5.1995
A man and his ex take their son for a last holiday together in Germany. The boy becomes
troubled and fascinated by what really happened in Hamelin all those years ago. Does anyone know the truth behind the legend?
The play is set in 1995 and medieval Hamelin.
- Cast:
James BEATTIE .............. Tim
James AUBREY ............... David
Sally DEXTER............... Rachel
Tina GRAY .................. Helga
Philip VOSS ................ Edmund / Ludeker / Landgraf
Edith KAHLER ............... Liesel Ludeker
David BANNERMAN ............ Johann
Jillie MEERS ............... Anna
Helena MCCARTHY ............ Jutte
Nicholas BOULTON ........... Pied Piper
With Elaine CLAXTON and James TAYLOR
POSTERS OF MONTMARTRE....1991
1. May Belfort, 18 Sep 91.
2. Footitt & Chocolat, 25 Sep 91.
3. Casque d'Or, 2 Oct 91.
4. Aristide Bruant, 9 Oct 91.
EXCUSE FINGERS....1991
24 Nov 90; 90m; rpt as Afternoon Play 20 May 91. . A rather unnerving murder story based on true events, with some similarities to the Adelaide Bartlett case. Set in Hay-On-Wye around the time of WW1. An army major is accused of murdering his wife with arsenic oxide. He did it, and we hear exactly how .... but can anyone prove it? Stars Michael Kitchen as the killer. Written by John Peacock.
THE JENNY WAGON....1990
Afternoon play, 16 Apr 90.
POSTERS OF THE MOULIN ROUGE....1989
1. The Boneless Wonder, 6 Dec 89.
2. The Boneless Wonder, 7 Dec 89.
3. La Goulue, 14 Dec 89.
4. Jane Avril 21 Dec 89.
THE SITTING TENANT....1980
22.12.80; with Patricia Hayes as Gully, Alfred Burke as Granger. An elderly woman, a sitting tenant in the last flat who refuses to move out. She gets an unexpected visitor - a criminal. Supporting cast: Philip Voss, William Nighy, Simon Cadell, Andrew Seer, Jack May, Josie Kidd, Peter Baldwin, Anne Carrol, Rusty Livingstone, Eva Stuart, Thelma Whiteley, Brian Carroll, Michael Goldie, Anne Mason & David Timpson. SMs Janet Mitchell, Diana Barkham, Kevin Owen. Producer Jane Morgan.
ATTARD IN RETIREMENT....1980
With George Cole, Rosalie Critchley, Pat Hayes, Margot Boyd, Mark Dignam. R4, 24.8.80, 90m. Rebroadcast by CBC, late 90s, in three parts.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
