1977 - Other Radio Plays
Relatively Speaking
By Alan Ayckbourn 31.12.1977. SNT.(Saturday Night Theatre) Michael Aldridge/Rosemary Leach
ANTIQUE FARCE....1977
By Bruce Stewart. Producer David Spenser. 17 Dec 77. SNT.
Genesius................................................George Cole
Flavia..................................................Kate O'Mara
Galerius..................................................Glyn Owen
Marcellinus..........................................Leonard Fenton
Diocletian.................................................John Rye
Eusebius...............................................John Humphry
Sylvester..........................................Anthony Newlands
Melchiades............................................Henry Knowles
Antonius..............................................Peter Wickham
Julia................................................Anne Rosenfeld
Zosimus........................................Michael Tudor Barnes
Cappadocius.............................................Rod Beacham
Soothsayer.............................................John Gabriel
The Sibyl.............................................Joan Matheson
Priest..................................................Roy Spencer
See Bruce Stewart's page. 90m. Interesting play set in Roman times.
Dog Tooth....1977
by Eric Saward,
with John Hollis and Geoffrey Matthews. 90m.
A road accident brings together English Special Branch and the East German police in this atmospheric period cold war thriller.
First broadcast: R4, 26 Nov 77. Rpt. BBC7, 27 Feb 05.
ROCKLIFE....1977
Drama on 3, 26.9.77.
With Stephen Murray as Leo, Pauline Letts as Sybil, Steve Hodson as Alex,
Lesley Dunlop as Helen; music by David Cain, director Richard Wortley.
An aging British couple live on a (?) Greek island and are invaded by two
youngsters.
The Instruments Of Darkness
By Michael Robson 24.9.1977. SNT. Nigel Stock/Anthony Hall/Richard Hurndall
A LIGHTNING BEFORE DEATH....1977
By Alexander Baron. 15.9.77. This play focuses on an incident in World War 2. A group of soldiers have to recover a cargo of shells, which involves a night-time journey on an enormous makeshift raft in a storm, and take it to Mulberry Harbour. This play is obviously based on the experiences of men who were there in 1944.
- Background: The 'Mulberry Harbour' was built for D-Day in June 1944. Its purpose was to facilitate unloading so that Allied troops received supplies as they advanced across France after breaking out from Normandy. The success of D-Day could only be followed up effectively if the advancing troops were properly supported and more men were landed.
The Mulberry Harbour comprised two artificial harbours, towed across the English Channel and put together off the coast of Normandy. One, known as Mulberry A, was constructed at Omaha Beach and the other, Mulberry B (nicknamed ‘Port Winston’), was constructed off Arromanches at Gold Beach. It was a remarkable engineering achievement.
The material requirements were huge. But in wartime, anything is possible.
The various parts of the Mulberry harbours were made around Britain, secretly. They were towed to Normandy immediately after June 6th: D-Day. By June 18th, both harbours were in use. They were meant to stay in operation until the capture of Cherbourg, if it happened.
A violent storm began on June 19th, which changed everything. By June 22nd, Mulberry A had been wrecked. Parts of it were salvaged to repair Mulberry B.
During that time the harbours landed 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles and 4 million tons of goods.
The Valley
By Alick Rowe 13.8.1977. SNT. Nicolette McKenzie/Sean Arnold.
Blight
By Jill Hyem 6.8.1977. SNT. Ruth Goring/David Markham/Grizelda Hervey. A taboo topic - the violence of a man towards his partner. Uncomfortable listening, and holds the attention of the listener completely. An excellent play.
A Night Of The Wolf
By Victor Pemberton 18.6.1977. SNT. Vincent Price/Coral Browne. When you've listened to this, werewolves will seem almost real...
A GREAT BIG SOFTIE....1977
By Joan Lock, 45m, afternoon play. With George Cole. 16 Jun 77. Someone who is always solving other people's problems doesn't realise that this is causing a few of his own. Producer Glyn Dearman.
Creepers
By Frederick Bradnum 2.4.1977. SNT. Ian Holm/Jack May. Odd play, not up to Bradnum's usual high standard.
Three Days Of Frost
By R.D. Wingfield 12.2.1977. SNT. Leslie Sands/Steve Hodson/Jack May. Much better than the TV follow-ups.
The Doppelganger
By J.C.W. Brook 1.1.1977. SNT. Nigel Anthony/Emily Richard/Elizabeth Lindsay. Outstanding supernatural story. Repeated several times - including, I think, on BBC7.
APPOINTMENT WITH FEAR, 1976-77
7 programmes broadcast. The only details I have so far are shown below...
My Fate Cries Out, by Michael Robson, 4 Dec 76.
BBC World Service.
1.Morning Glory, by Charlotte and Dennis Plummer 1 Jan 77.
With Celia Johnson and Helen Lindsay.
7. Dogs, by Gerald Kelsey 15 Jan 77.
A couple move into an isolated cottage but discover that the previous tenant left some unfinished business. Featuring Judy Cornwell as Anne and Peter Egan as Alan; producer Derek Hoddinott.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
