Adrian Mourby
Adrian produced radio drama from BBC Wales (Llandaff) in the late 80s,
including Peter Roberts' first radio play, "Not Fade Away". He went on to
produce some television drama for BBC Wales, most notably, an excellent
dramatisation of Kingsley Amis's novel THE OLD DEVILS (some think it
better than the book). He left the BBC to become a freelance writer and
has written several novels. He appears in some literary radio programmes and
has been a contestant in Nigel Rees's show "Quote, Unquote".
A few of his radio plays are listed below.
AFT=Afternoon theatre, SNT=Saturday Night Theatre, TMT= Thirty Minute Theatre.
LANDLOCKED....1992
1 Jul 92. A devised drama by Tessa Gearing, Greg Cullen and Adrian Mourby.
When Ellen tries to keep the news of Karl's desertion from Phil, all the lies that have kept this family together surface. Producer Adrian Mourby.
3/13:
FEAR ON FOUR - The Dispossessed Daughter....1989
(29/1/89)
by Catharine Nicholas:
John Duttine, Vivienne Heilbron, Gareth Armstrong
Dir - in Wales by Adrian Mourby
9/12:
FEAR ON FOUR - Mind Well The Tree....1988
(28/2/88)
by William Ingram:
Nicola Paget, Philip Bond, Myfanwy Talloc, Dilwyn Owen.
Dir - in Wales by Adrian Mourby
A SCARECROW SINGING, 1988
By Alison Leonard. A sensitive treatment of a difficult subject; Bethan, a 25-year-
old girl is severely physically handicapped; her only means of
communication is her word processor. Her body is almost non-
functional, but her mind, which we can hear, is crystal clear. The play
looks at the way she overcomes her disability, and the price which must
be paid for her to do it. Judd was Gerard James, Moir Leslie played
Bethan, Rhiannon was Elizabeth Miles. Bethan's song was composed by
Christine Blanchard, and the director was Adrian Mourby.
Not Fade Away....1987
A nostalgic teacher tries to reform the rock band he played in as a youth, but
is undone by the huge ego of the singer.With Bob Pugh. Produced at Llandaff by Adrian Mourby. AFT.
THE GRESFORD CHICKENS, 1987
By Alison Leonard. The story of Maria, a Ukrainian woman; a generation ago she was in
a Nazi labour camp seeing her friends raped, tortured and abused. How can she
bring herself to speak to her German daughter-in-law, after
the Nazis caused her so much misery? A powerful
drama about the nature of hate. With Pauline Letts as Maria;
directed by Adrian Mourby.
LORD OF MISRULE....1986
12 Mar 86. By Gareth Jones. 9 episodes. Notes for ep. 5: The Conjurer's Sons;
Cwmystwyth 1752. Seven years have passed since Gruffydd abducted Madlen from her wedding and an indignant Hywel Bevan walked out on Rhiannon. Directed by Adrian Mourby; BBC Wales. The theme music to 'Lord of Misrule is from Grace Williams's 's Ballads for Orchestra.
A HANGING AT HANNIKA....1985
By Paula Griffiths. 29 Aug 85. Two travellers are on their way to a public execution in the medieval Durrah Valley. With Lee Montague and David Collings. AFT. Produced by Adrian Mourby.
OLD MAN EGGO....1985
13 Aug 85. By David Griffiths. 1950: Set in the Welsh Borders. Trevor sings in the choir and chases local girls with his friend Mick Snell. But then, one night, Old Man Eggo 's bowler hat is knocked off on the way back from church and nothing is ever the same again, especially up on 'Knicker Hill'. TMT directed by Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
THE ROCKING-STONE....1985
By Vaughan Davies. 20 Jun 85. Into a sleepy valley one summer, a child is born who will shake the foundations of society. But this community has ways of dealing with its problem children. Ways that threaten Helen's very existence.
AFT, produced by Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
THE ARREST....1985
By Emyr Humphreys. 19 Feb 85. It's 1969, and two men meet on the way to jail - a minister who claims political status, and a hardened convict. Outside the police van, Wales is celebrating the Investiture of Prince Charles. But for
Gwilym Elias the day will have other memories. TMT. Produced by Adrian Mourby.
THE CORSAINT....1986
By Adrian Mourby. 12 Feb 85. tale of Miracles; it is 995. and Aldhun, exiled Bishop of Lindisfame, has been warned in a dream to flee Cunacaestir before it is destroyed by the Danes. He is to take with him the body of St Cuthbert, carried on a corsaint - a handcart stacked with treasure. But, for Cuthbert to desert his own land is considered to be a bad omen.... Billy Fellows, Stephen Hancock, Anne Jameson, Alan Mason. Music composed by Stephen Hancock. AFT; producer Vanessa Whitburn, in Birmingham.
THE PENRHYN SUMMER....1986
By Alison Leonard. 31 Jan 85. The legacy of Britain's longest industrial strike hangs over an idealistic university student as she goes about her holiday job. Eighty years on the scars are still evident in Penrhyn, but they are starting to infect Madeleine, too. Stars Derek Richards. Producer: Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
WHAT'S GOT INTO YOU?....1985
By Elaine Morgan. 19 Jan 85. 'A woman gets married. If she fancies having a job, she demands the right to work. If she gets bored with that, she wants the right to be kept. If she doesn't want a family, she wants the right to veto it, and if she does want a family, she expects some poor sod to slog his guts out supporting her and them!' AFT; produced by Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
The killing of Martin Hoffnung....1985
By Michael Davies. A sinister story about double agents and double-crossing.
The plot progresses slowly, like a game of chess. One is
left at the end in a daze, and wondering, in the espionage game,
if there are any winners...a really excellent play. With George Baker,
Ian Senior, Monica Grey, James Benson, Ray Handy, Nigel Graham,
William Roberts, Anist William (sp?), E. Roberts, Anthony Morse,
Roger Knott, Erica Eirea (sp?).
Directed by Adrian Mourby.
A LITTLE LEARNING....1984
6 Dec 84. By Julia Jones, with Christine Pollon as Gwyneth. Mary and Gwyneth have long enjoyed the gentle world of infant-teaching in rural Wales. But now the departure of one troublesome family from the village may mean their school has to close for ever. That is unless Gwyneth can patch up Morgan Jones' failing marriage.
Made with the assistance of the Llandaff Church in Wales Junior School, Cardiff. Producer: Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
CRASH COURSE....1984
17 Sep 84, rpt 23 Sep 84. By Sion Elrian. Monday Play. Frances is learning Welsh at a residential college, her film-maker boyfriend is location-hunting with a lad from the town. The three of them are set on a crash course that will explode their own attitudes to Welshness and each other. Producer: Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
THE MONEY AND THE CHIMNEY POTS....1984
21 Aug 84. By William Ingram. Doll retired from her glamorous stage life many years ago and finds old age too quiet. Then Jonah Jones, a penniless art student, happens along and everything changes. Produced by Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales. AFT.
STAG NIGHT....1984
By William Ingram, 10 Jul 84. TMT. 'The biggest damn lottery of them all' is how Gerald Thomas sees his forthcoming marriage. But the boys intend to give him a last night he'll never forget, whether Lucinda approves or not.
Produced by Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
WAR SONG....1984
19 Jun 84. By Michael Davies. 1961: the Swansea Valley. Harry Morgan and his brother-in-law Hans Bemhoft have been feuding since the end of World War II. Now a Berlin choir is coming to sing in Wales and Harry is determined to prove that his local choir is better. with the Swansea Male Choir, conducted by Ken Wheeler. Producer Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
BURNING THE ARC....1984
15 Apr 84. By Mike Dorrell. AFT. 'It's a funny sort of town this,' a welder comments as day breaks over the South Wales industrial community. The play traces 12 hours in the life of one town as it struggles to shake off the 19th century and come to terms with the 20th. Producer Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
HALT....1984
5 Apr 84. By Alun Owen. AFT. For Bob Bryce, Wales is the land of childhood security and so, when the pressures of London prove too much, he runs to the hills. Ellen Bryce, however, is not so sure a country cottage is the answer to her husband's problems. Producer: Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
THE MARCHES OF WALES....1984
22 Mar 84. AFT. By George Baker. The opening stages of the American War of Independence are witnessed through the eyes of soldiers garrisoned in the town of Boston. Sergeant Daniel believes this is a safe time to enlist his son into the regiment. Meanwhile his commanding officer is involved in a manoeuvre designed to secure a lasting peace ... Produced by Adrian Mourby.
THE GENEVA RUN....1983
31 Dec 83. SNT. The Geneva Run by Michael Davies. A British armaments expert goes missing at the Geneva talks. Has she defected or been kidnapped? Erica Eirian, James Benson. Producer Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
PASSING MUSTER....1983
2 Aug 83. Passing Muster by Peter Buckuan. AFT. The battles of the Civil War are still being fought on the fields of England. One sunny afternoon the troops muster yet again - but all is not well within the ranks.
Producer Adrian Mourby.
JOGGER....1983
24 Feb 83. By Eric Pringle. AFT. Only John Howard knows what really happened when his brother disappeared but he dare not speak. One reporter, however, insists on knowing the truth.
Producer Adrian Mourby.
THE INVESTIGATORS....1983
A series of six plays. Notes for ep 5:The Prodigal Son,by Bernard Knight. When a wealthy couple are visited bv a man claiming to be their long-lost son, the family have to work out whether he is an imposter.
Producer Adrian Mourby. BBC Wales.
THE ARCHERS....1981
Written by Adrian Mourby. BBC Birmingham, 9 Jul 81.
compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
