The Barber of Molville

A Big Fish Radio Production

I first encountered the idea that dementia could be approached with lightness and humor in Wendy Mitchell’s writing, as she chronicled her own journey through this cruel condition in two remarkable books. Yet reading about it is one thing—experiencing it, even briefly, is another. Last year, I became convinced I had dementia and even began researching assisted living arrangements. Thankfully, it turned out to be a side effect of medication for a nerve condition—one I’ve since overcome—but the episode left me with a visceral understanding of the terror that such a diagnosis carries.

This thought-provoking two-hander tackles the subject with a deft, lighthearted touch. Kitty, the central character, must be reminded that she once agreed to be taken to Switzerland for euthanasia. Herein lies the cruel paradox of dementia: Can a decision made in sound mind truly stand when the person later insists—despite all evidence—that nothing is wrong with them?

It’s a dilemma unlikely to be resolved in this country anytime soon, given certain politicians’ obsession with clinging to others’ lives, no matter the suffering involved.

Fever

Featuring Cate Blanchett

Have you ever read one of those books that flow like water ripples without end, marching on in slow prose seemingly forever, never resting for breath, much like a monologue with few pauses, traveling a stream of consciousness pathway full of words, observations, philosophies, but not, you notice, with full stops, a Joycean technique embraced by a few contemporaries who naturally catch the critics' eye and receive rapturous symbolic applause, persuading many of its brilliance, a brilliance I must confess that eluded me in this script despite the ardent critical approval when it first emerged; there is a certain hypnotic allure in the rhythm and cadence that enables Blanchett to deliver Wallace Shawn's words seamlessly, whether the message is delivered or not, and it was not to these ears, for he writes like a man who has just realised the glass of wine he is nursing in his uptown restaurant cost more than a factory worker’s weekly wage and this grim reminder of reality made the fragrant Gamay taste like sewer water as Blanchett’s voice remains a scalpel cutting through the delusion that art can always voice the frustration of the society conscious critic.

You get the drift.

It was apparently Cate Blanchett’s idea to deliver this seemingly endless refrain, which provoked no persuasion from me that it is some sort of riveting treatise on the fruitlessness of capitalism. But then again what do I know?

An Inspector Calls in Moscow

A Pier Production for Radio 4

I first scribbled about this theatrical and screen classic after seeing The Goodies' Graeme Garden breeze onstage as Inspector Goole at the Royal Exchange in Manchester. It led me to explore other works by J.B. Priestley’s as well as obtaining fellow Yorkshireman John Braine’s spirited biography. I was unaware that Inspector premiered in Moscow but referencing back to Braine shows it was mentioned, albeit on one line.

Priestley dashed off the play in a week and as leading figure amongst the post-War literati he assumed it would be grabbed by one of the London impresarios. It was not to be and ended up in the Soviet Union via JB’s Russian translator. The move caused a few twitches in Whitehall who told their man in Moscow to remind Priestley that there was a fragile alliance in place following the downfall of the Nazis.

Rory Kinnear plays JB and Nigel Anthony, the British ambassador attempting to negotiate the fine line between artistic expression and political expediency. JB had been broadcasting for the BBC until his left-wing leaning views were not appreciated by Churchill and he left the airways. Interestingly, the war hero P.M. was soon replaced by Clement Attlee and here in this production we have actor Richard Attlee, his grandson, making an appearance as a Priestley sympathiser. Archers listeners will instantly recognise his voice.

In Moscow the play made waves in the right way with audiences lapping up the story of how the capitalist system corrupts those who benefit from it.

Local Hero

A Bafflegab production for Radio 4

BBC Radio 4’s adaptation of Local Hero takes Bill Forsyth’s much-loved film and refits it with a modern, eco-conscious twist. But is it a thoughtful evolution, or just a convenient nod to contemporary political messaging? American oil baron eschewing drill-baby-drill for windfarms, the aurora borealis and the mesmeric call of the Curlew? Well, it's an interesting idea but not explored enough to earn the title of a 'reimagining' of the 1983 movie. Ed Miliband would certainly lap it up though.

The original Local Hero follows MacIntyre, an American energy executive sent to Scotland to secure land for an oil refinery. But the quaint village of Ferness slowly wins him over, shifting his corporate mindset. The film ends on a wistful note, with Mac returning to his high-rise life, quietly longing for the place he left behind. The radio adaptation, however, takes a different turn: instead of corporate influence clashing with local traditions, the story pivots toward a utopian green vision. Felix Happer, the oil tycoon who is MacIntyre’s boss, suddenly abandons fossil fuels in favor of marine research and astronomy, creating an oddly convenient ‘happily ever after.’ But does this reimagining feel earned, or merely imposed?

The film’s strength lay in its subtle character shifts, letting Mac’s connection to Ferness grow organically. The radio version, however, places its environmental shift in the final moments, making it feel less like a natural evolution and more like a box ticked for contemporary relevance. Had sustainability been woven into the narrative from the outset—perhaps with Marina, the oceanographer, advocating more forcefully for it or Mac slowly seeing its potential—the ending might have carried more weight. At the end Marina’s presence appears to dissolve much like a mermaid disappearing beneath the waves.

Melophobia

A Sweet Talk production for Radio 4

Ah, a show about hearing impairment, music to my ears. Some of the issues raised in Paul Sirett’s true life story resonate with me as my daughter is deaf and her refusal to wear both Cochlear aids, for instance, is rather frustrating but I have long conceded that battleground. It appears to be a fashion statement.

Sirret was impacted with hearing loss following a road accident and here he plays himself as does Jenny Sealey, the director of the Graeae Theatre with whom he teamed up with for a production called Reasons To be Cheerful based on the music of Ian Drury and the Blockheads.

The aural disability causing music to sound distorted seems to be Sirett’s main frustration as a musician and was something he tried to hide from others for years. Much like the hearing aids he refused to wear for five years. But his journey also includes pause for self-reflection, finding time to consume some of the philosophies of Heidegger and Sartre. This leads him to strive for authenticity and that of course means being true to who he has become, not denying it.

And as Jenny Sealey says, wearing hearing aids is not a stigma but rather a way of telling the world you are listening......and ready to be heard.

Just The Three of Us

Featuring Michelle Keegan

There’s nothing inherently wrong with tackling contemporary issues like coercive control—but haven’t we heard this story before? The formula is familiar: a new man steps into the family, plays the perfect stepdad, then slowly isolates his partner and reveals darker, abusive tendencies. This production does throw in an interesting twist, but the broader arc feels well-trodden.

I’d be far more intrigued by a version where the manipulator isn’t "yet another lousy guy" (they’re ten a penny, after all). In fact, I know of a real-life situation—not a headline-grabbing case, just people I’m close to—where a woman wielded the same destructive influence, driving wedges while everyone looked the other way. Now that would feel fresher.

That said, the drama is a decent listen, bolstered by a strong cast. Michelle Keegan, the TV star, naturally draws focus, but Lorraine Ashbourne as the grandmother and Jason Done as the bad dad deliver equally compelling performances. Keegan’s character, upon realizing her partner’s true nature, turns to her mother—only to then blame her for past parenting failures. A messy, human reaction, and one of the play’s stronger moments.

@Turnbullissimo 25 Jul 25



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