Jon Canter Radio Plays
Jon Canter studied Law at Cambridge University and became President of Footlights. He has written for many well-known comedians including Lenny Henry, Dawn French, Angus Deaton, Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones. He is a well-known writer for radio and television.
NOTES ON SOME OF THE RADIO PLAYS
5 Jan 24: Boswell: Boswell's Life of Gandhi
Series 3. Rpt. By Jon Canter. Produced by Sally Avens. Comedy - James Boswell becomes a time travelling biographer. Today he meets Gandhi, and attempts to become a better man under Gandhi's guidance. However, abstinence drives Boswell to distraction and worse.
17 Mar 23: Boswell's Lives, Series 3: de Beauvoir
By Jon Canter; rpt. Comedy as James Boswell becomes a time-travelling biographer doing for other celebrities what he did for Dr Johnson. Today he meets Simone de Beauvoir and gains several lessons in equality as he helps clean her apartment allowing her to complete her book The Second Sex. Would radical modern feminism have existed without him?
Produced by Sally Avens.
2 Mar 23: Boswells Lives - Byron
By Jon Canter; a 30-minute episode from series 3, rpt. James Boswell becomes a time-travelling biographer doing for other celebrities what he did for Dr Johnson. Today he meets Lord Byron at the beginning of his career and Boswell is sure he can help the young man become a celebrated poet. But does Byron need his help?
Boswell ..... Miles Jupp,
Lord Byron ..... Freddie Fox,
Produced by Sally Avens.
It is many years since Leonard Rossiter made Reggie Perrin famous on TV. But Jon Canter recently dramatised THE FALL AND RISE OF REGINALD PERRIN (R4, 1500, two successive Sundays beginning 13 Nov 22) from the story by David Nobbs. Reggie is the executive who has had enough of working for his bullying boss at Sunshine Desserts, and the trains not running on time, and his life being of no importance. His behaviour becomes increasingly eccentric until he makes a life-changing decision. He will disappear. Episode 1 was about his fall; episode 2 was about his rise, which takes place in a most unexpected way (I never saw the TV version). David Haig played Reggie, Pip Torrens was his boss CJ, and Selina Griffiths was his wife Elizabeth. The producer was Sally Avens.
Full cast:
Reggie ..... David Haig,
CJ ..... Pip Torrens,
Elizabeth ..... Selina Griffiths,
Joan ..... Amelia Bullmore,
Linda ..... Celeste Dring,
Jimmy ..... Thomas Arnold,
Henry/Train Announcer ..... Dan Starkey,
Tom ..... Joseph Ayre,
Esther ..... Chloe Sommer,
Tony ..... Jonathan Forbes,
Mark ..... Tom Kiteley,
Mrs CJ ..... Joanna Monro,
Doc .....Roger Ringrose,
Adam ..... Aiden Davison,
Jocasta ..... Elise Davison.
Produced by Sally Avens.
DINNER WITH DYLAN (R4, 1430, 22 May 21) - an amusing piece by Jon Canter and Richard Curtis. It's set in 2017 in the week when Dylan was playing a series of shows at the London Palladium. That week, playwright Jon Canter bumped into Richard Curtis, writer and producer. Three men meet in a restaurant and talk about the meaning of life, and Bob Dylan. They are Dylan fanatics, also known as Bobaholics. Richard Curtis played himself, as did Kerry Shale, Lucas Hare and Eileen Atkins. Sam was played by Akbar Kurtha and Clive Brill was the producer, again for Brill Productions.
2020-10-16, 11-30 Believe It!
By Jon Canter. Series 5,Goodbye.
Richard Wilson returns with another series of not-quite-true revelations about his life.
As usual Richard has many friends from whom he seeks advice. Starring Ian McKellen as Head of Gay, and Peter Capaldi and David Tennant as the Two Doctors, along with an excellent supporting cast..
Produced by Clive Brill. Indie (Brill Productions).
The 'Dangerous Visions' continued in August with I'M DYING TO HELP by Jon Canter (R4, 1415, 13 Aug 19); a cynical science fiction tale about a world where, when you reach 80 years of age, you will be encouraged to volunteer for a 'goodbye', or a termination. A cyanide capsule, and that's it. If you agree, money will be left to your dependants; this means vast savings for the NHS, and no more money wasted on those elderly people who consume the majority of the Health Service's resources. Sam, the first volunteer, was played by Tony Robinson and the Prime Minister by Haydn Gwynne; Sally Avens was the producer. (....ND, Diversity website review, Sep 2019)
2018-09-03, 11-30 Believe It!
By Jon Canter. A fourth series of Richard Wilson's Radiography in which writer Jon Canter delves into the true and not-so-true parts of Richard's life. In this episode, Richard decides that it's time he became more Scottish and calls on all his Scottish friends to do likewise.
Richard Wilson - himself,
Ian McKellen - himself,
Anthony Sher - himself,
Peter Capaldi - himself,
David Tennant - himself,
Arabella Weir - herself,
Sheila/Deirdre/Scottish Lady ..... Lotte Rice,
Vincent/Drunk ....... David John.
Produced by Clive Brill. Indie (Brill Productions).
2018-08-06, 23-00 Boswell's Lives - Muhammad Ali
By Jon Canter.Series 2. James Boswell becomes a time travelling biographer and meets Muhammad Ali, banned from boxing and in the wilderness.
James Boswell ...... Miles Jupp,
Muhammad Ali ....... Lenny Henry,
Producer...... Sally Avens.
2018-08-20, 23-00 Boswell's Lives - Madonna
By Jon Canter. Series 2 (rpt, I think).
Comedy as James Boswell, Dr Johnson's biographer, pursues other legends to immortalise. Today he meets Madonna and lives to tell the tale.
James Boswell ....... Miles Jupp,
Madonna .... Debra Stephenson,
Producer...... Sally Avens.
2018-08-06, 23-00 Boswell's Lives - Agatha Christie
By Jon Canter. Series 3. James Boswell meets Agatha Christie and soon becomes involved in deception, disappearances and an unnatural death.
James Boswell ........ Miles Jupp,
Agatha Christie ....... Vicki Pepperdine,
Rose ....... Abbie Andrews,
Producer .. Sally Avens.
2015-12-01: Oh You Pretty Things
Afternoon play. When Ellie's ex gets in touch after 25 years, her husband Dave can't resist doing the same thing and gets in touch with his ex too. These exes are, for both partners, roads not taken. Is there still time to go down those roads? Indie (Brill Productions).
Ellie ...... Sarah Alexander,
Dave ........ Will Adamsdale ,
Charlie ........ Lynden Edwards ,
Tash ..... Monica Dolan ,
Shop Girl .... Alana Ramsey ,
Receptionist .... Alana Ramsey,
Produced by Clive Brill.
I'M A BELIEVER....2014
I was very taken with Jon Canter's 'I'm a Believer' (R4, 1415, 1 Aug 14); a humorous play about a man who believes that God doesn't exist, and tells him so when he unexpectedly meets him in a dream. Then, on his way to a fancy-dress party, dressed as a vicar, he encounters a crashed car, a distraught woman needing a priest and her unconscious companion. Is she dead? This play is a must-listen for anyone who preaches sermons. Simon, the would-be vicar, was played by Stephen Mangan, Gold by Colin McFarlane, Jane by Claudie Blakley and Mary by Pauline McLynn. The producer was Jonquil Panting. (....ND, Diversity website review, Sep 2014)
Jon Canter's THE VERTIGO TRUST (R4, 1415, 29 Nov 13) concerned a millionaire entrepreneur suffering from vertigo. He's in charge of a big manufacturing concern but his office is on the ground floor. A person claiming to be a vertigo counsellor offers to help him. , and gets behind his defences. This was a neat comedy drama starring Gerard Murphy and James Fleet and was produced by Clive Brill; another play from Pacificus. (....ND, Diversity website review, Dec 2013)
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Asterisked plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
