1978 - Other Radio Plays
Mr. Perrin & Mr. Traill
Hugh Walpole 30.12.1978; Marius Goring/Hugh Burden/Jeremy Clyde/Joan Matheson. A sombre story about the trials of teaching in a minor boarding school seventy years ago. The title refers to two teachers - one a newcomer to the school, idealistic and young; the other much older and serving a life sentence at the same place. Saturday Night Theatre, 90m.
- notes by Jim:
A veteran schoolmaster in the West Country is upset when a new, younger teacher arrives at the school and proves popular with the students. In the small factionalised world of the school, petty jealousies can blow up out of all proportion.
Mr. Perrin & Mr. Traill, which reflects Walpole's brief experience of teaching, was his third novel and first commercial success. He considered it 'probably the truest' of his novels and also his favourite.
Dear Octopus
By Dodie Smith 23.12.1978 Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies/Robert Harris
Adapted by Cynthia Pughe. Produced by David H. Godfrey, Originally broadcast 23 Dec 1978 (repeated 3 May 1986), 1hr 27mins.
Charles Randolph......................................Robert Harris
Dora Randolph.................................Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies
Charles & Dora's children
Hilda...................................................Monica Grey
Margery..................................................Eva Haddon
Cynthia...........................................Jo Manning Wilson
Nicholas..............................................Martin Jarvis
Their grand-children
Hugh...............................................Timothy Bentinck
Flouncy..............................................Susan Sheridan
Bill..............................................Elizabeth Lindsay
Scrap............................................Bernadette Windsor
Belle, Charles' sister-in-law........................Barbara Couper
Kenneth Harvey, Margery's husband......................Garard Green
Edna Randolph Hugh's mother.........................Irene Sutcliffe
Laurel Randolph, Hugh's wife.........................Gretta Gouriet
Fenny, Dora's companion.................................Lisa Harrow
Gertrude..............................................Janet Burnell
Nanny...................................................Margot Boyd
THE BATTLE OF THE BOOZE....1978
19 Dec 78. An improbable radio play by Patrick Ryan. Thirty Minute Theatre. A black market scheme by a military unit in Italy in 1944 takes on a much larger dimension in the battle to break through Germany's Gothic Line.
Featuring Jack McKenzie and Peter Wickham, with Jonathan Newth, David Graham, Graham Faulkner, Gregory de Polnay, Philip Voss, Andrew Sachs, Henry Knowles, Fred Bryant, Martin Matthews, Lawrence Harrington, Anthony Newlands and Roy Montague. Directed by Christopher Venning.
WHEN THE SNOW LAY ROUND ABOUT....1978
By James Forsyth. R4, SNT. 16 Dec 78.
The year is 928. The Imperial army of the Franco-Germanic Empire has crossed the mountainous frontier of little, independent Bohemia. Under the command of Henry the Fowler of Saxony, they also advanced at a slower, but no less ruthless pace, upon Prague. Once there, Henry the German faced King Wenceslas of Bohemia.
King Wenceslas has made arrangements with his fellow Christian King, Henry the Fowler, to accept an offer to be a tributary to the German Empire, but Bohemia would still be ruled by Wenceslas under its current laws. In return, Henry will provide protection from the barbarians without, and the heathen within as both he and Wenceslas are aware of the forces against this deal, led by the Queen Mother, Drahomira, and Wenceslas' brother, Prince Boleslav, who both believe the treaty will take away their ancient independence.
With David Buck [King Wenceslas of Bohemia], Mary Wimbush [Queen Drahomira, the King's Mother], Philip Sully [Prince Boleslav, the King's Brother], Rosalind Adams [Samo, the King's Page], Fred Bryant [Yani, the Old Forester, Samo's Uncle], Peter Baldwin [Matji, the Castellan], Diana Olsson [The Lady Beatrix, Matji's Wife], John Westbrook [Baron Krok], Stephen Thorne [Henry the Fowler, King of Saxony / Baron Felix], Roy Spencer [Prince Vasily Voronov / Baron Gregor], Christine Absalom [Teta, Samo's Cousin], and Anthony Daniels [Igor, Teta's Husband].
The music was specially composed by David Cain. Directed by David Spenser.
.....thanks to s-j of 'radiofans' for this information.
A Pretty Little Gift Horse
By T.D. Webster 11.11.1978 John Hollis/Michael Kilgarriff/Stephen Thorne
Alice of Kilkenny....1978
By Ian Rodger: BBC Radio 4: Saturday Night Theatre, Saturday 4th November 1978, 8:30 p.m.
Dame Alice le Kyteler was put on trial in Kilkenny, Ireland in 1324, accused of witchcraft (one of the first "cases" of European witchcraft). She was the wealthiest woman in her town, had inherited substantial wealth from her four deceased husbands, and enjoyed the wealth of her current husband. The trial of Alice Kyteler was initiated by the stepsons she had from her former marriages, who believed that they, not a woman, should receive all of their father's inheritance. There were political interests also; Ireland's Celtic population had strong matrifocal origins, and this was a threat to Catholic authorities, who believed that "Property is power that belongs in male hands only".
With Patricia Leventon [Alice Kyteler], Bryan Murray [William Outlawe], Engel Grekin [Basilia], Valerie Lillie [Petronella], Louie Ralston [Father Clyn], Jonathan Scott [Richard de Ledrede, Bishop of Ossary], Denys Hawthorne [Hughla de Spencer], Harry Webster [John Le Poer], Kevin Flood [John Darcy, the Lord Chief Justice], Joe McPartland [The Jailer]. Directed by Robert Cooper in Belfast. 90m. ....thanks to s-j.....
The Gabriel Hounds
By Mary Stewart 21.10.1978 David March/Emily Richard/Ian Liston
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
By Barrie Lyndon 26.8.1978 Michael Aldridge/Peggy Paige/Richard Burnett
The Night Of Caesar's Knives
By William Keenan 15.7.1978 Anna Cropper/John Bennett/Ronald Herdman
The Trains Don't Stop Here Any More
By Victor Pemberton 8.7.1978 Nerys Hughes/Nigel Anthony/Wendy Richard/Sheila Grant
Before The Screaming Begins
By Wally K. Daly 1.7.1978 James Laurenson/Jennifer Piercy/Patrick Troughton/Donald Hewlett
THE RIGHT TRUE END....1978
Adapted for radio by Stan Barstow from his 1976 novel.
Produced in Manchester by Alfred Bradley. 17 Jun 78.
The final story in the Vic Brown trilogy. Vic is now successful.
After a series of rather grubby affairs, he becomes determined to
track down the only woman with whom he felt he had something real.
Cast:
Victor..................................Brian Peck
Ingrid..................................June Barry
Donna.................................Fiona Walker
Conroy..........................Kenneth Farringdon
Mr. Brown............................Harry Markham
Mrs. Brown......................Elizabeth McKenzie
Christine..............................Beth Harris
Jim................................Michael Stirrup
Fleur...............................Vivienne Dixon
Miriam and Millie........................Jane Lowe
Tom and Janice........................Judy Bennett
Carter and Michael...................Peter Wheeler
Graham................................Paul Webster
Ben.................................Geoffrey Banks
Remember Me
By Jill Hyem 20.5.1978.
Produced by Kay Patrick,
80 minutes,
20 May 1978 (Saturday Night Theatre).
A relaxing week in the Peak District turns out to be anything but. Cast:
Thelma Weadon...................................Jill Balcon
Paul Sutton...................................Julian Glover
Margot Sutton...................................Sarah Badel
Edgar Parsons...............................Peter Tuddenham
Hester Drew...................................Pauline Letts
Enid Gosler.....................................Margot Boyd
Nancy........................................Rowena Roberts
This is the ultimate revenge play, pushing even Nick Fisher's "Turning of the Tide" into second place. A woman who rents out rooms entertains some guests... it's only after some odd coincidences that her plan, and the reasons for it, are revealed...we slowly realise that she is mad.. Her revenge does not work out in the way she expected, but there's no doubt that it is complete. Directed by Kay Patrick.
The play won a Giles Cooper Award. It is also mentioned in Mike Harris's piece on radio Drama (see Articles page) for Edinburgh University Press.
Shadows
By Jack Gerson 13.5.1978 James Cairncross/Patrick Hannaway/Patrick Malahide
WILLOUGHBY'S PHONEY WAR....1978
By William Fox; directed by John Tydeman; 90 minutes. R4, 24 Apr 78 (Monday Play)
and 29 July 1984 (Afternoon Theatre).
Comedy-drama set at the beginning of World War II. Charles Willoughby, an unemployed actor, sees that his patriotic duty is to join up with a war looming. The play follows the trivial tribulations of Charles during the "Phoney War" before things got serious.
Charles.........................Jeremy Irons
Charity..........................Anna Massey
Clarissa......................Madeline Smith
Peregrine....................Charles Hodgson
Christopher...................Jeffry Wickham
Commanding Officer...............William Fox
Mona............................Mary Wimbush
Sergeant......................Manning Wilson
Adjutant............................John Rye
Harris/Armand....................Rod Beacham
Batman/Rifleman..............Kenneth Shanley
Male Guest/C.S.M...............Peter Wickham
Company Commander/Butler......Jonathan Scott
O.C. Ship/Waiter..............Malcolm Gerard
NCO/Belgian Cabby.............Robert Trotter
Newsreader......................Alvar Lidell
PASSPORT TO POWER....1978
By Philip Honeywell. 2 Aug 78; rpt. 6 Jun 79, R4. Afternoon Theatre. A delegation to the Caribbean island of Santa Vaca on a tough negotiation about sugar gets an eager new leader. With Anton Rodgers, Caroline Blakiston, and Neville Jason. Produced by Cherry Cookson. 55m.
The Tale Of The Knight, The Witch & The Dragon
By J.C.W. Brook 8.4.1978 Patrick Stewart/Peggy Paige
The Destruction Factor - part 2 World Without Fire
By James Follett 18.3.1978 T.P. McKenna/Rosalind Adams/Paul Copley
The Destruction Factor - part 1 The Seeds Of Creation
By James Follett 11.3.1978 T.P. McKenna/Rosalind Adams/Paul Copley
Fit To Plead
By James Fairfax 4.3.1978 Judy Bennett/Paul Chapman
THE DUMPLING....1978
By Guy de Maupassant, translated by H.N.P. Sloman; dramatised by Elizabeth Morgan and produced by Margaret Etall . 26 Jan 78, afternoon theatre, 30m.
The story takes place during the Franco-Prussian War, at a time when Rouen is occupied by the Prussians. Ten French travelers find themselves sharing a slow coach from Rouen to (unoccupied) Le Havre. The travelers constitute a microcosm of French society: two nuns, two aristocrats (the Comte and Comtesse of Breville), a wealthy factory owner and his wife (M. and Mme. Carre-Lamadon), a shop-owning couple (M. and Mme. Loiseau), and a strict Democrat (Cornudet). The tenth passenger, at the bottom of the social ladder, is Elisabeth Rousset, a prostitute called Boule de Suif (literally Ball of Suet, or Suet Dumpling).
Before long, the passengers find themselves stranded at an inn debating a curious moral problem in which The Dumpling plays the central part.
Cast:
The Dumpling.......................Miriam Margolyes
M. Carre Lamadon...................John Westbrook
Mme. Carre Lamadon.................Elizabeth Morgan
M. Loiseau.........................Harold Kasket
Mme. Loiseau.......................Elizabeth Bell
Comte de Breville..................Anthony Newlands
Comtesse de Breville...............Brenda Kaye
Cornudet...........................Michael Harbour
Patron.............................Brian Jackson
Patron's wife......................Anne Rosenfeld
Prussian officer...................Neville Jason
First published in 1880 in Les Soirees de Medan, a collection of Naturalist short stories dealing with the Franco-Prussian war.
The U-Boat That Lost Its Nerve
By James Follett 7.1.1978 Nigel Lambert/David Ryall/Michael Deacon
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website; details supplied by Greg Linden.
Above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections
