1998 Radio Plays
THE MAGIC COTTAGE....1998
R4, 17 Jan 98. Very creepy tale by James Herbert. Dram. Gregory Evans. Late Night Theatre. 10.30pm. Music by Neil Brand.
PAINTING MRS. JONES
A lady has her portrait painted. 45m. With Lindsey Duncan,
James Laurenson, David Antrobus; directed by Jeremy Mortimer. 45m.
MEDICAL DETECTIVES - YELLOW FEVER
Drama-doc, 25 Mar 98; yellow fever. 45m.
TAKE THAT, LENNON & SID ....1998
17 Apr 98, by Jonathan Harvey, afternoon play. With Sarah French, Lucy Speed and Ricci Harnett.
Producer John Burgess. Two teenage girls abscond from school to see their favourite pop
group in concert and are changed forever following a revelation about one of their classmates.
DESERT ISLAND DESSERTS
24 Apr 98; two businessmen find themselves stranded
on a desert island. 45m.
CHICKEN
By Peter Kerry and Martin Jameson. R4, 11 May 98, 11pm.
Curious sci-fi/fantasy play involving chickens. 30m.
FLIGHT TO ARRAS
22 May 98. WW2 bomber - pilot play.
THE BURNING GLASS
R4 30 May 98. Some pre-Cold War radioactive material turns up
where it shouldn't. Interesting play. 45m.
BINGO
By Martin Jameson, R4 1 Jun 98. It's 2003, and a person wins the new
National Bingo - but is he suitable to receive the prize? 45m.
PARSON SKINNER OF CAMERTON
Based on the true story of an unusual clergyman. 45m.
RENDER UNTO CAESAR
R4 16 Jun 98. Who will get the bequest - the family or the priest?
By P. Power.
MARY SOMETHING TAKES THE VEIL
R4 17 Jun 98. A would-be nun can't decide on her new name. By
Charlotte Jones.
FAIR GAME
R4 19 Jun 98. By Dave Simpson. A psychological thriller with
Christian Rodska. Emotional blackmail, harassment and murder. 45m.
MURDER ON THE HOME FRONT
R4 4 Jul 98. 55m murder story by M. Crompton.
BOB GIVES UP HIS DAY
R4 8 Jul 98. By Kay Stoneham. Bob wants to give up his tedious job in television
to become .... a dentist. 30m. Comedy - satire.
BOCACCIO'S DECAMERON
Three episodes of 60m, beginning 18 Jul 98. OK, so they shortened
it far too much ... but it still has its moments. Classic Serial.
THE BARNES ORIGINALS
R4 21 Jul 98. By Claire Dowie. Excellent play with a group of
grown men behaving like kids thirty years after they left school
together. With Stephen Moore, Nicky Henson.
SOMEBODY
R4 25 Jul 98. Ellen and Roy have won a second honeymoon in the
South of France. Unfortunately they split up some time ago...
CURE IN THE COMMUNITY
29 Jul 98. By Kay Stoneham. Ill? Abolish hospital care - that's the
answer. Satirical comedy play, 30m.
THE BIG HOT SUMMER
3 Aug 98.By Bill Taylor. A junior version of Philip Marlowe
solves the case. Excellent play. 45m. Anyone know anything about Bill
Taylor?
TELLING TALES
4 Aug 98. By Gordon Snell. 45m. An old lady befriends a young girl;
together they have adventures.
FIVE CHILDREN AND IT
R4 31 Aug 98. 90 minute children's play with Simon Carter playing
the part of the Pssamead, an imaginary beast with magical powers.
SKETCHES BY BOZ (Dickens)
8 Sep 98. The Bloomsbury Christening. Amusing short play. 30m.
CLEAN BREAK
26 Sep 98. A private detective and some stolen pictures. 45m.
THINGS FALL APART
By Chinua Achebe [novel, 1958], adapted in two parts by Biyi Bandele.
Classic Serial, 18 & 25 Oct 98. One of the first African novels written in English to receive global
critical acclaim. Set in pre-colonial Nigeria in the 1890s, Things Fall
Apart highlights the clash between colonialism and traditional culture.
1: Okonkwo is a respected tribal leader in the Ibo village of Umuofia,
Nigeria. Following tribal custom, Okonkwo agrees to take part in the killing
of a young boy, Ikemefuna, a hostage of war from a neighbouring village who
has been placed in his care.
2: Okonkwo is exiled from Umuofia, his Ibo village in Nigeria, for seven
years for the accidental killing of a clansman's son. His tragic decline
continues when white Christian missionaries arrive and threaten Ibo tribal
customs and culture.
With Patrice Naiambana, Femi Elufowoju Jr and Freddie Annobil Dodoo.
Directed by Ralph Rolls.
THE MYSTERY OF THE MARY CELESTE
31 Oct 98, 3.02pm. From the Brian Freemantle novel, dramatised
by Alun Richards. 55m.
THE DARK HORSE
5 Sep 98. Interesting story involving racehorses in India. 45m.
Nigel Deacon / Diversity website
Above plays known to exist in VRPCC collections.
