Radio 3 Drama, 2022

Drama on 3 – 2022

Sundays

This is now complete to 31 Dec.

ND / 6 Jan 2023

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2 Jan 2022 Drama on 3 - The Mother
By Bertold Brecht. Stage play set in pre-revolutionary Russia, translated by Mark Ravenhill and Marc Funda. Music by Hans Eisler. When Pavel becomes involved in political activity her radical action to protect him from imprisonment transforms her into the figurehead for a revolutionary movement. Recorded in front of an audience in Middleton Hall, Hull. Rpt. First broadcast in 2019. Cast: Andy Coxon as Pavel, Vlassova: Maxine Peake, with Esh Allad, Nico Mirallegro, Elen Rhys, Rupert Hill, William Ash, Kevin Harvey, Christine Bottomley and Nadia Emam. Producer: Nadia Molinari. .

9 Jan 2022 Drama on 3 - To Preserve the Health of Man
By Dave Britton. Five imagined encounters, when William Byrd looks back at key influences as he composed 'Gradualia', 109 pieces for each of the events and feasts in the church calendar. The title is a quote from a quote by Byrd: 'The exercise of singing is delightful to nature, and good to preserve the health of man'. Music played by the Odyssean Ensemble, director Colm Carey, recorded at the Chapel Tower, Tower of London. Rpt. First broadcast in Jul 2021 in five parts. William Byrd: David Suchet, Juliana Byrd: Sara Kestelman, Queen Elizabeth: Juliet Aubrey, Thomas Tallis: Philip Jackson, Edmund Campiion: Gunnar Cauthery. Producer: Alison Hindell. Sound: Nigel Lewis and Catherine Robinson. BBC Wales.

16 Jan 2022 Drama on 3 - The Miser
By Moliere, new production to mark 400th anniv. of the playwright's birth. This play is too well-known to need a description from me.

23 Jan 2022 Drama on 3 - Wunderkind
Sebastian Baczkiewicz used the Radio 3 drama slot to tell us how Allegri's setting of Psalm 51, now known as Miserere, escaped from the Vatican (WUNDERKIND, R3, 1930, 23 Jan 22). This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music in existence, and to preserve its sense of mystery, the Pope forbade anyone from transcribing it, on pain of excommunication. The work remained uncirculated and unpublished for a century. But Leopold Mozart took his son to Rome in 1770 and the two of them heard the Mass on Maunday Thurday service at the Vatican, at which the Miserere was sung. A couple of hours later, back at home, the young Wolfgang wrote out the whole piece from memory. According to the play, it was to get the young prodigy and his father into hot water. Leopold Mozart was played by Paul Higgins, Anna by Jasmine Hyde and Cardinal Ucelli by Craige Els. Musical direction was by John Chambers and the producer was Toby Swift. (....Note that Mozart himself only appears as a musician; we never hear his voice, though he is the subject of the play - Ed.)

30 Jan 2022 Drama on 3 - Othello
By Shakespeare; rpt. 125 min. This version is staged in an imagined near future in which Turkey tries to re-invade Cyprus. Adapted by Emma Harding and introduced by Islam Issa. The play is too well-known to need a description from me.

6 Feb 2022 Drama on 3 - Magnitsky the Musical
By Johnny Flynn and Robert Hudson. (Book and lyrics by Robert Hudson; music and lyrics by Johnny Flynn) A musical blending music and satire, exploring the truths and fictions surrounding the Magnitsky Act. This is global legislation allowing governments to sanction those who they see as offenders of human rights. It tells the story of a tax adviser’s struggle to uncover a huge tax fraud, his imprisonment by the authorities he is investigating, and an American financier’s crusade for justice. Bill . . . . . Paul Chahidi, Sergei . . . . . Johnny Flynn, Jamie . . . . . Fenella Woolgar, Natalia . . . . . Ellie Kendrick, Kuznetsov . . . . . Gus Brown, Guard . . . . . Clive Hayward, Silchenko . . . . . Ian Conningham, Jared . . . . . Will Kirk, Fisherman . . . . . Neil McCaul, Judge . . . . . Jessica Turner. Additional singing by Sinead MacInnes, Laura Christy, Scarlett Courtney and Lucy Reynolds. The cellist is Joe Zeitlin. Sound by Peter Ringrose. Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko.

20 Feb 22 Drama on 3 - The A-Z of Things: H is for Hair
By Emily Burnett. Sonically inventive stories about the objects that shape us, from writers and sound designers new to radio. Uses binaural sound. Jas is 27 and mixed race. Since birth she's been called Hairbear. When her hair starts falling out by the roots, she feels like she's losing her identity, her history and possibly her grip on reality. Can Granny help? Jas - Bethan Mary James, Dad - Steve Toussaint, Granny - Mary-Anne Roberts, Beth - Sara Gregory, Marie Antoinette - Coco Mageeda, Blind Date - Matthew Durkan, Jessica - Josephine Lopez-Norton. Sound design - Ivan d'Avoine. Producer - John Norton. BBC Wales.

This was immediately followed by: C is for Campervan
By Hannah Morley. Laurie wakes up in her campervan, crashed in the snow in Vermont. Laurie - Elysia Welch, Paige - Ashley Haddad, Sam - Ian Dunnett Jnr. Sound Design - Tess Davidson. Producer- John Norton. BBC Wales.

27 Feb 22 Drama on 3 - The A-Z of Things: A is for Awards
By Amy Trigg with sound design by Michael Panayiotis. Paige is an up-and-coming novelist who is about to be presented with a prestigious writing award. But rather than giving her a sense of validation, the prospect of lifting up that award propels her towards a breakdown. Paige ..... Amy Trigg, Sian / Journalist ..... Maryam Hamidi, Luke / Publisher ..... Laurie Brown. Other parts were played by members of the cast. BBC Scotland, directed in Glasgow by Kirsty Williams.

This was immediately followed by: F is for Furniture
By Siofra Dromgoole with sound design by Cole Ostrin. After a sudden break-up, Niamh is living alone in the flat she shared with her partner, among the furniture they shared. She tries to move on, but the furniture seems to have a life of its own. Niamh ….. Jessica Hardwick, Al ….. Reuben Joseph, Eileen ….. Dani Heron, George ….. Harri Pitches. Other parts played by members of the cast. BBC Scotland , produced in Glasgow by Gaynor Macfarlane.

6 Mar 22 Drama on 3 - The A-Z of Things: M is for Mussels
By Lara Barbier. Margo is pregnant and she can't stop eating mussels. The hard shells are shaped like blue-black tears, gifted from mother to daughter. They speak of sorrow. They speak of the sea... Sound design by Laurence Nelson. Margo played by Alexandria Riley; Rowan by Joe Simms. Produced by Becky Ripley. BBC Bristol.

...immediately followed by: D is for Dwelling
By Nash Colundalur; sound design by Arthur Hutchinson. "My name’s Bauen, it's German, it means dwelling. I speak 37 languages, but they have chosen Female RP as my dialect. I am the eyes and consciousness of this house..." Bauen: Pippa Haywood, Preethi: Ellora Torchia, Jay: Ed Sayer. Produced by Becky Ripley. BBC Bristol.

13 Mar 22 Drama on 3 - Strings
By Linda Marshall Griffiths. The drama imagines a future world where the survival of the species is threatened and decisions must be made about what is worth saving. The Longyears spacecraft is on a mission to launch into the future by entering interconnected cosmic strings. Once in the time dilation they will await a wave-beacon from NASA that will indicate the moment to return to a future ravaged Earth where the doomsday vault that they carry on board can be utilised and re-introduced to save the human race. But as the ship enters the cosmic strings time itself begins to complicate. Enda.....Tamara Lawrance, Doug.....Andonis Anthony, Jilly.....Jenny Platt, Rez.....Alfred Enoch, Milo.....Adetomiwa Edun, Treth.....Claire Benedict. Sound Design by Sharon Hughes. Directed by Nadia Molinari. Programme Consultants: Dr James M Lea, Dr Ian Dawson, Dr Catherine Heinemeyer. BBC; Drama North. Binaural stereo.

20 Mar 22 Drama on 3 - Middlemarch Monologues
Middlemarch is a 19th century novel about provincial lives during a period of social change, e.g. the building of the railways. It writes about individual experiences in an unidentified Midlands town, largely modelled on Coventry, where George Eliot lived for a time. These new monologues weave together eight 21st-century voices. The characters are updated versions of the originals. Dorothea Brooke becomes Thea, ardent climate change activist struggling with mental health; Dr Lydgate meets and falls heavily for Rosanna Vincy, beautiful South Asian social media influencer and thwarted pianist; Will Ladislaw is a Jamaican-Polish-heritage writer-cum-postman, hurt by the acts of racism filling up his social media and working out what to do about it. There are subtle references to the book and some George Eliot lines are used in the monologues.

Tracy Dagley ..... Julia Rounthwaite
Writer Amanda Dalton, director Polly Thomas

Dorothea Brooke ..... Ellie Turner
Writer Ellice Stevens, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

Tertius Lydgate ..... Henry Lloyd Hughes
Writer Amanda Dalton, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

Rosanna Vincy ..... Sharan Phull
Writer Sabiha Mank, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

Mrs Cadwallader ..... Meera Syal
WriterTanika Gupta, directed by Polly Thomas

Mary Garth ..... Sinead Matthews
Writer Leanne Allen, director Polly Thomas

Will Ladislaw ..... Calvin Demba
Writer Liz Mytton, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour

John Raffles ..... Ashley Gerlach
Writer Debris Stevenson, director Polly Thomas

27 Mar 22 Drama on 3 - Hall of Mirrors
Book by Robert Hudson; music and lyrics by Susannah Pearse. Arrangements and Musical Direction by Tim Sutton. A musical about the economist John Maynard Keynes and his journey through the finanical crises of the early 20th century. It starts in Paris in 1919. Keynes is convinced that the Peace Treaty of Versailles is going to be a disaster. He befriends Honor Whary, who is determined to build a better world. Keynes prophesises that Honor's dreams will never materialise but is surprised when events follow a more hopeful course. John Maynard Keynes . . . . . Jamie Parker, Honor Page Whary . . . . . Patsy Ferran, Princess Marie & Lydia Lopokova . . . . . Jasmine Hyde, Agnes . . . . . Sabrina Sandhu, Ferenc . . . . . Matthew Durkan, Wilson . . . . . Neil McCaul, Clemenceau . . . . . Jason Barnett, Lloyd George . . . . . Michael Begley, Puffins . . . . . Christine Kavanagh. Flautist: Katie Sutton. Production co-ordinator: Luke MacGregor. Sound by Peter Ringrose. Produced by Sasha Yevtushenko.

3 Apr 2022 Drama on 3 - Beethoven Can Hear You
By Timothy X Atack, rpt. A drama first broadcast in 2020 to mark the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Beethoven is visited by a deaf traveller from another time. The Visitor is shocked to discover that Beethoven can hear; it seems that in this reality he never lost his hearing. Beethoven is haunted by the idea his ears could fail him. But the Visitor must make him understand his importance as history’s first deaf composer. This is an exploration of Beethoven and his music with an original score from deaf composer Lloyd Coleman. Beethoven .... Peter Capaldi, The Visitor .... Sophie Stone, Original Music .... Lloyd Coleman, Script Consultant .... Sophie Stone, Sound Design .... Catherine Robinson, Produced by James Robinson. BBC Wales.

24 Apr 22 Drama on 3 - Antony and Cleopatra Re-Imagined
By Neil Bartlett; he reimagines Shakespeare's classic war drama “Antony and Cleopatra” as a dysfunctional love story between an ageing black empress and a failing elderly white military hero, burning themselves out as they ransack the world for survival. Facing escalating intervention by a belligerent super-power, their destructive, mutual obsession writes itself indelibly into history. With strong parallels with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this classic drama has relevance today. Cleopatra ..... Adjoa Andoh, Antony ..... Tim McInnerny, Soothsayer ..... Omar Ebrahim, Lepidus ..... Miltos Yerelemou, Dolabella ..... Guy Henry, Caesar ..... Barnaby Taylor, Iras ..... Aarushi Ganju, Charmian ..... Souad Faress, Alexas ..... Tiran Aakel, Enobarbus ..... James Clyde, Pompey ..... Nabil Elouahabi, Thidias ..... Michael Monroe, Proculeius ..... Mark Holgate, Octavia ..... Elizabeth Dulau. Directed by Neil Bartlett. Producer: Turan Ali Indie (Bona Broadcasting).

1 May 22 Drama on 3 - The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff
By The Young'uns. North-east folk band - Sean Cooney and David Eagle with Jack Rutter, recorded in front of an audience in Stockton-on-Tees. The true story of one man's journey from unemployment, through the Hunger Marches of the 1930s, the mass trespass movement and the Battle of Cable Street, to fighting fascism in the Spanish Civil War. Producer: Elizabeth Foster.

8 May 22 Drama on 3 - Elizabeth and Essex
By Robin Brooks, new play, based on the writings of Lytton Strachey, about Elizabeth I and her young favourite, the Earl of Essex. It was recorded live at the Alexandra Palace Theatre, with music by Korngold, drawn from the score which he composed for the 1939 movie The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, starring Bette Davis and Errol Flynn. Music played by the BBC Concert Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ziegler. Lytton Strachey ..... Simon Russell Beale, Essex / Roger ..... Harry Lloyd, Bacon / Ottoline ..... Nancy Carroll, Cecil / Maynard ..... Julian Harries. Directed and produced by Fiona McAlpine and Robin Brooks. Indie (Allegra).

15 May 22 Drama on 3 - Adventures with the Painted People
By David Grieg. Originally commissioned as part of Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Shades of Tay project, then adapted into a Drama on 3, as part of Culture in Quarantine in 2021, and subsequently staged at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. Lucius is a Roman solider with poetic leanings, captured by the Picts and about to be sacrificed. Eithne is a wise Pictish woman, who wants to record her people's history in writing, a skill they do not yet have. She makes a deal - she will rescue Lucius, in exchange for him teaching her to write. So they have to flee. Eithne ..... Kirsty Stuart, Lucius ..... Olivier Huband, Other parts played by members of Pitlochry Festival Theatre ensemble. Director, Elizabeth Newman. Assistant Director, Amy Liptrott. Composer and sound designer, Benjamin Occhipinti. Sound designer, Eloise Whitmore. Executive Producer, Polly Thomas. Indie (Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Naked Productions co-production)

22 May 22 - Drama on 3: The Hummingbird
By Sandro Veronesi, adapted for radio by John Retallack. The adaptation weaves together voices, soundscape, music, and the authentic sounds and textures of Italy. Marco Carrera, is 'the hummingbird' who stands still as he navigates the challenges of life – confronting the death of his sister; taking care of his elderly parents; raising his granddaughter when her mother can no longer be there for her; and coming to terms with his love for Luisa. The Author ..... Paul Ansdell, Marco ..... Simon Lenagan, Luisa ..... Caroline Faber, Dr Carradori ..... Dan Krikler, Adele ..... Katie Walton, Miraijin ..... Darcy Dixon. Sound design by Jon Nicholls. The 'Hummingbird' poem is by Raymond Carver. The story was was translated from the Italian by Elena Pala. Directed by John Retallack and produced by Emma Balch. Indie (The Story of Books).

29 May 22 - Drama on 3 - Iphigenia in Crimea
By Tony Harrison. Sebastopol, 1854, the Crimean War. A Classics-loving Lieutenant persuades a company of British soldiers in Ukraine to stage an all-male production of Iphigenia in Tauris. Lieutenant/Iphigenia/Athena ..... Blake Ritson, Orestes ..... Robert Emms, Pylades ..... Richard Glaves, Sergeant/Thoas ..... John Dougall, Irish soldier/Cowherd/Chorus ..... Eugene O'Hare, Soldier/Messenger/Chorus ..... Michael Colgan, Soldier/Chorus of Greek Women ..... David Sterne, Gavi Singh Chera, John Bowler, Finlay Robertson. Music performed by Peter Ringrose (trumpet), Detta Danford (flute), Howard McGill (clarinet), Jon Banks (accordion) and Matt Sharp (cello). Music composed and directed by Jon Nicholls. Producer: Emma Harding.

5 Jun 22 - Drama on 3 - Rockets and Blue Lights
By Winsome Pinnock. Part of the Lockdown Theatre Festival. The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester’s production of Rockets and Blue Lights had not had its press night when the theatres closed suddenly in March 2020. Lockdown Theatre Festival gives it a new lease of life on radio, using technological solutions to record the actors at home. Amid the gloom of Victorian England, Thomas, a black sailor, prepares to take one last voyage, while the ageing artist JMW Turner seeks inspiration in a half-remembered story. In 21st-century London, an actress finds herself bound by history – two centuries after abolitionists won her ancestors their freedom. Billie ..... Anthony Aje, Turner/ Roy/Peter Piper ..... Paul Bradley, Thomas/Trevor ..... Karl Collins, Lou/Olu ..... Kiza Deen, Caesar/Reuben ..... Natey Jones, Essie/Lucy ..... Rochelle Rose, Ruskin/Johnson/ Decker ..... Matthew Seadon-Young, Jess/Jeanie ..... Kudzai Sitima, Danby/Mary/Meg/Shona ..... Cathy Tyson, Clarke/Pearson/Benjamin ..... Everal A Walsh. Music by Femi Temowo. Sound Designer Elena Peña. Directed by Miranda Cromwell. Associate direction by Mumba Dodwell. Dramaturgy by Suzanne Bell. Produced by Jeremy Mortimer and Steve Bond. Additional production by Jack Howson. Sound Editing by Adam Woodhams. Production Coordinator Gabriel Francis. Production Manager Sarah Kenny. Executive Producers Bertie Carvel and Joby Waldman. Indie (A Reduced Listening Production). Lockdown Theatre Festival was set up by Bertie Carvel as a creative response to the coronavirus crisis, which forced theatres all over the world to close, with no knowing when or if they might reopen. Actors record “down the line” from isolation, linked with each other and with the director via video conferencing.

12 Jun 22 Drama on 3 slot - Zadie Smith with the BBC Symphony Orchestra
Not a drama. Zadie Smith is a novelist and musician. Here she joins the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican for words and music. Recorded on Friday 22 Apr 22.

19 Jun 22 Drama on 3 - Confessions of a Hedonist
By Guy de Maupassant, from some of his short stories, ad. & trans. by Simon Scardifield. The drama includes adaptations of A Strange Night Out, Mouche, Laid To Rest, Cockcrow and Le Horla. Guy ….. Elliot Cowan, Mathilde ….. Holli Dempsey, Saval ….. Colin Ryan, Fly ….. Alexandra Hannant, Joseph ….. Gunnar Cauthery, Celeste ….. Ruth Everett, The Baron ….. Jonathan Forbes. Other parts played by Matthew Durkan, Lloyd Thomas and Simon Scardifield. Produced by Gemma Jenkins.

26 Jun 22 Drama on 3 - Camille
By Pam Gems, from the stage play, based on Dumas' 'Lady of the Camellias', ad. Satinder Chohan. When Camille, a famous courtesan, and Armaan, a young aristocrat, fall in love, they begin an eternal story about desperate dilemmas. This production relocates the action from France to India. The original Parisian salons and courtesans of 1848 become the thriving courtesan houses of mid-19th-century Calcutta. Camille ….. Charithra Chandran, Armaan …… Ronak Patani, Maharaja ….. Narinder Samra, Premila ….. Shaheen Khan, Sophiya ….. Rameet Rauli, British General ….. David Holt, Dhanik ….. Nitin Ganatra, Ghassan ….. Ronny Jhutti, Yuvita ….. Manjeet Mann, Janpal ….. Robin Cross. With improvised music by Arun Ghosh (clarinet, harmonium, lute), Sarathy Korwar (tabla) and Preetha Narayanan (violin). Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Tombling. Sound Designer: Paul Arnold. Director / Producer: Amber Barnfather. Indie (Flare Path).

3 Jul 22 Drama on 3 - Unicorns, Almost
By Owen Sheers. An adaptation for radio of his new stage play, which portrays the short life of World War Two poet Keith Douglas, from his childhood through four engagements to his fighting in the Western Desert, his accelerated education as a poet and his early death three days after the Normandy D-Day landings at the age of 24. Keith Douglas was championed by Ted Hughes, who wrote the introduction to his Complete Poems, published by Faber. Welsh playwright, poet and novelist Owen Sheers introduced this broadcast. Keith Douglas ..... Dan Krikler. Sound design by Jon Nicholls. Directed by John Retallack. Produced by Emma Balch. Indie (The Story of Books)

10 Jul 22 Drama on 3 - He Do The Waste Land in Different Voices -
To mark the Centenary of TS Eliot's poem. Harried workers hurry across the river; an actor gives his final performance; Madame Sosostris turns the cards; a poet returned from the Great War and his wife, both miserable in their marriage, wait for something to happen; a street prophet has his faith tested. Marie, an elderly displaced countess, remembers her childhood. Watching over them is Tiresias, who can see everything. Eliot started writing The Waste Land as the Great War drew to a close and continued through the times that followed. Cast in order of appearance: Marie & Madame Sosostris: Maggie Steed, The Seer: Adrian Edmondson, The Hyacinth Girl: Esme Scarborough, The Poet: Paul Ready, The Woman in the Pub: Tilly Vosburgh, The Actor: David Haig, Tiresias: David Calder, The Typist: Matilda Tucker. Preface interviews by Paul Keers. Sound design and recording by David Thomas. Produced and directed by Caroline Raphael.

18 Sep 22 Drama on 3 - Folk
By Nell Leyshon. A play about Cecil Sharp, folk song collector. Louie Hooper lives with her sister on the Somerset Levels, and knows over 300 folk songs by heart. Cecil Sharp, who is down from London and staying in the village, overhears one of the songs. He recognises its importance and is determined to gather as many songs as he can, before they are lost. Louie thinks of her songs as free and changeable, owned and sung by the people. Sharp thinks the songs can be collected and arranged, saved for posterity, but he also thinks they will inspire new classical English music. Cecil co-founded what is now the English Folk Dance and Song Society. He could see the oral tradition was dying out, and gathered as many songs as he could, often from the old. He arranged and published selections of them so that they could become better-known. The idea for the play came from an exhibition which told the stories of some of the singers. Nell Leyshon discovered that Cecil had collected songs from the village she grew up in and that his work had begun in Hambridge, a village close to hers. Louie Hooper - Amanda Lawrence, Lucy - Amanda Wilkin, John England - Stuart McLoughlin, Cecil Sharp - Simon Russell Beale, Musical Director - Gary Yershon, Producer: Susan Roberts.

25 Sep 22 Drama on 3 - The Pride of Parnell Street
By Sebastian Barry. From the theatre production. Tthe story is set in Dublin. (The Irish theatre company Fishamble has taken the play across Ireland and to London, New York and Europe). Through interconnecting monologues, an estranged couple, Janet and Joe, chart the intimacies of their love and the breaking of their relationship, as well as their enduring love affair with the city. Janet ..... Mary Murray, Joe ..... Aidan Kelly, Music composed by Denis Clohessy, Directed by Jim Culleton, Produced by Toby Swift.

2 Oct 22 Drama on 3 - Sizwe Banzi is Dead
By Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona. The play is set in 1970s South Africa at the height of apartheid, so don't be surprised by the language. A man arrives in a photographic studio to have his image taken for his passport. But the passport is your identity. What happens if you lose it? Recorded in front of an audience at Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome as part of the Contains Strong Language spoken word festival. With a recorded introduction by Athol Fugard in South Africa. Styles ........... Tonderai Monyevu, Man/Robert Zwelinzima/Sizwe Banzi .......Sibusiso Mamba, Buntu ....... Adetomiwa Edun, Music composed and played by Xhosa Cole and Azizi Cole, Production Co-ordinators - Vicky Moseley and Pippa Day, Sound team, Simon Highfield, Sharon Hughes and John Benton, Producer - Pauline Harris.

16 Oct 22 - Drama on 3 People Everywhere Will Sing
By Sarah Wooley. A play about Vaughan Williams. It is 1951 and his wife has died; he is nearly 80. He launches himself into a new life. When he’s asked to compose something for the Queen’s coronation he decides on a radical plan. The play covers Vaughan Williams's relationship with his reputation, with his loyal lover, Ursula, and with the Coronation itself. Vaughan Williams .... Oliver Ford Davies, Ursula Wood .... Fenella Woolgar, William McKie .... Ewan Bailey, Ozzie Peasgood .... Robert Daws, Miss Lethbridge .... Georgie Lomax Ford, Woman at the opera .... Rebecca Crankshaw, Man at the opera .... Roger Ringrose, Archbishop Fisher and Sir Earnest Bullock .... David Hounslow, Stanley Roper .... Roger Ringrose. James Wilkinson ... Himself. Sound: Keith Graham, Jenni Burnett, Peter Ringrose. Production Co-ordinator: Gaelan Connolly. Producer: Abigail le Fleming.

23 Oct 22 Drama on 3 - Ariel and Winter Trees
This production marks what would have been Sylvia Plath’s 90th birthday: 27 Oct 2022. ARIEL AND WINTER TREES is a journey through her last collections of poetry. It offers instead a celebration of her work through readings and testimonies by women artists, joined together by an immersive soundscape. It is performed by Dame Siân Phillips, Indira Varma, and Eva Feiler with testimonies from Lucy Caldwell, Sarah Corbett, Michele Roberts and Chloe Savoie-Bernard. It includes a performance of Sylvia's radio play THREE WOMEN; this is its first performance on radio. It was written in 1962. Indie (Almost Tangible). Conceived and directed by Saskia Black; sound design by Jon Nicholls. Producers: Charlotte Melen and Eleanor Mein.

30 Oct 22 - Drama on 3: Beowulf Remixed
By Seamus Heaney, adapted from the different BBC versions of the classic text, from the 1940s onwards plus a new commission by Patience Agbabi. Seamus Heaney's version pulsates its way through the entire poem, interconnecting the many different versions. To celebrate the BBC's relationship with poetry throughout its 100-year history. Sandy Grierson plays Beowulf. Actors featured: Julian Glover in his own adaptation, Derek Jacobi, Timothy West, Frank Lincoln, Rhys Parri Jones, John A. Owen, Hazel Wyn Williams, John Castle, Anna Calder-Marshall, Harvey Hallsmith, Carleton Hobbs, presenter Michael Woods; Beowulf song composed and performed by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, poet Maria Dahvana Headley. Production Co-ordinator - Pippa Day. Sound by Simon Highfield. Produced by Pauline Harris; 1 hr 20m.

6 Nov 22 - Drama on 3: Churchill versus Reith
By Mike Harris. It’s 1926: the General Strike. Churchill wants to commandeer the infant BBC to crush what he considers to be a Bolshevik-inspired uprising. The BBC’s founder, John Reith, is determined to preserve its independence. Churchill thinks Reith’s desire for political neutrality is ‘defeatist,’ even traitorous. Reith regards Churchill as an extremist, acting against the interests of unbiased reporting.. John Reith...........Tom Goodman-Hill, Winston Churchill........Christian McKay, Isobel Shields...........Emily Pithon, Ellen Wilkinson........Helen O'Hara, John Davidson.........Jonathan Keeble, Frank Horrabin........Jonathan Forbes, May Bates/Clem Churchill.....Joanna Monro, Stanley Baldwin..........Roger Ringrose. Producer Gary Brown, Production Co-ordinator Pippa Day, Tech Team : Andy Partington & Vanessa Nuttall, Sound Design: Sharon Hughes.

13 Nov 22 - Drama on 3: The Sorrows of Young Werther
By Goethe; dram. Hattie Naylor. Introduced by Charlotte Lee, Cambridge University. Werther..Joel MacCormack, Lotte..Daisy Edgar-Jones, Albert..Jack Farthing, Wilhelm..Finn den Hertog, Hans..Stefan Adegbola, Johanna..Cecilia Appiah, Peter..Joseph Ayre, Suzette..Emma Handy, The Ambassador..Roger Ringrose, Frau Muller..Jane Whittenshaw, Louis..Ian Dunnett Jnr, Servant Girl..Charlotte East. Sound design by Caleb Knightley. Directed by Emma Harding. Produced by Marc Beeby.

27 Nov 22 - Drama on 3: The Age of Anxiety
By Auden, dram. Robin Brooks. Four strangers meet in a New York bar on All Hallows Eve and embark on a fantastic journey. In verse, for 4 voices. Four characters, all single, lonely and adrift, spend an evening together. Auden .. Julian Bleach, Quant .. Jonjo O'Neill, Malin .. John Light, Rosetta .. Genevieve Gaunt, Emble .. Luke Thallon. Sound Design by Jon Nicholls. Produced and Directed by Fiona McAlpine. Indie (Allegra).

4 Dec 22 - Drama on 3: Rodgers and Hart and Hammerstein
By Sarah Wooley. Rodgers and Hammerstein worked famously together, creating The Sound of Music and Oklahoma. Before them was the partnership[ of Rodgers and Hart. The pairing had been successful, but it started to stumble around 1940. The plays charts its decline, and the rise of the new partnership. Dick Rodgers . Jamie Parker, Larry Hart . Paul Chahidi, Oscar Hammerstein . Nathan Osgood, Dorothy Rodgers . Emma Handy, George Abbott . Roger Ringrose, 'Doc' Bender . Stefan Adegbola, Terry Helburn . Jane Whittenshaw, Frederick Loewe . Ian Dunnett Jnr, Alice . Jo Patmore, Waiter . Hasan Dixon. Pianist: Peter Ringrose. SMs: Anne Bunting, Jenni Burnett, Cal Knightley. Producer: Abigail le Fleming.

11 Dec 22 - Drama on 3: Venice Preserved
By Thomas Otway. Political thriller; a verse play. A group of rebels prepares for revolution. BBC blurb: 'A married couple have to choose between their love for each other and the future of the state'. Jaffier .. Sandy Grierson, Pierre .. Paul Adeyefa, Belvidera .. Anna Russell-Martin, Priuli .. Michael Nardone, Aquilina .. Maggie Service, Antonio .. Stuart McQuarrie, Bedamar .. Anne Lacey, Spinosa/Duke .. Nalini Chetty, Renault .. Cal MacAninch. Sound recording by Kris McConnachie. Sound design by Jon Nicholls. Adapted for radio and produced by Gaynor Macfarlane.

25 Dec 22: - two programmes come into the 'Drama' category:

Sunday Feature - What Walls Hold
By the Dickens Theatre Company. London, Tavistock House,1851; it shaped Charles Dickens’s life and career.Tavistock House is well-knnown for having been the home of three eccentric creatives - the Mancunian painter Frank Stone, the writer Charles Dickens, and the amateur soprano and litigant, Georgina Weldon. Ben Gernon takes us around the house, telling us about its history. This is the story of one of Victorian England’s most famous houses. Joining Ben around the house are Lucinda Hawksley, Joanne Begiato and Charles Peebles. Alex Jennings as Charles Dickens, Katherine Kingsley as Georgina Weldon, Ben Onwukwe as Frank Stone and Charles Gounod, Ben Crowe as Wilkie Collins and William ‘Harry’ Weldon, Jane Whittenshaw as Mary and Catherine Dickens. With thanks to Year 6 students at St Peter's C.E. Primary School, Henfield, and Year 1 students at Underwood C.E. Primary School, Nottinghamshire, for ensemble roles. Presented by Ben Gernon. Produced by Alexandra Quinn. Sound Design by Jon Calver. Drama scenes written by Rob Valentine. Drama scenes directed by Cherry Cookson. Indie (Loftus Media and Wireless Theatre Production)

Drama on 3 - Benny & Hitch
By Andrew McCaldon. Play about the relationship between director Alfred Hitchcock and the film composer Bernard Herrmann. Recorded live at Alexandra Palace with the BBC Concert Orchestra playing some of Herrmann's film music - from Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho. By the late 1950s Herrmann and Hitchcock had become a famous partnership. The collaboration came to an abrupt end at a recording session for the film Torn Curtain. From beyond the grave, Benny and Hitch set out to determine whose fault it was. Recorded in front of an audience at Alexandra Palace. Bernard Herrmann .. Tim McInnerny, Alfred Hitchcock .. Toby Jones, Alma Hitchcock .. Joanna Monro, Lucy Anderson/Tippi .. Tara Ward, Lew Wasserman/Cary/Paul .. Jonathan Forbes, BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Ben Palmer. Produced by Neil Varley and Tracey Neale. Directed by Tracey Neale. Production Co-Ordinators, Ben Hollands, Ayesha Labrom & Hannah O'Reilly. Technical & Outside Broadcast Team: Chris Rouse, Alison Craig, Gilly Chauhan, Simon Nicklinson and Jon Wilson

31 Dec 22 - The Journey of the Magi
By W.R.Rodgers. The Wise Men make only a brief appearance in Matthew’s account of the Nativity story, but their visit to Bethlehem has inspired generations of artists. The identity of these visitors and the significance of their gifts have been the focus of much speculation. W.R. Rodgers re-imagined the Christmas story of the wise men and their visit to Bethlehem in a broadcast poem for BBC radio in 1948. He describes their ‘zigzag’ journey through the seasons of the year with all of its changing moods and places and their quest in search of meaning – something that he says they found in ‘the child within themselves’. Composer Paul Campbell has written a new piece of music to accompany WR Rodgers’ poem about the Magi. It was composed as a special commission to mark the BBC’s centenary. Played by the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast. Narrated by Michelle Fairley and Stuart Graham with an introduction by poet Michael Longley. Production Co-ordinator: Damien McLaughlin, music composed by Paul Campbell. Sound: John Benson and Bill Maul, Producers: Paul Campbell and Graeme Stewart, Executive Producer: Mark Adair.

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