R4 Drama 2024
			I'm typing these entries out, summarising them from RT, removing spoilers and editing / adding notes where necessary. Typos are gradually being removed. The page is generally updated at the end of each month. To locate a play, use Control-F which will bring up a search box. The page lists afternoon dramas. .........ND The Saturday and Sunday plays are labelled as such in the lists. Plays made by independent production companies are indicated by 'Indie'. THE PLAYS: 1 Jan: No Drama No afternoon play on New Year's Day ... that's disappointing. 2 Jan: Yusuf and the Whale By 'Maatin'. Set in Yemen, 2023. In one of the poorest countries in the world, with civil war raging, life isn’t easy, and most days the fishermen return with barely enough to eat, let alone to sell. But fisherman’s son Yusuf is an eternal optimist and dreamer, who keeps the community’s spirits high with tales of whales and his dreams of the Gulf’s glorious past. But when disaster strikes, and Yusuf’s optimism is tested, he ends up at sea in the strangest of scenarios. Yusuf ..... Bilal Hasna, Zulaikha ..... Danusia Samal, Fatima ..... Sirine Saba, Khaled ..... Stewart Scudamore, Abdo ..... Fayez Bakhsh, Nabil/Mahdi ..... Yassine Mkhichen. Produced by Anne Isger; sound by Pete Ringrose and Ali Craig. BBC Studios production. 3 Jan: This Thing of Darkness, 1 - A Dangerous Animal Series 3. By Frances Poet with monologues by Eileen Horne. Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime. The drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group. Co-offenders are now together in Group therapy. Is that a good idea? Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti, Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald, Finn ….. Reuben Joseph, Twitch …. Brian Ferguson, Simon ….. Shaun Mason, Donna ….. Karen Bartke, Mental Health Nurse ….. Elysia Welch. Sound Design: Fraser Jackson. Series Consultant: Gwen Adshead. Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams. BBC Scotland. 4 Jan: McLevy in the New World, 1: Shake Hands With The Devil Brian Cox as Inspector James McLevy in a new two-part adventure by David Ashton. Rpt. At the end of the last series, Jean and the Inspector fled from Leith on a steamer bound for San Francisco. McLevy was accused of killing two suspects, assaulting his chief constable, and indirectly causing the death of Lieutenant Roach. Faced with career-ending disgrace he opts to scarper – and Jean, gallantly but perhaps rashly, decides to go with him. They arrive in San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush in 1849 like two innocents in a shark pool. Well, maybe not quite so innocent… McLevy ..... Brian Cox, Jean Brash ..... Siobhan Redmond, Forbes ..... Matthew Marsh, Templeton ..... Joseph Balderrama, Brennan ..... Des McAleer, George Taylor ..... Gunnar Cauthery, Flaxman ..... Jason Barnett, Cathleen/ Maria ..... Ellie Media, Other parts played by the cast. Producer: Bruce Young. 5 Jan: 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. 6 Jan: Electric Decade - USA, 1 By John Dos Passos, dram. Robin Brooks. Rpt. The USA trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, 1919 and The Big MoneyUSA is a long saga following a group of characters through the opening decades of the 20th century, from post-war boom to the Great Depression. We follow key individuals, drawn from all walks of life, as their paths cross. One by one we are introduced to them, and follow each from infancy to maturity. In ep. 1 we meet John Moorehouse, a young man on the make, Eleanor Stoddard, a young woman with artistic ambitions, and Janey Williams, a girl growing up in the poorer part of town. John Moorehouse ..... Tom Bateman, Eleanor Stoddard ..... Tanya Reynolds, Eveline Hutchins ..... Hannah Genesius, Janey Williams ..... Sheila Atim, Annabelle Strang ..... Jessica Phillippi, Rochevillain /Oliver Taylor ..... Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Freddy Sergeant / Alec ..... Calam Lynch, Joe Williams ..... Adam Courting, Gertrude Staple ..... Laurel Lefkow, McGill ..... Eric Meyers, Jerry Burnham/ Oppenheimer ..... Will Howard. Producer - Fiona McAlpine. Sound Design - Lucinda Mason Brown. Production Manager - Lucy Barter. Broadcast Assistant - Georgia Brown. Indie (Allegra). 7 Jan: Sunday afternoon: Our Man in Havana, 1 By Graham Greene, ad. Jeremy Front. Wormold, a vacuum cleaner salesman in Havana, is recruited as a spy for MI6. Eager to stay on the books but with nothing to report, he begins to make up sources and stories until they start to become alarmingly true. Wormold ….. Rory Kinnear, Hawthorne ….. Miles Jupp, Hasselbacher ….. Kenneth Collard, Milly ….. Kitty O’Sullivan, Chief ….. Michael Bertenshaw, Lopez ….. Martin Marquez, Miss Jenkinson ….. Jessica Turner, Ethel/Iris ….. Rhiannon Neads, Barman/Policeman 1 ….. Jot Davies, Joe/Policeman 2 ….. Josh Bryant-Jones. Produced by Tracey Neale. Technical Producer - Keith Graham Production Co-Ordinator - Ben Hollands 8 Jan: No Drama No-drama Monday. 9 Jan: Babydyke By Rashida Seriki of the Talawa Theatre. When Tara’s girlfriend Phoenix comes over for dinner, Tara is forced to make a choice -to stay and support her father as he struggles with his mental health and suicidal thoughts, or cross into a new reality: live her truth as a queer woman. Phoenix – Bola Akeju, Tara – Babriye Bukilwa, Lesley – Wil Johnson, Maureen – Lorraine Adeyefa. Creative team: Director – Tian Brown-Sampson, Series Producer – Alison Holder, Executive Producer – Caroline Raphael, Sound Design – Lucinda Mason-Brown, and David Chilton. Dramaturg – malakai sargeant, Production Coordinator– Alex Lynch, Talawa New Work Producer - David Gilbert, Casting Assistant – Melissa Vitalis Smith. Indie (Talawa Theatre) 10 Jan: This Thing of Darkness, 3-2: Elephant in the Room By Frances Poet; monologues by Eileen Horne. The drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group. How much do childhood experiences affect the mind of a murderer? Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti, Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald, Finn ….. Reuben Joseph, Twitch …. Brian Ferguson, Simon ….. Shaun Mason, Donna/The Governor….. Karen Bartke, Dani ….. Elysia Welch, Dead Elvis….Andy Clark. Sound Design: Fraser Jackson. Series Consultant: Dr Gwen Adshead. Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams for BBC Scotland. 11 Jan: McLevy in the New World, 2 By David Ashton. Rpt. Episode title: Part 2: A Stirring in the Blood. Adrift in San Francisco, Jean and McLevy are thrown closer together – an intimacy which doesn’t always suit either of them! In this wild lawless West they are soon investigating crooked gambling rings and dodgy land deals – but when a poker player is found murdered the local Mayor decides McLevy is the chief suspect. The resourceful (former) Inspector has to take to the streets disguised as a tramp. Rpt. from Apr 2022. McLevy ..... Brian Cox, Jean Brash ..... Siobhan Redmond, Mayor Brennan ..... Des McAleer, George Taylor ..... Gunnar Cauthery, Cathleen/ Maria ..... Ellie Mejia, Eduardo Diaz ..... Joseph Balderrama, Flaxman ..... Jason Barnett, Other parts played by the cast. Producer: Bruce Young. 12 Jan: Limelight - Cobalt, 1 Series creators Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell. This episode written by Eno. Maita goes to see her dad for her birthday, but he's not in...and there's something strange about his flat. When she goes to look for him down the docks where he works, she discovers there is more than just her dad that has gone missing. 30m. Maita - Saffron Coomber, Julian - John Pfumojena, Bevin - Tonderai Munyevu, Kat - Caitlin Richards, Tony - Dean Rehman, Meditation voice, TikToker - Kitty O'Sullivan, Newsreader, TikToker - Rhiannon Neads, Not Jehovahs, TikTokers - Tyler Cameron and John Lightbody, Music composed by Kaidi Tatham. Sound: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Director: John Norton. BBC Wales. 13 Jan: Saturday Play: USA, 2 By John Dos Passos, dram. Robin Brooks from John Dos Passos's USA trilogy: The 42nd Parallel, 1919 and The Big Money. Janey Williams’s fate becomes tangled with that of Moorehouse. Eveline Hutchins shows us her side of the story. Daughter is a Texan belle. Richard Savage is a young man in a hurry. John Ward Moorehouse ..... Tom Bateman, Eleanor Stoddard ..... Tanya Reynolds, Eveline Hutchins ..... Hannah Genesius, Janey Williams ..... Sheila Atim, Richard Savage ..... Luke Thallon, Daughter (Anne Elizabeth) ..... Kelly Burke, Jack Washburn ..... Christopher Ragland, Bud ..... Gabriel Freilich, Gertrude Staple ..... Laurel Lefkow, Jerry Burnham ..... Will Howard, Freddy Sergeant ..... Calam Lynch. Other parts played by members of the company. Producer / Director - Fiona McAlpine. Sound Design & Music Arrangement - Lucinda Mason Brown. Production Manager - Lucy Barter. Broadcast Assistant - Georgia Brown. Indie (Allegra). 14 Jan: Sunday afternoon: Our Man in Havana, 2 By Graham Greene, ad. Jeremy Front. James Wormold's wife has left him and he is now making a living as a vacuum cleaner salesman. He meets Milly's admirer, Captain Segura. M16 have sent Beatrice Severn from London to Havana to work with James. Suspicion beings to fall on Doctor Hasselbacher. Wormold ….. Rory Kinnear, Beatrice ..... Emily Berrington, Hasselbacher ..... Kenneth Collard, Milly ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Hawthorne ….. Miles Jupp, Captain Segura ..... Joseph Balderrama, Carter ..... John Lightbody, Teresa/Iris ..... Rhiannon Neads, Chief/Dr Braun ..... Michael Bertenshaw, Sanchez/Waiter/British Ambassador ..... Martin Marquez, MacDougall/Joe/Policeman 2 ...... Josh Bryant-Jones, Rudy/Policeman 1 ..... Jot Davies, Mistress of Sanchez/Ambassador's Assistant ..... Jessica Turner, Directed by Tracey Neale. 15 Jan: No Drama No-drama Monday, rpt. 16 Jan:Copper & Lead By Lydia Luke. From the Black Theatre Company, Talawa. Drama about a black couple. Nancy meets Jeremiah, a Jamaican Brummie and she falls for him. They’re soon married with a home and two children, but one of them is hiding a secret. Cast, in order of appearance: Nancy – Petra Letang, Joyce – Phoebe McIntosh, Friend 1, 2, 3 & Doctor – Alison A Addo, Jeremiah – Karl Collins, Agnes – Mellieha Mazombwe. Creative team: Director – Phillip J Morris, Series Producer – Alison Holder, Executive Producer – Caroline Raphael, Sound Design – Lucinda Mason-Brown and David Chilton, Dramaturg – Malakai Sargeant, Production Coordinator – Alex Lynch, Talawa New Work Producer - David Gilbert, Casting Assistant – Melissa Vitalis Smith. Indie (Talawa Theatre). 17 Jan: This Thing of Darkness, 3-3 -A Pint with Pals. By Frances Poet, with monologues by Eileen Horne. Alex Bridges is a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime. This drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group. Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti, Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald Finn ….. Reuben Joseph, Twitch …. Brian Ferguson, Simon ….. Shaun Mason, Dani ….. Elysia Welch, Dead Elvis….Andy Clark. ‘Autopilot’ composed by Jill O'Sullivan & Lee and performed by Jill O'Sullivan & Louis Abbott. Sound Design: Fraser Jackson. Series Consultant: Gwen Adshead. Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams. BBC Scotland. 18 Jan: The Call By Ron Hutchinson. The play is inspired by a recent story coming out of Gaza and is located in a non-specific location. A woman caller wakens a college professor just before dawn. She says she works for the Intelligence Services and that he, the teacher, is to stay on the phone as he is to evacuate all the neighbours in his block after which it is going to be destroyed by a missile. He is to remain calm and follow instructions: the missile will not be launched until he has cleared theapartments. But perhaps he is not the benign teacher his neighbours imagine him to be. Cast - Paul Rhys, Jane Slavin, Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong. Producer: Eoin O'Callaghan. Indie (Big Fish). 19 Jan: Cobalt, 2 By Darragh Mortell. 30m drama series. Maita goes to see her dad for her birthday, but he's not in, and there's something strange about his flat. When she goes to look for him at the docks where he works. He's not there. Series creators Eno Mfon and Darragh Mortell. Music by Kaidi Tatham; Maita - Saffron Coomber, Julian - John Pfumojena, Mum - Caitlin Richards, Gurai - Chipo Kureya, Derek - John Lightbody, Taxi Driver/ Barman - Dalumuzi Moyo, Highfield Resident - Bevin Magama, Newsreaders and TikTokers - Kitty O'Sullivan, Rhiannon Neads & Tyler Cameron. Sound: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Producer: John Norton. BBC Wales. 20 Jan: Saturday Play - USA, 3: Margo Dowling, Charley Anderson, Richard Savage. By John Dos Passos. Rpt. Margo Dowling is a would-be actress, Charley Anderson is a working-man turned war hero, and Richard Savage is now Moorehouse’s no. 2 on Madison Avenue. John Ward Moorehouse ..... Tom Bateman, Eveline Hutchins ..... Hannah Genesius, Janey Williams ..... Sheila Atim, Richard Savage ..... Luke Thallon, Margo Dowling ..... Genevieve Gaunt, Charley Anderson ..... Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Agnes ..... Laurel Lefkow, Frank / Doctor .... Eric Meyers, Tony Garrido ..... Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Sam Margolies/ Jerry ..... Will Howard, Mo Askew..... Christopher Ragland, Tad Whittlesea..... Gabriel Freilich, Nat Benton ..... Calam Lynch, Doc Bingham ..... Robert G.Slade, Myra Bingham ..... Lily Lefkow-Green, Althea Bingham ..... Georgia Brown. Other parts played by members of the company. Producer - Fiona McAlpine. Sound Design & Music Arrangement - Lucinda Mason Brown. Production Manager - Lucy Barter. Indie (Allegra). 21 Jan: Sunday afternoon: Oil on Water From the novel by Helon Habila. Dram. Rex Obano. Rpt. A contemporary thriller about neocolonial corruption, ecological devastation and journalistic ethics in the badlands of the oil-rich Niger Delta. Two reporters risk everything in search of the perfect story after the British wife of an oil company executive is kidnapped. The story begins in Port Harcourt, Nigeria - Rufus has yet to make his mark as a journalist. Then he accepts an assignment to interview the hostage held by militants. Rufus ….. Idris Debrand, Zaq ….. Cyril Nri, Gloria ….. Tamara Lawrance, The Major & The Professor ….. Danny Sapani, Naman & Ibiram ….. Peter Bankole, Tamuno & other voices …. Seun Shote, Joseph, & other voices ….. Uché Gabriel Akujobi, Michael ….. Jordan Nash, James Floode ….. Matthew Gravelle, Isabel Floode ….. Claire Price. Other characters play by the cast. Sound Design ….. Adam Woodhams, Mixing ….. Steve Bond, Executive Producer ….. Sara Davies, Produced and Directed by Nicolas Jackson. Indie (Afonica). 22 Jan: No drama 23 Jan: Talawa Stories: The Master’s House By Babriye Bukilwa. Four women stripped of their identities and renamed April, May, September and December plot their escape from the master’s house and the violence of patriarchy. Set in an unspecified location. December – Unique Spencer May – Heather Agyepong April – Danielle Kassarate September - Jumoke Fashola Man/Master – Mohammed Mansaray Director – Malakai Sargeant Series Producer – Alison Holder Executive Producer – Caroline Raphael Sound Design – Lucinda Mason-Brown & David Chilton Production Coordinator – Alex Lynch Talawa New Work Producer - David Gilbert Casting Assistant – Melissa Vitalis Smith Indie (Talawa Theatre). 24 Jan: This Thing of Darkness, 3-4: The Christmas Killers By Frances Poet; monologues by Eileen Horne. Alex Bridges, a forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime.This episode looks at the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a long-sentence therapy group. Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti, Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald, Finn ….. Reuben Joseph, Twitch …. Brian Ferguson, Simon ….. Shaun Mason, The Governor….. Karen Bartke, Dani ….. Elysia Welch, Dead Elvis….Andy Clark. Sound Design: Fraser Jackson Series Consultant: Gwen Adshead Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams. BBC Scotland. 25 Jan: McLevy in the New World (Series 2) - Fate Takes a Hand By David Ashton. A welcome return for McLevy. Set in San Francisco, 1849. At the height of the California Gold Rush, the ex-police officer sets himself up as a private investigator hoping for a rich client. But his first case turns out to be less than lucrative – a poor black cook accused of murdering his wealthy white employer. McLevy ..... Brian Cox Jean ..... Siobhán Redmond George Taylor.... Bryan Dick Isaac ..... Ben Onwukwe Sarah ..... Ayesha Antoine Henrietta ..... Nicole Ansari Pierce..... Sandy Grierson Malachi Fallon ..... Forbes Masson Sam Barton ..... Gerard McDermott Other parts played by the cast. Producer/Director: Bruce Young. 26 Jan: Cobalt, 3 By Eno Mfon. Maita is in Zimbabawe looking for her dad. She's not ready for what she finds. 30m. Maita - Saffron Coomber Julian - John Pfumojena Mum - Caitlin Richards Chiedza - Chipo Mushuku Music by Kaidi Tatham. Sound: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Director: John Norton. BBC Wales. 27 Jan: Saturday Play slot - Tam O'Shanter By Robert Burns: his narrative poem reimagined for a contemporary audience by Gary McNair. (....was it Burns Night last night? - Ed) . Tam has something of a thirst for alcohol. His wife’s warned him of the trouble he’s likely to get in if he doesn’t change his ways. Does Tam listen? No. But he’s about to face the night of his life, when her prophesy becomes reality. 55m. Performed by Gary McNair, with music and original composition by Michael John McCarthy and Malin Lewis. Studio and Live Recordings by Fraser Jackson, Kris McConnachie and Sean Mullervy. Sound Design by MJMc; produced by Kirsty Williams. 28 Jan: Sunday afternoon - The Medici, 2-1: Alessandro Series 2 title -The Inheritors. By Catherine Johnson. Alessandro de Medici, known as The Moor, was the first hereditary Medici duke. He was popular with the Florentine people but his cousins Ippolito and Lorenzino never forgave him for taking up what they felt was Ippolito's birthright. The assassination attempts started ... Alessandro de Medici- Elliott Barnes-Worrell, Lorenzino de Medici- Sion Daniel Young, Ippolito de Medici - Jacob Ifan, Taddea Malaspina - Kiran Sonia Sawar, Simonetta da Collevecchio - Marsha Millar, Giorgio Vasari - Nico Pimpare, Pope Clement - Arwel Gruffydd, Emperor Charles V - Michael Bertenshaw, Margaret - Kitty O'Sullivan, Scoronconcolo - Tyler Cameron, Strozzi - John Lightbody, Young Alessandro - Hardy Yusuf, Young Ippolito - Huw Huckstep. Series Creator: Mike Walker. Sound: Catherine Robinson Director: John Norton. BBC Wales. 29 Jan: No Drama No Drama Monday, rpt. Please write to the BBC about this. The Director-General, Tim Davie, BBC Broadcasting House, London, W1A 1AA should find him. 30 Jan: Exodus to Shanghai As the Nazi regime rose to power in the 1930s, Jews in Germany and Austria faced increasing discrimination and violence. Many were tripped of their citizenship, names, and the means to earn a living. Many were desperate to escape and began looking for potential safe havens around the world. But - the US only wanted refugees who could support themselves. The UK would only grant entry to women willing to work as housekeepers. Then a rumour began to spread that Shanghai would accept anyone. This drama-documentary is composed of the accounts of five people, taken from research done by Steve Hochstadt in the 80s. The words of Ernest Culman are read by Anton Lesser; Paul Reisman by Henry Goodman; Melitta Colland by Joanne Whalley; Trude Reisman by Samantha Spiro; and Gerard Kohbieter by Elliot Levey. Music composed by John Biddle; sound design by Iain Hunter. Adapted and produced by Kate McAll. Indie (Rhiannon Media). 31 Jan: This Thing of Darkness, 3-5: The Dandelion and the Orchid By Frances Poet, with monologues by Eileen Horne. The drama explores the psychological impact of murder on perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group. Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabart, Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald, Finn ….. Reuben Joseph, Dani ….. Elysia Welch. Sound Design: Fraser Jackson Series Consultant: Dr Gwen Adshead Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams. BBC Scotland. 1 Feb: McLevy in the New World, 2-2: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble By David Ashton. In 1849, at the height of the California Gold Rush, Jean’s deadly enemy, the rival brothel madam known as the Countess, arrives in San Francisco after escaping from prison in Scotland. Jean fears the Countess is plotting to settle old scores – but McLevy is distracted by a new case, the killing of a Mexican rancher after a gambling dispute. McLevy ..... Brian Cox, Jean ..... Siobhán Redmond, Countess.... Nicole Ansari, George Taylor ..... Bryan Dick, De Pendray ..... Nicholas Boulton, Regina ..... Laurel Lefkow, Malachi Fallon ..... Forbes Masson, Gambler..... Josh Bryant-Jones, Other parts played by the cast. Producer/Director: Bruce Young. 2 Feb: Cobalt, 4 By Darragh Mortell. News about dad comes through, and Maita and Julian decide to drive to Nigeria. 30m. Maita - Saffron Coomber, Julian - John Pfumojena, Manfred - Jude Akuwudike, Kenny - Ashley Zhangazha, Morgue Assistant - Diana Yekinni, Newsreaders - Tyler Cameron, Diana Yekinni, Bevin Magama, Sound: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis, Music by Kaidi Tatham, Director: John Norton. BBC Wales. 3 Feb: Saturday Play - A Close Approximation of You By Oliver Emanuel. Rpt. When Kay first meets Michael he’s singing into a mirror at himself. He's a theoretical physicist and his job is to explore the possibility that there is a mirror version of our world. It's a thrilling piece of imaginative writing. The play is broadcast in loving memory of the writer, who died recently, far too young. Kay … Anneika Rose, Michael … Sandy Grierson, Detective…Itxaso Moreno John and Security Guard…Richard Conlon, Jess and the Agent…Gabriel Quigley. Sound recording: Andy Hay and Kris McConnachie. Sound design: Fraser Jackson. Produced by Kirsty Williams. 4 Feb: Sunday afternoon: The Medici, 2-2 By Mike Walker. Catherine de Medici, orphaned within weeks of her birth, raised in a nunnery, and sold into a political marriage, becomes the dauphine of France, but her husband is in love with Diane de Poitiers. Catherine de Medici - Catrin Aaron, Silvestri - Julian Lewis Jones, Diane de Poitiers - Juliette Aubrey, Prince Henri and King Francis - Arthur Hughes, Guise - Joel MacCormack, Nurse - Heather Craney, Ippolito de Medici - Jacob Ifan, Pope Clement - Arwel Gruffydd, Young Catherine - Grace Nettle. Series Creator: Mike Walker. Sound: Catherine Robinson. Producer: John Norton. BBC Wales. 5 Feb: No Drama No-drama Monday, again. 6 Feb: The Great Delay By Theo Toksvig-Stewart. America in the early 1990s is the setting for this drama, inspired by real events, The subjectivity of memory is scrutinised in a story that imagines the workings of a big of a PR company as it tried to shape the world’s response to climate change. Bob ….. Luke Treadaway, Sal ….. Olivia Williams, Ken ….. Rhashan Stone, Casey ….. Kitty O’ Sullivan. With Michael Bertenshaw, Rhiannon Neads and Josh Bryant-Jones. Produced by Gemma Jenkins. 7 Feb: Mediocre White Male By Will Close and Joe Von Malachowski. Welcome to Lander Castle and Gardens, one of England's least visited heritage sites. Steeped in history dating back to the Middle Ages, Lander Castle's many attractions include jousting, its bucolic gardens, live actors and, of course, the legendary Turret of Terror, where the spirit of the castle's former owner Sir Fulke Treville is said to haunt the halls. It's nearing the end of the day at the castle and visitors are thinning out. Up in the Turret, the statue of Sir Fulke has a story to share. Performed by Will Close, with additional parts played by Rhiannon Neads, Kitty O'Sullivan, Josh Bryant-Jones, Tyler Cameron and Will Kirk. Produced by Sasha Yevtushenko. 8 Feb: Sick By Annalisa Dinnella. Rpt. Kate is the perfect Mum, wife and daughter. Then for the first time in her charmed life, things do not go to plan. In her second pregnancy, Kate develops extreme morning sickness. Described as a 'vom-com'. Naomi…...Cariad Lloyd, Kate…....Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Evelyn….....Alison Steadman, Dr Manning/Smart Phone…Teresa Gallagher, Dan/Nurse Craig……Alex Lowe, John…....Sean Baker, Young Kate…….Kathleen Keaney, Young Naomi…….Lola Page, Sophie…….Sophie Xu. Sound design: David Thomas. Producer: Karen Rose. Indie (Sweet Talk). 9 Feb: Cobalt, 5 By Eno Mfon; music by Kaidi Tatham. Maita - Saffron Coomber, Julian - John Pfumojena, Manfred - Jude Akuwudike, Bevin - Tonderai Munyevu, Lagos Police Officer - Richard Pepple, Criminals - Tyler Cameron, John Lightbody. Sound: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Producer: John Norton. BBC Wales. 10 Feb: Saturday Play - Southall Uprising By Satinder Chohan. Another play in the "Turning Point" series, based on true events. It's set and recorded in Southall and marks the 45th anniversary of the Southall riots. The National Front booked to hold a meeting at Southall Town Hall on 23 April 1979; a provocative gesture. Southall contained a high number of people from the Indian subcontinent, Africa and the West Indies. The National Front was opposed to immigration and in favour of repatriation. This small, hard-working immigrant community was forced to defend and assert its rights to live, work and exist in Britain. Rami….Gavi Singh Chera, Kiyana....Grace Saif, Bhupi…Zainab Hasan, AsimGurjeet Singh, Dad/Shera/Uncle Monu…Ameet Chana, Mum/Aunty...Manjinder Virk Police Officers and Protestors: ....John Lightbody and Tyler Cameron; Protestors.....members of the Punjabi Theatre Academy Tajinder Pal Singh, Balvinder Kumar, Balwinder Jhim, Nahar Singh Gill and students from Praxis Performing Arts at Uxbridge College: Alannah Dolphin, Keira Doyle, Chiana Elliott, Rico Joseph, Jevounghn Gregg Fuller. Tay Furzer-Pickett, Ronan Kubilius. Peelo Mookodi, Quinn (Rebecca) Puse, Max Mcdermott, Jason O’Connor, Sienna O' Connor, Lilly Poore, Michael Stone, Hannah Williams, Natalie Young. Production Co-ordinator: Lorna Newman; Technical Production, Location Recording and Sound Design: Sharon Hughes; Producer: Nadia Molinari. BBC Drama North. Thanks to Janpal Basran and Southall Community Alliance; Robert Lane; Tajinder Pal Singh; Saravanaa Bhavan Southall and to all those who contributed their stories and experiences. 11 Feb: Sunday afternoon: The Medici, 2-3 By Mike Walker. Episode title: Blood on the Streets Catherine de Medici, orphaned within weeks of her birth, was raised in a nunnery, then sold into a political marriage in the French House of Valois. Her husband is now King Henri II and Catherine has secured her position by producing an heir, but religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics is on the rise across Europe, and when Henri dies it is left to Catherine to try to hold France together. Catherine de Medici - Catrin Aaron, Silvestri - Julian Lewis Jones, Diane de Poitiers - Juliette Aubrey, King Henri II - Arthur Hughes, Guise - Joel MacCormack, Nurse - Heather Craney, Isabelle - Nia Gandhi, Coligny - Ian Dunnett Jnr, Le Conde - Matthew Bulgo, Cardinal Guise - Tom Mumford, Margot - Poppy Almond. Sound: Catherine Robinson, Producer: John Norton. BBC Wales. 12 Feb: No Drama No drama, again. 13 Feb: The New Sugar By Ben Tagoe. Set in a changing Barbados where big pharma and local Rastafarians fight over the right to grow ecently-legalised cannabis. Charlene ..... Alexandra Mardell, Frank ..... Richard Laing, Richard ..... Kieran Smith, Derek ..... Everal A. Walsh, Ras Kwame ..... Don Gilet. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane. 14 Feb: Trespass By David Pownall; his last play. David died in 2022. A complicated plot, looking at many of today's problems through a moment in history when the peasant-poet John Clare takes part in a remarkable poetry festival. Note Nigel Anthony in the cast! Probably the longest-serving radio drama actor in the country. Lord Tim.........Robert Glenister, John Clare........Adrian Scarborough, Marjorie........Clare Corbett, The Earl........Nigel Anthony, Gregory.........Luke Nunn, Hugh........Hasan Dixon, Sarah.....Lucy Phelps, Produced by Martin Jenkins. Sound Design by David Thomas, Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Tombling, Production Manager: Sarah Wright. Indie (Pier). 15 Feb: No Alternative By Ian Billings. The play is based on true events and is about the rise of the alternative comedy movement. It follows the fate of a fictional comedy duo, Erica and Ernie about to perform publicly for the first time. Andy de la Tour, one of the original performers at The Comedy Store, acts as a guide. Spliced into the drama are the archived voices of: Eddie Izzard, Arthur Smith, Ben Elton, Ade Edmundson, Arnold Brown, Alexei Sayle, Harry Enfield, Helen Lederer, Cliff Shaw, Tony Allen, Pauline Melville, Jenny Éclair, John Dowie, Jo Brand, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Nigel Planer and Rik Mayall. Comedy Club ….. Andy de la Tour, Ernie ….. James McNicholas, Erica ….. Emma Sidi, Tommy ….. Don Gilet, Ernie’s mum ….. Rhiannon Neads, Ronnie Williams ….. Samuel James, Chicken Shop Owner ….. Tyler Cameron, Mr Melter ….. Zachary Lowe-McAlley Anthony ….. Josh Bryant-Jones, Marxist Juggler ….. Ian Billings, Welsh Gwen ….. Carys Eleri, TV Presenter ….. Rosie Mellett. Piano and trumpet played by Peter Ringrose. Produced by Gemma Jenkins. 16 Feb: Love and Other Lies,1: Romance By Sarah Cartwright. A comic thriller. An online flirtation turns bad and Josie goes from being attracted to being scared and overwhelmed. 30m. Josie ..... Jessica Gunning, Larry ..... Paul Ready, Tyler ..... Anthony J. Abraham, Aiden ..... Ed Coleman, Emma ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Nick ..... Josh Bryant-Jones. Script Producer ..... Anne Isger. Technical Producers ..... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig. Composer ..... Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Producer ..... Sally Avens. 17 Feb: Saturday Play: Hardy's Women -The Hand of Ethelberta The novels of Thomas Hardy, through the eyes of some of his female protagonists. Adapted by Katherine Jakeways. Rpt. All of London Society is in pursuit of Ethelberta's hand, but the infamous poet is not exactly the lady they think she is. Her claim to distinction is one of brains rather than blood. Her sister is her maid, her brother her butler, and she has just a year left before the whole family are left homeless and penniless. She must find a rich husband before the truth gets out. Her many ridiculous suitors pursue her half way across France. Ethelberta - Rebecca Humphries, Picotee - Abra Thomspon, Christopher Julian - Alfred Enoch, Lord Mountclere - Adrian Scarborough, Neigh - Simon Armstrong Ladywell - Lee Mengo Chickerel & Mountclere's brother - Michal Bertenshaw, Aunt Charlotte & Mrs Petherwin - Heather Craney, Menlove & Faith - Catriona McFarlane, Joe - Tom Forrister. Harp - Alis Huws. Piano - Branwen Munn. Produced by John Norton. BBC Wales 18 Feb: Sunday afternoon - Siddhartha By Herman Hesse, ad. Hattie Naylor, from the novel (transl. Hilda Rosner.) Set in ancient India. Spiritual journey of discovery of Siddhartha, the son of a high caste Brahmin. He sets out on a quest for spiritual wholeness and enlightenment with his friend Govinda. Siddhartha..... Jaz Singh Deol, Kamala ..... Amrita Acharia, Govinda …..Sid Sagar, Vasudeva ….. Rehan Sheikh, Father..… Kriss Dosanjh, Mother .…. Sudha Bhuchar, Boy ..... Adrian Paul Jeyasingham, Girl ..... Sophie Khan Levy. Other voices played by the cast. Production Manager ….. Anna de Wolff Evans. Executive Producer ..... Sara Davies. Sound Design ..... Adam Woodhams. Mix ..... Steve Bond. Producer ..... Nicolas Jackson. Indie (Afonica). 19 Feb: Sabine, 1 By Mark Healy. When Sabine’s body is found beneath the cliffs in an apparent suicide, her sister Elly is convinced she was murdered. Elly's hunt for the killer takes her deep into the secret life her sister kept hidden. She goes to Brighton to pack up her sister’s university room and wait for the results of the post-mortem. But things aren’t quite right, and Elly starts to unearth Sabine's secrets. This is a new five-part murder mystery. 30m. Elly ..... Sorcha Groundsell, Sabine ..... Freya Mavor, Mia ..... Aisling Loftus, Gabe ..... Tommy Sim’aan, Daniel ..... Ivanno Jeremiah, Sullivan ..... John Lightbody, Poppy ..... Juliana Lisk, Elly’s Mum ..... Jessica Turner. Produced by Anne Isger. Sound by Keith Graham, Ali Craig and Pete Ringrose. Production Co-ordination by Gaelan Davis-Connolly. 20 Feb: A Small Stubborn Town By Andrew Harding, dram. Jonathan Myerson. A dramatisation of true events where the people of Voznesensk in Ukraine defended their town against the Russian army. In March 2022, as Russians rolled across the Ukrainian border, the locals of Vozesensk were faced with a terrifying choice. This small farming town had what Russian army needed – a river crossing. With the Ukrainian army fighting elsewhere, the civilians living there had to decide whether to defend their town – or let the soldiers through towards Odessa. What happened there was to change the course of the war. Andrew Harding, BBC correspondent, went there afterwards to do interviews and wrote a book about it which has now been dramatised. The characters depicted are not fictional. A cast of Ukrainian and Russian actors play the ordinary people of Voznesensk caught up in this extraordinary situation. Yevhenii ..... Greg Kolpakchi, Andrii ..... Ed Ashe, Natasha ..... Helga Ronen, Svetlana ..... Kate Anstey, Ghost ..... Dennis Good, Formosa ..... Ivan Ivashkin, Valentin ..... Ivantiy Novak, Zhenia ..... Oleksandr Yatsenko. Sound design by Alisdair McGregor. Produced by Boz Temple-Morris. Indie (Holy Mountain) 21 Feb: Our Liam of Lourdes By Alex Oates. Rpt. Liam is an atheist, a disciple of Dawkins and a gay man. He's also in crisis, and he really doesn't want to be in Lourdes. What good are the healing waters? Liam ..... Joseph Ayre, Toby ..... Paul Ready, Noah ..... Ross K Foad, Maureen ..... Susan Jameson, Dan ..... Christopher Harper, Waiter ..... Pierre Elliott, Worker ..... Sarah Ovens Redcap ..... Franchi Webb. Producers ..... Jessica Dromgoole & Sally Avens. 22 Feb: Second Hand Rose By Philip Meeks. Barnaby is an 80-year-old man and a female impersonator. He is stubbornly trying to keep performing despite his frailty. Then a young care nurse comes into his life and his preconceptions and certainties disappear. Rpt. Barnaby ..... Donald McBride, Jojo ..... Felix Mufti-Wright, Akshay ..... Rajat M Bose, Noreen, Big Thora ..... Susan Twist, Conductor ..... Hamilton Berstock. Producer - Gary Brown. Production Co-ordinator - Vicky Moseley. Studio Manager - Amy Brennan. Sound - Sharon Hughes. BBC Drama North. 23 Feb: Love and Other Lies - 2, Wedlock By Sarah Cartwright. Josie has been the victim of a romance scam. Enlisting the help of Tyler, her daughter's hot headed boyfriend, she believes they have killed her catfisher (a person who takes information and images and uses them to create a new identity). , but now his gang are after them both and they are going to make them pay one way or another. 30m. Josie ..... Jessica Gunning, Tyler ..... Anthony J. Abraham, Larry ..... Paul Ready, Emma ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Aiden/Man ..... Ed Coleman, Clerk ..... Rhiannon Neads. Script Producer ..... Anne Isger. Composer ..... Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Technical Producers ..... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig. Director ..... Sally Avens. 24 Feb: Saturday Play slot - Cane By (male) author Jean Toomer. 'Cane' is sometimes considered a novel, but it's more a collection of short stories and poetry. Each section depicts a view of African American life in the United States. The title refers to the sugar cane which grows on Southern plantations. The first section is largely set in Georgia; the second in urban settings including Washington DC and Chicago, and the third section is a longer story set in Georgia. Dramatisation is by Janice Okoh. Jean T's parents were both mixed-race; Jean never called himself black or white; he preferred just to be considered an American. An interesting character. Cast: Carleen Anderson, Peter Bankole, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Saffron Coomber, Alfred Enoch, Clarke Peters, Sule Rimi, Danielle Vitalis, with original music by Carleen Anderson. Produced by John Norton BBC Wales. 25 Feb: Sunday afternoon: Tristram Shandy: In Development By Christopher Douglas; a radio play about making a radio play. Rpt. The production team is working out a new way of presenting Laurence Sterne's curiously-disordered eighteenth century novel.Iits many hilarious digressions and bawdy interludes have made it a classic. The creative team making the recording includes the actors who will play the novel's main characters. Everyone has a slightly different theory of how to approach this game-changing venture. A famous actor is also expected to join them at some point. What could possibly go wrong? ..... this play won the 2021 Tinniswood Award . Jason........Tim McInnerny, Philippa........Monica Dolan, Chris.......Christopher Douglas, Rosie.......Mina Anwar, Clare.......Emily Pithon, Johnny/Gary.......Simon Greenall, Roberta/Sam......Nicola Sanderson, Producer - Gary Brown. 26 Feb: Sabine, 2 By Mark Healy. Part 2 of 5. 30m. Elly’s been staying in Sabine’s flat to pack up her things. But after finding some surprising evidence in her sister's room, Elly’s desperate to find out who ‘F’ is. Elly ..... Sorcha Groundsell, Sabine ..... Freya Mavor, Oakley ..... Rupert Evans, Daniel ..... Ivanno Jeremiah, Gabe ..... Tommy Sim’aan, Mia ..... Aisling Loftus, Ziggy ..... Ian Dunnett Jr, Poppy ..... Juliana Lisk. Produced by Anne Isge.r Sound by Keith Graham, Ali Craig and Pete Ringrose. Production Co-ordination by Gaelan Davis-Connolly. 27 Feb: A Tsar in London By Mike Walker, from an idea by Michael Crick. BBC blurb: A tragicomic take on the months Tsar Peter the Great spent in London learning about ship-building and naval tactics, destroying the house and garden of diarist John Evelyn; roistering with the ambitious young actress Letitia Cross; and preparing himself for an onslaught upon Evelyn’s treasured holly hedge, Russia’s backward society and the peace of Northern Europe. Peter . . . . . Greg Kolpakchi, Letitia . . . . . Siena Kelly, John . . . . . Michael Bertenshaw, Ben . . . . . John Lightbody, Foreign Secretary . . . . . Josh Bryant-Jones, Lucy . . . . . Kitty O’Sullivan. Sound design: Andy Garratt & Peter Ringrose. Producer: Sasha Yevtushenko. 28 Feb: Sappho in Fragments By Hattie Naylor. Sappho adores her brother Charaxus. But nothing is the same after his trip to Egypt. His irrational obsession with the courtesan-slave Rhodopis threatens to destroy their family. Sappho is a superstar. But she must still take care of the family's reputation. Her brothers are liabilities, and she has plenty of enemies. Only her devoted servant Timas knows how to take care of her. The play envisages a vivid episode in the youthful life of this elusive and unforgettable poet. Sappho ... Thalissa Teixeira, Timas ... Rhiannon Neads, Andromeda/Rhodopis ...Anna Spearpoint, Gorgo ... Juliana Lisk, Charaxus ... Joseph Tweedale, Larichus/Fotis ... Oliver Hembrough, Captain/Agapios ... Ian Dunnett Jnr, Cleis ... Amanda Lawrence. Historical consultant ... Professor Edith Hall. Music by Liz Hanks from her album 'Land', released on Hudson Records. Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery. 29 Feb: The Listening Room By Harriet Madeley. Rpt. What happens when perpetrators and victims of violent crimes come face to face? The play tells, in their own words, the true stories of five people whose lives have been turned upside-down through violent crimes. It uses interview material. The actors listened to the original interviews before performing the play. Mark Knightley - Ray, Cathy Tyson - Vi, Ryan Gerald - Jacob, Neran Persaud - Khamran, Leo Wan - Tim. Music: Jethro Cooke. Producers: Andrew Wilkie (Prison Radio Association) and Mel Harris. A collaboration between the theatre company Crowded Room, the Prison Radio Association charity and BBC Radio 4. ....Best classed as 'indie', I think - ND. 1 Mar: Love and Other Lies, 3 By Sarah Cartwright. Episode title: Dream Job. Josie & Tyler are working for a catfishing gang (taking information and images and using them to create a new identity); blackmailed into the work after they killed a member of the gang. Now the police want to talk to Josie. Josie ..... Jessica Gunning, Larry ..... Paul Ready, Tyler ..... Anthony J Abraham, Daria ..... Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Aiden ..... Ed Coleman, Emma ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Gemma ..... Rhiannon Neads, Nick ..... Josh Bryant-Jones, Detective ..... John Lightbody. Script Producer ...... Anne Isger. Technical Producers ..... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig. Composer ..... Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Director ..... Sally Avens. 2 Mar: Saturday Play Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) A 75-minute drama by Ray Davies and Paul Sirett. Rpt. The title is also an album by The Kinks, originally released in October 1969. The songs feature autobiographical stories and characters from Ray Davies' early life and offer a snapshot of this period in British history. The story: - a working-class family is torn apart when Ray's brother-in-law, Arthur, decides to move his family half way around the world to Australia. Family members are all trying to come to terms with what it means to live in post-war Britain - the lost empire, the lack of respect, broken institutions, a country in flux, and whether or not to join the Common Market. The songs are performed by The Kinks and Rosie Cavaliero; guitar by Bill Shanley. Arthur…..Lee Ross, Rose…......Rosie Cavaliero, Ray…...Stephen Lloyd, Dave…....Mark Newnham, Terry…....Ben Norris, Bobby…....Arthur Hughes, Julie/Sally…....Emerald O'Hanrahan Mr Henderson...David Holt, Mum……Karen Spicer, Dad/Jones……Wayne Norman. Sound Engineers: David Thomas and Matt Jaggar. Production Coordinator: Sarah Tombling. Musical Director: Harvey Brough. Producers: Karen Rose and Ray Davies. Director: Karen Rose. Indie (Sweet Talk). 3 Mar: Sunday Afternoon - Don't Look Now Daphne du Maurier, dram. Katie Hims. John and Laura take a holiday in Venice. They have recently lost their daughter. They meet two sisters, one of whom claims to have had a vision of their dead daughter. Adapted from the short story. Don’t Look Now is part of a collection of dramas in Daphne du Maurier: Double Exposure, a celebration of the imaginative variety and power of one of our most underestimated but prolific and radical female writers. It is the first of three dramatisations of short stories which are taboo-busting excursions into the dark unvisited realms of the inner life . You can also hear The Blue Lenses and The Little Photographer. [A biographical play about Daphne goes out on Wednesday afternoon.] John ..... Jamie Parker, Laura ..... Aisling Loftus, Christine ..... Mabel Cresswell, Jonny ..... Bertie Cresswell, Dorcas .... Rebecca Crankshaw, Hilda ..... Jessica Turner, Manager ..... Alessandro Dowling, Detective ..... Ian Dunnett Junior, Brit ..... John Lightbody. Pianist ..... Ian Dunnett Junior. Producer: Sally Avens. 4 Mar: Sabine, 3 By Mark Healy; comedy thriller. After a terrifying night, Elly is sure she knows who killed Sabine. But now the evidence has now been stolen. 30m. Elly ..... Sorcha Groundsell, Sabine ..... Freya Mavor, Mia ..... Aisling Loftus, Oakley ..... Rupert Evans, Daniel ..... Ivanno Jeremiah Becca ..... Rhiannon Neads, Poppy ..... Juliana Lisk Sullivan ..... John Lightbody. Directed by Anne Isger. Sound by Keith Graham, Ali Craig and Pete Ringrose. Production Co-ordinator: Gaelan Davis-Connolly. BBC. 5 Mar: Land of My Father By Sian Owen, set in 1984. A play about the children of the Miners' Strike. In a mining village in the Welsh Valleys, Alys is doing her O-Levels, and life is normal and dull. Then the Miners’ Strike starts and everything changes. Forty years later, after the breakup of her marriage, Alys takes her son on a day out in the Valleys. Soon she finds herself revisiting the year that drastically altered her family’s lives. Young Alys... Caitlin Griffiths, Older Alys... Mali Harries, Cai.... Shaheen Jafargholi, Samuel.... Nicholas McGaughey, Sue... Lisa Zahra, Jacob.... Jamie Redford, Cai’s Dad and Eddie.... Rhys Ap William, Sarah.... Jemima Nicholas, Paul.... Rory Kelleher. Production Co-ordinator: Lindsay Rees. Sound Design: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Director and Producer, Fay Lomas. BBC Wales. 6 Mar:Beside Myself By Moya O'Shea. A biographical play about Daphne du Maurier. It opens with her making her way along the clifftops near Kilmarth; she has writers' block. The routine of her walks is well known to her fans and they often seek her out. So when a stranger approaches, Daphne is not optimistic. But as they walk along Daphne, finds herself revealing much to him about her life. Daphne ..... Helena Bonham Carter, Man ..... Bill Nighy, Terry ..... Alex Tregear Lawyer ..... Ian Dunnett Junior. Producer..... Tracey Neale. 7 Mar: Dragons of the Pool By Kathryn Golding. Fictional story inspired by the true story of the Chinese seamen forcibly repatriated from Liverpool in 1945-46. The drama is set over 50 years and follows the story of middle-aged Leigh (Xinyu) and her long lost father. Leigh Jones ..… Liz Sutherland, Maggie Jones ..... Lucy Speed, Li Hauyu….. Jeremy Ang Jones, Tan Mingze ….. Jon Chew, Li Xinyi ….. Gabby Wong. Producer.... Polly Thomas. Director..... Shan Ng Original Music..... Ruth Chan, Sound Designer.... Alisdair McGregor, Sound Recordist.... Wilfredo Acosta. Production Manager .... Darren Spruce, Executive Producer.... Polly Thomas. Thanks go to Yvonne Foley, founder of Dragons and Lions, for her time and help with research. Indie (Naked Productions). 8 Mar: Love and Other Lies, 4: Happy Family By Sarah Cartwright. Comedy thriller, continued. Josie and Tyler have discovered they're not murderers. They didn't kill the man who they thought was sextorting Josie. So why won't Tyler let Josie go to the police? What exactly is he hiding from her? And who is Pauline? Josie ..... Jessica Gunning, Tyler ..... Anthony J Abraham, Larry ..... Paul Ready, Daria ..... Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Nick ..... Josh Bryant-Jones, Gemma ..... Rhiannon Neads, Man/Aiden ..... Ed Coleman, Emma ..... Kitty O'Sullivan. Script Producer ..... Anne Isger. Technical Producers ..... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig. Composer ..... Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Director ..... Sally Avens. 9 Mar: Saturday Play - This Is for Everyone By Matthew Broughton. A drama about the creation of the World Wide Web, and its impact on one family in the decades that follow. In August 1991, the first website goes live. At exactly the same time, a baby is born... Julie....Claudie Blakley, Vic....Dana Haqjoo, Young Lucy...Astrid le Fleming, Lucy....Katie Redford, Young Ben....Bertie Creswell, Ben....Luke Nunn, Narrator....Peter Marinker. With the voices of Josh Bryant-Jones, Jessica Enemokwu, Laura Power, Maxim Reston. Technical producers (ie SMs)...Keith Graham, Andy Garratt, Peter Ringrose. Production co-ordinator...Jonathan Powell. Produced by Abigail le Fleming. Extract from 2012 Olympics opening ceremony is © International Olympic Committee. There are also extracts of Sir Tim Berners-Lee from an interview with CNBC, and The Richard Dimbleby Lecture: The World Wide Web - A Mid-Course Correction, BBC. 10 Mar: Sunday Afternoon: The Blue Lenses & The Little Photographer By Daphne du Maurier. Two dramas looking at the dark side of human nature. 1. An eye operation changes how Marda West sees the world and the people in it. Marda ….. Bethany Muir, Jim ….. Oliver Chris, Nurse Ansel ….. Rhiannon Neads, The Surgeon ….. Michael Bertenshaw Nurse Brand ….. Anna Spearpoint Eric ….. Ian Dunnett Junior. Adapted by Anna Linstrum. Producer .... Gemma Jenkins. 2. The beautiful but bored Madame la Marquise is on holiday in the South of France. One day she meets the local photographer. As Monsieur Paul studies her she feels the thrill of being looked at. Madame la Marquise ..... Lucy Boynton, Monsieur Paul ..... Ian Dunnett Junior, Edouard ..... John Lightbody, Miss Clay ..... Jessica Turner, Celeste ..... Rosie Coleman, Helene ..... Maisie Avis, Mademoiselle Paul ..... Rhiannon Neads. Adapted by Vivienne Allen. Producer..... Tracey Neale. 11 Mar: Sabine, 4 By Mark Healy. Elly’s found a USB drive of Sabine’s secret recordings, meant for her eyes only. A dangerous side of Sabine’s hidden life is revealed, in the weeks leading up to her death. In this episode, Sabine tells her own story. Sabine ..... Freya Mavor, Oakley ..... Rupert Evans, Daniel ..... Ivanno Jeremiah, Becca ..... Rhiannon Neads Ziggy ..... Ian Dunnett Jr, Rutherford ..... Jessica Turner. Produced by Anne Isger. Sound by Keith Graham, Ali Craig and Pete Ringrose. Production Co-ordinator: Gaelan Davis-Connolly. 12 Mar: Hello, I Appear to Have Killed My Husband By Eugene O’Hare. A tense and powerful drama about a woman in a controlling marriage who finally snaps. It’s New Year’s Day. Jane is serving the lunch. Roger is reading the newspaper. But very soon everything in their world will be turned upside down. Jane … Michelle Fairley, Roger … Patrick O’Kane, Gina … Laura Dos Santos, Lindy … Rosie Smith, Marianna…Kathy Kiera Clarke, Dáithí ... Eugene O’Hare. Sound Design by Fraser Jackson. Producer: Kirsty Williams. 13 Mar: Mouth By Chrissy Jamieson Jones. Heidi's husband has died in a car crash. A female ex-colleague comes round and Heidi's life is turned upside down. The drama won the 2023 Alfred Bradley Bursary Award for writers from the North of England who are new to radio. Heidi ..... Gillian Kearney, Laura ..... Christine Bottomley, Harry ..... Matthew Devlin. Production Co-ordinator - Pippa Day. Studio Manager - Amy Brennan. Sound Design - Sharon Hughes. Producer - Gary Brown. 14 Mar: I’m Dying To Help By Jon Canter. As people continue to live longer, they cost the NHS and Social Services far too much. In this futuristic dark comedy, a new Prime Minister and her aide come up with a radical solution. Rpt. Sam . . . Tony Robinson, Prime Minister . . . Haydn Gwynne, Ella . . . Sophia di Martino, Gerry . . . Paul Hickey, Mr King . . . David Hounslow, Chrissy and Bianca . . . Debbie Korley, Sue . . . Helen Clapp, Mrs Griffin . . . Susan Jameson. Produced by Sally Avens. 15 Mar: Love and Other Lies, 5. Long Life By Sarah Cartwright. Josie's catfisher may have weaved a sophisticated web of fake identities but Josie & Tyler are close to working out his true identity. All they have to do is find him & persuade him to stop blackmailing them. Josie ..... Jessica Gunning, Tyler ..... Anthony J Abraham, Larry ..... Paul Ready, Emma ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Aiden ..... Ed Coleman, Daria ..... Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Aiden's Mother ..... Jessica Turner. Script Producer ..... Anne Isger. Production Co-ordinator ..... Gaelan Davis-Connolly. Technical Producers ..... Peter Ringrose & Alison Craig. Composer ..... Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres. Producer..... Sally Avens. 16 Mar: Saturday Play slot - Family Business By Alecky Blythe. The play is created from edited recordings collected in John Lewis stores across the UK. In 2014, Alecky started writing a play, focusing on customers in John Lewis, shopping. She recorded interviews with shoppers leaving home, furnishing flats, dealing with families, weddings, divorces, affairs, christenings and retirement. Ten years later, she returned to talk to the same people. Alecky's plays are created from recorded conversations which are edited and become the text. The actors don't use scripts; they hear the lines through earpieces in the studio and reproduce what they hear. The actors: Debbie Chazen, Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Andrew Leung, Sarita Gabony, Joe Bolland, Claire Lams and Barry McCarthy. Produced by Alecky Blythe and James Dacre; music and sound design by Adam Cork. Audio production by Richard Power and Frank Stirling. Indie; from 7digital working with the Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Living Theatre Productions. 55m. 17 Mar: Heart of Darkness By Joseph Conrad; ad. Anita Sullivan. Rpt. Recent production in a new setting - the 21st century. Maya is an environmental scientist, sent into the Congo rainforest after contact is lost with a research team. Maya…. Georgia Henshaw, Leon…. Peter Bankole, Blaise…. Jude Akuwudike, Daisy…. Ashleigh Haddad, Kurtz…. Stephen Hogan, The Commissioner…. Steve Toussaint. Script Consultant…. Ange Kasongo. Lingala Consultant…. Tracey Nyemba. (Lingala is a Bantu language used in the Congo). Produced by James Robinson. BBC Wales. 18 Mar: Sabine, 5 By Mark Healy. Using Sabine's USB drive, Elly retraces her sister’s movements on the night she died. It’s a race against time to find Sabine’s killer and avert further tragedy. Elly ..... Sorcha Groundsell, Sabine ..... Freya Mavor, Mia ..... Aisling Loftus, Oakley ..... Rupert Evans, Daniel ..... Ivanno Jeremiah, Ziggy ..... Ian Dunnett Jr, Becca ..... Rhiannon Neads, Rutherford ..... Jessica Turner, Poppy ..... Juliana Lisk. Produced by Anne Isger. Sound by SMs Keith Graham, Ali Craig and Pete Ringrose. Production Co-ordinator: Gaelan Davis-Connolly. 30m. 19 Mar: The Mini-Break By Chloe Myerson. Esme is meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time. But when she discovers a dark family secret, making a good impression becomes the least of her worries. The story is inspired by the writing of Hans Christian Andersen, famous for his creepy fairy tales. Esme ..... Máiréad Tyers, Danny ..... Josh Bryant-Jones, Susanna ..... Jane Slavin, Tim ..... Nicholas Woodeson, The Storyteller .... David Menkin Agneta ..... Kitty O’Sullivan. Produced by Anne Isger. Sound by Ali Craig and Andy Garratt. 20 Mar: Emergency Alert: Ballistic Missile Inbound By Dan Scott. The residents of a village in England all receive the same alarming message on their mobile phones. It leads to the question - what do you do if you have only moments to decide and it may be the last decision you make? Noelle ..... Dorothy Atkinson, Hassan ..... Hasan Dixon, Sam ..... Anna Spearpoint, Voice 2/Kristen ..... Rhiannon Neads, Voice 1/Max ..... John Lightbody, Adam ..... Ian Dunnett Jnr. Production Coordinators ..... Sara Benaim and Daniel Bishop. Sound by Andrew Garratt and Peter Ringrose. Produced by Toby Swift. 21 Mar: Making Plans with Nigel By Stuart Houghton. Rpt. When 45-year-old writer and IT nerd Stu finds a lump in his left breast he googles for reassurance, then ignores it. That's not a good strategy. His semi-autobiographical drama is set in the period leading up to the 2016 EU referendum. Stuart.....Mark Benton, Natalie…Sally Lindsay, Nigel Farage.......Lewis MacLeod, Ben…..John Ramm, Fiorentina/Nurse.......Becky Wright, Mr Kashap……Paul Bazeley, Barbara…Cherrelle Skeete, Doctor Miller/Miriam…Emma Fielding, Jim/Brian……Ben Crowe; all other parts played by members of the cast. Producer: Karen Rose. Sound Design: David Thomas. Broadcast Assistant: Sarah Tombling. Indie (Sweet Talk). 22 Mar: Silos, 1: Silo 605 By Anita Sullivan. 'Take a deep sleep vacation. No work, no stress. Guaranteed sweet dreams.' But weather patterns are changing. Ill-equipped governments and flawed technology try to meet the challenges. Nat, a newly qualified lawyer in stasis law, must deal with the fallout. This new drama is set on Lanza, a fictional island, possibly a few years from now. Nat - Anastasia Hille, Riv - Paul Bazely, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Carol - Rebekah Staton, Barry - Ben Crowe, Honour - Raad Rawi, Jodie - Anna Fenton-Garvey, Infovert Voice - Teresa Gallagher, Director: Karen Rose. Producer: Sarah Tombling. Sound Designer: David Thomas. Composer: Simon Slater. Indie (Sweet Talk). 30m. 23 Mar: Saturday Play: Goblin Market By Christina Rossetti, a poem dramatized by Jessica Dromgoole, with the addition of original songs. The drama was created and recorded in lockdown, with the actors and singers all in separate rooms in different locations, and the interviewees all recording themselves. The programme is a testament to the skills of the sound engineer. 55m. Christina Rossetti ..... Ellie Piercy, Laura ..... Kathleen Cranham, Lizzie ..... Anjana Vasan, Goblins ..... Ed Gaughan, Joel MacCormack & Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Children ..... Eliza & Orla Pearce. Singers ..... Stephen Jeffes, Tom Raskin & Edward Price. Singing producer ..... Jonathan Manners. Composer ..... James Maloney. Sound ..... Peter Ringrose. Documentary producer ..... Georgia Catt. Drama producer..... Jessica Dromgoole. 24 Mar: Sunday afternoon: The Dumb Waiter By Harold Pinter; first broadcast in 1981 in the 'Hidden Treasure' series; from a private collection of radio plays. An uneasy comedy set in the basement of an old house, where two armed men are sitting, connected to the rooms above by a dumbwaiter and an intercom. The dumbwaiter goes up and down, bearing notes ordering food which the men cannot provide- so what are they doing there? Ben: Bob Hoskins; Gus: Roy Kinnear. Produced by Dickon Reed, for BBC World Service. 44m. This play was never repeated on R4 or R3 so is not listed on BBC Genome. 25 Mar: Traitor By Dennis Potter, from 1981. In a dingy flat in Moscow, he sits alone - a traitor to his family, his friends, his colleagues. Then the international press descend upon him and he gives his first interview - an interview which brings forth terrible, haunting memories. In the new Hidden Treasures series. Harris: Denholm Elliott; James: Ian Ogilvy. Adapted for radio and produced by Derek Hoddinott. A World Service production. 45m. 26 Mar: Holding Back the Tide - The Woman in Puce By Nick Warburton. When Richard and Clare Wells inherit a house in Breck Howe they also inherit a sitting tenant, John Hector, who views the house and the town as his own personal fiefdom. Today John's bravado takes a battering when his past returns to haunt him. Richard Wells ..... Paul Ritter, Clare Wells ..... Kate Duchene, John Hector ..... Philip Jackson, Vanessa ..... Jessica Turner. Produced by Sally Avens. 27 Mar: Holding Back the Tide - Good Fences By Nick Warburton. Clare and Richard Wells have inherited a house in Breck Howe and a sitting tenant, John Hector, who views the house and the town as his own personal fiefdom.When a new neighbour moves in next door it's not long before John and he lock horns over rights of way. Richard Wells ..... Paul Ritter, Clare Wells ..... Kate Duchene, John Hector ..... Philip Jackson, Mrs Cardabbon ..... Sue Jameson, Morton ..... Sue Jameson, Hedley ..... Nick Murchie. Produced by Sally Avens. 28 Mar: Holding Back the Tide - Walk On By Nick Warburton. The arrival of a touring theatre company in Breck Howe makes Richard question the mundanity of his life running the B&B. And when auditions are held for extras John Hector is determined to steal the limelight putting Richard's dreams of escape in jeopardy. Richard Wells ..... Paul Ritter, Clare Wells ..... Kate Duchene, John Hector ..... Philip Jackson, Mrs Cardabbon ..... Sue Jameson, Theatre Director ..... Nick Murchie. Produced by Sally Avens. 29 Mar: Silos - 2: Acclimatisation By Anita Sullivan. A dystopian future where one's environmental impact is paid for by being locked into a silo in suspended animation. The more you consume, the longer your time in the silo. 'Why not try an acclimatisation session and see for yourself? You don't even have to shut the lid!' As Riv persuades Nat to step into a tube, Marvin digs deeper into the tech and is alarmed by what he finds. 30m. Nat - Anastasia Hille, Riv - Paul Bazely, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Carol - Rebekah Staton, Honour - Raad Rawi, Dizzy - Waleed Akhtar, Tiger - Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Marvib - Lee Rufford, Infovert Voice - Teresa Gallagher, Police Officer - Ben Crowe, Writer: Anita Sullivan, Director: Karen Rose, Producer: Sarah Tombling, Sound: : David Thomas, Composer: Simon Slater, Exec Producer: Rosalynd Ward. Legal Advisor on Stasis Rights: Elizabeth Barrett. Cultural Advisor: Francis Gallop. Interviewees: Ben Fletcher, Leon Kruger, Mareike Guensche, Camy Creffield, Liz Aggiss, Kiwi Sam. Indie (Sweet Talk). 30 Mar: Saturday Play: For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain By Victoria MacKenzie, abridged by Eileen Horne. England, 1413. Plague and war are commonplace, the church is all powerful and women rarely read let alone write. Two extraordinary individuals come together in Norwich and, comparing their experiences of faith and family, secure a legacy that will ring through the ages. The play explores belief, power, femininity and the vital importance of books. Performed by Jessica Gunning and Jane Lapotaire; produced by Eilidh McCreadie. 75m. 31 Mar: Sunday afternoon: Howl's Moving Castle By Robert Valentine. Fantasy, published 1986. In the land of Ingary, Sophie Hatter is resigning herself to an uninteresting life working in a hat shop, when a castle appears above the town of Market Chipping and refuses to stay still. Visiting the shop one day, the dreaded Witch of the Waste transforms Sophie into an old crone. Setting off into the countryside to seek her fortune, Sophie soon runs into the sinister moving castle. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls. Rpt. from 2021. Narrator: Robert Bathurst, Old Sophie: Julia McKenzie, Howl: Iwan Rheon, Michael: Angus Imrie, Calcifer: Dan Starkey, Miss Angorian: Gwyneth Keyworth, The Witch of the Waste: Pippa Bennett-Warner, Young Sophie: Dakota Blue-Richards, Neil: Gerran Howell. Based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones. Sound Design: Richard Fox. Music: Evelyn Sykes. Directed by Simon Barnard. Indie (Bafflegab Productions) 1 Apr: William's Castle By Jay Sykes. Based on a true story. In 1897, a young orphaned Sunderland choirboy faces his last few days at the orphanage. He is haunted by dreams of his late father lost at sea. Troubled by his fate, he scribbles a plea to be remembered in the margins of an order of service: "Dear friend. Whoever finds this letter, don't tear it up or throw it away. Keep it, in remembrance of me. Signed, William Elliott." Over a hundred years later, as the church is being restored, this scrap of paper is found. The discovery of his hidden letter inspires the community of Hendon in Sunderland to reach back through history. What happened to him? Tracey ..... Charlie Hardwick, Paige ..... Becky Lindsay, Sharon / Erin ..... Christina Berriman Dawson, Governor ..... Ken Smithson, Young William ..... Mikki Hodgson, Older William …. Lyndan Trenholm, Interviewer / Thomas ..... Daniel James. Also used are the voices of Stevie Hardy, Ian Sherlock, William 'Bill' Dove, and the young singers of the Sunderland Music Hub’s Sunderland Youth Choir. Original music by Holly Rees and Paige Temperley. Songs 'William's Castle' and 'Remember Me' were created as part of We Make Culture's 'Songs of the Street' project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. With thanks to 17Nineteen, Lily Daniels, Tracey Mienie, Sharon Vincent, Lizzie Nixon, the Sunderland Youth Choir, and the Local History Library at Elephant Tea Rooms. Produced by Jay Sykes; directed by Polly Thomas Production Manager: Darren Spruce. Studio Recording: Andy Bell. Sound Design: Jay Sykes and Lucinda Mason Brown. Executive Producers: Chantal Herbert and Eloise Whitmore. Indie (Sister Sounds) 2 Apr: Jazz and Dice By Leanne Allen. Two teenage girls, best friends and lovers, anticipate their future together as one of them goes off to university, causing a rift between them. Nevaeh, also known as Dice, is secretly dating her best friend Jazz. When Jazz goes off to university, Dice is left heartbroken, and her mother is left to pick up the pieces. Leanne started writing in 2018 when she attended the Writing for Radio course at Moniack Mhor. Her first radio drama for community radio and R4 was a series of three shorts called Connections, broadcast in Nov 2020. Today's drama is her first full-length R4 play. Dice ..... Carly Houston, Jazz ..... Lucy Fallon, Laurie ..... Claire Rushbrook, Sat Nav/Registrar ..... Garry Robson. Co-Producers.... Polly Thomas and Krishna Istha. Sound Recordist, Louis Blatherwick. Sound Designer, Paul Cargill. Executive Producer, Eloise Whitmore. Indie (Naked Productions). 3 Apr: Top of the World By Hugh Costello. Top of the World is Gloria’s podcast promising healing with altitude. She’s a relationship therapist who takes troubled couples for mountain walks. A couple has felt their ten year marriage crumble as political arguments became personal and Covid lockdown kept them from their one shared interest. Can Gloria help? Rpt. from 1 Mar 2021. Gloria: Jeany Spark, Sian: Siwan Morris, Jamie: Robert Wilfort, Tom: Matthew Aubrey. Producer: Alasdair Cross. 4 Apr: The Ventriloquist's Dummy By Amanda Dalton. No one seems to know what is wrong with Jess. No one but The Gut, that is. But Jess isn’t listening. This drama documentary explores the history of ventriloquism, the relationship between mind and body and the mysterious wisdom of the gut: the 'second brain'. . Jess.....Christine Bottomley, Eurycles.....Sanjeev Bhaskar, The Gut.....Meera Syal. Programme Consultant Dr Nick Read' Produced by Nadia Molinari. 5 Apr: Silos -3: Playlist By Anita Sullivan. The dystopian drama continues... Marvin reveals disturbing information about Riv. But Nat ignores his advice and returns to Silo 605 and is persuaded to try a playlist. As Hanna takes over Jodie's room, Nat's experience both asleep and awake gets even stranger. Nat - Anastasia Hille, Riv - Paul Bazely, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Carol - Rebekah Staton, Hanna - Bryony Hannah, Honour - Raad Rawi, Dizzy - Waleed Akhtar, Jodie - Anna Fenton-Garvey, Marvin - Lee Rufford, Infovert Voice - Teresa Gallagher, Ivan - Ben Crowe, Director: Karen Rose, Producer: Sarah Tombling, Sound: David Thomas, Composer: Simon Slater, Exec Producer: Rosalynd Ward. Legal Advisor on Stasis Rights: Elizabeth Barrett. Cultural Advisor: Francis Gallop. Interviewees: Ben Fletcher, Leon Kruger, Mareike Guensche, Camy Creffield, Liz Aggiss, Kiwi Sam. Indie (Sweet Talk). 6 Apr: Saturday Play: Weir of Hermiston, 1 By Robert Stevenson, dram. Colin MacDonald in two 55m parts. Set in Edinburgh and the Borders in the early 19th century. Robert died halfway through writing the novel - but, using the author’s notes, Colin MacDonald completed the story and then set it for radio. Eager young law student, Archie Weir, publicly denounces the capital punishment favoured by his father, the “hanging judge”, Lord Hermiston. Kirstie…Phyllis Logan, Archie Weir…...Jack Lowden, Young Archie……Billy Thomson, Lord Hermiston …Paul Young, Frank Innes …Finn Den Hartog, Jean Weir.…Karen Bartke, Christina Elliot….Helen Mackay, Davie Leslie....Simon Tait, Glenalmond/Forbes…Kenny Blyth, Miller/ Laidlaw ....Alasdair Hankinson, Pringle /Jopp …Owen Whitelaw. Other parts played by the cast. Producer: Bruce Young. 7 Apr: Sunday afternoon: Frank Bascombe 1 - The Sportswriter By Richard Ford, dram. Robin Brooks. Richard's Frank Bascombe books follow the life of his ever-hopeful hero Frank, and give a portrait of American life. Over the year, we will follow Frank for four weekends of his life spread over four decades, beginning in the early 1980s and finishing in the present day. There will be dramatistions of four Frank Bascombe books: The Sportswriter, Independence Day, The Lay of the Land, and Let Me Be Frank With You. In this first episode, Frank has experienced divorce, bereavement and now has a new girlfriend. Frank: Kyle Soller, Ann, the ex-wife:Lydia Wilson, Walter Luckett: Martin T Sherman, Vicki Arcenault: Yolanda Kettle, Lynette Arcenault: Laurel Lefkow, Wade Arcenault: Brandon Burke, Herb Wallagher and Benivalle: William Hope, Fincher andCafe Arcenault:Eric Stroud, Catherine Flaherty: Georgia Brown, Sound Design: Joseff Harris and Alisdair McGregor, Broadcast Assistant: Hermione Sylvester, Produced by Fiona McAlpine. Indie (Allegra). 8 Apr: Another Place By Siân Owen. A woman's struggle to connect to her severely deaf baby son. Lizzy finds out that Charlie might have a problem with his ears when he's three weeks old, after a routine neonatal screening. So they send him to get tested further. This is Sian's second radio play for R4. Her own son was born with hearing loss. Lizzy…. Alexandria Riley, Joel…. Matthew Gravelle, Seren…. Carys Eleri, Natasha…. Eiry Thomas, Charlie…. Zachary Cox. Directed by Carl Prekopp. Produced by James Robinson. BBC Wales. 9 Apr: Master Mason By Lizzy Mansfield. This comedy takes us back to the golden age of cathedral building and the moment that stonemason Bill Mason gets the call. When the Bishop asks, you don't say no. Bill ..... Edward Hogg, Penelope ..... Laura Elphinstone, Eliza ..... Kathryn Drysdale, Bishop ..... Michael Bertenshaw, Messenger ...... Aaron Gelkoff, Tom Farmer ..... John Lightbody. Sound Designer ... Peter Ringrose. Production Coordinator ..... Jenny Mendez. Produced by Toby Swift. BBC. 10 Apr: The Performer, 1 By William Humble; a monologue in two 45-minute parts, performed by Stephen Fry. Like many adolescents, Matthew lives in a fantasy land. But whereas other 13 year-old boys hero-worship John Lennon or Mick Jagger, Matthew’s idol is Sir Laurence Olivier. He's always been intrigued by the story Dad often tells over Sunday lunch about the day he was stuck in London because of a train strike, and ended up going to the theatre to see the great Sir Laurence Olivier in Terence Rattigan’s play The Sleeping Prince. Puzzling thing is - Dad isn't interested in the theatre. And then one day, Dad goes missing. Indie (Pier Productions). 11 Apr:The Performer, 2 Conclusion of William Humble's monologue, performed by Stephen Fry. Indie (Pier). 12 Apr: Silos, 4: Stasis By Anita Sullivan. BBC blurb:" 'We're missing our targets for renewable energy ...' Nat discovers that everything is connected. But have they run out of time?" Nat - Anastasia Hille, Riv - Paul Bazely, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Carol - Rebekah Staton, Ivan - Ben Crowe, Hanna - Bryony Hannah, Honour - Raad Rawi, Dizzy - Waleed Akhtar, Jodie - Anna Fenton-Garvey, Marvin - Lee Rufford, Infovert Voice - Teresa Gallagher, Director: Karen Rose, Producer: Sarah Tombling, Sound: David Thomas. Composer Simon Slater. Exec Producer: Rosalynd Ward. Legal Advisor on Stasis rights: Elizabeth Barrett. Cultural Advisor: Francis Gallop. Interviewees: Ben Fletcher, Leon Kruger, Mareike Guensche, Camy Creffield, Liz Aggiss, Kiwi Sam. Indie (Sweet Talk). 13 Apr: Saturday Play - Weir of Hermiston, 2 By Robert L Stevenson, dram. Colin MacDonald, conclusion. Kirstie……...Phyllis Logan, Archie Weir….....Jack Lowden, Lord Hermiston …....Paul Young, Frank Innes …....Finn Den Hertog, Christina Elliot….....Helen Mackay, Dand Elliot…....Simon Donaldson, Davie Leslie……...Simon Tait, Lord Hume/Auctioneer…...Kenny Blyth, Kelly/ Warder .......Alasdair Hankinson, Pringle /Campbell…...Owen Whitelaw Other parts played by the cast. Producer/Director : Bruce Young. 14 Apr: Sunday afternoon - The Shell Seekers, 1 By Rosamunde Pilcher, dram. Lin Coghlan. Set in Gloucestershire, London, Cornwall and Ibiza and shifting between 1939 and 1985. Artist's daughter Penelope Keeling has a prized possession - The Shell Seekers, painted by her father. When her adult children learn their grandfather's work is now worth a fortune, each has an idea as to what Penelope should do. But she has no intention of settling sweetly into pensioned-off old-age. The Narrator, Rosamunde Pilcher ..... Jessica Turner, Penelope ..... Emma Fielding, Olivia ..... Emily Berrington, Nancy ..... Jasmine Hyde, Young Penelope ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Noel/Ambrose ..... Will Kirk, Cosmo ..... John Lightbody, Antonia ..... Imogen Front, Danus ..... Ian Dunnett Jnr, Lawrence ..... Michael Bertenshaw Doris ..... Debra Baker, Miss Pawson ..... Anna Spearpoint. Produced by Tracey Neale. 15 Apr: The Flowers Are Perfect in the Garden y Lucy Caldwell. A man spends his final days in a hospice surrounded by his wife and once estranged children, who have travelled far and wide to be by his bedside. It is time for memories and renewal. Pat ... Dermot Crowley, Mary ... Dearbhla Molloy, Oisín ... Patrick O'Kane, Emma ... Charlene McKenna, Emma (child) ... Clara Murphy, Oisín (child) ... Alex Warburton, Letitia ... Deborah Bahi, Corazón ... Maria Cristina Crampton Other parts played by Alice Hoskyns and Tom Glenister. Producer... Celia de Wolff BBC Northern Ireland. 16 Apr: Song of the Reed: Swallowtail By Steve Waters. A seasonal drama following the life of Fleggwick, a fictional wetlands nature reserve, over the period of one year. Fleggwick, like the ecosystem it protects, is under threat. Its funding is shaky. Recorded on location at RSPB’s Strumpshaw Fen. Factually-based, informed by conservation projects taking place in the wetlands of Norfolk. In this episode, the observers hope to see a swallowtail butterfly. The future of the reserve may depend on it. Liv ..... Sophie Okonedo, Ian ..... Mark Rylance, Tam ..... Ella Dorman Gajic, Kay ..... Molly Naylor, Sadegh ..... Zaydun Khalaf, Nikki ..... Karen Hill, Voice of the Reed ..... Christine Kavanagh. Other parts played by staff and volunteers at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. Music by Michael Somerset Ward with Rebecca Hearne. Sound Design by Alisdair McGregor. Produced by Boz Temple-Morris. Indie (Holy Mountain). 17 Apr: Bat Girls, 1: Naila's Story By Kamal Kaan and Mary Cooper. Naila is a bright teenager who loves cricket, and gets involved in the school female cricket team. The team shows real promise and starts to do very well. But there's a good chance that sport and medicine - her preferred University option - don't mix. Naila......Yazmin Kayani Karishma..... Amy Leigh Hickman Roshina.......Saba Amini Mariya.....Natalie Davies Qadir/Tahir.......Ash Tandon Mrs. Hemingway and Mum.... Purvi Parmar Mr Chatterjee........Sushil Chudasama Production Co-ordinator - Lorna Newman Studio Manager - Amy Brennan Script Advisers - Sara De Jong and Zainab Goreja Sound Design - Sharon Hughes Producer - Gary Brown BBC; special thanks to Duckinfield Cricket Club, Shivanie Patel (Bradford Park Avenue Ladies' Cricket Club), Katie Stewart (Yorkshire Cricket Board) and Mariam Ali - (Refugee Action, Bradford) 18 Apr: Scenes from a Zombie Apocalypse By Katie Hims and Paul Elliott. Rpt. When the world goes off track, sometimes children understand it best. A modern horror story. Bo .... Orla Pearce, Ellie .... Eliza Pearce, Bernadette Strange .... Laura Elphinstone, David Chase .... David Sturzaker, PC Blake .... Nicholas Murchie, PC Ackie .... Marilyn Nnadebe, Fiona .... Jessica Turner, Jerry .... Tony Turner, Man .... Joshua Riley, Alison .... Elinor Coleman, Shopkeeper/Saeed/Lawton .... Hasan Dixon, Mum /Paramedic .... Jane Slavin, Driver/Dr Simms .... Stewart Campbell. Producer: Jessica Dromgoole. First broadcast 2021. 19 Apr: Silos - 5: Collective By Anita Sullivan. Riv has revealed the secret of the silos. But without him, it's difficult getting in. And on top of that, they will need the password. 30m. Nat - Anastasia Hille, Rozmay - Rakie Ayola, Hanna - Bryony Hannah, Honour and James - Raad Rawi, Dizzy-Waleed Akhtar, Marvib - Lee Rufford, Tiger -Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Ivan – Ben Crowe, Jodie - Anna Fenton-Garvey, Infovert Voice- Teresa Gallagher, Director: Karen Rose, Producer: Sarah Tombling, Sound: David Thomas, Composer: Simon Slater, Exec Producer: Rosalynd Ward, Legal Advisor on Stasis Rights: Elizabeth Barrett, Cultural Advisor: Francis Gallop, Interviewees: Ben Fletcher, Leon Kruger, Mareike Guensche, Camy Creffield, Liz Aggiss, Kiwi Sam. Indie (Sweet Talk). 20 Apr: Saturday Play: Elegies, 1: Milton's Lycidas The stories behind two influential poetic elegies. (Tennyson's In Memoriam is the second). They were both written in response to the sudden death of a young male friend. Emily Tennyson ..... Holliday Grainger, John Milton ..... Nico Mirallegro, Alfred Lord Tennyson ..... James Cooney, John Milton senior ..... Conrad Nelson, Diodati ..... Ashley Margolis. Adapted from Lyciad by Michael Symmons Roberts. Produced by Susan Roberts. BBC North. 21 Apr: The Shell Seekers, 2 By Rosamunde Pilcher;dram. Lin Coghlan. Penelope's children attempt to persuade her to sell any of her father's sketches that she can find. She had hidden them away and the children don't know she has them. She's waiting to have them valued. Then there's her father's famous painting - The Shell Seekers. The Narrator, Rosamunde Pilcher ..... Jessica Turner, Penelope ..... Emma Fielding, Olivia ..... Emily Berrington, Nancy ..... Jasmine Hyde, Noel ..... Will Kirk, Young Penelope ..... Kitty O'Sullivan, Richard ..... Carl Prekopp, Antonia ..... Imogen Front, Danus ..... Ian Dunnett Jnr, Lawrence ..... Michael Bertenshaw, Doris ..... Debra Baker, Mr Brookner/Soldier ..... John Lightbody, Mrs Enderby ..... Juliana Lisk. Produced by Tracey Neale. 22 Apr: Devoted By Ray Connolly. Rpt. In 2020 writer Ray Connolly spent six months in hospital with Covid. For part of that time he was in a coma. Unaware of what was going on, his mind was filled with fantasies. Only when he recovered did he discover that his wife, Plum, had sent daily bulletins on his condition to their children, some of which had made harrowing reading. The play tells of how Plum dreaded phone calls from the hospital, but also of how music was used to break into Ray’s coma and help get him back to health. Ray.........Philip Jackson, Plum.........Alison Steadman, Louise.......Natalie Grady, Dominic........Matthew Gravelle, Kieron........Joseph Millson, Nurse Hannah.......Marilyn Nnadebe, Newsreader.......Leah Marks, Producer - Gary Brown. Sound Designer - Sharon Hughes. 23 Apr: Song of the Reed: Whirlpool By Steve Waters. More from Fleggwick where the search is on to find the miniscule Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail, a tiny creature whose presence would strengthen the case for the reserve as a habitat for rare species.wetlands of Norfolk, and everywhere. This episode also features Tom Fewins of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, playing himself. Recorded on location in the Norfolk wetlands. Liv...............Sophie Okonedo, Ian...............Mark Rylance, Tam.............Ella Dorman Gajic, Kay..............Molly Naylor, Sadegh......Zaydun Khalaf, Theo............Tom Goodman-Hill, Nikki.............Karen Hill, Tom...............Tom Fewins, Voice of the Reed...........Christine Kavanagh, Other parts played by staff and volunteers at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. Music by Michael Somerset Ward, with Rebecca Hearne. Sound design by Alisdair McGregor. Produced by Boz Temple-Morris. Indie (Holy Mountain). 24 Apr: Bat Girls, 2: Karishma's Story By Kamal Kaan and Mary Cooper. It is 2018. Karishma has made it into the county youth squad. But it's not so simple, as she's not actually getting picked for the team. Is she not good enough? Or is it it something to do with who she is? Karishma.......Amy Leigh Hickman, Naila.......Yazmin Kayani, Roshina and the doctor: .......Saba Amini, Meghan........Sydney Martin, Mr. Chatterjee and Nish......Sushil Chudasama, Jack.......William Fox. Production Co-ordinator - Lorna Newman. Studio Manager - Amy Brennan. Script Advisers - Sara De Jong and Zainab Goreja. Sound Design - Sharon Hughes. Producer - Gary Brown. BBC. Thanks to Duckinfield Cricket Club, Shivanie Patel (Bradford Park Avenue Ladies' Cricket Club), Katie Stewart (Yorkshire Cricket Board) and Mariam Ali - (Refugee Action, Bradford). 25 Apr: In Good Faith By Mark Lawson. The silence of a Child Intensive Care Unit, broken by the whirs and bleeps of artificial life support. A youngish woman slowly walks out, telling a nurse that she needs to be in court, and that she thinks the child just smiled. Sometime later at the High Court, in a legal antechamber, the same woman is sitting in an an emergency hearing to decide between the claims of the mother and father of a child in a Persistent Vegetative State. Mrs Justice Penley - Susan Jameson, Phoebe - Macy Nyman, Peq (Deborah) - Jeany Spark, Xzr (Andrew) - Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Jya (Craig), Court Clerk / male nurse - Tom Glenister, Bea Jenkins KC - Jane Slavin, Emily Leaning KC - Lizzy McInnerny, Producer/Director: Eoin O'Callaghan, Indie (Big Fish). 26 Apr: Money Gone, 1: Insufficient Funds By Ed Sellek. Set in the near future: It's Valentine’s Day 2025. The UK awakes to find that no-one can get access to their money. Ross sees an opportunity as the country descends into chaos, but Grace has picked the worst day to run away. Pascal ..... Robert Bathurst, Patricia ..... Josette Simon, Emily ..... Charlotte Richie, Ross ..... Aaron Heffernan, Grace ..... Lauren Douglin, Chris ..... Fergus Craig, Stuart ..... Raj Ghatak, Glenn ..... Simon Darwen, Gavin ..... Chris Lew Kim Hoi, Bex ..... Sylvie Churnside-Reed, The Home Secretary ..... Leah Marks, The Danish Prime Minister ..... Charlotte Melen, The Chancellor ….. Graeme Hawley, Maggie Philbin ..... herself. Also heard are the voices of: Ruby Evans, Megan Maguire, George Styman, Molly Diamond, Lawrence Carter, Samuel Carrera Briega, Maya Dhokia, Marco Bosin Salome, Christopher Hoop, Evie Barrow, Neve Clark, Niamh Brockbank, Ruby Mutluay and Ryan Gaul. Directed by Tony Churnside. Storyline Consultant: Diane Coyle. Production: Leah Marks and Louis Blatherwick Original Music and Sound Design by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Churnside. Producer: Eloise Whitmore. Indie (Naked Productions). 30m. 27 Apr: Saturday Play: Elegies, 2 Written and adapted from Tennyson's In Memoriam, by Michael Symmons Roberts. The original piece was written in response to the sudden of a young friend. The dead man was prodigiously gifted and also a poet. Holliday Grainger ..... Emily Tennyson, James Cooney ..... Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ashley Margolis ...... Diodati. Produced by Susan Roberts; BBC North. 28 Apr: My Mother Said I Never Should, 1 By Charlotte Keatley. The story focuses on four generations of women at significant moments in their lives, 1923-1987. The choices of one generation affect the potential of the next... we all know that, but this illustrates it. Doris..... Lesley Nicol, Margaret.....Siobhan Finneran, Jackie.....Cecilia Appiah, Rosie.....Bebe Massey, Child Doris.....Matilda Kent, Child Margaret.....Isla Pritchard, Child Jackie.....Mimi-Raie Mhlanga, Pianist Adam Hutchins, Sound Design by Sharon Hughes, Production Co-ordinator Pippa Day Produced by Nadia Molinari. A BBC Studios Audio Production. This production was dedicated to the memory of Wyllie Longmore, actor and teacher, who died in 2023. 29 Apr: The Train at Platform 4, 1: Coffee By Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. 30m. A new sitcom set in the claustrophobic carriages of a cross-country rail service. It's day one of a new franchise and train manager Sam has high hopes for their maiden voyage. But the marketing team's offer of free coffee for all customers soon threatens to derail the smooth running of the service. Sam…. Rosie Cavaliero, Gilbert…. Kenneth Collard, Dev….. Ali Shahalom, Tasha….. Amy Gledhill, Pensioner 1…. Hugh Dennis, Pensioner 2…. Gemma Arrowsmith, Student…. Justice Ritchie, Lawyer…. Steve Punt. Producer… James Robinson. BBC. 30 Apr: Song of the Reed: Eel By Steve Waters. Ian has gone to work for neighbouring landowner Theo Buckhurst as Liv prepares to sell up. But nature has a different plan. Recorded on location at Strumpshaw Fen. We hear the sounds from the reserve as well as snippets about the conservation measures being taken in the face of environmental change in the Norfolk wetlands. Liv - Sophie Okonedo, Ian - Mark Rylance, Tam - Ella Dorman Gajic, Kay - Molly Naylor, Theo - Tom Goodman-Hill, Nikki - Karen Hill, Charlie - Jimmy Rutherford, Voice of the Reed - Christine Kavanagh. Other parts played by staff and volunteers at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. Music by Michael Somerset Ward, with Rebecca Hearne. Cello played by Liz Hanks. Sound design by Alisdair McGregor. Produced by Boz Temple-Morris. Indie (Holy Mountain). 1 May: Bat Girls - 3: Roshina's Story By Kamal Kaan and Mary Cooper. Roshina was in the Bat Girls team that won the Yorkshire Schools' final and got to the national final. But now she has a domestic problem. Her father was an interpreter for the British Army in Afghanistan, and if the family stayed there they would be in danger. They are now in the UK with their asylum claim pending. Will they be allowed to remain so that can Roshina can achieve her dream of going to university and also of becoming a cricket umpire? Roshina.........Saba Amini, Karishma......... Amy Leigh Hickman, Naila/ Damsa.......... Yazmin Kayani, Hamid/Salim......... Peter Singh, Matt/Logan/Silkstone..... Liam Fox, Shivanie.........Shivanie Patel, Production Co-ordinator - Lorna Newman, Studio Manager - Amy Brennan, Script Advisers - Sara De Jong and Zainab Goreja, Sound Design - Sharon Hughes, Producer - Gary Brown. BBC. 2 May: Beltane By Ben Lewis. BBC Blurb: "Soulful drama full of wit and wisdom about love, loss and new beginnings. Woven together with an exploration of the seasons and Pagan perspective on the wonders of nature". Neve McIntosh, Charithra Chandran, Bryan Dick. Music performed by Anna Massie. Sound Design by Kris McConnachie. Directed by Kirsty Williams. BBC Scotland. 3 May: Money Gone, 2. By Ed Sellek. In the 'Limelight' series. As the UK descends into chaos, some people take advantage. The Prime Minister learns there’s more about what’s going on, but staff walk-outs causes a more serious problem. Would you continue to do your job in you weren't getting paid? Pascal ..... Robert Bathurst, Patricia ..... Josette Simon, Emily ..... Charlotte Ritchie, Ross ..... Aaron Heffernan, Grace ..... Lauren Douglin, Stuart ..... Raj Ghatak, Chris ..... Fergus Craig, Glenn ..... Simon Darwen, Adam ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Bex ..... Sylvie Churnside-Reed, Jeremy Vine ..... himself. Directed by Tony Churnside. SMs: Leah Marks and Louis Blatherwick. Original music and sound design by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Churnside. Theme sung by Ellie Akhgar. Producer: Eloise Whitmore. Exec Producer: John Dryden. Indie (Naked Productions). 4 May: Saturday Play: Chicken Soup with Barley By Arnold Wesker. A semi-autobiographical 'state of the nation' stage play from 1956. The Kahns are communists, and the play traces their relationship with the party from the high of Cable Street, when working men and women successfully forced Mosley's parading fascists into retreat, to the low of Soviet tanks rolling into Hungary. But Sarah Kahn, the matriarch of the family, clings to communism come what may. Sarah Kahn ..... Debbie Chazen, Harry Kahn ..... Elliot Levey, Ronnie Kahn ..... Joshua Ginsberg, Ada Kahn ..... Imogen Front, Cissie Kahn ..... Susannah Wise, Monty /Man ..... Joel Gillman, Hymie Kossof ..... Russell Bentley, Dave Simmonds ..... Dan Wolff, Prince Silver ..... Ashley Margolis, Bessie Blatt ..... Anna Spearpoint. Produced by Sally Avens. BBC. 5 May: Sunday afternoon slot: My Mother Said I Never Should, 2 By Charlotte Keatley, contd. The drama traces four generations of women through the changes of the twentieth century. The four women revisit Doris's snowbound house following Jack's death. As they pack up the objects and clothes of 70 years of family life, memories and other things are revealed. Doris..... Lesley Nicol, Margaret.....Siobhan Finneran, Jackie.....Cecilia Appiah, Rosie.....Bebe Massey, Doris as a child.....Matilda Kent, Margaret as a child .....Isla Pritchard, Jackie as a child....Mimi-Raie Mhlanga. Pianist - Adam Hutchins. Sound Design by Sharon Hughes. Production Co-ordinator Pippa Day. Produced by Nadia Molinari. The production is dedicated to the memory of actor Wyllie Longmore. 6 May: The Train at Platform 4, ep. 2 - Cat Punt and Dennis's new sitcom, set in the claustrophobic carriages of a cross-country rail service. It's Friday night and everyone's looking forward to their weekend plans. But the journey home is struck with disaster when a celebrity cat goes missing on the train. She's going to miss a crucial audition if the train crew can't find her. Meanwhile, Dev agonises about his receding hairline. Sam…. Rosie Cavaliero, Gilbert…. Kenneth Collard, Dev….. Ali Shahalom, Tasha….. Amy Gledhill, Cat Lady.... Freya Parker, American.... Hugh Dennis, Passenger.... Steve Punt. Producer… James Robinson. BBC. 30m. 7 May: Song of the Reed - Bittern By Steve Waters; last episode. Life on a wetlands nature reserve in Norfolk over one year. Ian returns to Fleggwick for the first time since suffering serious injuries. Recorded on location at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk every three months, documenting the way the wetlands change during the year. This episode features the Bittern – a bird known for its booming call. Liv - Sophie Okonedo, Ian - Mark Rylance, Tam - Ella Dorman Gajic, Kay - Molly Naylor, Theo - Tom Goodman-Hill, Nikki - Karen Hill, Sadegh - Zaydun Khalaf, Voice of the Reed - Christine Kavanagh. Other parts played by staff and volunteers at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen. Music by Michael Somerset Ward, with Rebecca Hearne. Sound design by Alisdair McGregor. Produced and Directed by Boz Temple-Morris. Indie (Holy Mountain). 8 May: The Missed Lives of Max and Judy, 1 By Janina Matthewson. Max and Judy are 18 when they first meet during a University lecture. They become friends. Just friends. And they meet up for commisoration chicken to discuss their failed relationships. A 'timeslip' story. Narrator ….. Alison Steadman, Judy ….. Danusia Samal, Max …… Carl Prekopp, Professor & Doctor ….. Nicholas Boulton, Daniel ….. Curtis Kemlo Greta …… Natasha Arancini. All other parts played by members of the cast. Director, Sound Design & Original Music, Jonathan Mitchell. Sound Engineer, Paul Clark. Production Assistant, Charlotte Rose. Producer & Casting, Emma Hearn. Executive Producer, John Scott Dryden. Indie (Goldhawk). 9 May: The Missed Lives of Max and Judy, 2 Continued from yesterday. When it seems that Judy and Max might become romantically involved, a misunderstanding drives them apart. But their guardian-angel causes them to wake the next morning to find themselves 50 years older, having lived separate full lives. Narrator …… Alison Steadman, Judy …… Danusia Samal, Max …… Carl Prekopp, Fiona …… Laura Elphinstone, Jeremy …… Nicholas Boulton, Author …… Curtis Kemlo, Neighbour …… Natasha Arancini. Other parts played by members of the cast. Production team - as yesterday. Indie (Goldhawk). 10 May: Money Gone, 3 - Land of Milk and Honey By Ed Sellek. Grace stops to help at an understaffed hospital as the Prime Minister asks MI5 to find the cause of the financial chaos. Pascal ..... Robert Bathurst, Patricia ..... Josette Simon, Emily ..... Charlotte Ritchie, Ross ..... Aaron Heffernan, Grace ..... Lauren Douglin, Stuart ..... Raj Ghatak, Chris ..... Fergus Craig, Glenn ..... Simon Darwen, Adam ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Bex ..... Sylvie Churnside-Reed, Journalist ..... Zoe Kleinman. Directed by Tony Churnside. Storyline Consultant: Diane Coyle. Production: Leah Marks and Louis Blatherwick. Original Music and Sound Design by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Churnside. Theme sung by Ellie Akhgar. Producer: Eloise Whitmore. Exec Producer: John Dryden. Indie (Naked Productions). 11 May: Saturday Play - Also Sprach Zarathustra By Simon Scardifield and Andrew Day, taking a lighthearted look at Nietzsche's famous book. 60m. Also Sprach Zarathustra (the book).....Zubin Varla, Pride and Prejudice (ditto).....Clare Corbett, On the Road.....Carl Prekopp, Madame Bovary.....Olivia Ross. Other parts played by Roger Ringrose, Charlotte East, Luke Nunn, Emma Handy, Simon Scardifield and Ian Dunnett Jnr. Produced by Emma Harding. 12 May: Sunday afternoon: The Man Who Fell to Earth Written by Stephen Keyworth, adapted from Walter Tevis's novel, courtesy of Studiocanal. A ratther sad sci-fi story, based on the film starring David Bowie. An alien arrives in Kentucky with five years to save the handful of survivors of his dying planet, and to save humanity from itself. But it's not as straightforward as he thought. He finds solace with two fellow outsiders; Betty-Jo, who falls quietly in love with him, and a widowed scientist Nathan. And the government is watching. 60m. Thomas Newton, the alien: Harry Treadaway, Nathan Bryce: Christopher Eccleston, Betty-Jo: Laura Aikman, Farnsworth: Stuart Milligan, CIA Director Bowen: Glen McCready, Canutti: Ako Mitchell, Brinnarde: Andre Refig, Doctor Martinez: Fiona Sheehan, Sarah Miller: Alix Dunmore. Sound Design by Jon Nicholls. Original score by Gazelle Twin. Directed by Simon Barnard. Indie (Bafflegab). 13 May: The Train at Platform 4, ep.3 - Schoolkids By Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. 30m. Sitcom, set in the claustrophobic carriages of a cross-country rail service. Sam and the rest of the crew struggle to contain a party of schoolchildren. But Dev sees a business opportunity - to get the kids' snack money. Meanwhile the rail inspector is on the train ... Sam…. Rosie Cavaliero, Gilbert…. Kenneth Collard, Dev….. Ali Shahalom, Tasha….. Amy Gledhill, Mr Bagnall.... Steve Brody, Teacher.... Katy Wix, Passenger.... Hugh Dennis. Producer… James Robinson. BBC. 14 May: Seven Pomegranate Seeds By Colin Teevan. Summer, and a young girl is stolen under the ground… Up in the world, her mother searches for her lost child, her grief so powerful that the ground hardens into winter. The tale draws on Greek mythology to weave a new contemporary story. Based on the stage play, which contained seven of Euripedes’ female characters - Persephone, Hypsipyle, Medea, Alcestis, Phaedra, Creusa and Demeter. In this new adaptation for radio, the myths are drawn into one compelling story. Cast: Niamh Cusack, Ruth Bradley, Leah McNamara. Produced by Allegra McIlroy. BBC Northern Ireland. 15 May: The Interrogation, 7-1: Dan By Roy Williams. Crime drama in which suspects are subjected to a grilling from DI Max Matthews and DS Sean Armitage. Dan's wife is in hospital after a suicide attempt and Dan can't understand what's wrong with her. Max ..... Kenneth Cranham, Sean ..... Alex Lanipekun, Dan ..... Navin Chowdhry. Music ..... David Pickvance. Director ..... Mary Peate. Producer ..... Jessica Dromgoole. 16 May: Camberwell Green, 1 A two-part crime thriller set in a London bus control centre. Part 1: All Routes. On her first day as a bus controller, Marilyn faces severe disruption when a street protest turns violent. Liaising with emergency services and redirecting drivers, she must rescue her old friend Frankie. Marilyn ..... Chizzy Akudolu, Vincent ..... Lloyd Hutchinson, Frankie ..... Michelle Greenidge, Steve ..... Nicholas Gleaves, Nell ..... Tia Bannon. Other roles played by Nick Armfield, Ginny Holder, Alice Hoskyns, Sean Kearney and Finlay Paul. Produced by Celia de Wolff. Indie (Pier). 17 May: Money Gone, 4: Keep the Receipt By Ed Sellek. Grace’s problems get worse as Chris is led further astray. The Prime Minister finds out the true cause of the crisis, but can she stop it? 30m. Pascal ..... Robert Bathurst, Patricia ..... Josette Simon, Emily ..... Charlotte Ritchie, Ross ..... Aaron Heffernan, Grace ..... Lauren Douglin, Stuart ..... Raj Ghatak, Chris ..... Fergus Craig, Karen ..... Melody Brown, Glenn ..... Simon Darwen, Adam ..... Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Bex ..... Sylvie Churnside-Reed, Journalist ..... Zoe Kleinman. Directed by Tony Churnside. SMs: Leah Marks and Louis Blatherwick. Original Music and Sound Design by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Churnside. Theme sung by Ellie Akhgar. Producer: Eloise Whitmore. Exec Producer: John Dryden. Indie (Naked Productions). 18 May: Saturday Play - Song from Far Away By Simon Stephens and Mark Eitzel. Willem is a young Dutch man, who has deserted his family to live in New York as a high-flying financier. When his younger brother dies unexpectedly, he reluctantly returns home. Throughout the drama (actually a monologue), Willem is haunted by a song. 55m. Willem ..... Will Young. Sound Designer: Jon Nicholls. Assistant Producer: Louis Blatherwick. Production Manager: Darren Spruce Producer: Polly Thomas Executive Producer: Eloise Whitmore Recorded by John Merriman, at Crown Lane Studios. Based on the original stage production directed by Kirk Jameson. 19 May: Sunday afternoon: The Good Soldier By Ford Maddox Ford, ad. Sebastian Baczkiewicz, from the novel. John Dowell recounts the ‘saddest story ever told’, in which ‘good soldier’ Edward Ashburnham's libido leaves countless lives in ruins. John Dowell…. Kyle Soller, Florence Dowell…. Tonya Cornelisse, Edward Ashburnham…. Patrick Baladi Leonora Ashburnham…. Fiona O’Shaughnessy, Major Hazleton…. Mark Bonnar, Nancy Rufford…. Ashna Rabheru, Jimmy Doyle…. Ronan Summers Maisie Maidan…. Cecilia Appiah. Directed by James Robinson. BBC Wales. 20 May: The Train at Platform, 4 - Gilbert By Steve Punt and Hugh Dennis. Last episode of the series (though I hear more have been commissioned). When First Class Steward Gilbert discovers his step-sister is a passenger on the train, he's forced to spend the journey hiding from her. It seems that his whole life Gilbert has been living a lie. Meanwhile, Sam must contend with a carriage full of Roundheads on their way to a re-enactment of the Battle of Naseby, armed with a collection of very realistic pikes. Sam…. Rosie Cavaliero, Gilbert…. Kenneth Collard, Dev….. Ali Shahalom, Tasha….. Amy Gledhill, Jocasta.... Anna Crilly, Colleague.... Justice Ritchie, Roundhead 1.... Hugh Dennis, Roundhead 2.... Steve Punt. Producer… James Robinson. BBC. 21 May: The Invitation By Katherine Chandler. Comedy drama. When her eight-year-old daughter is the only one in the class who doesn't get a party invitation, Lizzie challenges the birthday girl's mum, Jo. As their two world views collide, all hell breaks loose. What are the rules here? Jo - Siwan Morris, Lizzie - Kimberley Nixon, Huw - Tomos Eames, Ritchie Tyne- Nathan Sussex, Mrs Wilson - Zoe Davies, Margaret - Hannah McPake, The Postman - Anthony Corria, Micha - Joséphine López-Norton, Ellie - Raphaëlle López-Norton. Production Coordinator: Eleri McAuliffe. Sound Design: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis. Producer: John Norton. BBC Wales. 22 May: The Interrogation - Nadine By Roy Williams. Rpt. From series 7. Detectives D.I. Matthews and D.S. Armitage have to interview Nadine, who Sean has known since childhood and what's more, she's a police officer, so it's uncomfortable for everyone. Max ..... Kenneth Cranham, Sean ..... Alex Lanipekun, Nadine ..... Bianca Stephens. Music ..... David Pickvance. Director ..... Mary Peate. Producer ..... Jessica Dromgoole. 23 May: Camberwell Green, part 2 - On Diversion. By Nicola Baldwin. Continued from last week. With her husband Steve held hostage by Bianca’s armed robbers, bus controller Marilyn comes up with a scheme to help him escape. Marilyn ..... Chizzy Akudolu, Vincent ..... Lloyd Hutchinson, Frankie ..... Michelle Greenidge, Steve ..... Nicholas Gleaves, Nell ..... Tia Bannon. Other roles played by Nick Armfield, Ginny Holder, Alice Hoskyns, Sean Kearney and Finlay Paul. Indie (Pier), produced by Celia de Wolff. 24 May: Money Gone, 5 - OK Computer By Ed Sellek. Grace gets some unexpected help, and the P.M. works with MI5 in a final race to solve the financial chaos, but there are unintended consequences. A fast-paced satirical drama. Pascal ..... Robert Bathurst, Patricia ..... Josette Simon, Emily ..... Charlotte Ritchie, Ross ..... Aaron Heffernan, Grace ..... Lauren Douglin, Stuart ..... Raj Ghatak, Chris ..... Fergus Craig, Karen ..... Melody Brown, Glenn ..... Simon Darwen, Bex ..... Sylvie Churnside-Reed, Journalist ..... Zoe Kleinman. Also ncluding the voices of Ruby Evans, Megan Maguire, George Styman, Molly Diamond, Lawrence Carter, Samuel Carrera Briega, Maya Dhokia, Marco Bosin Salome, Christopher Hoop, Evie Barrow, Neve Clark, Niamh Brockbank, Ruby Mutluay, Ryan Gaul. Directed by Tony Churnside. Production: Leah Marks and Louis Blatherwick. Original Music and Sound Design by Eloise Whitmore and Tony Churnside. Theme sung by Ellie Akhgar. Producer: Eloise Whitmore. Exec Producer: John Dryden. Indie (Naked). 25 May: Saturday Play - Brief Lives, 12-1 By Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly, rpt. Brief Lives has been running since 2007 and signs off after 12 series and 58 episodes. Part 1 of this 90-minute story... Sarah and Frank are finally going to get married. But then Sarah loses a work file that could put her in danger and Frank has a visitor from his past. Maybe Fat Doug can help. Frank........David Schofield, Sarah..........Kathryn Hunt, Fat Doug.......Eric Potts, Johnnie..........Greg Wood, Jade.................Erin Shanagher, Michael..........Tachia Newell. Producer..... Gary Brown. 26 May: Sunday afternoon -The Raiders, 1 By S.R. Crockett. Adapted for radio by Clara Glynn. this is an action romance set in the wild country of Galloway. Patrick ..... Kyle Gardiner, May ..... Jessica Hardwick, Silver Sand ..... Sandy Grierson, Eppie ..... Laura Lovemore, Richard Maxwell/Ivie ..... Kenny Blyth, Kennedy ..... Reuben Joseph, Will ..... James Rottger, Gil ..... Robin Laing, Granny Eggface ..... Anne Lacey, Marion ..... Rosie Smith. Literary Consultant: Cally Phillips. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane. 27 May: John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme - 2024 Special By John Finnemore. This year's show is all about the village John has moved into since last year's show - and the big, collective decision they made last night. Presented by ... John Finnemore, Ensemble ... Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Simon Kane, Lawry Lewin, Carrie Quinlan. Music composed by Susannah Pearse. Theme tune also arranged by Susannah Pearse and performed by her, with Sally Stares. Studio managers ... Chris Maclean & Jon Calver. Sound design ... Rich Evans. Production coordinator ... Katie Baum. Executive producer ... Richard Morris. Producer ... Ed Morrish. 28 May: Flixborough 74 By Helen Cross. Drama-doc; it's now fifty years since the Flixborough disaster in North Lincolnshire. At 4.53pm on 1st June 1974, an enormous explosion silenced the nearby town of Scunthorpe. It was one of the UK's worst-ever chemical explosions, and it turned the Nypro chemical plant (producing caprolactam) at Flixborough into a wasteland, burning for ten days and scorching surrounding fields. Two hundred houses were destroyed, over a thousand properties damaged and it sent a toxic gas cloud drifting towards Yorkshire. Thirty-six people were seriously injured and twenty-eight men died.As the play begins, Pete and Les are trying to restart the reactors at the Nypro chemical works when they notice a rise in pressure. Les...John Godber, Peggy...Jane Thornton, Arlene...Martha Godber, Pete...Peter Caulfield, Sports Commentator...James Hoggarth, Narrator...Helen Cross, Sound Design...Mary Ward-Lowery and Ilse Lademann. Music by Ben Nicholls. Director...Mary Ward-Lowery. Thanks to Paul and Joyce Freear, Andrew Green, Margaret and David Humphries and Ian Johnson for their generous assistance in the making of the programme. 29 May: The Interrogation, Series 7 - Evie By Roy Williams, rpt. Roy Williams' contemporary crime drama. D.I. Max Matthews and D.S. Sean Armitage pride themselves on their confounding interrogation technique, but nothing has prepared them for Evie. Max ..... Kenneth Cranham, Sean ..... Alex Lanipekun, Evie ..... Marcia Warren, Ronald ..... Sean Baker, PC Jones ..... Helen Clapp. Music ..... David Pickvance, Director ..... Jessica Dromgoole, Producer ..... Mary Peate. 30 May: Nearly Light By Kit Witherington. In North London, Elly is 15 and can no longer face the classroom, or even leaving the house. After months of lockdown, she prefers the solace of her bedroom. In Manchester, Ciaran is 16, lives with his mum, and spends his nights gaming. The play explores what happens when these two worlds collide. Elly ….. Addison Aston, Ciaran ….. Ché Bradley, Jules ….. Roisin Rae, Mike ….. Brooks Livermore Teddy ….. Marloe Mead, Jackie ….. Christine Bottomley. Director : Jelena Budimir. Sound Designer : Steve Brooke. Production Manager : Darren Spruce. Producer : Polly Thomas. Thanks to Angus Blue for the use of his gaming track, Revving Up. Indie (Naked) 31 May: The Specialist, 1 By Matthew Broughton. Medical thriller, 30m. After the old GP dies, Anna Diaz, a young doctor from Cardiff is sent to deal with the strange medical cases breaking out in the remote Welsh village of Bly. Original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies. Anna Diaz- Saran Morgan, Ged Diaz - Sion Daniel Young, Ruth - Michelle Bonnard, Mr Devonshire - Pal Aron, Mr Dartington - Ifan Huw Dafydd, Raymond - Ioan Hefin. Production Coordinator - Eleri McAuliffe. Sound Design by Catherine Robinson. Produced by John Norton. BBC Wales. 1 Jun: Saturday Play slot: Brief Lives 12-2 Continued from last Saturday, rpt. By Tom Fry and Sharon Kelly Ep. 2 of 2. Frank's visitor from the past has landed them all in trouble. You don't mess with Manchester's most violent crime family. Can Frank and Sarah smooth it over? Or will it end in tragedy? Frank..........David Schofield, Sarah..........Kathryn Hunt, Fat Doug.......Eric Potts, Johnnie..........Greg Wood, Jade.................Erin Shanagher Michael..........Tachia Newell, Baz.................Lloyd Peters. Producer - Gary Brown. 2 Jun: Sunday afternoon - The Raiders, 2 By SR Crockett. Adapted for radio by Clara Glynn. Patrick Heron is imprisoned in a room in the Murder House and his fate appears to be sealed. Patrick ..... Kyle Gardiner, May ..... Jessica Hardwick, Silver Sand ..... Sandy Grierson Eppie ..... Laura Lovemore, Kennedy ..... Reuben Joseph, Will/Hector ..... James Rottger, Gil ..... Robin Laing, Lady Grizel ..... Anne Lacey, Marion ..... Rosie Smith, Literary Consultant: Cally Phillips. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane. 3 Jun: Fags, Mags and Bags 11-1 By Donald Mcleary and Sanjeev Kohli. New series, ep1: The Pump Rubicon. Set in a Scots-Asian corner shop. Shop-based shenanigans and over-the-counter philosophy from Ramesh and his sidekick Dave. In this episode, Malcolm decides to practice her counselling skills on Sanjay and Grebo as their burgeoning relationship is already in deep trouble. Ramesh: Sanjeev Kohli, Dave: Donald Mcleary, Sanjay: Omar Raza, Alok: Susheel Kumar, Malcolm: Mina Anwar, Lovely Sue: Julie Wilson-Nimmo, Bishop Briggs: Michael Redmond, Mrs Begg: Marjory Hogarth, Grebo: Manjot Sumal. Producer: Gus Beattie for Gusman Productions. A Comedy Unit production, BBC. 4 Jun: A Tale of Ossian By Robert Forrest. An old man turns up in hospital with his head full of stories and his pockets full of leaves. No-one knows who he is. But when he finally begins to talk, the woman who sits across from him finds herself pulled into his world and captivated by his stories. See also Robert's page. Isobel … Wendy Seager, Ossian … Finlay Welsh, Helen … Anne Louise Ross, Dermot … Scott Miller, Fingal … Finn Den Hertog. Sound Design and original music by Niall Young. Produced by Kirsty Williams. 5 Jun: The Interrogation - Billy By Roy Williams, rpt. From series 7. Another case for D.I. Matthews and D.S. Armitage to solve. Today they are interviewing Billy, who, along with the rest of his family, is already well known to the police, but this time he's here of his own free will. Max ..... Kenneth Cranham, Sean ..... Alex Lanipekun, Billy ..... Daniel Kendrick, Officer ..... Joseph Ayre, Trevor ..... David Hounslow. Music ..... David Pickvance. Director ..... Mary Peate. Producer ..... Jessica Dromgoole. 6 Jun: Voodoo Macbeth By Sharon Oakes; rpt. from 28 Jan 2021. In 1936, the newly-formed Federal Theatre Project’s Negro Unit decided to stage a production of Macbeth. The production was spectacularly successful: Voodoo Macbeth (q.v.) directed by Orson Welles. We follow the trials and tribulations of mounting a huge production with only a handful of trained actors, an inexperienced yet wildly ambitious director, and a cast of nearly 150 including Haitian voodoo drummers and a witchdoctor. The play was a significant theatrical event for several reasons: its radical interpretation of the play, its success in promoting African-American theatre, and its role in securing the reputation of its 20-year-old director, Orson Welles. Orson Welles – Tom Bateman, Jack Carter – Ariyon Bakare, Edna Thomas – Clare Perkins, John Houseman – John Hollingworth, Abe Feder/John Barrymore – Tom Lawrence, All other parts – Adam Courting, Maggie Service, Lloyd Thomas. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane. 7 Jun: The Specialist, 2 By Matthew Broughton. 30m. Anna tries to treat Mr Dartington and they clean up the surgery, but nobody comes, so she starts to go through Dr Price's notes. With original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies. Anna Diaz- Saran Morgan, Ged Diaz - Sion Daniel Young, Ruth - Michelle Bonnard, Mr Dartington - Ifan Huw Dafydd, Maggie - Catrin Aaron. Production Coordinator Eleri McAuliffe. Sound Design by Catherine Robinson. Produced by John Norton. BBC Wales. 8 Jun: Saturday Dramas ... Orwell vs Kafka Day Readings from Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four. 9am: The year is 1984. War and revolution have left the world unrecognisable. Great Britain, now known as Airstrip One, is ruled by the Party, and its leader, Big Brother, stares out from every poster. The Thought Police uncover every act of betrayal, and no one is free. Winston Smith works at The Ministry of Truth, carefully rewriting history, but he dreams of freedom and of rebellion. When he falls in love with Julia, their affair is an act of rebellion against the Party. But nothing is secret. And Room 101 awaits... Read by Martin Freeman. 10am: Ep 1: Battle of the Adjectives Ian Hislop and Helen Lewis explore the two adjectives that have arisen from the writing of both men. But what exactly do we mean by Orwellian or Kafkaesque? Ian and Helen find a vivid illustration of the dystopias conjured up by Orwell and Kafka in the form of the Post Office horizon scandal, hearing from Alan Bates about his experience of striving against injustice in a system that seemed stacked against him. Producer: Tom Alban. 2: 'If there is hope, it lies in the proles.' 1100 hrs: Winston is unnerved by attention from a dark-haired girl from the Anti-Sex League. Could she be a spy? Reader: Rhashan Stone. Abridger: Robin Brooks. Producer: Justine Willett. 3: 'Have you done this before?' 1515 hrs: Juliet Stevenson reads the next bit ... today the girl with the dark hair passes Winston a note - and everything changes.... Abridged by Robin Brooks, as above. 9 Jun: Sunday afternoon: The Trial K ..... Iwan Rheon. Franz/Albert ..... Phil Davis. Willem/Magistrate ..... Lee Ross. Mrs Godbee ..... Nina Wadia. Eliška/Supervisor ..... Celeste Dring. Edmund ..... Rick Warden. Thrasher ..... Jason Barnett Dr Huld ..... Adrian Scarborough. Leni ..... Gwyneth Keyworth. Block ..... Mark Heap. Producer ..... Anne Isger, Sound ..... Pete Ringrose and Keith Graham. Production Co-ordinators ..... Sara Benaim and Daniel Bishop. Abigail Le Fleming played the recorder. 10 Jun: Fags, Mags and Bags A new series (the eleventh). Comedy drama set in a Scots-Asian corner shop. Producer Gus Beattie. Indie (Gusman productions). 30m. 11 Jun: Franz and Felice By Ed Harris. In the Orwell vs Kafka series. A quirky look at Franz Kafka’s most significant romantic relationship. Franz and Felice follows the twists and turns of the writer’s relationship with Felice Bauer, how events in their relationship went into Kafka’s stories and imagination. Narrator . . . . . Anton Lesser, Franz . . . . . Ashley Margolis, Felice . . . . . Abigail Weinstock Ottla . . . . . Anna Spearpoint, Guide . . . . . Clare Corbett, Max . . . . . Ian Dunnett Jnr, Grete . . . . . Lily Anne Lefkow. Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands. Sound design: Peter Ringrose. Producer: Sasha Yevtushenko. BBC. 12 Jun: The Interrogation - Carly By Roy Williams; rpt. from Series 7. Carly bit a police officer, but that's not why D.I. Max Matthews and D.S. Sean Armitage want to talk to her. Max ..... Kenneth Cranham, Sean ..... Alex Lanipekun, Carly ..... Lizzy Watts, Nathan ..... Joseph Ayre. Music ..... David Pickvance. Director ..... Jessica Dromgoole. Producer ..... Mary Peate. 13 Jun: The Queen of the Isle of Wight By Barney Norris. Lin and Cath never wanted to leave the island, but now Cath has left. Lin has to find a different way of living. Lin ..... Caroline Catz, Anna ..... Claudie Blakley, Becky ..... Charlotte Beaumont, Matt ..... Finlay Robertson. Produced by Sally Avens. 14 Jun: The Specialist, 3 By Matthew broughton. The cases are increasing; the patients are worsening. Anna and Ged must try to identify the cause. Anna Diaz- Saran Morgan, Ged Diaz - Sion Daniel Young, Ruth - Michelle Bonnard, Raymond - Ioan Hefin, Nell - Diana Yekinni, Maggie - Catrin Aaron, Sian Ellis - Ceri Lloyd, Mr Dartington - Ifan Huw Dafydd. Original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies. Production Coordinator Eleri McAuliffe. Sound Design by Catherine Robinson. Produced by Fay Lomas. BBC Wales. 15 Jun: Saturday Play - Orwell vs Kafka: Restless Dreams By Dan Rebellato. Restless Dreams is set on a train. Max Brod’s is one of the passengers; it's 1939 and he's fleeing the Nazis. WW2 is about to break out. In his suitcase are manuscripts, the unpublished works by Franz Kafka – of no contemporary value but inestimable treasures for the future. In his will, Kafka instructed Brod, his friend and executor, to burn these papers after his death. Brod didn’t, ensuring Kafka’s writings made it out into the world. When guards challenge Brod’s identity, he decides to hide his treasures somewhere on the train before they're taken off him. This is easier said than done. There's a Philosophers' carriage, a circus-troupe carriage, and other oddities not usually seen on trains. And no-one he meets seems to talk much sense. The writer uses many dramatic devices in this play which can only work on radio. It's a cracking story - and a masterclass in how to write for the medium. 55m. Max Brod ….. Anton Lesser, Elsa/Ilse ….. Tracy-Ann Oberman, Hanna/Eva/Ottili ….. Annie Cowan, Franz Kafka/Titorelli ….. Henry Goodman, Train Guard/Kasper ….. Guy Rhys. Producer ……..Polly Thomas Sound Designer……..Eloise Whitmore Production Manager……..Darren Spruce Executive Producer……Eloise Whitmore Indie (Naked productions). 16 Jun: Suunday afternoon - Orwell vs Kafka: The Man Who Disappeared, 1 By Franz Kafka, adapted for radio by Ed Harris. It is about an innocent’s misadventures in early 20th century America. After a family scandal, the young immigrant Karl Rossman is expelled from his home and sent to America by his parents. Karl is soon swept up in an country which is both a land of endless promise and monstrous brutality. The story was Franz Kafka’s first attempt at a novel but remained unfinished at the time of his death and published posthumously. Kafka had never visited America and the fantastical world of the novel is clearly inspired by the myths and fears wrapped up in the country’s economic boom of the early 1900s. Karl . . . . . Divian Ladwa, Narrator . . . . . Fenella Woolgar, Jacob . . . . . Karl Johnson, Mr Green . . . . . Ed Gaughan, Delamarche . . . . . Charlie Anson, Robinson . . . . . Ian Dunnett Jnr, Head Cook . . . . . Jessica Turner, Klara . . . . . Anna Spearpoint. Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands. Sound design: Peter Ringrose. Producer: Sasha Yevtushenko. BBC. 17 Jun: Fags, Mags and Bags Comedy drama set in a Scots-Asian corner shop. Producer Gus Beattie. Indie (Gusman productions). 30m. 18 Jun: Riot Girls - The Fall Down, 1 By Melissa Murray. Seven mysterious women arrive on Earth, without fanfare and without a spaceship. They apparently offer incredible solutions to the world's problems. But who are they and what do they want? Maya.....Lauren Cornelius, Barry.....Hasan Dixon, Jan.....Lyndsey Marshall, Martin/ Stevens.....David Sturzaker, Doctor Ramsey.....Tony Turner, Horace.....Fanta Barrie, Renata/ Job Centre.....Jane Slavin, Army leader.....Nicholas Murchie, Young Man.....Stewart Campbell. Produced by Emma Harding. Sound design by Caleb Knightley. 19 Jun: Vital Signs By Ben Musgrave. A drama inspired by a true story. Ben suffers from a phobia of blood, the heart and medical intervention. On a day in 2018, his greatest fear came true. His heart stopped. Ben..... Joel MacCormack, Ben's Partner..... Rhiannon Neads, The Consultant..... Neil McCaul, The Psychotherapist..... Christine Kavanagh, The Sonographer..... Jasmine Hyde, The Mother..... Grace Cooper Milton, Cath..... Eimear Fearon. With contributions from Dr Boon Lim, Consultant Cardiologist at Hammersmith Hospital. Produced by Anne Isger. Sound Design by Pete Ringrose. 20 Jun:Middle Men By Sid Sagar. Comedy drama about soccer, focusing on three referees up for promotion. Then an unexpected assessor turns up. [Sid has some experience as a referee; he has spent many Sundays reffing semi-professional games.] Gareth ..... James Doherty, Janet ..... Fay Ripley, Joe ..... Luke Newberry, Imran ..... David Mumeni, Kerry ..... Anna Spearpoint, Footballers ..... Olatunji Ayofe and Brandon Grace. Producer..... Anne Isger. Sound ..... Keith Graham and Ali Craig. Production Co-ordinators ..... Luke MacGregor, Dan Bishop and Sara Benaim. 21 Jun: The Specialist, 4 By Matthew Broughton. The storm rages outside, and soon no one can come into or out of Bly. Things in the surgery become increasingly chaotic. The pathogen is now spreading more quickly.. Anna Diaz - Saran Morgan, Ged Diaz - Sion Daniel Young, Ruth - Michelle Bonnard, Raymond - Ioan Hefin, Nell - Diana Yekinni, Maggie - Catrin Aaron, Original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies. Production Coordinator Lindsay Rees. Sound Design by Catherine Robinson Produced by Fay Lomas. BBC Wales. 22 Jun: Saturday Play - Afterplay By Brian Friel. A chance encounter in a down-at-heel café in the 1920s. They fall into conversation and something of their lives is gradually revealed. Sonya is an estate manager; Andrey is a violinist. He's reserved. Sonya, more direct, confides she’s in love with the local doctor, and has been for years. Andrey…Alex Jennings, Sonya… Janie Dee. Director: Martin Jarvis. Producer: Rosalind Ayres. Indie (Jarvis & Ayres). 45m. 23 Jun: Sunday afternoon -Orwell vs Kafka: The Man Who Disappeared, 2 By Franz Kafka, ad. Ed Harris. An innocent's experiences in early 20th century America. After a family scandal, immigrant Karl Rossman is expelled from his home and sent to America by his parents. His uncle Jacob looks after him and introduces him to big business and high society. But it doesn't go smoothly. Karl misbehaves. Karl . . . . . Divian Ladwa, Narrator . . . . . Fenella Woolgar, Robinson . . . . . Ian Dunnett Jnr, Delamarche . . . . . Charlie Anson, Brundelda . . . . . Jasmine Hyde, Catling . . . . . Ewan Bailey, Giancomo . . . . . Anna Spearpoint, Head Cook . . . . . Jessica Turner. Production co-ordinator: Ben Hollands. Sound design: Peter Ringrose. Producer: Sasha Yevtushenko. BBC Studios. 24 Jun: Fags, Mags and Bags Sitcom set in a corner shop. New series. 25 Jun: Riot Girls - The Fall Down, 2 Maya and Jan have been kidnapped by The Seven, a mysterious group of women who have arrived on Earth offering solutions to the world's problems. Feminist dystopian drama. Maya.....Lauren Cornelius, Jan.....Lyndsey Marshall, Horace.....Fanta Barrie, Renata.....Jane Slavin, Petri.....Elinor Coleman, Robin.....David Sturzaker, Doctor Ramsey.....Tony Turner. Produced by Emma Harding. Sound design by Caleb Knightley. 26 Jun: The Breach By Owen Whitelaw; thriller. The story is set on a remote Scottish island and spans two time zones 4000 years apart. In the present day, several preserved bodies are found in a peat bog. Two archaeologists try to work out why they are there. Gwen/Rachel ..... Hannah Donaldson, Mara/ Ellen ..... Isabelle Joss, Peter/Mike ..... Robert Jack, Caden ..... Owen Whitelaw, Onora ..... Anne Lacey, Adriana ..... Louise Ludgate. Producer: Bruce Young. 27 Jun: Casting Shadows By Jonathan Holloway. A light-hearted drama-documentary about the pioneer film-makers in Brighton & Hove, 1895-1905. Their work transformed film-making and they invented a number of the techniques used today in cinema. This happened pre-Hollywood, which was launched a decade later. The main characters in the play are: the showman-filmmaker George Albert Smith; his actor-comedienne wife, Laura Bayley, Smith’s (unsung) co-director; his colleague James Williamson; and Charles Urban from America, the world’s first 'movie mogul'. Smith - Karl Davies, Williamson -Tom Cotcher, Laura -Jenny Funnell, Urban - Roger Alborough, Prof Sally Field - Hilary Maclean, Pearl - Madeline Hatt, Harry - Paul Bazely and Tony - Russell Floyd. Narrated by film historian, Frank Gray. Sound Design: David Thomas. Production Co-ordinators: Sarah Tombling and Sarah Wright. Producer: Andy Jordan Indie (Pier). 28 Jun: The Specialist, 5 By Matthew Broughton. Ged is sick, the situation in Bly is going from bad to worse, and help is very slow in coming from Cardiff, but Anna and Nell have one last desperate thing to try. Anna Diaz- Saran Morgan, Ged Diaz - Sion Daniel Young, Ruth - Michelle Bonnard, Raymond - Ioan Hefin, Nell - Diana Yekinni, Mr Devonshire - Pal Aron. Original music by Sion Orgon and Rhodri Davies. Production Coordinator Eleri McAuliffe. Sound Design by Catherine Robinson. Produced by John Norton. BBC Wales. 29 Jun: Saturday Play - The Painted Hall By Ian Kelly. The Painted Hall, one of the most spectacular baroque interiors in Europe and one of the largest ‘paintings' in the world, was created by the artist James Thornhill between 1707 and 1726. Over twenty years, he adapted his design to reflect changes in royal succession, science and navigation. He was later asked to write a guide to explain what it all meant. His only daughter fell in love with a lowly paint-mixer: William Hogarth. James Thornhill ..... Hugh Bonneville, Dame Dolly Broadbent ..... Jane Asher, Jane Hogarth ..... Genevieve Gaunt, William Hogarth ..... Ryan Early, Obadiah Neptune ..... Ben Onwukwe, John Worley ..... Trevor Fox, Housekeeper ..... Sarah Ridgeway. Produced by Clive Brill. Indie (Brill Productions) 30 Jun: Sunday afternoon - Frank Bascombe: An American Life, 2: Independence Day By Richard Ford, ad. Robin Brooks. Six years after we first met him, Frank has ditched the world of sports writing, and is now an estate agent. He still has contact with his divorced wife Ann, and is trying to get to grips with his troubled son Paul. He’s supposed to be taking Paul on a road-trip, but it doesn't go to plan. Frank Bascombe: Kyle Soller, Ann : Lydia Wilson, Sally: Jennifer Armour, Paul: Christopher Buckley, Charley: William Hope, Clarissa: Karolina Ezrow, Charlane : Isaura Barbé-Brown, Dr. Tisaris: Angelique Fernandez, Sound Design: Joseff Harris and Alisdair McGregor. Broadcast Assistant: Hermione Sylvester. Produced by Fiona McAlpine. Indie (Allegra productions). Compiled by Nigel Deacon / Diversity website Back to top
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