So Much Blood
by Simon Brett
Simon Brett - So Much Blood
BBC Radio 2
Charles Paris returns again, in a fringe show at the Edinburgh Festival, with another nubile girl to provoke him, and his accommodating wife
to console him, and a gory murder to challenge him. Edinburgh and the Festival are both background and foreground with Charles flitting
between a "revisualised" Midsummer Night's Dream, a "mixed-media satire", a late-night revue, and his own one-man show on Thomas
Hood—and with a fading pop star as the first victim, a bomb scare in Holyrood Palace, and a suicide leap from the top of the Rock.
Charles copes splendidly with the Festival, with his affair with the girl with the navy eyes, and with a most complex murder investigation.
Adapted by Simon Brett from his own 1976 novel, "So Much Blood", the second in the Charles Paris series.
Produced by Martin Fisher.
1) 'The Photo Call' (Monday 19th August 1985)
Charles Paris takes his one-man show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, filling a vacant spot at a student venue which is a hotbed of
behind-the-scenes drama, until a stage dagger turns murderously into a real one.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Jennifer Hilary [Frances, Charles' Estranged Wife], Alan McNaughtan [James Milne], Harry Landis
[Maurice Skellern, Charles' Agent], Sara Corper [Pam Northcliffe, in charge of props for the Derby University Dramatic Society], Hugh
Laurie [Brian Cassells, the Chairman of Derby University Conservative Association], Mark Wing-Davey [Michael Vanderzee, the Director
of Mary Queen of 'Sots'], Michael Maloney [Martin Warburton, a Playwright], and Billy McColl [Willy Mariello, an Actor].
30 minutes
2) 'DUDS on the Fringe' (Monday 26th August 1985)
Actor Charles Paris is presenting a one-man-show on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival under the auspices of the Derby University
Dramatic Society. At a photo call at one of the student's productions about Mary, Queen of Scots, the actor playing David Rizzio, Willy
Mariello, has been killed, apparently accidentally, by stabbing. Charles decides to investigate the death and first talks to the props girl, Pam.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Kim Thomson [Anna Duncan, an Understudy Student Actress], Sara Corper [Pam Northcliffe, in
charge of props for the Derby University Dramatic Society], Hugh Laurie [Brian Cassells, the Chairman of Derby University Conservative
Association], Michael Maloney [Martin Warburton, a Playwright], Frances Low [Jean Mariello, Willy's Widow], and Mark Wing-Davey
[Michael Vanderzee, the Director of Mary Queen of 'Sots'].
30 minutes
3) 'First Lunch' (Monday 2nd September 1985)
Actor Charles Paris is presenting a one-man show on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival under the auspices of the Derby University
Dramatic Society, known to its members as 'DUDS'. At a photo call for one of the student productions of about Mary Queen of Scots,
Willy Mariello has been stabbed. Charles is not convinced that the death was accidental and to help in his investigations enlists the aid of
James Milne, owner of the house in which the university actors are staying.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Alan McNaughtan [James Milne], Kim Thomson [Anna Duncan, an Understudy Student Actress],
Sara Corper [Pam Northcliffe, in charge of props for the Derby University Dramatic Society], Michael Maloney [Martin Warburton, a
Playwright], and Lesley Manville [Lesley Petter].
30 minutes
4) 'Legal Aid' (Monday 9th September 1985)
Actor Charles Paris is presenting a one-man show on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival under the auspices of the Derby University
Dramatic Society. At a photocall for one of the student productions, Willy Mariello has been stabbed and Charles is convinced that the
death was murder. He's just discovered that Willy was responsible for the accident to Lesley Petter which led to her two main parts in
Derby productions being taken by her understudy, Anna Duncan.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Alan McNaughtan [James Milne], Kim Thomson [Anna Duncan, an Understudy Student Actress],
Jeremy Child [Gerald Venables, a Solicitor of Venables Partnership], and Frances Low [Jean Mariello, Willy's Widow].
30 minutes
5) 'Last Lunch' (Monday 16th September 1985)
Actor Charles Paris is presenting a one-man show about Thomas Hood on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival under the auspices of the
Derby University Dramatic Society. He is also investigating the apparent accidental death by stabbing of Willy Mariello. His investigations
have led him to accuse Anna Duncan, the student actress with whom he has been having an affair, of murder.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Alan McNaughtan [James Milne], Kim Thomson [Anna Duncan, an Understudy Student Actress],
Jennifer Hilary [Frances, Charles' Estranged Wife], Hugh Laurie [Brian Cassells, the Chairman of Derby University Conservative
Association], Michael Maloney [Martin Warburton, a Playwright], Sheila Mitchell [Stella Galpin-Lord, the Director for A Midsummer
Night Dreams], and Fraser Kerr [Hollyrood House Guide].
30 minutes
6) 'Up in the Castle' (Monday 23rd September 1985)
Actor Charles Paris has been presenting a one-man show on the fringe of the Edinburgh Festival and investigating the death by stabbing of
Willy Mariello. After following various false leads he had just decided to give up the case when, during a visit to Hollyrood House with his
friend, James Milne, he found that a bomb had been planted in his bag.
With Francis Matthews [Charles Paris], Alan McNaughtan [James Milne], Kim Thomson [Anna Duncan, an Understudy Student Actress],
Jennifer Hilary [Frances, Charles' Estranged Wife], and Michael Maloney [Martin Warburton, a Playwright].
30 minutes
Jim
