Episodes
| Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Good Soldier | 20201122 | By Ford Maddox Ford Adapted by Sebastian Baczkiewicz A new adaptation of Ford Maddox Ford's classic novel. John Dowell is the original unreliable narrator in a twisted tale of sex, money and murder. John Dowell (Kyle Soller) recounts the - ?saddest story ever told', in which - ?good soldier' Edward Ashburnham's libido leaves countless lives in ruins. Sharp, menacing and ultimately deadly, The Good Soldier can be seen as the prototype for the psychosexual drama. In charge of the story is Dowell - the impotent, voyeuristic husband of Florence, whose love affair with Edward ultimately ends in tragedy. But how much can we trust Dowell's account of events? How does he know such intimate details of his wife's affair? And who is really responsible for the dramatic tragedies that hang over the story? Of The Good Soldier Graham Greene said, 'I don't know how many times in nearly forty years I have come back to this novel'. While Julian Barnes simply described it as 'a masterpiece'. 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 A BBC Cymru Wales Production A new adaptation of Ford Maddox Ford's classic novel. Adapted by Sebastian Baczkiewicz. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. | |
| A Room Of One's Own | 20200531 | 20220618 (R4) | Virginia Woolf's funny, provoking and insightful feminist text on female creativity dramatised for radio by Linda Marshall Griffiths. Part of Electric Decade: classic titles that influenced and characterised the 1920's. WOMAN.....Indira Varma MARY SETON/ CHARLOTTE BRONTE.....Jenny Platt JUDITH SHAKESPEARE/JANE AUSTEN/MARY CARMICHAEL.....Anjli Mohindra WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE/ NICK GREEN.....Sacha Dhawan TREVELYAN/SHAKESPEARE'S FATHER.....Colin Tierney Directed by Nadia Molinari BBC Radio Drama North Production Publicity photograph of Indira Varma by Ruth Crafer. It is 1928, a woman is asked to talk of women and writing. In the university town of 'Oxbridge' she is refused entry to the gardens and library and discovers the poverty of the one female college there. She searches the British Museum library for proof that women even existed in history. 'Literature is impoverished beyond our counting by the doors that have been shut upon women.' She imagines what would have happened if Shakespeare had had a sister and imagines conversations with the great British female novelists. 'Who shall measure the heat and violence of a poet's heart when caught and tangled in a woman's body?' She reflects on the difficulties that face the female writer and proposes a different kind of life. A Room of One's Own is one of the greatest feminist polemics of the twentieth century, but also a narrative of beauty, humour and humanity. Its case is for the existence of female writers and its proof is in the genius of its writer. A Room of One's Own was recorded during lockdown with actors and production team all in rooms of their own. Virginia Woolf's iconic feminist text dramatised by Linda Marshall Griffiths. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. Virginia Woolf's funny, provoking and insightful feminist text on female creativity dramatised for radio by Linda Marshall Griffiths. Part of Electric Decade: classic titles that influenced and characterised the 1920's. WOMAN.....Indira Varma MARY SETON/ CHARLOTTE BRONTE.....Jenny Platt JUDITH SHAKESPEARE/JANE AUSTEN/MARY CARMICHAEL.....Anjli Mohindra WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE/ NICK GREEN.....Sacha Dhawan TREVELYAN/SHAKESPEARE'S FATHER.....Colin Tierney Directed by Nadia Molinari BBC Radio Drama North Production Publicity photograph of Indira Varma by Ruth Crafer. It is 1928, a woman is asked to talk of women and writing. In the university town of 'Oxbridge' she is refused entry to the gardens and library and discovers the poverty of the one female college there. She searches the British Museum library for proof that women even existed in history. 'Literature is impoverished beyond our counting by the doors that have been shut upon women.' She imagines what would have happened if Shakespeare had had a sister and imagines conversations with the great British female novelists. 'Who shall measure the heat and violence of a poet's heart when caught and tangled in a woman's body?' She reflects on the difficulties that face the female writer and proposes a different kind of life. A Room of One's Own is one of the greatest feminist polemics of the twentieth century, but also a narrative of beauty, humour and humanity. Its case is for the existence of female writers and its proof is in the genius of its writer. A Room of One's Own was recorded during lockdown with actors and production team all in rooms of their own. Virginia Woolf's iconic feminist text dramatised by Linda Marshall Griffiths. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. |
| Antic Hay | 20201228 | 20230326 (R4) | Antic Hay by Aldous Huxley. Dramatised by Mike Harris When inspiration leads Theo Gumbril to design pneumatic trousers to ease the discomfort of a sedentary life, he decides to give up teaching and seek his fortune in London. But his dreams disappear as he gets caught up in the world of his self absorbed friends. A wicked satire on the glittering hedonism of the 1920s. Theo ..... James Cooney Myra ..... Emily Pithon Coleman ..... Jonathan Keeble Lypiatt ..... Simeon Truby Shearwater ..... Graeme Hawley Emily ..... Verity Henry Producer/Director Gary Brown A BBC Audio Drama North Production One of the classic titles that characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. |
| Break Of Day | 20200824 | 20220910 (R4) | This largely biographical story, written in 1928, charts French author Colette's retreat from her Parisian life for her first summer alone, in her Provencal home. She needs to lick her wounds after a messy second divorce and to be back in the garden, held in the arms of the natural world, with her animals and at peace, and she means to renounce love forever. She's 55 and, for the first time since she was 16, will live without her life depending on love. But an unexpected encounter with her long-deceased mother, through finding her letters, leads Colette to a bruising reality check. And they negotiate an acceptance, of sorts, of each other's deficits - ? and assets. The temptation presented by a beautiful neighbour, Vial, 20 years her junior, tests Colette's resolve to the full. She could have him. In all her middle age - ?gigantic mermaid' glory, she still has the power for her age to lay claim on his youth. She creates a - ?cover' as matchmaker, setting Vial up with the pretty Helene, also holidaying here among the beau monde, but in reality she is toying with them both as she considers her options. Abstention is alien to her, as her mother reminds her. She is trying to learn a new way to live. And not succeeding. Cast includes: Colette... - ¦ - ¦ - ¦...Frances Barber Sidonie - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦..Si n Phillips Helene... - ¦ - ¦ - ¦...Elle McAlpine Vial... - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦...Timothy George Writer: Nicholas McInerny Director: Marina Caldarone Sound Engineer and Design: David Thomas Prod Co-ordinator: Sarah Tombling A Pier production for BBC Radio 4 Colette abandons love and her Parisian life for a restorative summer in Provence. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. |
| Cane | 20200620 | Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age. Cane by Jean Toomer is a fragmented portrait of the American South which lurches between poetry, story and drama. A landmark in African-American literature, Cane is dramatised for radio by Janice Okoh, featuring an all-star cast and original music by Soul legend Carleen Anderson. Peter Bankole Pippa Bennett-Warner Saffron Coomber Alfred Enoch Clarke Peters Sule Rimi Danielle Vitalis with original music by Carleen Anderson. Directed by John Norton A BBC Cymru Wales Production Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age. Cane by Jean Toomer. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. | |
| Cane | 20200620 | 20240224 (R4) | Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age. Cane by Jean Toomer is a fragmented portrait of the American South which lurches between poetry, story and drama. A landmark in African-American literature, Cane is dramatised for radio by Janice Okoh, featuring an all-star cast and original music by Soul legend Carleen Anderson. Peter Bankole Pippa Bennett-Warner Saffron Coomber Alfred Enoch Clarke Peters Sule Rimi Danielle Vitalis with original music by Carleen Anderson. Directed by John Norton A BBC Cymru Wales Production Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age. Cane by Jean Toomer. Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. During 2020, we bring you a range of classic titles that influenced and characterised the 1920s Jazz Age. Cane by Jean Toomer, adapted by Janice Okoh, featuring Carleen Anderson. |
| Clash Part 2 | 20201115 | Ellen Wilkinson's political romance, set during the General Strike, looking at the clash between North and South, work and life, tradition and emerging roles. Joan Craig bridges all these divides with energy and talent, but ultimately has to choose whose side she's on. Cast Kate O'Flynn ..... Joan Craig Paul Ready ..... Tony Dacre Luke Nunn ..... Gerry Blain Jane Whittenshaw ..... Mary Maud Meadowes Roger Ringrose ..... William Royd Emma Handy ..... Bunny Royd Stefan Adegbola ..... Ben Lewis Charlotte East ..... Dolly Ian Dunnett Jnr ..... Alaric Cecilia Appiah ..... Sally Adaptation - Sharon Oakes Sound - Peter Ringrose Directors - Ciaran Bermingham and Jessica Dromgoole Notes Ellen Wilkinson is an all too rare working class, female voice from early 20th century literature. As one of the first ever women MPs and cabinet members, she is better known as a political pioneer. Joan's story echoes Wilkinson's own life. A woman with major personal and political dilemmas: Joan is born into a working class family, fights for social equality but is enchanted by world of ease and luxury represented by Mary Maud Meadowes and Tony Dacre. Ellen Wilkinson's political romance, set in the General Strike, dramatised by Sharon Oakes Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. | |
| Clash. Part 1 | 20201108 | Ellen Wilkinson's political romance, set during the General Strike, looking at the clash between North and South, work and life, tradition and emerging roles. Joan Craig bridges all these divides with energy and talent, but ultimately has to choose whose side she's on. Cast Kate O'Flynn ..... Joan Craig Paul Ready ..... Tony Dacre Luke Nunn ..... Gerry Blain Jane Whittenshaw ..... Mary Maud Meadowes Roger Ringrose ..... William Royd Emma Handy ..... Helen Dacre Stefan Adegbola ..... Harry Browne Charlotte East ..... Factory worker Ian Dunnett Jnr ..... Chemical Worker Adaptation - Sharon Oakes Sound - Peter Ringrose Directors - Ciaran Bermingham and Jessica Dromgoole Notes Ellen Wilkinson is an all too rare working class, female voice from early 20th century literature. As one of the first ever women MPs and cabinet members, she is better known as a political pioneer. Joan's story echoes Wilkinson's own life. A woman with major personal and political dilemmas: Joan is born into a working class family, fights for social equality but is enchanted by world of ease and luxury represented by Mary Maud Meadowes and Tony Dacre. Ellen Wilkinson's political romance, set in the General Strike, dramatised by Sharon Oakes Classic titles that influenced and characterised the Jazz Age of the 1920s. |