The Mother [Drama On 3]

Series

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

DO3

20170917

20190407 (R3)

Florian Zeller's acclaimed stage play is a portrait of a mother coming to terms with the 'empty nest' effect, soon after the departure of her two children who have found partners and new lives for themselves.

Translated by Christopher Hampton

Featuring music by Philip Glass, Christopher Hampton's regular collaborator.

Told in an original and ingeniously fractured style, the play charts the woman's descent into a world of imagination and make-believe. Can we trust anything she or the other characters say? Are their appearances indeed figments of her imagination?

Christopher Hampton is surely our foremost translator (Art, God of Carnage) as well as outstanding playwright (Liaisons Dangereuses, The Philanthropist etc.) again translates with effortless skill and comic timing.

Gina McKee (Our Friends from the North / Wonderland / Notting Hill / Atonement) reprises her stage role from Bath and London's Tricycle Theatre, as the troubled matriarch, relying too heavily on white wine and pills. In scaldingly comical exchanges she accuses her husband (Tom Goodman-Hill) of seeing a mistress when he claims to be at conferences or working late.

She trains her - sadly oppressive - attention on their son (Jonathan Bailey) who can't reciprocate her affection: he's obsessing about his girlfriend (Kesiah Joseph) with whom he's just had a blazing row. Will the Mother's attempts to stoke the flames of antagonism between them succeed?

Gina McKee stars in Florian Zeller's award-winning stage play.

DO3

20191006

20220102 (R3)

The Mother, by Bertolt Brecht, with original musical score by Hanns Eisler.

Translated by Mark Ravenhill, from a literal translation by Marc Funda, with song lyrics translated by Steve Trafford.

When Pelagea Vlassova's son Pavel becomes involved in political activity her radical action to protect him from imprisonment transforms her into the figurehead for a revolutionary movement. Brecht and Eisler's iconic drama set in pre-revolutionary Russia.

Vlassova.....Maxine Peake

Pavel.....Andy Coxon

Anton and Sigorski.....Esh Alladi

Ivan.....Nico Mirallegro

Mascha.....Elen Rhys

Andrei and Luschin.....Rupert Hill

Nikolai and Inspector.....William Ash

Vassil and Smilgin.....Kevin Harvey

Karpov and the Landlady.....Christine Bottomley

The Niece.....Nadia Emam

All other parts were played by the company.

Songs by the Chorus of Revolutionary Workers were performed by Kantos Chamber Choir

Directed by Nadia Molinari

Conducted by HK Gruber

A Radio Drama North Production in association with BBC Philharmonic.

Recorded in front of an audience at Middleton Hall in Hull as part of BBC Contains Strong Language Festival.

The Mother, by Bertolt Brecht, with an original score by Hanns Eisler.

Episodes

Series	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
DO3	20170917	20190407 (R3)	Florian Zeller's acclaimed stage play is a portrait of a mother coming to terms with the 'empty nest' effect, soon after the departure of her two children who have found partners and new lives for themselves. Translated by Christopher Hampton Featuring music by Philip Glass, Christopher Hampton's regular collaborator. Told in an original and ingeniously fractured style, the play charts the woman's descent into a world of imagination and make-believe. Can we trust anything she or the other characters say? Are their appearances indeed figments of her imagination? Christopher Hampton is surely our foremost translator (Art, God of Carnage) as well as outstanding playwright (Liaisons Dangereuses, The Philanthropist etc.) again translates with effortless skill and comic timing. Gina McKee (Our Friends from the North / Wonderland / Notting Hill / Atonement) reprises her stage role from Bath and London's Tricycle Theatre, as the troubled matriarch, relying too heavily on white wine and pills. In scaldingly comical exchanges she accuses her husband (Tom Goodman-Hill) of seeing a mistress when he claims to be at conferences or working late. She trains her - sadly oppressive - attention on their son (Jonathan Bailey) who can't reciprocate her affection: he's obsessing about his girlfriend (Kesiah Joseph) with whom he's just had a blazing row. Will the Mother's attempts to stoke the flames of antagonism between them succeed? Gina McKee stars in Florian Zeller's award-winning stage play.
DO3	20191006	20220102 (R3)	The Mother, by Bertolt Brecht, with original musical score by Hanns Eisler. Translated by Mark Ravenhill, from a literal translation by Marc Funda, with song lyrics translated by Steve Trafford. When Pelagea Vlassova's son Pavel becomes involved in political activity her radical action to protect him from imprisonment transforms her into the figurehead for a revolutionary movement. Brecht and Eisler's iconic drama set in pre-revolutionary Russia. Vlassova.....Maxine Peake Pavel.....Andy Coxon Anton and Sigorski.....Esh Alladi Ivan.....Nico Mirallegro Mascha.....Elen Rhys Andrei and Luschin.....Rupert Hill Nikolai and Inspector.....William Ash Vassil and Smilgin.....Kevin Harvey Karpov and the Landlady.....Christine Bottomley The Niece.....Nadia Emam All other parts were played by the company. Songs by the Chorus of Revolutionary Workers were performed by Kantos Chamber Choir Directed by Nadia Molinari Conducted by HK Gruber A Radio Drama North Production in association with BBC Philharmonic. Recorded in front of an audience at Middleton Hall in Hull as part of BBC Contains Strong Language Festival. The Mother, by Bertolt Brecht, with an original score by Hanns Eisler.