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First broadcast from 20000207 to 20090402.

At the cutting edge of contemporary writing, five unpublished short stories read by voices new to radio.

52 episodes

Series	Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Description
01	01	The Significance Of Hair	20000207	20000327	written and read by Olivia Williams. An intriguing story about the fine line between love and obsession.
01	02	Still Life	20000208		by Kevin Ramshaw, read by Robin Taylor. A businessman knocks down a pedestrian, who refuses to be taken to hospital. An unsettling and atmospheric story about guilt and obligation.
01	03	A Day At The Cemetery	20000209		by Steve Tilley, read by Tom George. The local cemetery is thrown into chaos when a grave digger is stung by a wasp during a funeral. A humorous look at life, death and the universe.
01	04	Dad, His Shed And Elvis	20000210	20000326	by Alexandra Johnson, read by Fiona Clarke. The tall stories a father tells his young daughter prove to have a lasting effect.
01	05 LAST	Gunned Down	20000211		by Antony Mann, read by Ian Porter. A young boy witnesses his father's brutal murder. Fascinated, he follows the metamorphosis of the murderer through prison and parole to celebrity status as a talk show host.
02	01	The Ascension Of Mary	20000829		by Catherine Smith, read by Grace Mitchell. While waiting in the queue at the Co-op cheese counter, Mary, a grey-haired, middle-aged woman, discovers that she can fly.
02	02	Pound Of Flesh	20000830		by James Wood, read by Helen Ayres. Desperate to lose weight, a woman enrols at a slimming club, but she soon discovers that its methods are far from orthodox.
02	03	Nobody's Perfect	20000831		by Stephenie Anderson, read by Sarah Beauvoisin. Matty Higginbotton foils a robbery with her ability to lip-read.
02	04 LAST	Never Any Better Sisters	20000901		by Jo Carrington, read by Amy Shindler. Sisterly rivalry leads to a bizarre case of harassment.
03	01	The Girl With Green Lips	20020204		by Ruth Henderson. A teenage girl desperately tries to become part of the in crowd.
03	02	Grip City	20020205		by Malcolm Wallis. The owner of a seaside amusement arcade refuses to pay a young man for services rendered.
03	03	Blue	20020206		by Colette Snowden. A young couple enter a pact to permanently mark every significant date of their relationship.
03	04	The Shallow End	20020207		by Chris Powell. Life at a down-at-heel hotel is seen through the eyes of an elderly woman, as she takes her daily swim.
03	05 LAST	Think Big	20020208		by Susan Davis. Effie decides to answer a personal ad from someone seeking a big woman. Read by Tracy Wiles
04	01	Cliff	20020729		by Patrick Williams. In 1962, a young lad in Belfast prepares for his first date, but things do not run to plan.
04	02	Red Sari	20020730		by Amanthi Harris. A Sri Lankan woman engaged to an Englishman is in conflict with her mother over what to wear for the ceremony.
04	03	How Matteo Came To Change His Name	20020731		by Betty Weiner. Venetian schoolboy Matteo Pollo changes his name to Polo.
04	04	Beaumaris	20020801		by Pavel Nevulski. A lecturer takes a female student on a research trip, but his intentions are rather less than honourable.
04	05 LAST	Beach Postcard	20020802		by Leslie Wilson. A teenager on a beach holiday with her parents is embarrassed when her mother insists on bathing topless.
05	01	A Gesture Of Support	20030331		Written and read by Dariush Alavi. Mr Singh believes that by ignoring racial tensions, and moving house every time trouble arises, are the best ways to protect his family.
05	02	Guatemala Moon	20030401		By Clare Bayley and read by Bruno Lastra. A beautifully crafted tale about the struggle to realise your dreams. Oswaldo longs to go to the moon. Orphaned by Guatemalan rebels while still a child, he has to learn to fend for himself and his dreams go forgotten. Starting out as a shoeshine boy he soon progresses to being a bus conductor and then a satellite dish engineer. He reluctantly takes responsibility for a six year old orphan, Juanita, who he befriends on the buses. However, what seems like an added burden soon becomes the key to Oswaldo fulfilling his dreams.
05	03	The Other Side	20030402		By David Lloyd Gently comic story about moving on. After the death of her husband, Shirley has tried in vain to get back into the swing of things by joining various local groups, all with little or no success. Out of curiosity, she decides to visit a Psychic who is appearing at the community hall. This clairvoyant claims to have a message from Shirley's husband and it is during a private session at his home that Shirley realises what it is she wants from life.
05	04	Some Kind Of Accident	20030403		By Molly Rogers Henry Parker visits his favourite park for the first time since his father was killed a year ago. Along with his mother, who is finding it difficult to cope, this short journey becomes one of discovery as both find a way to move out of their troubled past.
05	05 LAST	A Headache	20030404		By Thomas Pitts. A young law student temping at a bottle factory befriends a female co-worker when he needs an aspirin, and he gains a new perspective on life.
06	01	City Of Victory	20040705		by Anita Saran John A magical tale set in Medieval India. Jehaan lives a life of luxury as the Queen's favourite but longs for the freedom of her nomadic childhood. Will she have the courage to follow her heart? Read by Badria Timimi Produced by Gemma Jenkins.
06	02	Dali's Wife	20040706		By Kefi Chadwick Inspiration strikes from an unexpected source when a young artist sets out on a romantic quest to find his muse. Read by Richard Firth.
06	03	Trusting Ginger	20040707		By Roger Jones. Ginger has won respect from the officers whilst serving a life sentence, but, given the chance, would he make a run for it? Read by Andy Hockley.
06	04	The Monkey's Wedding	20040708		By Barry Stewart Hunter. Contemporary writing. Set on a hillside just outside Brighton, the story makes use of an imagined dialect.
06	05 LAST	Some Other Life	20040709		By Tim Pertwee. Dreams clash with reality when the lives of a Western tourist and a young boy collide briefly on an Indian railroad.
07	01	Classic Recipes For Cauldron Cookery	20050926	20070819	By Sheila Burns, read by Frances Jeater. There's nothing like fillet of fenny snake garnished with toe of frog to get the taste buds flowing. Shakespeare's weird sisters take a break from interfering in Scottish history and turn their talents to sharing their recipes with an eager television audience.
07	02	Two Good Feet	20050927	20070826	By Richard Hollins. Ten year-old Marcus is facing the familiar prejudice that greets him in every new situation. On his first day at his sixth school, his ears tune in to the Yorkshire vowels of his new classmates and teachers, as he bides his time. But Marcus has more than one surprise up his sleeve - he has two outstandingly good feet. Read by Paul Simpson
07	03	Lady Play	20050928	20070902	By Sharon Raizada, read by Nikki Amuka-Bird. Sonia wants to get back with her ex, but a smooth-talking card sharp sounds a note of caution.
07	04	The Train	20050929	20070909	By Zoran Zivkovic, read by Roger Allam. A bank manager is travelling to an important meeting when he encounters God. He is told that he can have the answer to a single question.
07	05 LAST	Tango	20050930	20070916	By Caroline Sutton Serial hobbyist Gerry takes up tango lessons in his retirement, setting his sights on Buenos Aries, leaving his wife Sheila wondering what he actually does with his evenings. What she discovers surprises her. Read by Susan Jameson
08	01	The Italian Is Not My Songbird	20060710	20080323	By Tara Bergin, read by Marina Blake. Set in present-day St Petersburg, the narrator wakes up each morning to the sound of her Italian lodger who can imitate the different calls of songbirds. his tunes set up longing in her heart. She works in a ticket booth in the metro, watching and commenting on the passengers who walk by her every day. she is offered a chance to play out her dreams when an artist approaches her and asks if he can paint her portrait.
08	02	Tierra Del Fuego	20060711	20080330	By Ian Dudley, read by Robert Glenister. A family holiday turns into a living hell for the narrator, cooped up in an apartment on the Costa del Sol. He wants peace and quiet, but his wife and daughter have other ideas. He imagines himself as King David, surveying the masses, aloof on his balcony. But when his wife persuades him to go to an ex-pat barbecue and karaoke night, his worst fears are realised. All the guests have to perform a party piece and to his horror, he finds himself in the spotlight.
08	03	How Michael Stays Young	20060712	20080406	By Elizabeth Sarkany, read by Amanda Root. Carolyn is unhappy in her marriage and watches Michael from across the road with his perfect family. When Michael's marriage falls apart, she indulges in a fantasy that she will be the one to renew his faith in love. She goes out of her way to attract his attention and watches his every move, neglecting her life at home. Convinced her fantasy is about to become reality, she is devastated when Michael starts seeing someone new. She expects things to fall back into the same old routine, but then her husband comes out with a surprising admission that gives them both hope for the future.
08	04	The Man In The Wilderness	20060713	20080413	By Michael Martin. Unhappy memories threaten to overwhelm the story's narrator when an unnerving encounter with his next-door neighbour means that he can no longer take solace in tending his much-loved garden. Read by Clive Swift By Michael Martin, read by Clive Swift. The story's narrator is immensely proud of his garden. He watches in disapproval as his young neighbours allow their garden to run wild. He makes judgements about them, criticising their slovenly and dissolute ways. But who is losing a grip on reality?
08	05 LAST	Upside Down	20060714	20080420	By Donna Daley-Clarke, read by Adjoa Andoh. Katrina is mesmerised by her beautiful daughter performing cartwheels and trapeze stunts at a half-term circus class. The handsome French instructor suggests she might like to try it, too. Maybe she will.
09	01	The Scientific Approach	20070723		by Aidan Courtenay. When a young man confesses to being in love with his best friend Angela, he suddenly becomes invisible. Read by Jonathan Forbes.
09	02	The Perfect Fit	20070724	20090125	by Julie-Ann Rowell. The purchase of an exquisite pair of dance shoes offers hope to a troubled young couple. Read by Emily Chennery Series showcasing cutting-edge contemporary writing. The purchase of an exquisite pair of dance shoes offers hope to a troubled young couple. By Julie-Ann Rowell, read by Emily Chennery. By Julie-Ann Rowell. The purchase of a pair of dance shoes offers hope to a young couple.
09	03	The Police Is Your Friend	20070725		by Kachi A Ozumba. Pastor Ayo Olusola waits for his paperwork at a Nigerian police station. Read by Anthony Adesida and Kachi A Ozumba.
09	04	Creating Harmony	20070726		By Jake Elliot, read by Andrew Lincoln. A new reality TV show hosted by a mysterious lifestyle guru promises its contestants the key to happiness.
09	05 LAST	Rising Laughter	20070727	20090118	By Dave Pescod, read by Susan Brown. After she overhears the couple next door sharing a joke, a woman becomes determined to reintroduce laughter to her own home. Series showcasing cutting-edge contemporary writing. After she overhears the couple next door sharing a joke, a woman becomes determined to reintroduce laughter to her own home. By Dave Pescod, read by Susan Brown. By Dave Pescod. A woman becomes determined to reintroduce laughter to her own home.
10	01	The Deep	20080825		By Veronica Birch. Miranda and Andy are on holiday in the tropics. What should be an idyllic experience ends up exposing rifts in their relationship. Read by Helen Longworth
10	02	Teeth	20080826		By Drew Gummerson. Plagued by his lack of teeth, Rodney hatches an extraordinary plan to obtain the ultimate set, and with it his son's respect. Read by Nick Ball.
10	03	Put The Radiator On, Get The Coffee Going	20080827		By Anna Britten. A young decorator's encounter with a middle-aged divorcee and a dragonfly give him unexpected inspiration for a colour scheme. Read by Mike Bailey.
10	04	Pink Or Blue	20080828		By Elizabeth Wells, read by Maggie Blake. Gender stereotyping and dysfunctional families are seen through a teenager's eyes in small-town Canada.
10	05 LAST	After Oxford	20080829		By Phil Robinson, read by Tom Goodman-Hill. A man revisits the city where he fell in love with his wife. Alone now, he searches for traces of her in every aspect of the place.
11	01	Day Tripper	20090331		A day trip to the seaside offers the chance of new beginnings for a mother and son. By Susan Elliot-Wright, read by Claire Rushbrook
11	02	The World	20090401		A man wakes up one day to discover that he can see and hear everything that is happening in the world. Will he find a way of managing his new condition? By Frank Burton, read by Karl Davies.
11	03 LAST	Atlantic Flats	20090402		An elderly man sits alone in his flat by the sea, wondering if he can ever recapture the relationship he had with his daughter when she was a child. By Richard Knight, read by Malcolm Tierney