Radio Plays

Thirteen plays about human connection, from some of BBC Radio's best writers exploring love, family, romances and life's ups and downs This diverse collection of stories centres around family dynamics, relationships both romantic and platonic, and the diverse ways ordinary people navigate the vicissitudes of everyday life. Ranging from modern fairy tales to coming-of-age dramas, they feature a wide variety of styles, and are scripted by an array of writers from award-winning dramatists to first-time authors. Here are stories of meeting and parting; hope and heartbreak; grief and forgiveness; and the endless possibility of change.

We meet the couple racing to secure their IVF treatment; the wide-eyed young Conservative whose awakening is more than just political; the teenager who discovers a secret that threatens his entire extended family; the ex-offender transformed through his friendship with a photographer, and many more captivating characters. These engrossing dramas let us venture into their worlds; giving us an intimate insight into their lives and loves. Among the casts are Jaime Winstone, Sean Gallagher, Rhea Bailey, Mina Anwar, Ciaran Griffiths and Harry McEntire.

With its shocking portrayal of incest, intrigue and murder, this powerful Jacobean revenge drama scandalised audiences when it was first performed in the 1620s, and is still controversial today. When siblings Giovanni and Annabella embark on a passionate affair, Annabella falls pregnant with her brother's child. Knowing she must marry to protect her honour, she chooses one of the many suitors clamouring for her hand - but when her secret is revealed, the lovers are caught up in a bloody chain of events that culminate in a poisoning, a blinding, a stabbing and a brutal massacre... Reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, but darker and more twisted, John Ford's 17th-century tale of sex and death is restyled for radio in Pauline Harris's compassionate, disturbing adaptation. Intercut with the music of Jimi Hendrix and Nick Cave, it also features an original song, 'In Deep', composed by Jules Maxwell and sung by Jessie Buckley, Indira Varma, and Abby Andrews.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, these classic cult comedies sparked a critically-acclaimed BBC TV show that ran for two series between 2002 and 2003. Starring the much-missed Sean Lock, these tower block tales revolve around a sardonic misanthrope who, despite his best efforts, can't seem to keep the world at bay. Holed up in his flat in Elderberry House, he's constantly bothered by friends, neighbours and confused tourists - so he hides microphones all around the block to listen in to the other residents...

In 15 Minutes of Misery, people persist in seeking Sean out, but fortunately, his plumber Hot Bob has fixed him up with a listening device called the Bugger King ('nothing to do with meat or sex'). Aided by tech, he happily eavesdrops on the folk around him - from Honest Alf, whose penchant for song lyrics keeps getting him into hot water with the PRS, to Nazi Cyril, Nigel the Hippie, and some Robin Hood-style bank robbers... 15 Storeys High - Crouched on his lonely perch like a smug hermit, Sean continues to sit tight in his tower block flat. With the help of his video entryphone, the Alienate 9000, he can hide in the comfort of his own home - until his mate Stuart comes round, armed with a lava lamp and wanting a place to stay. It's time for Sean to get himself a flatmate...

Jason Slater is a very average twenty-first-century English teacher from Cheadle Hulme, but somehow wakes up after a few drinks in nineteenth-century Macclesfield. Apparently, he's now Tarquin, third son of Lord Belport, with a faithful valet, a suspicious brother, a spurned ex-girlfriend (who's now going out with his brother) - and no obvious way he'll ever get back home again.

From toasted sandwich makers and the perfect beer, to root canals and royal visits, can Jason - Tarquin, that is - change the course of history and make 1834 his playground? Or will all his modern sentiments and inventions cause total disaster for the rest of time - or at least the rest of his life)?

Two boys out sledging in their local park find the body of an old woman in the snow. Who is she? How did she come to be there?

Over ten episodes, this compelling series moves backwards and forwards in time to reveal the chain of events that led her to that point.We meet members of her family, her friends and the people she has encountered, all of whom provide clues to help us put the puzzle together. From the police and paramedics to the nurses and residents in an old people's home, each character has their own relationships and circumstances - and on our journey to understanding the old woman's story, we hear theirs too, combining to form a brilliant kaleidoscope of modern life and love.

The forerunner to James Bond, secret agent Richard Hannay is a thoroughly British action hero, pursuing ruthless villains, foiling deadly plans and risking life and limb for his country. This gripping collection encompasses all five of Hannay's adventures, adapted for radio with superb casts including Tom Baker, Clive Merrison, Stuart Milligan, Jasmine Hyde and Patrick Malahide.

The complete BBC radio adaptations of Alexander McCall's bestselling series Inspired by Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City 44 Scotland Street started life as a serial in The Scotsman. It was a huge hit and was soon novelised adapted on stage and dramatised for BBC Radio 4.

Collected here are all five radio series in which we follow the interconnected lives of the residents of adjoining flats in a tenement in Edinburgh's Georgian New Town. There's Pat a young tenant who arrives at 44 Scotland Street to flat-share with handsome surveyor Bruce (a man with more of an eye for the ladies than for a sound property); Matthew setting up the Something Special Gallery with little knowledge of art; and child prodigy Bertie Pollock who wants the life of an ordinary little boy but instead has psychotherapy yoga and Italian conversation lessons. And at the local cafA owner Big Lou is looking for love - but seems doomed to romantic disappointment... Their chance day-to-day criss-crossings quirky foibles and comic adventures are all observed by Number 44's longest-term resident anthropologist Domenica MacDonald her painter friend Angus Lordie - and Angus' dog Cyril the only canine in Scotland with a gold tooth.

Full of charm humour and empathy these delightful dramas star Carol Ann Crawford and Crawford Logan with a superb cast including James Mackenzie Samuel Keefe Belle Jones and Anita Vettesse. Also included is an edition of Radio 4's Bookclub in which Alexander McCall Smith talks about his novel 44 Scotland Street with James Naughtie and readers.

Actor and sleuth Charles Paris is back in this full-cast BBC radio dramatisation of Simon Brett's novel, starring Bill Nighy

Locked down with his semi-detached wife Frances, Charles has thrown himself into a new career as a handyman, becoming quite the DIY expert. He's developed muscles, stopped smoking and even cut back on the booze.

Then his agent, Maurice, offers him the chance to get back on stage - and in a West End play, no less. The star, Justin Grover, asked for him specifically: but Charles has reservations. Grover was cocky enough when they were both young hopefuls; now he's the star of a massive TV fantasy series, and the play - a verbatim piece set in a monastery - is dire.

So why has Justin signed up for it? He certainly doesn't need the money, unlike Charles. The cast is drearily male, and before long Charles is hitting the Scotch again. When he drunkenly stumbles over the corpse of a fellow actor, Charles panics, leaving the body to be discovered by someone else. But he soon regrets lying to the police, and driven by guilt and self-preservation, he resolves to find the murderer...

This sparkling adaptation by Jeremy Front stars Bill Nighy (Emma, Love Actually) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice.

Credits
Written by Simon Brett
Adapted by Jeremy Front
Directed by Sally Avens

Cast
Charles Paris........................Bill Nighy
Frances........................Suzanne Burden
Maurice........................Jon Glover
Justin ........................Tony Turner
Lydia ........................Ria Marshall
Kit ........................Joseph Ayre
Brendan ........................Jonathan Kydd
Nina ........................Marilyn Nnadebe
D.S. Dalby ........................Stewart Campbell
Alice/Peaches ........................Elinor Coleman
Kelly/Dervla ........................Jane Slavin
Bethan ........................Christine Kavanagh
Neil ........................Simon Ludders

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 3-24 September 2021

Young actor Robert Wilson is desperately seeking work - and he's prepared to do almost anything for his big break. He's convinced that he's only one audition away from fame and fortune: but while he builds castles in the air, his agent Desmond and girlfriend Sue try their best to bring him back down to earth.

In these three series, Robert gets a part as a chauffeur (except he can't drive), gets carried away in a romantic leading role and gets his party politicals in a bit of a pickle. Plus, his role in a seedy sex farce leads to a sticky situation with Sue's parents; his job performing in a prison means he finally has a captive audience; and his appearance on children's TV causes his flat to be surrounded by press - but is that an actor's dream, or an actor's nightmare?

All four series of the hugely popular BBC radio sitcom - plus two Christmas specials.

After the death of her GP husband, widow Sarah is battling to bring up her strong-willed 18-year-old daughter Clare hindered by her meddling mother Eleanor. Living on the middle floor of the family home with Clare downstairs and Eleanor upstairs Sarah finds herself besieged from above and below as she tries to cope with the demands of both her mum and her daughter. Luckily she finds solace at work where her best friend and boss at Bygone Books Russell provides a sympathetic ear.

In these four series Sarah dips a tentative toe into the dating scene, daughter Clare has boyfriend troubles and Eleanor takes a keen interest in both their love lives - sharing all the gossip with her pensioner friends the 'geriatric Mafia'.

Bryan Archer's girlfriend has run off with the electrician, leaving him to raise their 18-month-old son, Albert, alone. Fortunately, Bryan's mum Pat is around to help out, but he still needs to get a job and earn enough money to pay the rent. Can he find an employer who'll let him bring Albert along?

These seventeen episodes follow Bryan's mishaps and adventures juggling work and childcare, as he tries out as a cosmetic salesman, takes a driving job - but gets caught up in crime, and finds employment as a temporary filing clerk, where he has a bit of bother with a missing file.

And there are challenges in store as he tries to get a loan to buy a house, attempts to save his sister's marriage, and gets a scare when his little boy is taken into hospital for tests...

Philosopher, pacifist, psychonaut and prophet, Aldous Huxley was one of the 20th century's pre-eminent intellectuals and writers. The author of over 50 books, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize nine times, and elected Companion of Literature by the Royal Society of Literature in 1962, a year before his death.

Known for his mordant satire and visionary ideas, Huxley spanned the period from post-First World War disillusionment to mid-century mysticism, and the works in this collection reflect his literary evolution.

Valentine Cunningham presents, with contributions from Sybille Bedford, Lord Jenkins, Sir Stephen Spender, Gavin Ewart, Julian Symons and Lewis Wolpert, and archive recordings of Huxley, his brother Julian and contemporaries.

The annals of movie history are full of lost treasures - spectacular scripts from world-renowned writers that could have been classics, had they only been made. Now, for the first time, some of these forgotten gems have been brought to life, fully realised as vivid, cinematic radio productions. Scripted by major 20th Century writers, including Harold Pinter, Arthur Miller, Alfred Hitchcock and Dennis Potter, they star a host of A-list actors and feature richly evocative, atmospheric soundtracks.

One of seven 'unmade movies' available on audio, Mary Queen of Scots follows one tumultuous year in the life of the 16th Century monarch. It's 1566, and two clans are at war. Two religions - Catholic and Protestant - are in conflict. And two countries - England and Scotland - are about to collide. At the centre of this turmoil is 23-year-old Queen Mary: pregnant, isolated and vulnerable. Caught in a web of treachery, betrayal and murder, she must use her steely intelligence and every skill at her disposal to maintain her rightful position on the throne...

The acclaimed director of Whisky Galore! and The Ladykillers, Alexander Mackendrick spent nearly two decades struggling to adapt Mary Stuart's story for the silver screen, before retiring from filmmaking in 1969. Almost 50 years later, his cherished project was finally revived, directed by 'BAFTA Breakthrough Brit' Hope Dickson Leach and produced by Sandy Lieberson, Mackendrick's intended producer for the film. Narrated by the multi-award-winning Glenda Jackson, who twice played Elizabeth I in the 1970s, it stars Ellie Bamber (The Serpent) as Mary. Settle back and let yourself get carried away by this sweeping tale of passion, power, triumph and tragedy...

One of Russia's most iconic poets, Alexander Pushkin is often described as the 'father of Russian literature'. A gambler, playboy and social reformer, he was exiled by the Tsar for his controversial poetry and died aged 37 in a duel defending his wife's honour. This BBC Radio anthology opens with full-cast dramatisations of his two masterpieces, Eugene Onegin and The Bronze Horseman, both set against the backdrop of his turbulent life. The former, set the night before the fateful duel, sees Pushkin (Geoffrey Streitfeild) telling his wife the story of St Petersburg socialite Onegin, his best friend, and the woman who loves him. In the latter, starring Max Irons, Pushkin's epic poem symbolising the battle between Tsar and citizen is interspersed with scenes depicting his own parallel struggles with state power. The inspiration for Rachmaninov's opera Aleko, The Gypsies is a powerful exploration in narrative verse of the conflict between freedom and love. Zemfira brings Aleko, a man running from the law, home to meet her father, but life in a gypsy camp is more challenging than he imagined. Read by Ralph Fiennes, Alex Jennings and Gabrielle Glaister.

Set during the 'Time of Troubles' in the early 1600s, Pushkin's only full-length play, Boris Godunov, is a historical drama about the Russian ruler Boris Godunov, who was Tsar from 1598 to 1605. It features a stellar cast including Alan Howard, Bill Nighy and Jane Lapotaire. His 'little tragedy', Mozart and Salieri, tells of the rivalry between Mozart and Antonio Salieri, who was rumoured to have been behind Mozart's early death. Starring Paul Scofield as Salieri and Simon Callow as Mozart. Also included are four superb short stories - 'The Snowstorm', starring Janet Maw and Michael Maloney, 'The Squire's Daughter', read by Hattie Morahan, 'The Queen of Spades', featuring Moira Lister, Greg Wise and Amanda Root, and 'The Golden Cockerel', read by Alec McCowen.

A thrilling six-part serial on the life of Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon was one of history's greatest ever military commanders.

By the time of his death, aged just 32, he had conquered the entire Persian Empire, and was ruler of a vast territory stretching from Greece to the borders of India. These six episodes tell his extraordinary life story, as reimagined by acclaimed dramatist David Wade.

Dramatised from Alexei Sayle's hilarious, highly-acclaimed fiction, these satirical, surreal and surprising tales feature some of the UK's foremost comic actors, and are introduced by the award-winning comedian himself.

The Only Man Stalin Was Afraid Of- Summoned to treat his old friend, Stalin's psychiatrist is faced with an ethical dilemma. Starring Peter Capaldi, Freya Parker and Peter Serafinowicz.

Banner Bright - 1968. Five students meet during an art school occupation, and create an inspirational protest banner they believe will change the world. Starring Ben Crompton, George Fouracres, Kath Hughes, Tim Key and Nimisha Odedra.

The Minister for Death - A Liverpudlian pensioner foils a would-be mugger - and rekindles his lust for murder... Starring Paul Barber, Lewis MacLeod, Shaun Mason, Freya Parker and Frances Tomelty.

The Last Woman Killed In The War - Returning to Liverpool after 40 years of exile, Mary finds that much has changed during her absence. Starring Adi Alfa, Katy Carmichael, Shaun Mason, Jan Ravens and Paislie Reid.

Clive Hole - An indecisive TV commissioner comes under pressure from two dogged producers determined to get their screenplay made. Starring Katheryn Drysdale, Graham Duff, George Fouracres, Georgie Glenn, Tim McInnerny, Alice McMillan and Duncan Wisbey.

Barcelona Chairs- Frustrated architect 'rupert' embeds himself in Tony Blair's Labour government while trying to design the perfect, ultra-minimalist home for his family. Starring Ambika Mod, Hugh Quarshie and Siobhan Redmond.

The Nameless Park- Jade loves the neglected park near her house, and often takes her wheelchair-user brother for trips around its paths. But when Jason becomes critically ill, she makes a devastating discovery. Starring Louis Emerick, George Fouracres, Shaun Mason, Alice McMillan and Claire Sweeney.

Locked Out - Unexpectedly stuck outside her Central London home, Katherine realises how little she knows about her neighbours' lives, and the strange and apparently sinister things they get up to... Starring Maxine Peake.

Described by H P Lovecraft as 'the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere', Algernon Blackwood (CBE) was the acclaimed and prolific author of numerous ghost stories and horror tales. Throughout his lifetime, he wrote 14 novels, several children's books, a number of plays, and over 200 short stories.

This anthology opens with a selection of stories featuring his most influential character, occult detective Dr John Silence. The inspiration for the famous horror movie Cat People, 'Ancient Sorceries' (read by Philip Madoc), sees a timid tourist becoming enchanted by a sleepy French town whose residents have an oddly feline manner. It is followed by four chilling dramatisations starring Malcolm Hayes as Silence.

Good eventide, earbandits. You are invited on a journey of shelf discovery, as you take a trip to Wunderland - the Poundland of magical realms. It's a kingdom much like our own, yet also nothing like it in the slightest. There, you'll meet waifs and strays, wigshops and witches, murderous pensioners and the squirrels of this delightful land as they go about their bizarre business. Experience the delights of Wunderwoods Widderday, take a trip through time with Lady Bowie to Ye Olde Wunderlande, and tremble as the land is threatened by an Unclear War. You'll encounter curious characters - from a 1970s child ghost to Machiavellian Madame Cauchemar and peace-loving genderwar poet Penny Beard - and see many wange and stronderful things as you venture down the rabbit hole to the Nether Regions. So don't be late for this very important date…

Sisters Alison and Maud are joint landladies of the Abbeyfield Guest House, dispensing hospitality to a variety of demanding clients while also looking after their irascible, bedridden father downstairs in the granny flat. Dreamy ornithologist Alison has just moved back from Bloomsbury, while Maud ran a 3000-acre farm in Africa - but neither sibling is really up to the task of managing a B&B, and chaos generally ensues.

In these two series, Alison has the hots for their accountant, Bernard - and is the reluctant object of a courtship display from a fellow bird-fancier; Maud comes up trumps in the middle of the night (but what will the guests make of what's in the saucepan?) and handyman Mr Mullet and the Bishop of Norwich get a little too close for comfort over tea. Meanwhile, the landladies' daddy complains about his new orthopaedic mattress, battles with hallucinogenic fungus and chips and prepares for his 85th birthday party - but what form will the celebrations take?

TV's first ecclesiastical comedy, All Gas and Gaiters was enjoyed by over 10 million viewers on BBC One between 1966 and 1971. Written by husband-and-wife-team Pauline Devaney and Edwin Apps, it was so popular that a selection of scripts were revised and re-recorded for radio with the same star cast as the television series. Robertson Hare starred as the Archdeacon of the fictional St Ogg's Cathedral. An elderly gentleman fond of a tipple and with an eye for the ladies, he shares the cloisters with his clerical companions, the easy-going Bishop (William Mervyn) and the naïve, accident-prone Chaplain (Derek Nimmo and Jonathan Cecil).

All they want is a quiet life - but this wish is constantly thwarted by the overbearing Dean (John Barron), and all too often, chaos and confusion abound as they are caught up in a series of hilarious misadventures. 

A gentle comedy drama about the reunion of three old school friends When unemployed teacher Patrick and his wife, high-flying professional Helen, move back to the town where Patrick grew up, they thought life would be simpler. But Patrick's hazy and fond memories of his schooldays are brought back into sharp relief once he's surrounded by the people and places he'd long stopped thinking about, and he realises things were not always as he'd seen them. As Patrick begins to rebuild bonds and make new discoveries with his old school friends, Helen is making friends of her own, and the couple and their neighbours begin to build the community both Patrick and Helen have been missing.

Based on Jim Sweeney's first play, Danny's Wake, which won a Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival and a Grand Media Comedy Award, All the Young Dudes is a charming nostalgic comedy about growing up and staying the same. Starring Jim Sweeney (Who's Line is it Anyway?, Just a Minute), Cathryn Harrison (Soldier Soldier, A Handful of Dust), Steve Steen (Spitting Image, Blackadder the Third), Sadie Shimmin (Wallander, Mr Selfridge), Stephen Frost (The Young Ones, Never Mind the Buzzcocks), and Flaminia Cinque (Waking the Dead, Any Human Heart), the gentle wit and musical flashbacks are perfect for fans of It's Not Us, It's Them, Up the Garden Path, and North by Northamptonshire. 

Anthony Berkeley was a journalist, novelist, and founding member of the Detection Club - whose members included Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers - and was one of crime fiction's greatest innovators, developing the idea of the psychological crime novel in the 1920s and 30s.

One of his recurring and most-beloved characters was Roger Sheringham, a novelist and amateur detective. In these two classic tales, Roger Sheringham must investigate two terrible murders.

The Poisoned Chocolates Case sees him taking up the challenge when Scotland Yard admits defeat after months of investigations. How was a woman poisoned by a box of chocolates that weren't even intended for her?

In Jumping Jenny, Roger attends a party with the questionable theme 'famous murderers and their victims', only to discover that one difficult guest has been deliberately killed on one of the party's props.

Four gripping historical dramas centred around key figures who shaped America in the 20th century Award-winning writer Mike Walker has created many acclaimed docudramas and historical dramas for Radio 4, including The Stuarts, Tsar, Caesar! and Plantagenet. This collection includes four nuanced dramas featuring a trio of controversial men who stamped their mark on American history: J Edgar Hoover, Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Baines Nixon. Among the casts are William Hootkins, Bob Sherman, Lorelei King, Nathan Osgood and Alex Lanipekun. J Edgar Hoover - This four-part drama charts the rise and fall of the notorious FBI director. Beginning in 1919, when a young Hoover uses his reputation for anti-Communist zealotry to further his ambitions, it takes in his single-minded pursuit of criminals including 'Public Enemy Number One' John Dillinger; his struggles with Bobby Kennedy and his relationship with his longtime deputy and close companion Clyde Tolson. LBJ - Inspired by real historical events, this two-part drama looks at the Kennedy administration, LBJ and the Vietnam War through the eyes of fictional journalist Lyle Weaver.

Offered a job working as speechwriter to Vice-President Johnson, idealistic Lyle can't resist the chance to become an insider, helping to drive change. But the White House is riven by power struggles and, forced to take sides, he fails to consider the personal cost of being one on LBJ's people. The Product - Vietnam, 1968. When their helicopter is shot down, a soldier and a reporter are stranded in the jungle. Battling together to reach safety, they share stories, and realise that they were part of opposing campaigns in the historic 1960 election which saw JFK narrowly defeat Nixon. Reflecting on a victory won through propaganda, dollars and dirty tricks, they recall the candidates they each supported - and consider the legacy of their choices. American Faith: Richard Milhous Nixon's Road to Watergate - An epic, intimate drama recounting the life and extraordinary career of one of America's most fascinating and enigmatic Presidents: from his upbringing as a Quaker shopkeeper's son to his involvement in the 1970s Watergate scandal that rocked the nation and forced his resignation. NB: Contains strong language and attitudes from the era in which these stories are set which would not be considered acceptable today.

First broadcast in 1990 and 1991, here are all 14 episodes of the cult comedy sketch show written and performed by Tim Firth, Tim de Jongh, Michael Rutger and William Vandyck. Join the team as they whisk the audience away on a series of adventures, including a day trip to Margate, Territorial Army manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain, an excursion to Nevada for NASA astronaut training, a Euro link-up in France and a luxury tour of London. Along the way, they entertain us with a plethora of precision comedy sketches, interspersed with songs, jokes and banter. You'll get drawn in to the architects' improvisation game, Whose Pencil Line Is It Anyway?, discover an unusual way of plotting a novel, step inside the mind of a Shakespearean actor, and listen to some rather surprising Books at Bedtime... There's also a phone-in for people having problems with their phones, a car valeting service with a twist, and a James Bond theme as written by Richard Stilgoe - plus Cockney rhyming slang for dyslexics, the news for suspicious people, Crufts for ordinary dogs and scores of other comic skits. And in two fantastic festive specials, it's party time as the quirky quartet serve up some far from traditional Christmas fare - including dried fish, advocaat and an exploding rabbit...

Angela Carter was one of the most important writers of the 20th Century. A pioneer of British magical realism, her work was described by Salman Rushdie as 'without rival and without equal'. Her radical, inventive novels influenced countless writers, while her dark, sensual short fiction turned traditional fables inside out, giving women the power over their desires and fates. Susannah Clapp, Angela Carter's literary executor and friend, introduces the productions and offers fascinating insights into Angela Carter's life and work. This landmark collection includes five new dramatisation of stories from her iconic collection of fairytales retold, The Bloody Chamber. Alongside the title story are 'The Erl-King', 'Wolf-Alice', 'The Tiger's Bride' and 'The Company of Wolves', with casts including Sophie Cookson, Ariyon Bakare, Lily Lesser, Hannah Genesius and Adjoa Andoh. A sixth tale from The Bloody Chamber, 'Puss in Boots', is adapted by Carter herself and stars Andrew Sachs as Puss.

Also included is an adaptation of Carter's award-winning Nights at the Circus, starring Roisin Conaty as Cockney trapeze artist Sophie Fevvers, and the world premiere of her unproduced screenplay The Christchurch Murder. Based on the real-life story of two New Zealand schoolgirls who killed for love, it was an inspiration for the Peter Jackson film Heavenly Creatures, and stars Fiona Shaw, Nancy Carroll and James Wilby. Accompanying these are three thrilling radio plays: the Gothic Vampirella (starring Jessica Raine and Anton Lesser); the hallucinatory drama-documentary Come Unto These Yellow Sands (featuring James Anthony Rose as patricidal painter Richard Dadd); and an exploration of the life of Ronald Firbank, A Self-Made Man (with Lewis Fiander as Firbank). Finally, Liza Ross reads the short story 'Lizzie's Tiger', originally commissioned for radio, in which the four-year-old Lizzie Borden has an extraordinary encounter at the circus. A bonus documentary, Third Ear: Angela Carter, comprises Paul Bailey's lively interview with the author, recorded shortly before her death in 1992. In it, she discusses her novel Wise Children, and examines the impact of Britishness, politics, and the oral tradition on her subversive writing.

Ex-con Bob has done his time. After five years at Her Majesty's pleasure, he's been released on licence with an ankle tag registered to his estranged son's address. Uptight Gruff isn't too happy about it - he's just become a father himself, and the last thing he needs is his delinquent dad back in his life. But Bob turns on the charm, persuading sympathetic daughter-in-law Alice that his heart's in the right place, and manages to inveigle his way into moving in.

These three series find him getting back on the dating scene, landing a job as a bingo caller, catching up with an old acquaintance from C Wing and reconnecting with a long-lost family member.

Ann Cleeves is well known for her 'Vera', 'Shetland', and 'Two Rivers' crime series, all of which have been adapted into hit TV shows. She was presented with the CWA Diamond Dagger for lifetime achievement in 2017, and was appointed an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours List for services to reading and libraries. This collection includes full-cast dramatisations of the first two 'Shetland' novels featuring Detective Jimmy Perez, as well as three short stories and a discussion with the bestselling author. Raven Black - Midwinter in Shetland, and a young woman is found strangled in a snow-covered field. Suspicion falls on elderly loner Magnus Tait - but Detective Jimmy Perez has a hunch the solution is not that simple. Starring Grant O'Rourke. White Nights - It is midsummer on the island, a time of white nights where the sun never quite leaves the sky. When a distressed stranger disrupts an art exhibition claiming amnesia, and is later found hanged, it seems a clear case of suicide. But Jimmy Perez has other ideas... Starring Steven Robertson.

'The Soothmoothers' - The tensions between three travellers on a business trip to Shetland spark a local woman's interest. By dawn the next day, DI Jimmy Perez is on the scene, investigating a violent crime. Read by Marnie Baxter. 'Secrets of Soil' - Written in collaboration with forensic soil scientist Lorna Dawson, this specially-commissioned short story sees Shetland detective Willow Reeves returning to her childhood home on the Scottish island of North Uist to confront a dark secret from her past. Read by Lesley Hart. 'The Queen of Mystery' - Attending the Malice Domestic crime convention in Bethesda, Maryland, award-winning mystery writer Stella Monkhouse fears her star is starting to wane... Read by Joanna Tope. Phil Williams - Ann Cleeves talks to the Radio 5 Live presenter about the inspiration for her work, and why she's keen to encourage a national passion for reading.

A brand-new BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of Tolstoy's epic love story Beautiful and intelligent young Anna suffers in her loveless marriage, dreaming of the romantic life she should be living, and the love that others around her should be sharing honestly with one another. When she meets the dashing Vronsky he seems to offer everything she has been craving, but the cost she will pay is higher than she could have imagined.

Meanwhile Konstantin Levin, a gentle landowner who shares Anna's belief in sincerity, attempts to channel his beliefs into his land, his family, and his love for beautiful aristocrat Kitty, and must risk everything to discover his capacity for life. Dramatised by the award-winning Linda Marshall Griffiths, Anna Karenina is a powerful story of passion, infidelity, vengeance and retribution. Starring Kate Phillips (Peaky Blinders), Alfred Enoch (Harry Potter films) and Rory Kinnear (James Bond films), this brand-new adaptation is an epic and compelling production that will stay with each listener for a lifetime.

Award-winning author Anne Tyler is loved worldwide for her fiction exploring the intricacies of marriage and domesticity. These three acclaimed books, each set in Baltimore, describe the small triumphs and tragedies of everyday American family life, as relationships are made and broken, and families come together, drift apart, hurt and heal each other. Includes: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Ladder of Years and The Amateur Marriage.

Multi-layered and universal, with details that ring sharply true and characters that are both recognisable and entertaining, these three dramatisations feature a distinguished cast including Barbara Barnes, Lorelei King and Nathan Osgood.

A master of Russian realism, Anton Chekhov is renowned for his meticulously observed plays and short stories exploring the human condition, in all its joys and sorrows. Included here are six of his best-known dramas, as well as Michael Frayn's adaptation of Wild Honey, drawn from an early, untitled Chekhov play; and one documentary exploring Chekhov's life and work.

Wild Honey - The acclaimed radio version of Michael Frayn's adaptation and Olivier Award-winning comedy, in which village teacher Platonov's youthful ambitions are rekindled when the seductive Sofya arrives. Ian McKellen stars as Platonov

The Seagull - Recorded on location in Russia, this much-praised version of Chekhov's classic set on a lakeside dacha features a star cast including Diana Quick, Alex Jennings, Robert Glenister and Helena Bonham-Carter.

Ivanov - 19th Century landowner Ivanov is in debt and depressed - can the love of a beautiful young woman rejuvenate him? Alec McCowan, Maurice Denham, Maxine Audley and Judi Dench star in this vintage production, adapted by John Gielgud.

The Cherry Orchard- Returning home from Paris, Madame Ranyevskaya and her daughter Anya discover that the family estate must be sold to cover their debts. Can they save their beloved cherry orchard? Starring Sinead Cusack, Anna Massey, Patricia Routledge and Andrew Sachs.

Three Sisters - Stuck in provincial Russia, Olga, Masha and Irina dream of one day returning to Moscow. But life keeps getting in the way... Hattie Morahan, Scarlett Alice Johnson and Flora Spencer-Longhurst star in Chekhov's poignant meditation on love and longing.

Uncle Vanya - Life on a rural Russian estate is thrown into turmoil by the visit of the ailing Professor Serebryakov and his beautiful young wife Yelena. Anton Lesser stars as Serebryakov, with Lyndsey Marshal as Yelena and Neil Dudgeon as Vanya.

Great Lives - Matthew Parris, William Boyd and Chekhov biographer Donald Rayfield consider the Russian writer's claim to greatness.

When long-serving council leader Roland Whittaker loses his seat to a Monster Raving Loony Party candidate with the same surname and initials, he is both flabbergasted and furious. Young Robin Whittaker (who conducted his entire campaign dressed in a chicken outfit and a Viking helmet) isn't happy either - he only stood for election as a student prank. Everyone expects him to resign, but he's persuaded to stick it out, and it's not long before he's being proclaimed Mayor…

Robin may be full of bright ideas, but his naivety makes him ripe for manipulation. As he attempts to get his head around local government, save Chesbury FC, launch a new currency and deal with Trekkies and a German delegation, will he manage to push through his policies?

Wally K. Daly's 1980s comedy about a pair of new entrepreneurs who'll do anything...as long as it's legal

Best friends George and Charles have been commuting to work together for 15 years. Then, one fateful day, they both find out that they're being laid off. For a while, they keep the news secret and carry on as normal, but eventually they have no choice but to admit the truth. It's time to take action and find alternative employment - but how?

When the Job Centre proves a dead end, they set up an agency offering their services. They'll do anything - as long as it's legal... Their first ventures meet with mixed results: a commission to compose a poem gets them into hot water; a spoilt ambassador's son leads Charles a merry dance, and George has a spot of bother tailing a bizarre giant. Worried that they're not getting enough clients, the duo take on a new secretary, go on a business course that sets tongues wagging, try to improve their DIY skills and branch out into hypnotherapy - but with their business struggling, they're forced to turn to Nanny...

Created by well-known radio and TV writer Wally K. Daly, this entertaining sitcom stars Donald Hewlett and Michael Knowles (It Ain't Half Hot Mum) as Charles and George, with a veteran cast including Norma Ronald (The Men from the Ministry) and Dilys Laye (Carry on Camping).

NB: Contains some dated language and attitudes

A trilogy of contemporary plays inspired by tales from The Arabian Nights The Casper Logue Affair by Sebastian Baczkiewicz*:* An absurd black comedy thriller, set in Baghdad. Junior diplomat Bob Goldacre is in trouble: the American businessman he was looking after has vanished from a Baghdad street. As the suspects pile up, Goldacre is going to have his work cut out if he wants to save his career and make sure that justice is done. The Porter and the Three Ladies by Rachel Joyce: It is time for Shahrazad to tell another tale to save her life.

In this story within a story, we find out that if Joe doesn't find the exclusive to satisfy his ruthless editor, he will lose his job. He finds three beautiful women in Damascus but what is the truth behind their secret life? A Dish of Pomegranates by Peter Jukes*:* Shared roots and scattered families in the melting pot of modern Jerusalem. Tired after a stressful trip, Ajib is stopped by security officers as he tries to fly out of Ben Gurion airport on his way home to the U.S. They don't think his story adds up. Can he make them believe him? And does he actually know the whole story himself?

Classic plays and ghost stories, as performed by the residents of Ambridge and friends - plus bonus drama Dead Girls Tell No Tales

Borsetshire's queen of amateur theatricals, Lynda Snell, never misses the chance to put on a Christmas show. Her productions are always a big hit with Ambridge audiences - and now, Archers fans can enjoy these top-notch performances alongside them (as well as eavesdropping on the shenanigans backstage).

In Blithe Spirit, the Ambridge Am-Dram Society and guest star Julian Rhind-Tutt recreate Noel Coward's ghostly masterpiece, and Lynda finds herself in sympathy with eccentric medium Madame Arcati as she attempts to conjure some festive high spirits. Calendar Girls sees the group taking on Tim Firth's comedy of jam and Jerusalem, along with honorary resident Sian Phillips (who starred in the original West End show). Will the intrepid cast really bare all? And in the 2-parter The Canterbury Tales, the company present barnstorming adaptations of Chaucer's classic stories of courtly love, deadly rivalry and boisterous sex - with a little bit of magic thrown in.

In Ambridge Ghost Stories, it's a cold December night, in the darkened attic of Lower Loxley. Then Jim Llloyd (John Rowe) takes to the stage to recount three spine-chilling supernatural tales from the turn of the last century - 'The Room in the Tower' by E. F. Benson, 'Lost Hearts' by M. R. James and 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. Prepare to be enthralled - and terrified...

Also included are two special seasonal pageants, The Ambridge Mystery Plays- The Nativity and The Passion and a stunning original drama by Joanna Toye. Starring Eleanor Tomlinson and Ysette Churchman and Miles Jupp Dead Girls Tell No Tales explores the real story behind the death of Grace Archer: a watershed moment in the history of broadcasting and one of the defining cultural events of the 1950s.

Arch-Brutalist Sir Lucien founded his architectural practice on a commitment to brutalist concrete in all its forms. But fashion has been a cruel mistress, and four decades later things are not going well for Sir Lucien and his loyal(ish) employees. With no money and no commissions, times are tough - but it's onwards and upwards (and upwards again) for the staff, as they go all out to win new contracts, deal with nightmare clients and fight to get their ambitious projects past the planners.

All ten episodes of the compelling BBC radio thriller about art forger Daniel Ballantyne and his biographer and nemesis, Jessica Brown. Daniel Ballantyne: monster and angel, thief and conman, genius - and murderer?

Newly released from Wormwood Scrubs, and dying of cancer, notorious art forger Daniel Ballantyne agrees to help art critic Jessica Brown write his biography. But as Jessica digs deeper into his life, she realises that nearly everything he's told her is a lie, and behind his charming persona is a man capable of almost anything. Trapped in a cat-and-mouse game with a master manipulator, Jessica finds herself putting her reputation - and her life - on the line...