Info BBC 4 - Drama of the Week

Title:
The Owl and the Nightingale

Synopsis:
In this highly engaging new translation of the lively medieval poem The Owl and the Nightingale, Simon Armitage communicates this twitter spat with all the energy, humour and theatricality of the original. A narrator overhears a firey verbal contest between the two birds which moves from the philosophical to the ridiculous. The disputed issues resonate today - concerning identity, class, cultural attitudes and the right to be heard. They argue about everything from toilet habits to parenting skills, the song of one trying to outdo the other .

Cast:
Narrator - Simon Armitage
Owl - Maxine Peake
Nightingale - Rachael Stirling

Production:
Producer/Director- Susan Roberts
BBC4 2022

Title:
Exit Game

Synopsis:
Drama-documentary exploring the highly competitive world of the men’s professional football youth system.

At top football clubs across the country, floodlights illuminate the latest superstar youngsters from football’s production line as they twist defenders inside out and the fans chant their names in unison. But away from the lights, with stories that we rarely hear, are thousands of ‘Lost Boys’ rejected on an industrial scale by the football youth system in England.

Alex Millar, a journalist who has spent a lot of the last 20 years writing and broadcasting about lesser-known stories from within the footballing universe, takes us on a personal journey through football's youth system. Interwoven with Alex's journey, a fictional drama based on his research, explores the stories of two boys navigating their way through the system and the pressures their friendship comes under.

How are the latest footballing gems produced, and at what cost? And, how can football clubs produce tough, elite players - without a tough, elite system?

Cast:
Jack . . . . . Tim Preston
Young Jack . . . . . Harvey Chapman
Nathan . . . . . Olatunji Ayofe
Young Nathan . . . . . Cannon Hay
Simon . . . . . Jonathan Forbes
Cath . . . . . Fiona Skinner
Grace . . . . . Chloë Sommer
Head Coach . . . . . David Hounslow
Dave . . . . . Roger Ringrose
Coach . . . . . Tom Kiteley
Ash . . . . . Hughie O’Donnell
Liam . . . . . Aaron Gelkoff

Production:
Reported by Alex Millar
Drama written by Nick Perry
Sound design by Peter Ringrose
Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko

Title:
Dear Harry Kane

Synopsis:
Award-winning writer James Fritz's harrowing story of a young Sri Lankan who travels to Qatar to work on building the World Cup Stadiums.

Nisal is a life-long Tottenham Hotspur fan, along with his father and his son. When he arrives in Qatar he is elated to be building the stadium in which his hero, Harry Kane, will one day play. But nothing can prepare Nisal for the working conditions he must face.

Cast:
Nisal ..... Hiran Abeysekera
Nadeesha ..... Shalini Peiris
Joseph ..... Jyuddah Jaymes
Supervisor ..... Neil D'Souza
Father ..... Amesh Edireweera
Football commentary ..... David Hounslow

Production:
Directed by Sally Avens

Title:
Whipped

Synopsis:
This drama looks at the very rarely seen or heard detail of the life of a newly elected young, female MP, with fascinating detail of what it’s really like at Westminster. Meg’s party is in opposition but it’s on the way up, and so is she. But it's an uphill battle. She begins her working life in Westminster: the seat of democracy - with an office, perched between a sink and a clothes rail, in the ladies cloakroom. Newbies have to beg, borrow or steal an office. She has a love/hate relationship with the Chief Whip when her credibility is threatened.

Cast:
Meg - Molly Windsor
Amina/mum - Nina Wadia
Davey - Reuben Johnson
Noah - Jake Ferretti
Naomi - Verity Henry
Dad/Speaker/PM - Russell Richardson
Rory - Stanley Jude Kinsey

Production:
by Becky Prestwich
Production Co-ordinator -Pippa Day
Sound - Simon Highfield
Political advisor - Dr. Louise Thompson, Senior Lecturer in Politics at University of Manchester
Produced and directed by Pauline Harris
A BBC Audio Drama North production

Title:
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall, Episode 1

Synopsis:
A thrilling landmark adaptation set in Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell universe. Veteran Fourth Echelon agent Sam Fisher has a new mission recruiting and training the next generation of Splinter Cell operatives for the National Security Agency's covert action division. But when a lethal assassin from Fisher's past returns from the dead on a mission of murder, he is thrust into a race against time as a sinister threat to global security is revealed.

Recorded in 3D binaural audio; please listen on headphones for a more immersive experience.

Cast:
Sam Fisher ..... Andonis Anthony
Sarah Fisher ..... Daisy Head
Anna Grímsdóttir ..... Rosalie Craig
Charlie Cole ..... Sacha Dhawan
Brody Teague ..... Will Poulter
Samir Patel ..... Nikesh Patel
Stone ..... Mihai Arsene
Eighteen ..... Olga Fedori
Jan Freling/Kathy ..... Rina Mahoney
Buzzard ..... Tijan Sarr
Gator/Gary Borden ..... Tom Kiteley

Production:
Based on the novel by James Swallow
Dramatised by Sebastian Baczkiewicz
Sound design by Sharon Hughes
Directed by Nadia Molinari
Series Co-Produced by Lorna Newman, Jessica Mitic, Nadia Molinari

A BBC Audio Drama North Production

Title:
Sidelined

Synopsis:
Alice, an up-and-coming scriptwriter, has written a TV film she's proud of and it's being directed by big-shot director Carl Bunton. It's a huge deal for her and everything is going great. Until a work night out, when Alice's colleague Sita, finds herself alone with Carl. The fall out tests Alice to her very core. But Alice has a secret of her own, and she's determined that no-one will sideline her this time.

Cast:
Alice.....Kate Coogan
Carl.....Jason Done
Sita.....Saira Choudhry
Kamran.....Darren Kuppan
Shan…..Angela Lonsdale
Esme.....Lauren Patel

Production:
By Kirsty Smith
Sound design-John Benton
Technical production-Simon Highfield
Production co-ordinator-Lorna Newman
Director/Producer - Jessica Mitic

A BBC Audio Drama North production

Title:
Venice Preserved

Synopsis:
A political thriller about power, revolution, sex and betrayal. What happens when you are forced to decide between love and ideology?

Cast:
Unknown

Production:
BBC 4

Title:
Christmas Wings

Synopsis:
Joe and Fran, two primary school teachers, watch the nativity play from the wings. The kiss they shared at the Christmas party the night before is all they can think about. But between the nativity and the ever over-enthusiastic Miss Pear, any more moments alone will be gold dust.
It’s December 22nd and the day of the school Nativity. Joe Needson is preparing his pupils for their “Christmas Extravaganza” with some strong words of encouragement. He tucks himself away in the wings, ready for the show to begin. However, sitting in the wings is his fellow teacher, Fran Rayner. She desperately needs a minute to escape and by being in the company of Mr Needson she finds 44 of them.
The night before was the staff Christmas party and due to cheap wine and cocktails and not enough Pringles to line their stomachs they shared a stolen kiss which neither of them can get out of their heads. When we meet them, it’s the first time they’ve spoken to one another since the night before. It's clear they have chemistry and as their conversation continues, we realise that both have troubles they are trying to cope with. Just when we think they might address the elephant in the room - that stolen kiss - Miss Pear, overly enthusiastic at the best of times, keeps interrupting at various moments throughout their heart to heart. The ringing bells on her Christmas wings giving advance warning.
During the nativity, we hear the gentle, heart-warming sounds of the children’s nativity as a backdrop for various revelations from both a woman who feels trapped and a man whose loneliness is palpable. But the expectation of Christmas is that we should all be happy. We cover up the dark days and nights with tinsel and fairy lights. But Christmas is also a magical time and will Joe and Fran address what happened at the staff party, or will Miss Pear put a stop to that?

Cast:
Joe ..... Nikesh Patel
Fran ..... Fiona Button
Miss Pear ..... Joanna Monro

Production:
By Katie Redford
Tracey Neale (Producer & Director)
Ben Hollands (Production Co-Ordinator) and Cal Knightley, Peter Ringrose and Jenni Burnett (Technical Team)

Title:
Benny & Hitch

Synopsis:
The extraordinary and explosive relationship between director Alfred Hitchcock and the film composer Bernard Herrmann. Recorded live at Alexandra Palace with the BBC Concert Orchestra playing Herrmann's scores from the partnership's iconic films - Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho.
By the late 1950s Herrmann and Hitchcock – known to each other as ‘Benny’ and ‘Hitch’ – have formed the most famous composer-director partnership in film history, creating masterpieces of cinema together, including Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho.
But with tensions growing between the two maverick artists and change afoot in the movie industry, Benny and Hitch’s collaboration and friendship comes to a catastrophic end at a recording session for the film Torn Curtain. But who is really responsible for the break-up? From beyond the grave, Benny and Hitch set out to determine which man has blood on their hands?
Recorded in front of an audience at Alexandra Palace and starring two stellar actors, Tim McInnerny and Toby Jones, this thrilling and witty drama, will feature performances of Bernard Herrmann’s music by the brilliant BBC Concert Orchestra.

Cast:
Bernard Herrmann ..... Tim McInnerny
Alfred Hitchcock ..... Toby Jones
Alma Hitchcock ..... Joanna Monro
Lucy Anderson/Tippi ..... Tara Ward
Lew Wasserman/Cary/Paul ..... Jonathan Forbes

Production:
By Andrew McCaldon
Directed by Tracey Neale
Produced by Neil Varley & Tracey Neale
Production Co-Ordinators, Ben Hollands, Ayesha Labrom & Hannah O'Reilly
Technical & Outside Broadcast Team:
Chris Rouse, Alison Craig, Gilly Chauhan, Simon Nicklinson and Jon Wilson

Title:
Eat and Run

Synopsis:
Every fortnight, Alice and Dean meet their divorced dad Stewart for Saturday lunch. With Stewart it’s always voucher deals. Forget dining at the twilight hour – Stewart only eats at the discount hour. But one day, Stewart forgets his wallet and they run off without paying. It’s an adventure. It brings them closer. And so begins a spree across Brighton’s restaurants as the family become serial “dine and dashers”.
But there was one thing they hadn’t counted on. Waitress Rebecca has one of their skipped bills taken out of her wages. Struggling to pay for food for her son, she vows to track down the perpetrators. Because after all, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Cast:
ALICE.....Emma Sidi
DEAN.....Aaron Gelkoff
STEWART....Dustin Demri-Burns
REBECCA.....Sophie Wu
WILL....John King
CHARLIE.....Tom Kiteley
MANAGER....Chlöe Sommer

Production:
Written by Paolo Chianta
Sound design by Sharon Hughes
Directed by Nadia Molinari
Produced by Lorna Newman

A BBC Audio Drama North Production

Title:
Back Home

Synopsis:
Noreen returns to her native Zambia after 20 years in the UK. As the head of a wildlife charity she's come back to give a speech about animal conservation in Africa but her family - who haven't seen her since she left as a young student - want to talk about difficult issues closer to home.

Cast:
Noreen ..... Rakie Ayola
Mwemba ..... Adam Courting
Moses ..... Ben Onwukwe

Production:
By May Sumbwanyambe
Producer/director: Bruce Young
BBC4 2023

Title:
In Loco Parentis

Synopsis:
A magical story about a doting auntie, face-painting and the importance of wet wipes: On a day out with her two young nieces, DD will do anything to live up the title of "World's Best Aunt."

Cast:
Lisa Dwyer Hogg

Production:
By: Jan Carson
Producer: Michael Shannon
Executive Editor: Andy Martin
A BBC Northern Ireland production 2023

Title:
50 Berkeley Square

Synopsis:
London’s most haunted house prepares to give up its secrets in Sami Ibrahim’s ghost story about sweet revenge.

Inspired by the urban myths surrounding this notorious location, the story twists and turns, starting out in the realms of the supernatural before morphing into something entirely more intriguing.

Re-imagined by Sami, 50 Berkeley Square is based on his short drama of the same name which premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2020.

Cast:
Martha ….. Gwyneth Keyworth
Peter ….. John Heffernan
Robert Warboys ….. Tom Kiteley
James Mallord ….. Hughie O’Donnell
Sarah ….. Chloë Sommer
Uppingham ….. Roger Ringrose

Production:
Directed by Gemma Jenkins
BBC4 2023

Title:
Danger 2023

Synopsis:
The first specially written original radio drama for this then new medium, was written by playwright and poet Richard Hughes, under the title 'A Comedy of Danger'. In order to emphasise the sound-only format he set the play in a deep Welsh coal mine, where some posh English visitors get trapped in total darkness in a flooded gallery hoping for rescue . This was broadcast in early 1924.

In February 1923, the BBC broadcast a scene from Julius Caesar . To mark the centenary of this first broadcast, poet Michael Symmons Roberts has taken elements from Hughes first full play and updated them - the shocking plunge into complete darkness without apparent hope of escape, forcing strangers together, the distant sounds of a rising threat from approaching water that gradually rises in the mine's chamber, and the first and last lines of the original which frame this new version.

In Danger 2023, the lights go out on a party visiting a remote 'doomsday' bank deep under the desert containing a vast collection of historical and cultural data about our lives, from governments, universities and media companies across the world . Our digital world being 'archivable' in a physical location, what would be lost if it were destroyed. ? Is our culture, our essence, so digital now that it can be preserved and resurrected by people in the distant future ?

The VIP visitors are a small delegation on a confidential visit to this vault to see how the codes, programmes, files and data of our cyber-age are preserved in controlled conditions in case of nuclear or ecological apocalypse. Trapped in complete darkness, with attempts to contact the outside world proving futile, there's a growing fear that these people will never get out. They are increasingly forced to confront their own deaths, to enter into what they fear will be their final conversations, their last words.

The metaphorical power of a location like a doomsday data bank - as the world attempts to avert a climate catastrophe and the risk of nuclear conflict feels more urgent than it has for decades . Psychologically and dramatically, the mounting pressure and remote isolation of the party leads them to explore and evoke their response to fear, rising paranoia, different responses to mortality.

Cast:
Shura - Phia Saban
Thomas/rescuer - Tachia Newall
Belle - Laurel Lefkow
Milton - Adonis Anthony

Production:
By: Michael Symmons Roberts
Directed by Susan Roberts
A BBC North production

Title:
Gaslight - Episode 1

Synopsis:
Jack Manningham has used his wife’s recently inherited money to buy a huge period property - a former bell foundry - which they will renovate. They occupy a small habitable part of the ground floor and basement. This previously neglected ramshackle building is lit by gas, as it was in Victorian times.

In this first episode, Jack and Bella find a house that suits them and there's a lot riding on the screening of their latest film.

Atmospheric drama from BBC Radio 4 with bonus scenes for BBC Sounds, featuring original music by Imelda May.

Have you ever wondered where the term 'gaslighting' comes from? Find out in episode 1 of this dark reimagining of the classic 1938 stage thriller by Patrick Hamilton. To hear the series in full, just search for Gaslight in BBC Sounds.

Jonathan Holloway's modern adaptation is set in the present, with a deliciously vintage feel.


Cast:
Tippi Griffiths ..... Lacey Turner
Jack Manningham ..... James Purefoy
Bella Harding ..... Rebecca Night
Ishani Rawe / Izzy ..... Macadie Amoroso
DCI Nina Rawe ..... Cathy Tyson
DI Reynolds / Michael McLennon / Chris De Jeanne ..... Richard Lintern

Production:
Written by Jonathan Holloway, based on the original play by Patrick Hamilton
Music: Imelda May with Tim Bran
Produced by Sally Harrison with James Purefoy
Directed by Johnny Vegas
A Woolyback production in association with Darling Pictures, for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds

Title:
Voices from the End of the World

Synopsis:
In Autumn 2022, the writer Lucy Catherine travelled to the high arctic aboard a barquentine sailing ship with 29 other artists, searching for inspiration and healing in the polar twilight. In this drama-documentary, she tells the story of that personal voyage, combining it with a drama about two people travelling to the end of the world in search of a new beginning.

Cast:
Anna . . . . . Amanda Hale
Lucas . . . . . Joel MacCormack

Production:
By Lucy Catherine
Sound design . . . . . Peter Ringrose
Director . . . . . Sasha Yevtushenko

Title:
Galapagos Episode 1: Good and Bad Optics

Synopsis:
In 2025, Galapagos is an exciting new development in AI data manipulation. And Bryony is determined to use it to advance her career. But as soon as she presses the red button, she finds herself pulled along by forces she's not entirely in control of.

Thriller about big tech, data manipulation and the undermining of democracy, by Simon Scardifield and Andrew Day.

Cast:
Bryony.....Hannah Daniel
Sydney.....Ashleigh Haddad
Gaynor.....Sara Gregory
Omar.....Danny Ashok
Titus.....John Pfumojena
Boniface.....Kel Matsena
Max.....Ewan Bailey
Euan…..Jamie Redford
Aneni….. Ntombizodwa Ndlovu
Fake Greta.....Sunja Hyde
Shapeshift Man…..Hasan Dixon
Sam…..Claire Cage

Production:
By: Simon Scardifield and Andrew Day
Production Co-ordinators.....Eleri McAuliffe and Lindsay Rees
Sound Design.....Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis
Directed by Philippa Swallow, John Norton and Emma Harding, BBC Audio Drama Wales

Title:
Hindsight

Synopsis:
Powerful drama about memory, trauma and the possibility of recovery.

Cast:
Unknown to me

Production:
Unknown to me

Title:
Deacon - A Reckoning

Synopsis:
The enigmatic drifter is back to help a troubled soul. James Persad has lost his wife Mavis, and he too seems lost. Can Deacon help?

Cast:
Deacon - Don Warrington
James Persad - Ram John Holder
Mavis - Sutara Gayle
Michael - Lee Mengo
Ryan - Tristan Slowley
Youth - Hasan Dixon

Production:
By Edson Burton
Sound Design - Nigel Lewis
Producer - John Norton
A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production

Title:
The Voice In My Ear

Synopsis:
Steph’s supposed to be having a romantic weekend away with her boyfriend Matt. But he’s stuck in traffic. When a power cut in the holiday cottage catches her while on the phone to Finn, the voice behind VISUAL-EYEZ (an app for low vision users), Steph finds herself in a crisis that forces her to re-evaluate how capable she really is.

Cast:
Steph ..... Charlotte Riley
Matt ..... Amit Shah
Finn ..... Damien Molony
Sonya ..... Georgie Glen

Production:
Writer ..... Claudine Toutoungi
Director ..... Anne Isger
Sound ..... Ali Craig, Anne Bunting and Pete Ringrose
Production Co-ordinator ..... Maggie Olgiati
A BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4