Drama of the Week

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

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. 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. Cast in order of appearance: 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 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

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 Directed by Susan Roberts A BBC North production

By May Sumbwanyambe. 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. Noreen ..... Rakie Ayola Mwemba ..... Adam Courting Moses ..... Ben Onwukwe Producer/director: Bruce Young May Sumbwanyambe researched and wrote the play while he was a Leverhulme Trust artist-in-residence at the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, University of York, and research assistance was provided by Molly Brown.

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. ALICE.....Emma Sidi DEAN.....Aaron Gelkoff STEWART....Dustin Demri-Burns REBECCA.....Sophie Wu WILL....John King CHARLIE.....Tom Kiteley MANAGER....Chlöe Sommer Written by Paolo Chianta Sound design by Sharon Hughes Directed by Nadia Molinari Produced by Lorna Newman A BBC Audio Drama North Production

By Andrew McCaldon 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. Bernard Herrmann ..... Tim McInnerny Alfred Hitchcock ..... Toby Jones Alma Hitchcock ..... Joanna Monro Lucy Anderson/Tippi ..... Tara Ward Lew Wasserman/Cary/Paul ..... Jonathan Forbes BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Ben Palmer Produced by Neil Varley and Tracey Neale Directed By Tracey Neale 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. Writer: Andrew McCaldon worked with the BBC as a key creative on Ten Pieces, for which he wrote a series of acclaimed films and BBC Proms concerts. He has also combined music and drama in numerous shows for the BBCCO, BBCSO and the BBC Singers. Other recent writing work includes: Wemba’s Dream, a community music-drama event with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, for which Andrew acted as Creative Director (2021); Abracadopera!, an original TV opera-comedy-drama, created and written by Andrew for English National Opera and broadcast on Sky Arts and Sky Kids (June 2022); and Gnomus, a site-specific play for Puppets With Guts staged at Stonehenge (April 2022). Cast & Performers: Tim McInnerny has just finished filming One Day for Netflix and plays the lead role in the forthcoming film Killers Anonymous. He can be seen in Ten Percent, the UK version of Call My Agent and also appeared in Game of Thrones. Toby Jones can be seen in The English for the BBC. Other work includes Jon S. Baird's Tetris for Apple TV and Sam Mendes's film Empire of Light, due for release in January. He will also appear in the forthcoming Indiana Jones film. Joanna Monro has been a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company several times. Her TV credits include Doctors and Doctor Who. She was a presenter on That's Life and her theatre credits include Blood Brothers and Mamma Mia! Tara Ward has worked in film, television, stage and radio. Recent appearances were in the film Justice League and Sky TV's Riviera. She played Mrs March in Radio 4's Little Women. Tara has written a number of books on personal development. Jonathan Forbes played the lead role in the film Conspiracy of Silence. TV highlights include Hornblower, Foyle's War and Black Mirror. He played Sharon Hogan's brother in Catastrophe for Channel 4. He also starred in Radio 4's returning series Tracks. The BBC Concert Orchestra appears on Radio 2's Sunday Night Is Music Night as well as exploring music from classical to contemporary on Radio 3. Soundtracks include Blue Planet and Serengeti for BBC 1 and in February it worked with over 20 artists for Radio 2's Piano Room Month. It appears annually at the BBC Proms and at London's Southbank Centre. The Conductor, Ben Palmer is Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck in Darmstadt and Babylon Orchester Berlin and Artistic Director of Covent Garden Sinfonia. He is one of Europe's most sought-after specialists in conducting live to picture. Next year he conducts the German tour of Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. Production Team: 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

By Katie Redford 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. Joe ..... Nikesh Patel Fran ..... Fiona Button Miss Pear ..... Joanna Monro Directed by Tracey Neale 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? The Writer: Katie is a writer and actor from Nottingham. She is a BAFTA Rocliffe TV Comedy winner and was also part of the BBC Comedy Writersroom. Her short film ‘Ghosted’ starring Alison Steadman, which she wrote and produced, received the BFI Network award in association with Film Hub Midlands. She has various scripts in commissioned development for TV and is currently listed on the BBC New Talent Hot List. Yellow Lips, nominated for the Richard Imison Award at this year's Audio Drama Awards, was her debut drama for Radio 4. Cast: Nikesh Patel, The Devil's Hour (Amazon) and Starstruck (BBC/HBO) and has just completed filming on The Critic. Fiona Button, Trying (Apple TV/BBC Studios) and Out of her Mind (BBC2) and The Split (BBC1) Joanna Monro, Rosie in Mamma Mia (West End & International Tour) and Home Front (BBC Radio 4) Production Team: Tracey Neale (Producer & Director) Ben Hollands (Production Co-Ordinator) and Cal Knightley, Peter Ringrose and Jenni Burnett (Technical Team) This drama was originally broadcast on Radio 4.

Based on the novel by James Swallow Dramatised by Sebastian Baczkiewicz Episode 1 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. 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 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

Part One. Dan is a Microsoft employee in desperate need of ‘a life’. His world can be summed up as eat, sleep, code, repeat, and he’s not quite feeling himself. So when the chance comes along for him and his friends to leave Microsoft to form a Silicon Valley start-up, will they take the risk and leap into the unknown? A brand new take on Douglas Coupland’s funny, classic 1995 novel which takes a microscope to working culture in the early days of the Silicon Valley tech boom. Part of Radio 4's Working Titles season looking at the changing world of work. You can find Part Two of Microserfs on BBC Sounds from the 4th December. CAST Dan ….. Will Merrick Karla ….. Samantha Dakin Bug ….. Matthew Needham Michael ….. Freddie Meredith Todd ….. Chris Lew Kum Hoi Susan ….. Chloë Sommer Abe ….. Hughie O’Donnell Ethan ….. Tom Kiteley Dan’s Mum ….. Joanna Monro Dan’s Dad ….. Roger Ringrose Written By Douglas Coupland Dramatised By Theo Toksvig-Stewart Directed By Anne Isger Sound by Cal Knightley, Pete Ringrose, David Gregory, Billy Godfrey Production Co-ordination by Luke MacGregor Writer and artist Douglas Coupland has written thirteen novels (including Generation X: Tales For An Accelerated Culture, JPod, Generation A). Microserfs was published in 1995. Theo Toksvig-Stewart is a writer for Stage, Radio, Television and Film. The radio version of Theo’s acclaimed theatre play Endless Second was shortlisted for the best radio drama at the Prix Italia 2022 and received a ‘Special Mention’.

by Becky Prestwich 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. 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 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