Comedy-Drama on 4: BBC Radio Collection


A collection of full-cast BBC Radio comedy dramas. All My Life I've Wanted to Be Someone - Now Who Was It? A group of scatty 20-something friends share a flat in London.  Juby thinks the man from the lido might be the one, Beena will stop at nothing to advance her career and Ruth wants to take things further with Arnie but there's a problem... Juby ...... Finn Taylor Ruth ...... Claire Cox Beena ...... Natalie Walter Customer ...... Rachel Atkins Studio Man ...... Darren Boyd Arnie ...... Justin Salinger John ...... Frank McCusker Written by Finn Taylor Directed by Stephen McCrum First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in March 1998 Assisted A drama which explores our relationships with machines in the near future.  Jordan and Connie want their next-generation AI assistant to make their perfect lives just a little bit better. But what happens when the technology starts to take control? Alivia ..... Tamsin Greig Connie ..... Emma Wilkinson-Wright Jordan ..... Jude Owusu Written by Greg Wilkinson Directed by Sarah Lawrie First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2024 Bayeux  The year is 1067. England is occupied by the Normans. They use any means necessary to suppress English rebels. A group of disparate women fleeing for their lives find themselves imprisoned in Wilton Abbey. They include former Queen of England, Edith of Wessex. She has been allowed to keep her lands and wealth because she has paid tribute to the new King, William. But William’s cruel and powerful half-brother Bishop Odo has other ideas. He wants Edith’s wealth: she wants to survive. Armed only with a needle, she leads a group of women in a bid to outwit their violent Norman oppressors. Her plan? To save her skin, and in the process to create a masterpiece and a message that will last a thousand years: the Bayeux Tapestry. Queen Edith...Katy Brand Bishop Odo...Charlie Anson Gunnhilda...Katy Sobey Edeva...Lisa Zahra Wadard...Jonny Holden Wulfgyth...Rosie Cavaliero Mathilde...Tracy Wiles Written by Abigail Youngman Directed by Mary Ward-Lowery First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2019 Good Morning, Yvette’s Nan Gwen used to be a DJ on hospital radio. Now she’s in Bleak Park retirement home. But she’s determined to liven things up a bit – with the help of David Bowie, The Kinks and The Who.  Gwen ..... Siw Hughes Yvette ..... Gabrielle Creevy Kelly ..... Alexandria Riley Seren ..... Lisa Zahra Miss Bates ..... Claire Cage Janice ..... Sue Roderick Bob ..... William Thomas Charlie ..... Georgia Henshaw Written by Neil Williams Directed by Fay Lomas First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2023 Life after Life Uncle Sid's out of prison, on probation. He was serving a life sentence for armed robbery.  The only place he has to stay is back in good old Muswell Hill.  But the area has changed from his early days. Now he's with his middle-class niece and her nice middle-class family. Sid .... Warren Mitchell Val .... Kay Stonham Ian .... Simon Greenall Ada .... Avril Elgar Matthew .... Josh Freedman Molly .... Mollie Freedman Governor .... Will Ing Headmistress .... Annie Hulley Written by Kay Stonham and Simon Greenall Directed by Jane Berthoud First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in March 1998 Master Mason The master mason is dead; long live the master mason. This comedy takes us back to the golden age of cathedral building and the moment humble stonemason Bill Mason gets the call. When the Bishop asks, you don't say no. But is he the one really calling the shots? Bill ..... Edward Hogg Penelope ..... Laura Elphinstone Eliza ..... Kathryn Drysdale Bishop ..... Michael Bertenshaw Messenger ...... Aaron Gelkoff Tom Farmer ..... John Lightbody Written by Lizzy Mansfield Directed by Toby Swift First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2024 Meltdown A famous actress reaches the end of her patience with selfies and the demands of strangers in this comedy about the tension between fame and privacy. Emily Sanders ..... Joanna Lumley Frank ..... Robert Glenister Tara ..... Claire Rushbrook Anita ..... Maggie Service Noah/The Fan ..... Ben Onwukwe Evan Davis as himself Written by Tessa Gibbs Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2020 Middle Men A comedy drama about the beautiful (and ugly) game, focusing on three decidedly middling referees vying for promotion. And when an unexpected assessor turns up, it threatens to throw them all off their stride. An original and entertaining take on the ways in which masculinity is performed on and off the football field, when trying to keep a bunch of aggressive semi-professional footballers in check. Gareth ..... James Doherty Janet ..... Fay Ripley Joe ..... Luke Newberry Imran ..... David Mumeni Kerry ..... Anna Spearpoint Footballers ..... Olatunji Ayofe and Brandon Grace Written by Sid Sagar Directed by Anne Isger  First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in June 2024 Mr Harris He is a lazy, arrogant, bullying games teacher, but Mr Harris is getting out.... unless the parents lynch him first. Starring Chris England, Morwenna Banks, Robert Harley, Andy Taylor, Martin Hyder, Roger Blake, Roger Sloman and Valerie Minifie Written by Chris England Directed by Phil Clarke First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in 1998 Murmuration Barnaby's a voice hearer. When he meets a friendly neighbour they begin to bond over the birds that visit their block of flats.  Charmed by their burgeoning friendship, Barnaby hits crisis point with his voices who want to keep him in all to themselves... Barnaby… Christopher Eccleston Nellie … Christine Entwisle Scotty… Joseph Arkley Child…Debbie Korley Ringmaster … Dennis Herdman Written by Christine Entwisle Directed by Kirsty Williams First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2021 Second Hand Rose Barnaby is an 80-year-old female impersonator. He is stubbornly trying to keep performing despite his frailty. Then a young care nurse comes into his life and all his preconceptions and certainties are turned upside down.  Barnaby ..... Donald McBride Jojo ..... Felix Mufti-Wright Akshay ..... Rajat M Bose Noreen, Big Thora ..... Susan Twist Conductor ..... Hamilton Berstock Written by Philip Meeks Directed by Gary Brown First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2024 Settlers Two scientists have been in cryogenic stasis for nine hundred years along with one thousand others. They are underground waiting for a new planet to be born, then they can colonise. Nothing can go wrong, can it?  Sam ..... Laura Aikman Ian ..... Tom Rosenthal Michael.... Hamish Rush System ..... Leah Marks Written by Adam Usden Directed by Gary Brown First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2020 The Big Town All Stars Dentists by day, singers by night.  A small-time acapella band have ambitions well beyond wedding gigs.  During rehearsals, someone needs to have a word with singer, Laureli... Starring Stephen Tompkinson, Clive Rowe, Adrian Scarborough, Doon Mackichan, Darren Boyd, Dan Strauss, Henrietta Garden and Matthew Little Written by Bill Dare Directed by Paul Schlesinger First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in March 1998 The Goat Doctor The true story of Doctor John Romulus Brinkley (1885-1941), a poor boy from the Appalachian Mountains who became a quack doctor and one of the richest men in America. His practice took off after he successfully grafted the testicles of a goat onto a farmer to revive his flagging vigour.  Brinkley's fame spread and to advertise his services he set up XER, a radio station broadcasting from Mexico to reach as far north as the Canadian Border, which at its height was the most powerful and popular station in the world. Brinkley became a multi-millionaire, with private yachts and planes. He came close to being elected Governor of Kansas, and was talked of as a possible right wing Presidential candidate. Dr John Romulus Brinkley  ......  Ray Porter Narrator  ......  Kerry Shale Minnie Brinkley  ......  Laurence Bouvard With Tom Alexander, Jennifer Armour, Karen Bartke, Graeme Garden, James Morley, Michael Roberts, William Roberts and Martin T Sherman Written by Graeme Garden Directed by Dirk Maggs First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2024 The Invitation When her eight-year-old daughter is the only one in the class who doesn't get a party invitation, Lizzie challenges the birthday girl's mum, Jo. As their two world views collide, all hell breaks loose. What are the rules here? Jo - Siwan Morris Lizzie - Kimberley Nixon Huw - Tomos Eames Ritchie Tyne- Nathan Sussex Mrs Wilson - Zoe Davies Margaret - Hannah McPake The Postman - Anthony Corria Micha - Joséphine López-Norton Ellie - Raphaëlle López-Norton Written by Katherine Chandler Directed by John Norton First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2024 Wholesome 60-something year old Sally Turner is about to retire and has made no plans, telling everyone she just wants some peace and quiet. But when 22 year old Lizzie Fisher, heartbroken and struggling to move out of her ex’s flat, interviews for Sally’s job, Sally impulsively offers her the spare room. Sally …… Olwen May Lizzie …… Amber Grappy Olly/ Keelan ……  Tachia Newall Ange/ Gwyneth ……  Susan Twist Steve/ The GP……  Jason Done Written by Georgia Affonso Directed by Lorna Newman First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2024

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.