Drama of the Week

Reader: Lydia Wilson Writer: Edith Wharton was famous for her novels including The House of Mirth, Ethan Frome and The Age of Innocence, for which she became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, in 1921. Abridger: Julian Wilkinson Producer: Justine Willett

Catrin is living the dream. A stolen weekend in Paris with her younger lover. So why is she struggling to enjoy herself? An original short story by Francesca Rhydderch, read by Carys Eleri. Production Co-Ordinator.....Eleri Sydney McAuliffe Sound Design.....Nigel Lewis Producer......Ryan Hooper A BBC Audio Wales production

Following on from World Book Date, Katie Redford picks up the story of Fran and Joe, two teachers who shared a kiss the night before the Nativity play in the first Fran and Joe Afternoon Drama, Christmas Wings. There is unfinished business between the two of them and the end of the Summer term is fast approaching but what will happen next. It's the Summer Fete and Fran and Joe are on the ice lolly stall, apt as there is a distinct chill in the air between the two. Fran ..... Fiona Button Joe ..... Nikesh Patel Miss Pear ..... Joanna Monro Amber ..... Lena Raymen Directed by Tracey Neale Christmas Wings, a drama set in the wings of a primary school Nativity play, told the story of two teachers, Fran and Joe, who have a heart to heart after exchanging a stolen kiss at the Christmas party the night before. It left the listeners rooting for Joe and Fran and they wanted to know what happened next. We join Fran and Joe once more at another favourite annual event within the school calendar - the St Barnard's School Summer Fete. When we left them at the end of the second drama, World Book Date, they were still dressed as Princess Elsa from Frozen and The Toad of Toad Hall but their relationship had floundered through various bumps and misunderstandings but here they are three months later finding themselves together on the ice lolly stall with Miss Pear taking charge as the Head of Events. There are more warm, funny and poignant stories about love, loneliness and loss. Will Miss Pear leave school on time and will Fran and Joe kiss and make up? The Writer: Katie is a writer and actor from Nottingham. She is a BAFTA Rocliffe TV Comedy winner and writes for TV and Theatre. In addition to Christmas Wings and World Book Date her previous audio work was Yellow Lips for which she was nominated for the Richard Imison Best New Writer in the Audio Drama Awards. The Cast: Nikesh Patel, The Devil's Hour, Starstruck and The Critic. Fiona Button, Trying, Out of her Mind and The Split. Joanna Monro, Rosie in Mamma Mia (West End & International Tour) and the award winning audio drama series Home Front. Production Team: Producer & Director, Tracey Neale Production Co-Ordinator, Ben Hollands Technical Production, Keith Graham & Neva Missirian

In Kirsty Logan’s new short work for Father's Day, Wilbur prepares to meet his dad for the very first time. But can he find the strength to face his fears? Read by Jessica Hardwick Producer Ellie Marsh Kirsty Logan is an award winning novelist and short story writer. Her latest book, No & Other Love Stories, is a collection of dark love stories. A BBC Audio Scotland Production for BBC Radio 4.

Amber claims she needs a place to store her bikes and she and her dad, Jim, are long overdue a bonding experience. What better way to finally get to know him than to spend a few weekends together in her garden building a shed from scratch, the old-fashioned way? It doesn't matter that they've barely spoken in 34 years. As long as they follow the instructions, what could possibly go wrong? But as the generation gap becomes a seismic shift, Amber and Jim's bonding experience soon descends into a furious battle of wills - one that threatens to damage relations between them forever. An epic family drama in miniature filled with twists and turns, as the source of the tensions in Amber and Jim's relationship is gradually revealed. Ultimately, both will learn a valuable lesson: that there's no instruction manual for parenthood. AMBER...................................Sacha Parkinson JIM..............................................Pearce Quigley CHARLIE....................................Nico Mirallegro SUNITA......................................Lauren Patel NARRATOR/ KEITH..............Jonathan Keeble Written by Paolo Chianta Sound design by Sharon Hughes Production Co-ordinator Pippa Day Producer/ Director Lorna Newman A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4

The first in a darkly comic new series about women and space, from the award-winning author Naomi Wood, written for BBC Radio 4, From disassociating astronauts to zero-gravity threesomes, explorations of nothingness to space lust and Pokemon hunts, this brilliantly original series with a feminist twist is a savagely funny take on the near future of women and space. Today: It's 2034 , and on a mission to mine valuable minerals, one astronaut's struggle with reality puts her team at risk... Find all 5 episode on BBC Sounds. Reader: Julianna Jennings Writer: Naomi Wood is the author of three novels, including the award-winning Mrs Hemingway, and a short story collection, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things. She won the BBC National Short Story Award. Producer: Justine Willett

Thought-provoking winning drama by the inaugural Wales Writer in Residence award winner Rhiannon Boyle. Safe From Harm tells the frank and powerful story of Alys, a teacher and mother whose life unravels when a colleague is arrested for possessing indecent images of children. Unable to cope, Alys contacts a celibate paedophile in an attempt to better understand the danger they pose. Her primal urge to forever protect her children becomes so all consuming Alys slowly loses her grip on reality. Sian Reece-Williams (Hidden, Emerdale) plays Alys. The Wales Writer in Residence is a prestigious scheme, aimed at furthering a writer’s career across stage, sound and screen. It is a partnership between BBC Cymru Wales and National Theatre Wales, along with BBC Writersroom Wales, with the intention of supporting new writing talent. Alys ….. Sian Reece-Williams Christian ….. Oliver Ryan Ianto ….. Sion Pritchard Mum ….. Rhian Morgan Tyler ….. Alfie Ford Taya ….. Nerys Stocks Kyden ….. Iolo Reynolds Sound design was by Catherine Robinson Safe From Harm was a BBC Writersroom Wales production Directed by Helen Perry

Gary Lilburn, Jane Whittenshaw , Georgia Henshaw and Jonathan Forbes star in Dostoevsky’s unsettling tale of revolution and betrayal. After years away from home, Nicholai Stavrogin returns to his old home town bringing with him the radical ‘free-thinkers’ of Petersburg, hell-bent on causing civil unrest. Dramatised by Melissa Murray. Stepan ..... Gary Lilburn Mrs Stavrogina ..... Jane Whittenshaw Nicholai ..... Joseph Arkley Pyotr ..... Jonathan Forbes Darya ..... Charlotte East Virginsky ..... Ian Dunnett Jr Krillov ..... Hasan Dixon Shatov ..... Stefan Adegbola Lisa ..... Cecilia Appiah Marya ..... Georgia Henshaw Written by Melissa Murray Directed by Carl Prekopp Produced by Marc Beeby and Anne Isger

On a quiet riverbank a boy meets a stranger going through a rough patch, as the two keep tabs on a controversial rewilding project. Written by Linda Cracknell Read by Andy Clark Producer: Eilidh McCreadie Linda Cracknell is a writer of fiction, narrative non-fiction and radio drama. Her work often combines travel and writing with a particular interest in landscapes, place and memory. Publications include essay collection and Radio 4 Book of the Week, "Doubling Back" and fiction "Call of the Undertow" and "The Other Side of Stone".

Two days after the worst break-up of her life, a council registrar has to officiate a wedding. A wedding unlike any she's ever been to. An original short story for radio by Charlotte Runcie, author of Salt on Your Tongue: Women and the Sea, and of a new novel, Bring the House Down. Writer: Charlotte Runcie Reader: Bettrys Jones Producer: Mair Bosworth A BBC Audio Bristol production for BBC Radio 4

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch train station. North Wales. Enid’s dead husband Oscar was famed for his quirky train announcements at the station. When, overnight, his recordings are replaced with automated announcements, Enid and 18-year-old station cafe assistant, Cadi, start a quiet protest, that soon becomes a lot louder... All Change at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is a comedy drama by Neil Williams (Good Morning, Yvette’s Nan, Radio 4), starring Siw Hughes and Angharad Phillips. Enid… Siw Hughes Cadi…. Angharad Phillips Wend… Lisa Zahra Oscar…. Richard Elfyn Cecil… Sion Pritchard Dylan… Luke Bailey Influencer/ Automated Train Announcer …. Kellie-Gwen Morgan Automated Voice in Spanish... Maria Claudia Perrone Writer… Neil Williams Sound Designer… Nigel Lewis Production Co-ordinator… Eleri McAuliffe Director/Producer…. Fay Lomas A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production.

The Film by Martin Jameson April 1945. A Ministry of Information army film crew enters Bergen-Belsen to record the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust that many were already refusing to believe. But faced with all this footage, the head of the unit - Sidney Bernstein, is overwhelmed. He needs to get a film out there as soon as possible, but how to do justice to such suffering? So he summons his friend Alfred Hitchcock from Hollywood. And Bernstein - who later establishes Granada Television - determines that together they can create an irrefutable cinematic testimony. Sidney Bernstein - Henry Goodman, Alfred Hitchcock - Jeremy Swift, Richard Crossman - Geoffrey Streatfeild, Mrs Haig - Fenella Woolgar, Secretary - Hamilton Berstock. Production Co-ordinator - Vicky Moseley, Sound Design - Sharon Hughes, Technical Producer - Peter Ringrose, Studio Manager - Alison Craig and Producer/ Director - Gary Brown. A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4. With grateful thanks to documentary film maker Jane Wells, daughter of Sidney Bernstein, who generously helped with the research for this drama.

By Rex Obano 1988. Margaret Thatcher is now in her third term as Prime Minister. Hopeton is lonely and frustrated, living at his friend's boxing gym while fighting to get Joy and his family back. Meanwhile Joy is fighting to build a new life with Dhiren, combining their differing cultures. Can both of them succeed in getting their life back? Joy ..... Cherrelle Skeete Hopeton ..... Solomon Israel Dhiren Patel ..... Vikash Bhai Duke/Waiter ..... David Webber Glory ..... Trinity Benjamin Gujarati woman/Customer ..... Chetna Pandya Job Centre Assistant/Boxer/Store Manager ..... Lloyd Thomas Production Co-ordinators are Maggie Olgiati and Jenny Mendez Produced by Pat Cumper Directed by Anthony Simpson-Pike A BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Radio 4 ***** Faith, Hope and Glory began following the lives of Hope, Faith (Eunice) and Gloria in the UK in 1946. Three generations of three families bound together by the fate of one baby lost and found on Tilbury Dock. All three are now settled in their lives in 1980s Britain. We have reached the late 1980s. A new generation of Black Britons is gaining in confidence and and seizing their place in Thatcher’s Britain, making their mark on the political, social, and creative fabric of their home and forming new bonds with other. Joy has married Dhiren and is adapting to his religion and way of life as he takes steps into hers to create a blended family. Joy’s ex-husband, Hopeton, is desperate not to let that happen.

By Gareth Farr On Christmas Eve 2002, a girl is born in a seemingly ordinary family-run Northern pub. That baby is Amy and from the moment of her birth the fate of the pub is inextricably linked with her own. Cracks that have always existed break wide open and as she grows, the foundations of this legendary local pub start to shake. Narrated by Amy, through intimate and lyrical language, we are guided through the first twenty-one years of her life to a point where she alone must decide the future of those closest to her. Sally . . . . . Siobhan Finneran Amy . . . . . Sophie Cox Brendan . . . . . Pearce Quigley Karen . . . . . Leah Brotherhead Mark . . . . . Matthew Durkan Jack . . . . . David Hounslow Younger Amy . . . . . Maddie Evans Even Younger Amy . . . . . Miriam Mitic Sound design: Peter Ringrose Production coordinator: Gaelan Connolly-Davis Director: Sasha Yevtushenko Gareth Farr is an award-winning playwright. He started work as an actor, working at the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Court and West End as well at several regional theatres and on many TV roles. Gareth’s first stage play Britannia Waves the Rules (Manchester Royal Exchange) won a judge’s award at the Bruntwood Prize for Playwrighting. His other works include The Quiet House (Birmingham Rep Theatre and Park Theatre London), Biscuits For Breakfast (Hampstead Theatre) and A Child of Science (Bristol Old Vic – nominated for Best New Play at UK Theatre Awards 2024.). Shandyland started life as a stage play but was cancelled during rehearsals due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was shortlisted for the George Devine Award in 2021.

An AI wellness app observes its user, encouraging her on daily runs and healthy shopping trips. But when does ‘wellness’ become too much? A new short story by award-winning Manon Steffan Ros (writer of The Blue Book of Nebo), read by Kezrena James, produced by Fay Lomas.

Distant football chants, a heart pounding with adrenalin, a violent fight between rival gangs. A desperate young woman makes a call to emergency services, there has been a stabbing. Somewhere close by in another street, another man is landing blows on a lad in a rival football firm. Welcome to The Fury. But this man is an undercover officer, and this won’t be the last time he has to put himself in danger to prove himself. He has been sent in to gain intelligence on the movements and plans of The Fury. An unlikely member of The Fury is Bethany, a tough nut, a survivor. She was the young woman on the call to emergency and it was her brother Callum that lay dying at her feet. As a result of this fresh murder, violence between the rival gangs is expected to escalate and the undercover operation is under threat. But how can our undercover officer leave now when he is at the heart of The Fury and then there is the question of saving Bethany….will he manage to get to the truth without risking his own safety and that of the people he loves? JASON ..... Tachia Newall BETHANY ..... Lauren-Nicole Mayes MIKEY ..... Joe Gill REECE ..... Hamish Rush SADIE ..... Sacha Parkinson LEO ..... Alfie Corbett DI KANE ..... Krissi Bohn DCI RICHARDS ..... Jason Done EMERGENCY CALL HANDLER .... Dionne Hunter BARWOMAN ..... Aimée Uwera RIVAL FIRM MEMBER ..... Louis Brown RIVAL FIRM MEMBER ..... Darren McColl POLICE OFFICERS ..... Ethan Cale, Daniel Fitzpatrick FOOTBALL FANS: Students from Burnley College: Andrew Jennings, Artur Karlovec, Chloe Conway, Daisy Whittam, Daniel Fisk, Gemma Henderson, Jack Dobbie, Jemima Olaiya, Joseph Butterworth, Kaja Stefaniak, Kenny Conroy-Hargreaves, Kye Jones, Lauren Haigh, Leah Rowley, Marianna Morante, Maxwell Hopkinson, Rebecca Timms, Tom Capstick, Vincent Harper Written by Rachel Smith Produced and Directed by Nadia Molinari Sound Design and Technical Production by Sharon Hughes Assistant Technical Producer Amy Brennan Production co-ordinator, Lorna Newman Script Consultant Russell Lane A BBC STUDIOS AUDIO PRODUCTION FOR BBC RADIO 4

1649 was a significant year in British History because King Charles I was executed for treason. A lesser known, but arguably equally important, historical moment occurred in that same year: the first publication of the Qu'ran in English. Surprisingly, it was instigated by an English woman, called Margaret White, who was the wife of a printer called Robert based in Fleet Street, London. Based on historical research, this drama imagines the circumstances as to how the Qu'ran came to be first published in the English language. Cast: Margaret ......... Erin Shanagher Ayesha ..................Laila Alj Robert ...................Graeme Hawley Nicholas ............ Jon-Paul Bell Sergeant ............ Hamilton Berstock Production Co-ordinator - Pippa Day Studio Manager- Amy Brennan Sound Designer- Sharon Hughes Producer/Director- Jessica Mitic With thanks to Professor Suzanne Trill, the Arab British Centre and Dr Johnson’s House Museum Historical consultant-Professor Matthew Birchwood A BBC Studios Audio Production for Radio 4.

By Sylvia-Anne Parker. A music-fuelled drama set in the court of Henry VIII and playfully inspired by the life of Black Tudor and royal trumpeter - John Blanke. When Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII lose a child, the King prepares a celebration of the baby prince’s life and calls in the trailblazing trumpeter John Blanke to help him… And when John sees an opportunity to also help Henry VIII's private passions, little does he know that his timely intervention will change the course of history in more ways than one… Cast: John … Nicholas Pinnock with Bryon Wallen on trumpet Henry VIII … Rory Kinnear with Jacob Heringman on lute Dominic … Harry Lloyd with David McCallum on trumpet Harriet … Ayesha Antoine Femi and Compton …Yinka Awoni Catherine … Ruth Everett Studio Production: Alison Craig and Mike Etherden Production Co-ordinator: Rosalind Gibson Sound Design: Fraser Jackson. Directed by Kirsty Williams The writer dedicates this production to the memory of her audio drama mentor, Oliver Emanuel.

by Theo Toksvig-Stewart. Unflinching drama about consent. Two students fall in love, but one drunken evening changes everything. Starring Sam Otto (The State, Snowpiercer) and Louisa Harland (Derry Girls). M ..... Sam Otto W ..... Louisa Harland Technical Producer ..... Martha Littlehailes Technical Producer ..... Alison Craig Technical Producer ..... Anne Bunting Technical Producer ..... Mike Etherden Production Co-ordinator ..... Gaelan Connolly Writer ..... Theo Toksvig-Stewart Director ..... Abigail le Fleming THE PLAY Endless Second was originally produced by Cut the Cord Theatre and directed by Camilla Gütler, starring Madeleine Gray alongside Theo Toksvig-Stewart. It opened at Theatre503 before transferring to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019 where it was shortlisted for the Holden Street Theatre Award and the Sit Up Award. The play then transferred to the Park Theatre and Pleasance Islington as part of their 'Best of the Fringe' seasons. THE WRITER Theo is a dyslexic writer and actor based in London. He was part of the BBC Writersroom Drama Room 2019/2020 and the Minack Emerging Playwrights Programme 2021. He was most recently commissioned by Applause as a South East Writer in residence. In 2020, he was commissioned by Warts and All Theatre to write an adaptation of Robyn Hood, developed with children in care in Wellingborough. His first play, An Opera from the East, was produced at Drama Centre London. The proud son of lesbian parents, Theo is developing a number of television projects including a show based on his 'unconventional' uprbinging.

by Frances Poet with monologues by Eileen Horne. Part One – A Dangerous Animal Dr Alex Bridges is an expert forensic psychiatrist and psychotherapist, assessing and treating perpetrators of serious crime. This gripping drama explores the psychological impact of murder on teenage perpetrators and follows the fortunes of participants in a Long Sentence therapy group. Has Dr Bridges made a mistake in putting co-offenders together in Group therapy? Dr Alex Bridges ….. Lolita Chakrabarti Anthony ….. Lorn Macdonald Finn ….. Reuben Joseph Twitch …. Brian Ferguson Simon ….. Shaun Mason Donna ….. Karen Bartke Mental Health Nurse ….. Elysia Welch Sound Design: Fraser Jackson Series Consultant: Dr Gwen Adshead Series format created by Lucia Haynes, Audrey Gillan, Eileen Horne, Gaynor Macfarlane, Anita Vettesse and Kirsty Williams. Thanks to Victoria Byrne, Barlinnie Prison, Vox Liminis Distant Voices Project and Prof Fergus McNeill. Produced by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams A BBC Scotland Production directed by Gaynor Macfarlane and Kirsty Williams