FRIDAY 19 APRIL 2013

FRI 00:00 Bram Stoker - Midnight Tales (b01g8bxg)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:00 on Thursday]
FRI 00:15 Eoin Colfer - And Another Thing... (b012ysn5)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:15 on Thursday]
FRI 00:30 Weird Tales (b00vknlv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 18:30 on Thursday]
FRI 01:00 Wimsey (b00s7ql2)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 on Thursday]
FRI 01:30 Russell Thorndike - The Last of Doctor Syn (b00ps5hm)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:30 on Thursday]
FRI 02:00 The Newly Discovered Casebook of Sherlock Holmes (b00bf0l6)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 on Thursday]
FRI 02:30 The 99p Challenge (b01rtwl1)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:30 on Thursday]
FRI 03:00 Fyodor Dostoevsky - The Idiot (b00srvkn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:00 on Thursday]
FRI 04:00 Book at Bedtime (b00j7v9f)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:00 on Thursday]
FRI 04:15 Alan Plater - Time Added On for Injuries (b007qw0x)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:15 on Thursday]
FRI 05:00 Ballylenon (b00g2djy)
[Repeat of broadcast at 17:00 on Thursday]
FRI 05:30 Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me (b0076h7l)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:00 on Thursday]
FRI 06:00 Wimsey (b00s7tql)
Five Red Herrings
7. Council of War
As the investigation into the mysterious death of Scottish artist Sandy Campbell continues, Lord Peter Wimsey listens to all the various theories and pronounces that they are all wrong.
Ian Carmichael stars as Lord Peter Wimsey – the aristocratic amateur sleuth created by Dorothy L Sayers.
Dramatised by Chris Miller.
Lord Peter Wimsey ...... Ian Carmichael
Sgt Dalziel ...... John Graham
Sir Maxwell Jameson ...... Garard Green
Insp MacPherson ...... Don McKillopp
PC Ross ...... Gordon Kane
PC Duncan ...... David Strong
Campbell/Dr Cameron ...... Trevor Martin
The Procurator Fiscal ...... John Dunbar
Producer: Simon Brett
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 1978.
FRI 06:30 Sherlock Holmes (b0075z3b)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
The Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes comes out of retirement, takes on a young apprentice and tackles a spy - in this witty and humorous homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Starring James Fox as Holmes, Shaun Prendergast as Watson, Monica Dolan as Mary Russell and Sian Thomas as Donleavy.
Written by Laurie King. Dramatised for radio by Shaun Prendergast.
Directed in Manchester by Melanie Harris
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2000.
FRI 07:00 The National Theatre of Brent's Iconic Icons (b00lsxh0)
Bob Dylan
The multi award winning National Theatre of Brent Artistic Director Desmond Olivier Dingle and the entire acting company (Raymond Box) return, celebrating the living artists deemed by Desmond to be Iconic Icons.
The first iconic icon is the legendary singer, songwriter and artist Bob Dylan. Desmond and Raymond will trace his path from his humble beginnings as Robert Zimmerman in Hibbin, Minnesota, through journeying to bohemian New York, finding his inner voice and becoming the icon that is Bob Dylan.
Written by Patrick Barlow, with additional material by John Ramm, and performed by Patrick and John in front of an audience at the Bush Hall in London.
Desmond Olivier Dingle ..... Patrick Barlow
Raymond Box ..... John Ramm
Producer: Liz Anstee
A CPL Production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 07:30 Believe It! (b01hjtm8)
Series 1
Rivals
Believe it!
Celebrity autobiographies are everywhere. Richard Wilson has always said he'd never write one.
Based on glimmers of truth, Believe It is the hilarious, bizarre, revealing (and, most importantly, untrue) celebrity radiography of Richard Wilson.
He narrates the series, weaving in and out of dramatised scenes from his fictional life-story. He plays a heavily exaggerated version of himself: a Scots actor and national treasure, unmarried, private, passionate about politics, theatre and Manchester United (all true), who's a confidant of the powerful and has survived childhood poverty, a drunken father, years of fruitless grind, too much success, monstrosity, addiction, charity work, secret work for governments and fierce rivalry with Sean Connery (not true).
All the melodramatic staples of celebrity-autobiography are wonderfully undercut by Richard's deadpan delivery.
(The title - in case you hadn't spotted - is an unashamed reference to his famous catchphrase.)
Richard is supported by a small core cast:
David Tennant
John Sessions
Lewis Macleod
Arabella Weir
and Jane Slavin
who play anyone and everyone!
Ghost written by Jon Canter
Produced by: Clive Brill
A Pacificus Production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 08:00 The TV Lark (b01dc2dt)
Back in the Navy
The ex-shipmates are all at sea, when they discover their brief careers at Troutbridge TV are over.
After four series of 'The Navy Lark', the BBC decided the comedy crew needed a new setting, so where better than brand new independent station, Troutbridge TV?
However, after just ten episodes, this proved to be only a temporary change of course for the crew of HMS Troutbridge - as the crew were soon back aboard 'The Navy Lark'.
CAST:
The Producer …. Stephen Murray
The Floor Manager …. Jon Pertwee
Lesley Phillips (The Director)
Henry Povey, The Deputy Controller of Programmes …. Richard Caldicote
‘Fatso’ Johnson …. Ronnie Barker
‘Taffy’ Goldstein …. Teniel Evans
Commander Pearson/Naval Police Officer …. Michael Bates
Vera …. Janet Brown
TTV Continuity Announcer …. Robin Boyle
Written by Lawrie Wyman
Producer: Alastair Scott Johnston.
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in March 1963.
FRI 08:30 J Kingston Platt (b01rtzx7)
Ronnie Melcombe and His Surprising Wife
A startling tale of a wife addicted to shock.
Staying one jump ahead of the audience expectations is all-important in show business.
The doyen of British showbiz, the insider's insider, J Kingston Platt returns to the wireless with more unusually true stories.
Written and read by Peter Jones
Producer: Pete Atkin
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 1993.
FRI 09:00 Bristow (b007v1dg)
Series 3
The Good, the Bad and the Temporary
There's a new girl in town, and Bristow knows his office isn't big enough for the two of them.
Michael Williams stars as Bristow.
Frank Dickens' sitcom is based on his famous long-running newspaper cartoon strip about the Chester-Perry buying clerk.
Bristow ...... Michael Williams
Jones ...... Rodney Bewes
Mrs Purdy ...... Dora Bryan
Perkins ...... Leslie Phillips
Hewitt ...... Owen Brenman
Miss Sunman ...... Katy Odey
Fudge ...... Jon Glover
Postboy ...... Simon Schatzberger
Stokes ...... David Battley
Sylvana ...... Jackie Neglia
Music: John Whitehall
Producer: Neil Cargill
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2000.
FRI 09:30 Act Your Age (b00qcj8m)
Series 2
Episode 3
Simon Mayo hosts the comedy show that pits the comic generations against each other to find out which is the funniest.
Team captains Jon Richardson, Ed Byrne and Johnnie Casson are joined by Jared Christmas, Mark Watson and Eddie Large.
Producers: Ashley Blaker and Bill Matthews.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2010.
FRI 10:00 Henry James - The Turn of the Screw (b0170cmv)
Are two children under an evil influence, or is it in the imagination of their governess? Stars Cathy Sara and Joseph Tremain.
FRI 11:00 Book at Bedtime (b00j7v9h)
It's Beginning To Hurt
The Half-Sister
Series of five enigmatic and psychologically gripping short stories by James Lasdun.
Martin once aspired to be a professional guitarist but has now reconciled himself to the realities of his daily life as a guitar teacher to the children of the wealthy. But one of his clients has a hidden agenda. Read by Ben Meyjes.
FRI 11:15 Philip Palmer - The King's Coiner (b00767dn)
By the 1690s, Isaac Newton - already the world's greatest mathematician - was hungry for a new challenge and became Warden of the Royal Mint.
His pursuit of London's most notorious counterfeiter, William Chaloner, confirmed him as a man prepared to go to any lengths to solve a problem...
Ian McDiarmid stars as Isaac Newton.
Written by Philip Palmer.
With Katy Cavanagh as Catherine Barton, Barnaby Kay as William Chaloner, Peter Marinker as Mr Secretary Vernon, Freddie Annobil-Dodoo as Tom Holloway, Colin Adrian as Thomas Carter and Jeremy Swift as Lord Halifax
Director: Toby Swift
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2002.
FRI 12:00 The TV Lark (b01dc2dt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:00 today]
FRI 12:30 J Kingston Platt (b01rtzx7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:30 today]
FRI 13:00 Wimsey (b00s7tql)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
FRI 13:30 Sherlock Holmes (b0075z3b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:30 today]
FRI 14:00 Meera Syal - Anita and Me (b007jy30)
Episode 5
Twelve-year-old Meena's mother finally gives birth, and she decides to form a gang with Anita. Meera Syal reads her own novel.
FRI 14:15 Britain on the Bottle: Alcohol and the State (b00t1qjs)
The Beer Act of 1830
Continuing his narrative history series on the ways in which the British state has dealt with the 'Drink Question', Mark Whitaker looks at the 1830 Beer Act - when parliament made the seemingly bizarre decision that the best way to decrease public drunkenness was to make access to alcohol easier.
Why? It was believed that a recent upsurge in the consumption of spirits was a consequence of the quality of beer being so low; and this was because a handful of major brewers owned the pubs and controlled what they sold. The Times called this arrangement 'an odious monopoly', and the phrase stuck. In 1830 an MP went as far as to call it 'more oppressive to the lower orders than any other that has ever been imposed upon them.'
Free Trade was the solution of the day. The 1830 Beer Act made it possible for anybody who could come up with a payment of two guineas to get a license to sell beer in their own home. Over the next six months 25,000 licenses were taken out, and almost overnight a new landscape of drinking had been created in England.
But within four years a Select Committee on drunkenness was meeting, and it began to be argued that the last thing an industrialising country needed was a drunk work force. For the first time there was serious public discussion as to what the social causes of excessive drinking might be, and people started talking about mass education as the key to change.
Actors read from parliamentary debates, and from journals and newspapers.
Producer: Mark Whitaker
A Square Dog production for BBC Radio 4.
FRI 14:30 Evelyn Waugh - Scoop (b01rtzx9)
Episode 8
Boot is set for a hero's welcome when he arrives home. But which one? Neither William nor John seem keen. Read by Robert Hardy.
FRI 14:45 Stephen Greenblatt - Will in the World (b00lcltq)
Episode 5
At 40, the Bard meditates on old age. Reconstructing the life, work and era of William Shakespeare, read by Toby Stephens.
FRI 15:00 Henry James - The Turn of the Screw (b0170cmv)
[Repeat of broadcast at 10:00 today]
FRI 16:00 The 4 O'Clock Show (b01rtzyj)
Mel Giedroyc hears more from our doctor at sea with his GPS, we find out about the life of Captain James Cook, and discover what your choice of font says about you.
FRI 17:00 For Better or for Worse (b00h4lng)
Series 1
Episode 6
Iris dreams of hearing Pavarotti in concert, so Bernard tries to get tickets. Stars Gorden Kaye and Su Pollard. From March 1993.
FRI 17:30 The National Theatre of Brent's Iconic Icons (b00lsxh0)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:00 today]
FRI 18:00 Bram Stoker - Midnight Tales (b01g9873)
The Squaw
An arrogant American earns himself a truly horrific retribution. The final tale from the Dracula author, read by Dyfed Thomas.
FRI 18:15 Eoin Colfer - And Another Thing... (b012yym0)
Episode 5
An immortal challenge must be faced - will Zaphod Beeblebrox get to see Thor? Sequel to Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, with Stephen Mangan.
FRI 18:30 Weird Tales (b00vknmp)
Series 2
Connected
WEIRD TALES: Connected
By Melissa Murray
Hoarder of horror Lovecraft returns for a new series to share more of his chilling tales.
When her brother-in-law is killed in a car crash, Steph is overcome with sadness. One day, feeling maudlin, she rings his mobile number. She just wants to hear his voice really. The next day he rings her back...
Steph ..... Fiona Glascott
Ray ..... Joseph Kloska
Jamie ..... Piers Wehner
Lovecraft ..... Stephen Hogan
Mother ..... Kate Layden
Jan / Flight Attendant ..... Melissa Advani
Passenger ..... Ewan Hooper
Shop Assistant ..... Rhys Jennings
Passerby ..... John Biggins
Passerby 2 / Estate Agent ..... Tessa Nicholson
Directed by Mary Peate
Introduced by the mysterious H.P. Lovecraft, Weird Tales is a series of three chilling and intimate plays for the late night slot on Radio 4.
Drawing the audience into a claustrophobic and disturbing world, the plays set out to explore the characters' deepest fears and torments. The series will concentrate on the psychological element of the horror genre stirring the imagination of the listener.
One hundred years ago, H.P. Lovecraft created The Necronomicon, a grimoire of lost souls, magical rites and forbidden lore. Locked away, he is after new stories, new blood, to add to his collection. From ghosts to demons, the plays draw the audience into a claustrophobic and disturbing world, exploring the audience's deepest fears and neuroses.
FRI 19:00 The TV Lark (b01dc2dt)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:00 today]
FRI 19:30 J Kingston Platt (b01rtzx7)
[Repeat of broadcast at 08:30 today]
FRI 20:00 Wimsey (b00s7tql)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
FRI 20:30 Sherlock Holmes (b0075z3b)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:30 today]
FRI 21:00 Book at Bedtime (b00j7v9h)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:00 today]
FRI 21:15 Philip Palmer - The King's Coiner (b00767dn)
[Repeat of broadcast at 11:15 today]
FRI 22:00 Believe It! (b01hjtm8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
FRI 22:30 Down the Line (b011ppnl)
Series 2
Plastic Surgery and Natural Disasters
Gary Bellamy hosts the spoof phone-in, discussing cosmetic surgery and other disasters. Stars Rhys Thomas and Harry Enfield. From February 2007.
FRI 23:00 Knowing Me, Knowing You (b007jvc2)
Episode 6
A-ha! Chat show host Alan Partridge welcomes more guests to his sofa:
BBC TV's Commissioning Director Tony Hayers
TV presenter Trudy Sky
Fashion Designer Yvonne Boyd
The maverick Lord Morgan
With thanks to Alan's chief researcher Steve Coogan.
Assistant researchers:
Patrick Marber
Rebecca Front
Doon Mackichan
David Schneider
Producer: Armando lannucci
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1992.
FRI 23:30 The Simon Day Show (b011cfmx)
Series 1
Simon Day
Simon Day and his characters welcome listeners to The Mallard, a small provincial theatre somewhere in the UK. Each week one of Simon's characters come to perform at The Mallard and we hear the highlights of that night's show along with the back stage and front of house goings on at the theatre itself.
In the final episode of the series British comedy legend and star of The Fast Show, Down the Line and Bellamy's People, Simon Day visits The Mallard Theatre as "himself".
Cast list:
Simon Day ..... Simon Day
Catherine ..... Catherine Shepherd
Goose ..... Felix Dexter
Ron Bone ..... Simon Greenall
Written by Simon Day
Produced by Colin Anderson.