SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER 2021

SAT 00:00 A Collection of Bones by Elspeth Davie (b012yym2)
The Eyelash
A humorous diversion into an evening meal, ruined by a small matter which prompts a big discussion.
"When you find a strange hair anywhere, do you at once connect it with some imagined person...?"
The last of five quietly unsettling short stories by Elspeth Davie, described as one of Scotland's finest and most underrated writers.
Read by Edith MacArthur.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2002.
SAT 00:15 HH Munro - Five Tales By Saki (b0076rpr)
5. The Open Window
Packed off around Britain in a search for a cure for his nerves, Framton Nuttel arrives at the Sappleton's house.
He's got a letter of introduction from his sister...
It little prepares him for the tale of terror he's about to hear...
Five Tales by Saki (HH Munro), dramatised by Roger Davenport.
Framton Nuttel ...... Paul Brooke
Vera ...... Emily Chenery
Mrs Sappleton ...... Joanna McCallum
Caroline Nuttel ...... Susan Jameson
Mr Sappleton ...... Michael Kilgarriff
Director: Ned Chaillet
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2005.
SAT 00:30 Off the Page (b0174gkq)
Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Follow the Yellow Brick Road - three writers discuss heart, courage and brains.
Dominic Arkwright welcomes Guardian blogger Stuart Heritage, Yachtswoman Dee Caffari and journalist Neil McCormick.
Stuart hates personal contact so much he moved to South Korea where they're "not huggers. They're not really hand-shakers. They're not even that fond of eye contact, the travel guide said. Brilliant."
Dee Caffari has solo circumnavigated the globe, braving icebergs in the Southern Ocean along the way: "We surf down huge waves on the edge of control at breakneck speeds - any collision would be the end of the race. Rescue is often days away and our closest chance of survival is a fellow competitor."
Neil talks about how intelligence may be over-rated and that sometimes it's better just to let your mind make itself up.
Producer: Toby Field
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2011.
SAT 01:00 VI Warshawski (b007jnm6)
Deadlock
5. Pavane for a Dead Hockey Player
Everyone wants private eye VI Warshawski off the case.
She appears to be getting closer to solving it - but then the next body is found...
Kathleen Turner stars in Sara Paretsky's thriller.
Dramatised by Michelene Wandor
VI Warshawski ...... Kathleen Turner
Martin Bledsoe ...... James Aubrey
Bobby Mallory ...... William Hootkins
Paige Carrington ...... Teresa Gallagher
Murray ...... Kerry Shale
Roger Ferrant ...... Bill Nighy
Janine Phillips ...... Shelley Thompson
Lois ...... Sandra James Young
Bledsoe's Secretary ...... Geraldine Fitzgerald
Cappy ...... John Church
Receptionist ...... Federay Holmes
Jack ...... Phillip Anthony
Director: Janet Whitaker
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1993.
SAT 01:30 The Quarry (m0010y1j)
5. Truth Revealed
Why did Reinke shout "let it burn?"
The chilling secret behind Douglas and Penelope's painting is finally revealed...
Stars Barry Foster, Penelope Lee, Frederick Schrecker and Andrew Sachs.
Conclusion of the thriller serial by Jon Rollason and Keith Williams.
Penelope Shemley ... Penelope Lee
Douglas Shemley .... Barry Foster
Simon Shaft .... Roddy Maude-Roxby
Reinke .... Frederick Schrecker
Paul .... Andrew Sachs
Ruth .... Isabel Rennie
American ....Peter Marinker
Hotel Receptionist .... Glyn Dearman
Producer: John Tydeman
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme in January 1965.
SAT 02:00 Gainsborough by James Hamilton (b0902rn5)
5. Revelation
For his final years Thomas Gainsborough returns to London where he paints over 100 portraits and 30 landscapes.
Knowing that he's dying, he summons his old rival Joshua Reynolds and, on his deathbed, his wife Margaret makes a surprising revelation.
James Hamilton's portrait of 18th-century artist Thomas Gainsborough.
Concluded by Julian Rhind-Tutt.
Abridged by Libby Spurrier.
Director: Kate McAll
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2017.
SAT 02:15 The Citadel (b09thl64)
Series 2
5. Changes
Dr Andrew Manson is approached by a union Branch Secretary hoping to effect change in medical practice.
The estranged love of his life, Christine, is back in town.
Set in a mid-1920s South Wales mining town, Drineffy.
Based on AJ Cronin's groundbreaking novel, which is said to have partly inspired the creation of the NHS.
Manson ...... Richard Fleeshman
Denny ...... Julian Lewis Jones
Christine ...... Alexandra Roach
Blowden Page ..... Sue Jenkins
Dr Page ...... Seamus O'Neill
Daffyd ...... Simeon Truby
Produced by Pauline Harris and Gary Brown.
Directed by Gary Brown.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2018.
SAT 02:30 Hearing Ragas (b01mf7nd)
This is violinist Professor Paul Robertson's remarkable story of the Indian ragas he heard from within a coma, and the healing effect that Sir John Tavener's music had on him in his recovery.
When Paul and John met at a conference in 2007 they discovered that they had a shared interest in near death experiences and John stated that he wanted to write a piece for Paul involving four string quartets to be called "Towards Silence". He wrote the piece and Paul started to make arrangements for its premiere.
However, John suffered a heart attack and was taken into intensive care in Switzerland. Within weeks, Paul's aorta gave way and he found himself in a London hospital in a coma. Paul had a series of horrific visions, but was occasionally comforted by the sound of a woman singing Indian ragas. Only when he came out of the coma did he realise that the music John had written for him: "Towards Silence", was based on an Indian raga.
Paul then used the practising of this piece to rehabilitate himself after the paralysing strokes he'd suffered. Paul and John are brought together for the first time to share their experiences; how they view their respective illnesses and how these episodes have changed their lives.
Including music by Sir John Tavener, a soundtrack by Simon Hall and Sanchita Pal singing Ragas.
Producer: Rosie Boulton
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 2012.
SAT 03:00 Midnight's Children (b094s2sq)
Omnibus
5. The Shadow of the Mosque
Saleem is reunited with the other Midnight's Children in terrifying circumstances.
An ambitious dramatisation of Salman Rushdie's dazzling novel of love, history and magic.
The last of five omnibuses.
Saleem ...... Nikesh Patel
Jamila ...... Deeivya Meir
Young Saleem ...... Zain Syed
Young Jamila ...... Misha Shah
Mumtaz ...... Anneika Rose
Ahmed ...... Narinder Samra
Brigadier Iskander ...... Selva Rasalingam
Sergeant Major Najmuddin ...... Sagar Arya
Ayooba ...... Abhin Galeya
Shaheed ...... Ronny Jhutti
The Peasant ...... Akbar Kurtha
Picture Singh ...... Silas Carson
Parvati ...... Aysha Kala
Young Shiva ...... Nael Ameen
Young Parvati ...... Nikita Mehta
Midnight's Child ...... Ahren Chadha
Midnight's Child ...... Shiven Shankar
Midnight's Child ...... Shreya Shah
All other parts were played by:
Sheetal Kapoor, Renu Brindle and Emilio Doorgasingh and members of the company.
Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon.
Directed and produced by Tracey Neale and Emma Harding.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2017.
SAT 04:00 It's Not What You Know (b061qzx0)
Series 3
Episode 3
Who would play Romesh Ranganathan in a film of his life?
What's Christoper Biggins' proudest moment of his career?
What would Katherine Ryan do if she was Beyonce for a day?
All these burning questions, and more, will be answered in the show hosted by Miles Jupp, where panellists are tested on how well they know their nearest and dearest.
In this case, comedian Katherine Ryan picks her best friend, comedian Romesh Ranganathan picks his brother, and Christopher Biggins picks an old showbiz pal.
Produced by Matt Stronge
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2015.
SAT 04:30 Ballylenon (b007jvhs)
Series 4
Episode 1
The discovery that a ramshackle cottage may have belonged to the family of US President, Herbert Hoover presents Phonsie with a major financial opportunity.
Series set in the sleepy town of Ballylenon, Co Donegal, in 1955, before the days of mass tourism and proper plumbing in every home.
Written by Christopher Fitz-Simon.
Phonsie Doherty ...... TP McKenna
Vera McConkey ...... Stella McCusker
Muriel McConkey ...... Margaret D'Arcy
Vivienne Boal ...... Aine McCartney
Stumpy Bonnar ...... Gerard McSorley
Guard Gallagher ...... John Hewitt
Peg Sweeney ...... Anna Manahan
Rev Samuel Hawthorne ...... Gerard Murphy
Music arranged and performed by Stephanie Hughes.
Director: Eoin O'Callaghan
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1997.
SAT 05:00 All Those Women (b069jjml)
Series 1
Episode 1
As relationships wobble, members of the family descend upon Maggie to provide support, plumbing advice and tea. Rent-free, naturally.
Katherine Jakeways' comedy about four generations of women living under one roof. An exploration of familial relationships, ageing, marriages - it's about life and love and things not turning out quite the way that you'd expected them to.
Hetty, Maggie, Jen and Emily struggle to resolve their own problems, and support one another.
Hetty ...... Sheila Hancock
Maggie ...... Lesley Manville
Jen ...... Sinead Matthews
Emily ...... Lucy Hutchinson
David ...... Denis Lill
Customer ...... Rebecca Hamilton
Announcement ...... George Watkins
Producer: Alexandra Smith
A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in September 2015.
SAT 05:30 The Confessional (m0010wm2)
Series 2
The Confession of Ed Byrne
Stephen Mangan presides over the comedy chat show about shame and embarrassment.
Each week Stephen Mangan invites a different eminent guest into his virtual confessional box to make three 'confessions' to him. This is a cue for some rich and varied storytelling, and surprising insights as their confessions are put under the microscope. Settle back for more revelations of guilt and mortification.
This week Stephen interviews Ed Byrne, whose career as a stand-up comedian has garnered him huge popular and critical success. Also known for his work as an actor and a TV presenter with a passion for hill walking, he talks to Stephen about the dangers of forgetfulness, a misplaced reputation for erudition and one alarming fantasy.
Other guests in the series: Olivia Williams, Anthony Horowitz, Shaparak Khorsandi, Konnie Huq and David Quantick.
Written and presented by Stephen Mangan
With extra material by Nick Doody
Produced by Frank Stirling
A 7digital production
SAT 06:00 Hercule Poirot (m001136r)
Hallowe'en Party
Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of a child on All Hallows' Eve.
Agatha Christie whodunit starring John Moffatt.
First published in 1969 and dramatised by Michael Bakewell.
Hercule Poirot ...... John Moffatt
Ariadne Oliver ...... Stephanie Cole
Judith Butler ...... Alexandra Bastedo
Miranda Butler ...... Sian Jenkins
Rowena Drake ...... June Barry
Michael Garfield ...... Gareth Armstrong
Spence ...... James Taylor
Elspeth ...... Auriol Smith
Miss Whittaker ...... Amanda Murray
Miss Emlyn ...... Petra Davies
Mrs Leaman ...... Paula Jacobs
Mrs Goodbody ...... Lala Lloyd
Mrs Minden ...... Katherine Parr
Fullerton ...... Colin Pinney
Mrs Reynolds ...... Rachel Atkins
Leopold Reynolds ...... Sam Crane
Joyce Reynolds ...... Sophia Nemeth
Ann Reynolds ...... Vivienne Rochester
Nicholas ...... Nicholas Boulton
Desmond ...... Peter Kenny
Director: Enyd Williams
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1993.
SAT 07:30 Great Lives (b0901fqr)
Series 43
Stephen Fry on PG Wodehouse
Stephen Fry nominates his hero PG Wodehouse, a writer who he says simply cheers him up like no one else.
Fry wrote to his hero when he was a schoolboy and his most treasured possession is a signed photograph which reads: "To Stephen Fry, All the best, PG Wodehouse."
PG Wodehouse was a self-made man, he began as a bank clerk, married a chorus girl and was interned by the Nazis. He wrote some of the most entertaining novels, stories, plays and lyrics of the 20th century and created enduring characters; the most popular being Reginald Jeeves and Bertie Wooster.
Stephen makes the case for why PG Wodehouse is a great life.
To help him he is joined by Dr Sophie Ratcliffe Associate Professor in English, University of Oxford and author of 'PG Wodehouse - A life in Letters'.
Presented by Matthew Parris.
Producer: Perminder Khatkar
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2017.
SAT 08:00 The Motion Show (m000833t)
Series 5
Episode 6
From banning political spin to believing in DIY.
Graeme Garden hosts the comedy debating show.
With Sir Bernard Ingham, Hattie Hayridge, Steve Punt and Arthur Smith.
Producer: Jane Berthoud
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2002.
SAT 08:30 Smelling of Roses (b00dh89p)
Series 3
Leading A Merry Dance
Rosie's no expert on Russian folk music but when she's asked to promote The Gulbekistan Dance Ensemble, she's sure she'll be equal to the challenge...
Prunella Scales stars in Simon Brett's sitcom.
The trials and tribulations of Rosie Burns and her event management company, based in Brighton
Rosie ..... Prunella Scales
Jo ..... Rebecca Callard
Bob ..... Duncan Preston
Tess ..... Annette Badland
Robert ..... Simon Trinder
Leonid ..... Chris Emmett
Ludmilla ..... Lorelei King
Producer: Maria Esposito
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2002.
SAT 09:00 Diane Morgan Believes in Ghosts (b09c0rr8)
Diane Morgan – famed for her investigative powers as Philomena Cunk – trawls the BBC archive for the best real-life tales of ghost hunting, hauntings and unexplained phenomena, which takes us across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – as well as on a tour around the bowels of BBC Broadcasting House.
And Diane will be joined by some special guests who have all had paranormal experiences, including Yvette Fielding, Glen Hunt, Toyah Willcox, Bethany Black, Steve Punt and Maxine Peake, and they will share their stories.
Archive programmes include The Grimsby Ghostbusters from 1992, Stranger Things: An Old Fashioned Haunting from Radio Wales, a tour of the Vaults underneath Edinburgh’s Cowgate in Underground Lives and Radio Ulster’s From Fear to Eternity. There is also a phone-in from 1979 where listeners share their experiences and there are short stories of real-life hauntings on the railways and in theatres, mills, hotels, homes – and even live on Excess Baggage on Radio 4.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 Extra in October 2017.
SAT 12:00 Reluctant Persuaders (b08kxzvv)
Series 2
Live Young
Welcome back to Hardacre's, the worst advertising agency in London.
Series two of Edward Rowett's award-winning sitcom starring Nigel Havers, Mathew Baynton and Josie Lawrence.
We find the team a little higher up the proverbial ladder. No longer fighting to stay afloat, but now fighting to get ahead, this week the team are confronted with an unexpected challenge - a can of water.
Tasked by accounts manager Amanda with creating a campaign to sell water to impoverished millennials, copy-writer Joe and art director Teddy face an unsettling question - can you convince people with no money to buy something they could have for free? And even if you can - should you?
As ever, they are alternately assisted and obstructed by their washed up creative director and self-professed advertising god, Rupert Hardacre and disinterested receptionist Laura.
Rupert Hardacre ...... Nigel Havers
Amanda ...... Josie Lawrence
Joe ...... Mathew Baynton
Teddy ...... Kieran Hodgson
Laura ...... Olivia Nixon
An Absolutely production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in April 2017.
SAT 12:30 An Actor's Life for Me (b00899ps)
Series 2
The Scottish Play
Robert gets involved in a performance of the play whose title we are not allowed to say. He is overly superstitious about saying "Macbeth" ... Whoops!
John Gordon Sinclair stars in Paul Mayhew-Archer's sitcom about an aspiring actor.
Robert Wilson ..... John Gordon Sinclair
Desmond Shaw ..... Gary Waldhorn
Sue ..... Caroline Quentin
With:
Jo Kendall
Joe Dunlop
Jonathan Kydd
Danny Schiller
Producer: Paul Spencer
First broadcast on BBC Radio 2 in February 1990.
SAT 13:00 A History of Ghosts (Omnibus) (m000nzvl)
Part 1
Kirsty Logan explores the evolution of Ghost Lore.
In the first of two omnibus editions, she examines:
• Ghosts that haunted ancient civilisations
• A full-bodied violent spectre that stalked medieval England
• Pregnant ghosts
• Impossible ghosts
• A weeping woman who constantly evolves along with her people
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2020.
SAT 14:00 Bleak Expectations (b00vrxwt)
Series 4
A Tolerable Life De-Happified
Our hero Pip sees his former nemesis - the badly named Gently Benevolent - thwarted and locked up in a prison within a jail within a gaol spelled the other way, and apparently repentant of his crimes.
But late one foggy night when Pip is attacked with a bowl of sinister custard he realises a new form of evil is stalking the streets of London, and he is obliged to ask for help from his erstwhile foe. Can Benevolent now be trusted? And who is the sinister evil figure?
Meanwhile, Pip's wife Ripely has become obsessed with cutlery, and the purchase of some diamond-handled dodo knives looks likely to force Pip into bankruptcy.
And his best friend Harry Biscuit claims to be having terrible problems with an angry badger, but is it all as it seems?
Mark Evans's epic Victorian comedy in the style of Charles Dickens.
Sir Philip ..... Richard Johnson
Young Pip Bin ..... Tom Allen
Gently Benevolent ..... Anthony Head
Harry Biscuit ..... James Bachman
Grimpunch ..... Geoffrey Whitehead
Ripely ..... Sarah Hadland
Pippa ..... Susy Kane
Producer: Gareth Edwards
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2010.
SAT 14:30 Arthur Smith's Balham Bash (b0101g5j)
Series 3
Episode 1
Arthur Smith presents music and comedy from his home in Balham, South London.
There's music in the kitchen, comedy in the front room and poetry on the landing.
Finding a decent sized performance space amongst the accumulated debris that is Arthur's life are:
Katie Melua
Roisin Conaty
Alun Cochrane
Nick Helm
Producer; Alison Vernon-Smith
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2011.
SAT 15:00 Ability (b0b0v537)
Series 1
The Date
Matt can only speak via an app. Will his carer pretend to be him for an online date?
Matt is 25. He has cerebral palsy and can only speak via an app on his iPad. Everyone who cares about Matt knows that this isn't the defining thing about him. He is funny and clever and "up for stuff" - partly because he is keen to show that there's nothing he can't do, but also because, if he's honest, he's aware that he's less likely than other people to get the blame.
Now Matt's left home for the first time and moved in to share a flat with his best mate, Jess. But when Bob (Allan Mustafa) shows up as the new carer, the fun really starts. Bob is new to the job and, although willing, domestic duties are not really his forte. He's better at selling weed and dealing in knocked off iPads.
But he likes Matt and treats him like a real person. So, as far as Matt is concerned, Bob is here to stay.
Matt ...... Lee Ridley
Bob ...... Allan Mustafa
Writer ...... Lee Ridley
Writer ...... Katherine Jakeways
Ability is the semi-autobiographical co-creation of Lee Ridley, otherwise known as Lost Voice Guy. Like his sitcom creation, Lee has cerebral palsy and can only speak via an app. Lost Voice Guy is - probably - the first stand up comedian to use a communication aid.
Katherine Jakeways is the co-creator and co-writer of Ability
A Funny Bones production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2018.
SAT 15:30 Elis James's Pantheon of Heroes (m000fn2f)
Series 4
Market Towns
Comedian Elis James determines which Welsh market towns are the nation’s best, pitting Carmarthen and Llangollen against Hay-on-Wye
With:
Benjamin Partridge
Nadia Kamil
From the Glee Club, Cardiff.
Producer: Sharif Shahwan
First broadcast on BBC Radio Wales in August 2016.
SAT 16:00 Hercule Poirot (m001136r)
[Repeat of broadcast at 06:00 today]
SAT 17:30 Great Lives (b0901fqr)
[Repeat of broadcast at 07:30 today]
SAT 18:00 Mary Shelley - Frankenstein (b01nkt24)
1. The Passenger
A production of Mary Shelley's heart-breaking modern myth of obsession, pride and the need for love.
While sailing through the Arctic wastes, Captain Walton picks up an unexpected passenger. Close to death the man begins to tell Walton his strange and terrible story.
Frankenstein ..... Jamie Parker
The Monster ..... Shaun Dooley
Elizabeth ..... Susie Riddell
Walton ..... Alun Raglan
Father ..... Robert Blythe
Clerval ..... Sam Alexander
Mother ..... Christine Absalom
Waldman ..... Patrick Brennan
Justine ..... Emma Hook
Sailor ..... Joe Sims
Lieutenant ..... Don Gilet
Dramatised by Lucy Catherine.
Directed by Marc Beeby
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2012.
SAT 19:00 Diane Morgan Believes in Ghosts (b09c0rr8)
[Repeat of broadcast at 09:00 today]
SAT 22:00 Ross Noble Goes Global (b01cjg35)
Series 2
Adelaide
Ross travels to Adelaide in Australia and finds out it is a city of weirdness, in which men dressed in leotards wander the streets, and the locals all seem to be hiding something sinister.
A series of travelogues from comedian Ross Noble.
Producer: Danny Wallace
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2003.
SAT 22:30 Chain Reaction (b0738kq0)
Series 11
4. Victoria Coren-Mitchell interviews Sandi Toksvig
Writer and presenter Victoria Coren-Mitchell asks the questions to comedian and writer, Sandi Toksvig about her long career in broadcasting, her foray into politics and gets some advice on how to behave when you're staying at the Icelandic Prime Minister's house.
Chain Reaction is the long running hostless chat show where this week's interviewee becomes next week's interviewer.
Victoria Coren-Mitchell is a columnist for The Observer and GQ amongst other publications and has presented myriad documentaries on subjects as varied as The Bohemians and Mary Poppins. As well as a prolific writing career, she keeps order on the popular and fiendishly difficult television quiz, 'Only Connect'. She is also well-known as one of the world's top professional poker players and has achieved huge success at the card table.
Sandi Toksvig is a prolific writer and broadcaster who chaired the News Quiz on BBC Radio 4 for nine years and over 220 episodes. In 2015 she was a founder member of the Women's Equality Party and was named new host of the long-running BBC TV series, QI.
Producer: Richard Morris
A BBC Radio Comedy production for BBC Radio 4 first broadcast in March 2016.
SAT 23:00 The Curried Goat Show (b007mdgf)
Episode 7
It's Pig Night - and shopping news. Dan Gaster, Will Ing and Ben Silburn's sketch-bonanza. With Polly James. From February 1998.
SAT 23:30 Guy Browning's Small Talk (b0076mv2)
Series 2
How to Kiss
The writer enumerates the many and varied methods of engendering facial contact, and where it might lead. From August 2004.
SAT 23:45 Helen Keen's It Is Rocket Science (b01hkz33)
Series 2
Episode 1
Helen Keen stars alongside Peter Serafinowicz and Susy Kane for a second series of the factually-correct but funny exploration of the science and history of space travel, examining the Fermi paradox.
If the universe is really infinite it should contain infinite life, and yet we have had no contact from alien civilisations. There are different ideas looked at through history of what life might be like on other planets, and some of the more surprising suggestions scientists have had on how to get in touch with it, from giant burning parallelograms in the Sahara to sending nude pictures into space.
Written by Helen Keen and Miriam Underhill.
Produced by Garth Edwards.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2012.