BBC Radio 4 presents a very interesting wartime drama as this week's Saturday Play. By "wartime" I mean World War Two, oh so long ago, but somehow ever present in that it kind of set the USA in a particular direction that is still a bit of a major problem.
Anyway, this play is not about any of that, yet it is very relevant to our wonderful 21st Century world. It has to do with the science guys who are supposed to be developing exciting new weaponry. There is an amusing scene early on where they take some time out to read "the comics" which is what they call the unsolicited mail-in suggestions from citizens.
The main plot concerns Sammy who is looking into some anti-personnel bombs that go off when found by whomever, like children, non-combatants. There are two fine scene with victims of these bombs. one dead, one soon to be. These bombs made me think of Cluster Bombs. Something that is still being perpetrated on the people of the world.
This is a good play, a gripping hour with an interesting suspense element. I didn't know which way the exciting ending was going to go. Beautifully written, produced and acted.
I never saw the movie version of this Nigel Balchin story.
The Small Back Room is available to "Listen Again" through Friday May 2, 2008. It is a worthy entertainment.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
How Now TV
The Friday Play on BBC Radio 4 has been given to Paul Watson for the past two weeks. One wonders what Mr. Watson will have for us next week. Maybe he only has two and we can get back to radio drama.
I was not happy with the Unhappy Countess, not that I listened to the whole thing.
I did listen to all of How Now TV.
Mr. Watson has a long history of TV documentaries. I have not seen any of them that I know of. I suppose they are great, let's assume that. Yet his work n the audio plays is not at all good. Maybe the idea was that he was famous for work in TV and since TV is the god of all media surely he could tackle the easy comparatively infantile duties of writing and directing his own radio plays. After all, in radio you don't have the added worry of picture so it must be easier.
Or maybe the TV has finished with him and given all the work to the younger set so the poor old chap needed a gig and since radio pays so poorly, let him write two plays and double dip by directing them too (still not equal to TV money. I'm sure).
Anyway, How Now TV, was not at all engaging or even slightly interesting. I wish Radio 4 would have produced some scripts by people who know radio and know how to write for radio and let the TV rejects get by some other way
I was not happy with the Unhappy Countess, not that I listened to the whole thing.
I did listen to all of How Now TV.
Mr. Watson has a long history of TV documentaries. I have not seen any of them that I know of. I suppose they are great, let's assume that. Yet his work n the audio plays is not at all good. Maybe the idea was that he was famous for work in TV and since TV is the god of all media surely he could tackle the easy comparatively infantile duties of writing and directing his own radio plays. After all, in radio you don't have the added worry of picture so it must be easier.
Or maybe the TV has finished with him and given all the work to the younger set so the poor old chap needed a gig and since radio pays so poorly, let him write two plays and double dip by directing them too (still not equal to TV money. I'm sure).
Anyway, How Now TV, was not at all engaging or even slightly interesting. I wish Radio 4 would have produced some scripts by people who know radio and know how to write for radio and let the TV rejects get by some other way
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Grace
I've been a bit distracted lately, so it has been hard for me to get to writing about some plays that I have enjoyed in the past few months.
But the Afternoon Play on BBC Radio 4 has come up with one that I don't want to let pass by without a mention.
Grace by Mick Gordon and AC Grayling is a very good play. I loved it. This it the type of drama that I really enjoy. It is a well written, thought provoking, play not far from the back story of current cultural trends. It is beautifully produced, well acted. In short, I think this is about as good as one can do in the 43 minute allotment of the time slot.
Here is the Radio 4 description of the play:
"Issues of faith, love, and humanity are at the core of this intimate family drama in which Grace, a scientist and champion of atheism, is faced with the decision of her son Tom to become a priest. A collaboration between philosopher A.C.Grayling and theatre writer and director Mick Gordon, the characters offer solutions to their deeply opposed ways of looking at the world even as they rage."
I would suggest that you might not want to miss this one. I mean, can good religion be used to defeat bad religion? That is a very good question and one that I have been thinking abut recently, and in the way, why I have been distracted recently.
Don't expect the play to answer this question. Don't even expect the play to explain a major plot point. It doesn't matter anyway and is not the ultimate point of the entertainment.
Grace is available here through Sunday April 27, 2008. Give it a listen.
But the Afternoon Play on BBC Radio 4 has come up with one that I don't want to let pass by without a mention.
Grace by Mick Gordon and AC Grayling is a very good play. I loved it. This it the type of drama that I really enjoy. It is a well written, thought provoking, play not far from the back story of current cultural trends. It is beautifully produced, well acted. In short, I think this is about as good as one can do in the 43 minute allotment of the time slot.
Here is the Radio 4 description of the play:
"Issues of faith, love, and humanity are at the core of this intimate family drama in which Grace, a scientist and champion of atheism, is faced with the decision of her son Tom to become a priest. A collaboration between philosopher A.C.Grayling and theatre writer and director Mick Gordon, the characters offer solutions to their deeply opposed ways of looking at the world even as they rage."
I would suggest that you might not want to miss this one. I mean, can good religion be used to defeat bad religion? That is a very good question and one that I have been thinking abut recently, and in the way, why I have been distracted recently.
Don't expect the play to answer this question. Don't even expect the play to explain a major plot point. It doesn't matter anyway and is not the ultimate point of the entertainment.
Grace is available here through Sunday April 27, 2008. Give it a listen.
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