Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition

What if the Beatles didn’t get a record contract with Parlophone in 1962? That’s the subject of BBC Radio 4’s radio play, Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition, adapted by Ray Connolly from his novella of the same name. Originally broadcast by the BBC in 2013, it was rebroadcast again this week, and I streamedContinue reading “Sorry, Boys, You Failed the Audition”

The Death of Christopher Marlowe

Yesterday at work, when writing catalog copy and assembling order forms and organizing name badges for the Retailer Summit, I listened to a several hours’ worth of BBC Radio dramas. Besides the first two episodes of “A Place of Greater Safety,” an adaptation of the novel about the French Revolution by Wolf Hall‘s Hilary Mantel,Continue reading “The Death of Christopher Marlowe”

The History of Titus Groan

In recent weeks I’ve been listening to audio dramas on BBC Radio 4. Besides The Once and Future King (which I blogged about at length), there was also Good Omens, based on the Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett novel about the childhood of the Antichrist, and War and Peace, based on the Tolstoy novel. (MyContinue reading “The History of Titus Groan”

The Once and Future King: The Candle in the Wind

At long last, we return to the series on Brian Sibley’s adaptation of T.H. White’s The Once and Future King for BBC Radio 4. Deadlines, Christmas, and deadlines compressed by Christmas conspired against me to write this on a timelier basis, and by this point I suspect that most listener’s attentions have turned to BBCContinue reading “The Once and Future King: The Candle in the Wind”

The Once and Future King: The Lengthening Shadow

Enter Mordred. For the first four hours of Brian Sibley’s adaptation of T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, Mordred, Arthur’s bastard and incestuous son, has loomed over the proceedings as, on the night before the battle of Camlann, Arthur reminisces with Merlyn about his reign. He has always been an off-stage presence while ArthurContinue reading “The Once and Future King: The Lengthening Shadow”

The Once and Future King: The Ill-Made Knight

ARTHUR So… you’re saying you can’t escape what’s going to happen to you when you meet Nimue. MERLYN There’s a thing about time and space which the philosopher Einstein is going to find out about. Some people call it destiny. ARTHUR Then if everything that happens is preordained, what is the point in trying toContinue reading “The Once and Future King: The Ill-Made Knight”

The Once and Future King: The Queen of Air and Darkness

While listening to “The Queen of Air and Darkness,” the third episode of Brian Sibley’s adaptation of T.H. White’s The Once and Future King for BBC Radio 4 for a third time, something I had overlooked or had passed over me came to the fore and I had an unexpected insight. Am I an atheistContinue reading “The Once and Future King: The Queen of Air and Darkness”

The Once and Future King: The Sword in the Stone

“I realize it’s hard to believe, but the great dream you and Lancelot once shared won’t ever die. One day, like the phoenix, it will rise again.”       — Merlyn A little more than a week ago I wrote about the first episode of Brian Sibley’s adapation of T.H. White’s The Once andContinue reading “The Once and Future King: The Sword in the Stone”

On The Minister of Chance Movie Trailer

I received an e-mail today from the producers of The Minister of Chance audio drama to announce the release of a short movie trailer. Before we get to the movie trailer, what exactly is The Minister of Chance? I have a hunch that many of you reading may not have heard of this. Well, it’sContinue reading “On The Minister of Chance Movie Trailer”