True Born Englishman: did the BBC ban this Buckingham Palace play?

Peter Barnes’ monologue about a royal footman was commissioned for radio but never broadcast until now. Director Philip Franks and others unravel its mysteryThe most celebrated set of dramatic monologues for broadcasting and theatre are Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, first performed in the 1980s. But, at around the same time, a lesser-known dramatist created another trove of solos. Peter Barnes had 14 soliloquies on BBC Radio 3 under the umbrella titles Barnes’ People and More Barnes’ People. They attracted remarkable actors, including Laurence Olivier (in his final role), Judi Dench, Alec Guinness, Alan Rickman, Janet Suzman and Jeremy Irons.Barnes wrote, though, a 15th monologue, which the BBC, in mysterious circumstances, withdrew from production in 1990. A True Born Englishman, in which a Buckingham Palace lackey recalls his career, will now have its world premiere online, performed by Adrian Scarborough, on 18 February, alongside new versions of three monologues that did go out on radio. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-02-12 13:00:44 UTC ]
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BBC Scotland boss reveals career highlights in new memoir

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[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC Books to publish novel from Fourth Doctor Tom Baker

BBC Books is publishing the first Doctor Who novel from Tom Baker, star of the series as the Fourth Doctor in the late seventies. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Square One Stays True to Its Mission

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Virago signs Carrie Gracie book on equality in the workplace following BBC pay row

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Born From a Merger of Five Companies, EnsembleIQ Restructures

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BBC News CEO Jim Egan: ‘We’re in a battle for survival for quality journalism’

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Oklahoma true crime tale to HarperCollins

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BBC Radio 2 revives its Book Club with Sara Cox

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A Star Is Born: Tatiana Maslany turns 33 today

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