A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation by Michael Butt about the death of the poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe, originally broadcast in the "Afternoon Play" slot on 17 August 2010. In May 1593, the playwright Christopher Marlowe was killed. Apparently, it was because of an argument over a bill. Michael Butt's innovative drama dons the cloak o...

Paul Scofield and Patricia Routledge star in Noel Coward's classic comedy of manners. Private Lives was written in 1930 and has been a mainstay of British theatre ever since. This sharply funny play of reversals focuses on Elyot and Amanda, a passionate but feuding couple who divorced five years before. Now, on the first night of their honeymoons w...

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast Unabridged on the writer and poet Dylan Thomas. Based on a true story, Rob Gittins's play draws on archive material. When Time magazine printed a warts-and-all article about Dylan Thomas in 1953, the poet sued them for libel. Needing to gather more evidence, the magazine hired a private detective to shadow Thomas in New York...

Robin Glendinning's BBC Radio 4 full-cast black comedy telling the story of a real mystery. Originally broadcast in the "Saturday Play" slot on 11 July 2009. In 1946, the Duke of Windsor (formerly Edward VIII) and his wife (formerly Wallis Simpson) paid a visit to Britain, hoping to secure a government job for the Duke and a title for the Duchess....

After the death of her husband, Dolly Bantry sold Gossington Hall to the former film star Marina Gregg and her husband. When the glamorous couple decide to throw a benefit party for the local hospital, the grounds are thronged with curious visitors, and for one of them, the day ends in tragedy. As Marina is serving cocktails in the house, she is co...

The gruesome death of Mrs. McGinty provokes Superintendent Spence to seek the help of his old ally Hercule Poirot. The victim's young lodger has been found guilty and is due to hang. But Spence is not convinced by the circumstantial evidence which influenced the verdict. So, at considerable personal discomfort, Poirot goes down to the sleepy villag...

A millionaire strikes a deal on the seedier side of Paris and a priceless cache of rubies becomes destined for his beloved daughter Rachel. Two days later Rachel is dead - murdered on a train on her way to the Riviera to meet her scoundrel lover: a mysterious, dark man. The suspects line up...only master slueth Hercule Poirot can unravel the myster...

Miss Marple is totally shocked to receive a letter from the recently deceased Mr. Rafiel, an acquaintance she had met briefly on her travels. The letter leaves instructions for Miss Marple, whom Mr. Rafiel had recognised as a natural detective, to investigate a crime after his death. There are absolutely no details about the crime, however, nothing...

Poirot has always hated visiting the dentist, but this time his check-up is painless and soon over. As he leaves Mr. Morley's surgery, he observes a woman wearing patent leather shoes with large buckles. She catches one of the buckles on the taxi door and wrenches it off, and as Poirot hands it back, he is reminded of the children's rhyme "One, two...

Wealthy businessman Rex Fortescue is found dead with rye grain in his pocket. His death is followed in quick succession by a woman dying while eating bread and honey, and a maid in her garden. Inspector Neele, in charge of investigating the spate of murders, consults with Miss Marple, who has an interesting and surprising theory to offer. She sense...

Robin Herford and Tessa Peake-Jones star in Alan Ayckbourn's award-winning trilogy: Table Manners, Living Together and Round and Round the Garden. When the deviously amorous Norman plans a clandestine weekend away with his sister-in-law, he has some fun and games in mind. But not quite the fun and games that he gets... Ayckbourn's trilogy has bee...

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast Unabridged by Martyn Wade of Anthony Trollope's classic novel, Orley Farm. This novel, described as a "... brilliantly choreographed legal thriller" (Mail on Sunday), centres on the pathos of the main character, Lady Mason. Youthful marriage choices, middle-aged marital crisis, love and loss revolve around the legal action a...

As Miss Marple sat basking in the Caribbean sunshine she felt mildly discontented with life. True, the warmth eased her rheumatism, but here in paradise nothing ever happened. Eventually, her interest was aroused by an old soldier's yarn about strange coincidence. Infuriatingly, just as he was about to show her an astonishing photograph, the Major'...

When the Cowley sisters employ a carer to look after the ailing Carmela, Morag appears to suit their needs perfectly. But after a spectacular jewel theft on the night of the Hunt Ball, it appears that the perfect carer might be implicated...

A blizzard has hit England. In the tiny village of Sittaford, on the fringes of Dartmoor, a party of six is gathered in Sittaford House, home of Captain Trevelyan. He has rented the house out for the winter and is staying in a nearby village. As evening draws in, a s‚ance is proposed. But it reveals more than they had anticipated - TREVELYAN...

Gwenda Reed arrives from New Zealand, travelling ahead of her husband with the task of finding the perfect place to make their base. In the quiet village of Dilmouth, she finds a house with immediate appeal. A few renovations will convert it into her ideal home. Then things get very strange indeed. Wanting porch stairs, Gwenda hires a builder to pu...

Miss Marple is told that her old friend, Carrie, is in danger and she goes to stay with her at Stoneygates, a home for maladjusted adolescents. While she is there, tragedy strikes as Carrie's step-son, Christian Gulbrandsen, is shot dead. There are at least seven suspects and two more murders follow. But the man with the obvious motive has a cast-i...

Lady Tresselian invites several guests to stay at her seaside house at Gull's Point. Against her better judgment she has allowed her late husband's ward, handsome tennis ace Neville Strange, and his wife Kay to come at the same time as Neville's ex-wife Audrey. Other guests include Mary, Lady Tresselian's companion; Ted, Kay's ever-present friend;...

Kafka's Dick - Bennett's brilliantly clever comedy not only examines the relationship between life and art, but also asks what was Kafka's embarrassing little problem? Forty Years On - Alan Bennett stars in the production of his own acclaimed satirical comedy about a headmaster of Albion House who is retiring and takes part in the end-of-year en...

Sid Perks came from Birmingham and ran the village shop with Polly. After that, he became the landlord of the Bull pub at the heart of the village, where he remained for the rest of his life.

These two much-loved series, originally available as separate cassette releases, featured the late Peter Tinniswood's legendary creations Uncle Mort and Carter Brandon. As the pair tour Britain, Uncle Mort's recollections make for some hilarious moments. In Uncle Mort's North Country, having been granted a week's holiday, Carter Brandon, with hi...