Brian Friel: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Synopsis

Dramatisations and short stories by the award-winning playwright - plus bonus programmesKnown as the 'Irish Chekhov', Brian Friel was one of the most renowned dramatists of his generation, producing over 30 plays in a career spanning six decades. Included here are some of his best-known works, as well as mesmerising radio documentaries featuring the author himself, in his own words.Beginning with his modern classic about language and power, Translations, this collection goes on to showcase two further masterpieces: Faith Healer (voted one of the 100 most important plays of the 20th Century by the National Theatre) and the play that launched Friel to international acclaim, Philadelphia, Here I Come! With settings ranging from the 1830s to the present day, all are centred around the small fictional town of Ballybeg, and share key themes including the stories we tell ourselves, the nature of truth and the unreliability of memory. Among the stellar casts are Samuel Barnett, Mark Bazeley, Dermot Crowley, Lia Williams, Phil Daniels and Donal Donnelly.Also featured are five short stories: 'The Skelper', 'My True Kinsman', 'The Death of a Scientific Humanist', 'The Gold in the Sea' and 'Everything Neat and Tidy', read by Adrian Dunbar.We conclude with two talks by Brian Friel - the 'fragment of autobiography' Self Portrait and The Green Years, a lyrical account of his childhood in Derry - and the fascinating documentary Staging Ireland, telling the story of the radical Derry theatre company Field Day, founded by Friel and Stephen Rea with the aim of challenging their nation's view of itself.Production creditsWritten by Brian FrielText copyright © Brian Friel 1959 ('The Skelper'), 1961 ('My True Kinsman'), 1964 (Philadelphia, Here I Come!, 'The Death of a Scientific Humanist'), 1965 ('Everything Nice and Tidy'), 1966 ('The Gold in the Sea'), 1979 (Faith Healer), 1980 (Translations)All rights reservedTranslationsCast: Samuel Barnett, Mark Bazeley, John Paul Connolly, Dermot Crowley, Roisin Gallagher, David Ireland, Aoife McMahon, Gerard McSorley, Eugene O'Hare, Eileen WalshAdapted by Michael Duke. Directed by Kirsty WilliamsFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 September 2010Faith HealerFrank - Owen RoeGrace - Lia WilliamsTeddy - Phil DanielsDirected by Peter Kavanagh. First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 12 September 2010Philadelphia, Here I Come!Cast: Donal Donnelly, Gertrude Russell, J G Devlin, Kate Binchy, Harold Goldblatt, Patrick Magee, Doreen Hepburn, Tommy Duggan, Ronald Wilson, Michael Stuart, Denys Hawthorne, Maurie Taylor, Patrick McAlinneyProduced by Ronald Mason. First broadcast BBC Network Three, 25 February 1965Brian Friel Stories: The Skelper, My True Kinsman, Everything Neat and Tidy, The Gold in the Sea, The Death of a Scientific HumanistRead by Adrian Dunbar. Produced by Heather LarmourFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4 Extra, 11 March 2013, 12 March 2013, 13 March 2013, 14 March 2013, 15 March 2013Brian Friel: Self PortraitWith Brian FrielFirst broadcast BBC Radio Ulster, 1971The Green YearsWith Brian FrielFirst broadcast Northern Ireland Home Service, 30 April 1964Staging IrelandPresented by Robbie MeredithWith Seamus Heaney, Tom Paulin, Stephen Rea and Seamus DeaneFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 June 2007©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd