Flashman & more

Synopsis

Full-cast adaptations of two Flashman novels, plus a standalone historical romp, a humorous short story and an interview with George MacDonald FraserScottish author George MacDonald Fraser took the loutish bully from Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown's Schooldays and gave him a new lease of life. Over the course of 12 novels, caddish anti-hero Flashman swashbuckled his way around the British Empire, playing a key role in some of the 19th century’s most significant events.Adapted for BBC Radio, and featuring a stellar cast, this collection includes:Flash for Freedom! – It is 1848 and Flashman is considering a political career. But a disastrous card game with Disraeli plunges him into hair-raising involvement with a murderous sea captain, the transatlantic slave trade, the Underground Railroad and Abraham Lincoln.Flashman at the Charge – Renowned bounder, blackguard, liar, lecher, and self-confessed coward Sir Harry Flashman suffers the ill fortune of being caught up in the Charge of the Light Brigade – and rides with the descendants of Genghis Khan against the might of Imperial Russia, as he attempts to save British India…Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don – England, 1599, and at the Spanish Embassy, a devilish plot is brewing. New envoy Don Diego claims to possess a compromising letter written by Queen Elizabeth 50 years ago: and unless it is retrieved, her reputation as the Virgin Queen will be in tatters. Time to call in Mistress Phoebe Fosdyke, Secret Agent…‘Monsoon Selection Board’ – Corporal David MacNeill recalls his challenging time in 1940s Burma, when he was part of a battalion trying to stop the Japanese army escaping. Hoping to become an officer, he is sent to face the Selection Board – but can he prove his mettle?Bookclub: George MacDonald Fraser – James Naughtie talks to George MacDonald Fraser about his inspiration for the Flashman books, writing a Bond screenplay, and why we can’t resist a rogue.Text copyright © George MacDonald Fraser 1970 (‘Monsoon Selection Board’), 1971 (Flash for Freedom!), 1973 (Flashman at the Charge), 2000 (Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly Don) Cast and creditsWritten by George MacDonald FraserFlash for FreedomFeaturing Joss Ackland, Rhys Meredith, Nigel Anthony, Christian Rodska, William Hope, Ndidi Del Fatti, Emily Wachter, Jamie Newall, Robert Hastie, Damian Lynch, Stuart MilliganDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 Mar-3 Apr 2005Flashman at the ChargeFeaturing Joss Ackland, Angus Wright, Jayne McKenna, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Nigel Anthony, David Holt, David Bannerman, Peter KennyDramatised by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 13-20 Oct 2002Good Queen Bess and the Dastardly DonFeaturing Vivienne Dixon, Crawford Logan, Katherine Igoe, Mark McDonnell, James Bryce, Julie AustinWritten by George MacDonald FraserDirected by Patrick RaynerFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20 May 2000‘Monsoon Selection Board’Read by Tom FlemingProduced by Bruce YoungFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5 Oct 1990Bookclub: George MacDonald FraserPresented by James NaughtieWith George MacDonald FraserProduced by Dymphna FlynnFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 Jan 2006© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd