Program Information

All Program Information: General Details | Crew

Specific episodes:
Episode 1: “The Bookseller”
Episode 2: “Poison”
Episode 3: “My Lady Love, My Dove”
Episode 4: “The Surgeon”
Episode 5: “The Butler”

General Details

First aired July 4, 2016
Based on “The Bookseller”
Cast:
- Storyteller – Charles Dance
- Mr Buggage – Toby Jones
- Miss Tottle – Celia Imrie
- Mrs Northcote – Jean Trend
- Mr Northcote – Richard Attlee
BBC Radio 4’s description: In The Bookseller, we find Mr Buggage and his secretary Miss Tottle hard at work in the back room of Mr Buggage’s book shop in London’s Charing Cross Road. It soon becomes clear that they are running a most successful business – but the fortune they are amassing is not from the sale of books.

First aired July 5, 2016
Based on “Poison”
Cast:
- Storyteller – Charles Dance
- Timber Woods – Jonathan Keeble
- Harry Pope – Ben Crowe
- Dr Ganderbai – Madhav Sharma
BBC Radio 4’s description: In Poison, rubber planter Harry Pope fears that a krait – a lethally venomous snake – has crawled under his bed sheets and is nestling on his stomach. His friend, Timber Woods, calls the local doctor for urgent assistance. When Dr Ganderbai arrives, tension mounts as he puts an ingenious and desperate plan into operation.

First aired July 6, 2016
Based on “My Lady Love, My Dove”
Cast:
- Storyteller – Charles Dance
- Pamela – Penelope Keith
- Arthur – Richard O’Callaghan
- Henry – Nicholas Boulton
- Sally – Jaimi Barbakoff
BBC Radio 4’s description: In My Lady Love, My Dove, starring Penelope Keith, we meet Arthur and Pamela Beauchamp, a wealthy couple who like to play bridge. However, they are continually being beaten by the Snapes – a younger couple who stay with them as house guests. But Pamela has devised a cunning way of getting her own back.

First aired July 7, 2016
Based on “The Surgeon”
Cast:
- Storyteller – Charles Dance
- Robert Sandy – Simon Williams
- Betty Sandy – Emma Fielding
- Prince – Sope Dirisu
- Inspector – Chris Stanton
BBC Radio 4’s description: In The Surgeon, Robert Sandy and his wife are faced with a dilemma – where should they conceal the priceless diamond Robert has been given by the King of Agrabah as reward for saving the life of his eldest son? It’s Friday evening and the banks are closed. There’s only one thing for it, they must find a secret hiding place somewhere in their house.

First aired July 8, 2016
Based on “The Butler”
Cast:
- Storyteller – Charles Dance
- George Cleaver – Geoffrey Whitehead
- Mrs Cleaver – Sarah Badel
- Tibbs – Nickolas Grace
- Lord Dungeness – Nicholas Boulton
BBC Radio 4’s description: In The Butler, we meet George Cleaver, the Sausage King of the North, who sells his business and moves to London in order to enter society. He employs a butler, Tibbs, to help him to do this. Tibbs explains that it’s vital Cleaver learns as much as he can about fine wines – and, to this end, Tibbs sets about buying rare and expensive vintages and educating his employer. Before long, Cleaver feels he no longer needs his butler’s advice.