Conclave

A BBC Radio 4 drama by Hugh Costello, about some gripping events at the Vatican.   After the short reign and mysterious death of Pope John Paul I, the election of a new Pope takes place in an atmosphere of high tension between opposing factions.   Including those who want to elect the first non-Italian Pope for over four hundred years!   First broadcast on 25 February 2011. Starring David Calder, Alison Reid, Nicholas Le Prevost, Andrew Hilton, Nigel Anthony, Paul Humpoletz, Paul Nicholson, Christian Rodska, Jonathan Nibbs, Bill Wallis, David Collins, Paul Dodgson, John Sandeman and Kristian Phillips.

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

Forgetting Curve, The

A tense, white-knuckle ride of a play from BBC Radio 4 in which a rather self-satisfied hero embarks, reluctantly, on a voyage of self-discovery. Originally broadcast as the 'Afternoon Play' on 7 January 2009, and repeated on 31 March 2011.  As an expert on memory loss, Greg Cooke is asked to invalidate the testimony of an eyewitness in a high-profile murder trial. He undermines the Prosecution's key witness by convincing the jury that we forget as much within 24 hours as we do over a whole year. As a result, a vicious murderer walks free, but Greg is soon to discover there's a price to pay...  'The Forgetting Curve' was written by Emmy-nominated TV and Film writer Hugh Costello, and stars Michael Glenn Murphy as Greg Cooke. Also featured amongst the cast are Lia Williams, Chris McHallem, Andrea Irvine, Karen Ardiff, Annie McCartney, Richard Howard, writer Hugh Costello and Inam Mirza.

My Dear Children Of The Whole World

Vatican City, December 1942. As war rages across the globe, Pope Pius XII prepares to deliver his annual Christmas message. It is perhaps the most important public address he will ever give. This BBC Radio 4 play explores the Pontiff's thoughts as he faces the starkest dilemma of his reign. Originally broadcast as the 'Saturday Play' on 29 January 2011, 'My Dear Children of the Whole World' stars Hugh Ross as Pope Pius XII.  For months beforehand evidence has been growing of a vast, organised genocide of Jews and other races in German-occupied lands. Now the Vatican is coming under increasing pressure to speak out against Nazi atrocities. In private audiences, the British and American ambassadors to the Holy See urge Pius to show moral leadership by explicitly attacking Hitler in his Christmas message.  Yet Pius is reluctant to specifically condemn the Holocaust. He is concerned that speaking out risks making things worse. As Pius writes and discards draft after draft of the message, it becomes clear that there are other factors to explain his ambivalence. Europe's future seems to hang in the balance between Nazism and Bolshevism, and it is the latter ideology that he most fears.  Stars Hugh Ross as Pope Pius XII and Nick Dunning as Sir Francis Osborne. Also featured amongst the cast are Pat Laffan, Patrick Fitzsymons, Stella McCusker, Stuart Milligan, Colin Stinton and Christine Kavanagh. Directed by Eoin O'Callaghan.

Hugh Costello

Patrick Fitzsymons

John Kavanagh

Amanda Hurwitz

Cathy White

Michael J Murphy

Frankie McCafferty

Nicky Doherty

Padraig Doon

Dublin, 1997. When Joe Finnerty marries into Dublin's political aristocracy his fortune appears to be made. Lucrative government contracts and the ready patronage of his heavy hitting father-in-law ensure that Joe soon becomes a man to be reckoned with. His own career in politics seems pre-ordained, until a disgruntled Party apparatchik leaks information concerning the unexplained death of Joe's ex-partner, creating a scandal which shakes the Finnerty empire and threatens to destroy Joe and everything he once held dear.  A cautionary tale about an individual's pact with political preferment - Irish style.  Written by Hugh Costello and directed by Eoin O'Callaghan. Starring Patrick Fitzsymons, John Kavanagh, Amanda Hurwitz, Cathy White, Michael J Murphy, Hugh Costello, Frankie McCafferty, Nicky Doherty and Padraig Doon.

Hugh Costello

Books by Hugh Costello

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