HER Story: Women’s Untold Histories
10 BBC Radio full-cast dramasSelect a format:
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Summary
10 dramas focusing on women's untold stories from history.
This diverse, eclectic collection of plays explores an array of social, political and historical events from a female point of view. In these captivating dramas, we see the world through their eyes, giving us a fresh perspective on a female history that is too often unrecorded, misrepresented or misunderstood.
Featuring a multiplicity of styles and genres, and written by a wide variety of authors, they range from comedy dramas themed around the Bayeux Tapestry and the 1962 Cheltenham Literary Festival, to award-winning, thought-provoking tales of Nigerian teenagers kidnapped by Boko Haram. A contemporary version of the heroines from Greek mythology, Persephone and Demeter; Profumo affair from a female perspective, Britain's last witch (Helen Duncan); a legendary ballerina (Margot Fonteyn); a little sister (Dious, sibling of St Anthony) and a youngest daughter (Judith Shakespeare).
Embroidering the Truth
Queen Edith - Katy Brand
Bishop Odo - Charlie Anson
Other cast, Katy Sobey, Lisa Zahra, Jonny Holden, Rosie Cavaliero, Tracy Wiles. Written by Abigail Youngman. Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October 2019
Girls
Tisana - Amaka Okafor
Ruhab - Faith Alabi
Haleema - Joan Iyiola
Written by Theresa Ikoko. Directed by Abigail Gonda. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 2017
The Bulbul Was Singing
Laura - Rebecca Humphries
Ariman - Shaniaz Hama Ali
Other Cast: Paul Hickey, Jonny Holden, Saya Zahawi, Catherine Cusack, Shaun Mason, Debbie Korley, Chris Pavlo
Written by Judy Upton. Directed by Emma Harding. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 August 2019
Seven Pomegranate Seeds
Performed by Niamh Cusack, Ruth Bradley and Leah McNamara
Written by Colin Teevan. Produced and directed by Allegra McIlroy. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 January 2020
Festival
Elizabeth Jane Howard - Melody Grove
John Moore - Tony Gardner
Kingsley Amis - Jonathan Forbes
Other cast: Will Howard, Emma Handy, John Lightbody. Written by Sarah Wooley. Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 July 2018
Well, He Would, Wouldn't He?
Mandy (younger) - Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Christine Keeler - Lyndsey Marshal
'Pops' Murray - Stephen Marzella
Stephen Ward/Peter Rachman - Ewan Bailey
Other cast: Adrian Schiller, Alex Dower, Anthony Courier. Written by Charlotte Williams. Directed by Kate McAll. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 February 2013
Tony's Little Sister and the Paradox of Monasticism
Anthony - Duncan Preston
Dious - Samantha Spiro
Satan - Tim McMullan
Other cast Ben Crowe, Rachel Bavidge. Written by David and Caroline Stafford. Produced by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 August 2007
Judith Shakespeare
Judith Shakespeare - Amanda Root
William Shakespeare - Michael Pennington
Henry, Earl of Southampton - Anton Lesser
Other Cast, Andrew Wincott, Melinda Walker, Thomas Connor, Stephen Critchlow, Ann Beach, Colleen Prendergast, Jillie Meers
Written by Nan Woodhouse. Directed byTracey Neale. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 April 1996
An Unchoreographed World
Margot Fonteyn - Sophie Jerrold
Constant Lambert - Richard McCabe
Other cast Oliver Millingham, Kate Littlewood
Chorus - Anne-Marie Piazza, Maria Askew, Ffion Jolly, Ben Ashton & Coen de Groot
Written by Frances Byrne. Produced and directed by Mark Smalley. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 May 2008
The Last Witch Trial
Lucy - Indira Varma
Margo - Lyndsey Marshal
Other Cast: Joanna Monro, Vineeta Rishi Sam Dale, Michael Shelford, Keely Beresford
Written by Melissa Murray. Directed by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 June 2010
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
This diverse, eclectic collection of plays explores an array of social, political and historical events from a female point of view. In these captivating dramas, we see the world through their eyes, giving us a fresh perspective on a female history that is too often unrecorded, misrepresented or misunderstood.
Featuring a multiplicity of styles and genres, and written by a wide variety of authors, they range from comedy dramas themed around the Bayeux Tapestry and the 1962 Cheltenham Literary Festival, to award-winning, thought-provoking tales of Nigerian teenagers kidnapped by Boko Haram. A contemporary version of the heroines from Greek mythology, Persephone and Demeter; Profumo affair from a female perspective, Britain's last witch (Helen Duncan); a legendary ballerina (Margot Fonteyn); a little sister (Dious, sibling of St Anthony) and a youngest daughter (Judith Shakespeare).
Embroidering the Truth
Queen Edith - Katy Brand
Bishop Odo - Charlie Anson
Other cast, Katy Sobey, Lisa Zahra, Jonny Holden, Rosie Cavaliero, Tracy Wiles. Written by Abigail Youngman. Produced by Mary Ward-Lowery. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 October 2019
Girls
Tisana - Amaka Okafor
Ruhab - Faith Alabi
Haleema - Joan Iyiola
Written by Theresa Ikoko. Directed by Abigail Gonda. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14 July 2017
The Bulbul Was Singing
Laura - Rebecca Humphries
Ariman - Shaniaz Hama Ali
Other Cast: Paul Hickey, Jonny Holden, Saya Zahawi, Catherine Cusack, Shaun Mason, Debbie Korley, Chris Pavlo
Written by Judy Upton. Directed by Emma Harding. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 August 2019
Seven Pomegranate Seeds
Performed by Niamh Cusack, Ruth Bradley and Leah McNamara
Written by Colin Teevan. Produced and directed by Allegra McIlroy. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7 January 2020
Festival
Elizabeth Jane Howard - Melody Grove
John Moore - Tony Gardner
Kingsley Amis - Jonathan Forbes
Other cast: Will Howard, Emma Handy, John Lightbody. Written by Sarah Wooley. Directed by Gaynor Macfarlane. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 July 2018
Well, He Would, Wouldn't He?
Mandy (younger) - Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Christine Keeler - Lyndsey Marshal
'Pops' Murray - Stephen Marzella
Stephen Ward/Peter Rachman - Ewan Bailey
Other cast: Adrian Schiller, Alex Dower, Anthony Courier. Written by Charlotte Williams. Directed by Kate McAll. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 February 2013
Tony's Little Sister and the Paradox of Monasticism
Anthony - Duncan Preston
Dious - Samantha Spiro
Satan - Tim McMullan
Other cast Ben Crowe, Rachel Bavidge. Written by David and Caroline Stafford. Produced by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 6 August 2007
Judith Shakespeare
Judith Shakespeare - Amanda Root
William Shakespeare - Michael Pennington
Henry, Earl of Southampton - Anton Lesser
Other Cast, Andrew Wincott, Melinda Walker, Thomas Connor, Stephen Critchlow, Ann Beach, Colleen Prendergast, Jillie Meers
Written by Nan Woodhouse. Directed byTracey Neale. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25 April 1996
An Unchoreographed World
Margot Fonteyn - Sophie Jerrold
Constant Lambert - Richard McCabe
Other cast Oliver Millingham, Kate Littlewood
Chorus - Anne-Marie Piazza, Maria Askew, Ffion Jolly, Ben Ashton & Coen de Groot
Written by Frances Byrne. Produced and directed by Mark Smalley. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22 May 2008
The Last Witch Trial
Lucy - Indira Varma
Margo - Lyndsey Marshal
Other Cast: Joanna Monro, Vineeta Rishi Sam Dale, Michael Shelford, Keely Beresford
Written by Melissa Murray. Directed by Marc Beeby. First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 June 2010
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd