David Eldridge: A BBC Radio Drama Collection

Seven radio dramas from one of the defining playwrights of his generation, starring Martin Freeman, Ruth Wilson, Robert Glenister, Frances Barber and David Schofield

Acclaimed by The Observer as ‘a poet of the east end overspill’, David Eldridge ranks among Britain’s most exciting contemporary dramatists. His plays have been performed in the West End and on Broadway, and he has twice won the Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best New Play (for Festen and Under the Blue Sky). He has also had a long relationship with radio drama, and this collection brings together, for the first time, his major work for BBC Radio, spanning original dramas across nearly two decades and featuring stellar casts.

The Picture Man – Neil despairs of the uncaring behaviour he sees around him. Pushed to the edge, he decides to take a stand against society’s ills by snapping pictures of incidents on his mobile phone – with has disastrous consequences. Introduced by David Eldridge, this powerful play won the prestigious Prix Europa for Best European Radio Drama, and stars Martin Freeman as Neil.

Jenny Lomas – Solicitor Jenny Lomas has always loved the law’s certainties. So when she finds herself involved in a case where none of the evidence stacks up, she finds herself questioning her own judgement... Amanda Hale stars in Eldridge's pertinent conspiracy thriller exploring the corrosive nature of paranoia and the perils of the post-truth world.

First Out – Identical twins Jim and Mike were inseparable as children, but are now estranged. Their parents’ death from Covid forces them to reconnect, but can they overcome their ingrained views to forge a new relationship? Peter Sullivan stars as Jim, and Sam Troughton as Mike, in this poignant drama about sibling rivalry and reconciliation.

Like Minded People – Two students from disparate backgrounds meet and embark on a relationship. Bound together through guilt and need, they navigate 25 years of marriage, in all its ups and downs, as their lives are shaped by social and political change. Starring Ruth Wilson as Gillian and Tom Brooke as Ray.

Stratford, Ilford, Romford and All Stations to Shenfield – Six lives collide on a commuter train from Liverpool Street to the Essex suburbs. As Roger and his fellow passengers share their stories, emotions run high… Robert Glenister stars in David Eldridge’s debut play for radio.

The Secret Grief – Nigel is bored with life. When he meets the alluring Liv and Tony, he is drawn into their glamorous, intoxicating world – but beneath the surface beauty lurks a dark, disturbing secret. Starring Paul Chequer, Frances Barber and David Schofield.

Michael and Me – Two half-brothers take divergent paths in life – one to university, one to prison. Now Michael’s on the streets, and when his younger sibling bumps into him begging on Euston station, it sparks a rush of memories of childhood, adolescence and their tangled family life. This gritty, brutally honest tale stars Andrew Tiernan as Michael, with Freddy White as Me.

Production credits

Written by David Eldridge

Produced and directed by Sally Avens

Contents

The Picture Man

Jenny Lomas

First Out

Like Minded People

Stratford, llford, Romford and All Stations to Shenfield

The Secret Grief

Michael and Me

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