<description>&lt;p&gt;Shakespeare's exhilarating late play of lovers under strain and leaders under pressure. Staged in an alternative present-day Britain.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An ineffectual ruler governs a divided, insular Britain, alienated from the rest of Europe. That ruler, Cymbeline (Michael Maloney), refuses to pay the taxes demanded by a foreign power, clinging to mythical notions of sovereignty. "Britain's a world by itself and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses." But Cymbeline's judgement is clouded by grief, having lost his two older children as babies. When his daughter Imogen (Lydia Wilson) rebels and marries boyfriend Posthumus (Daniel Rock) in secret, Cymbeline is enraged and banishes Posthumus. But waiting in the wings is a power-hungry figure, plotting to seize control by any means necessary.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Adapted and directed for radio by Emma Harding&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Introduced by Professor Edith Hall&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Imogen ..... Lydia Wilson&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cymbeline ..... Michael Maloney&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Posthumus Leonatus ..... Daniel Rock&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Iachimo ..... Philip Arditti&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Queen ..... Amanda Lawrence&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cloten ..... Will Close&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Caia Lucius ..... Greta Scacchi&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pisanio ..... Ayesha Dharker&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Belarius ..... Ifan Huw Dafydd&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Guiderius ..... Zak Ghazi-Torbati&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Arviragus ..... Matthew Aubrey&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cornelia ..... Nadia Williams&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Philario ..... Harry Taurasi&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jailer. .... Philippe Spall&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sue Sayer ..... Sara Gregory&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Original music composed by Joseph Howard, performed by Zak Ghazi-Torbati, Joseph Howard and Eosaph Caimbeul.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shakespeare consultant, Paul Prescott&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Production co-ordinator, Eleri Sydney McAuliffe&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sound design, Catherine Robinson&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A BBC Audio Drama Wales production&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Lovers are tested in a Britain alienated from the rest of Europe, ruled by a weak leader.

Shakespeare's exhilarating late play of lovers under strain and leaders under pressure. Staged in an alternative present-day Britain.An ineffectual ruler governs a divided, insular Britain, alienated from the rest of Europe. That ruler, Cymbeline (Michael Maloney), refuses to pay the taxes demanded by a foreign power, clinging to mythical notions of sovereignty. "Britain's a world by itself and we will nothing pay for wearing our own noses." But Cymbeline's judgement is clouded by grief, having lost his two older children as babies. When his daughter Imogen (Lydia Wilson) rebels and marries boyfriend Posthumus (Daniel Rock) in secret, Cymbeline is enraged and banishes Posthumus. But waiting in the wings is a power-hungry figure, plotting to seize control by any means necessary.Adapted and directed for radio by Emma HardingIntroduced by Professor Edith HallImogen ..... Lydia WilsonCymbeline ..... Michael MaloneyPosthumus Leonatus ..... Daniel RockIachimo ..... Philip ArdittiQueen ..... Amanda LawrenceCloten ..... Will CloseCaia Lucius ..... Greta ScacchiPisanio ..... Ayesha DharkerBelarius ..... Ifan Huw DafyddGuiderius ..... Zak Ghazi-TorbatiArviragus ..... Matthew AubreyCornelia ..... Nadia WilliamsPhilario ..... Harry TaurasiJailer. .... Philippe SpallSue Sayer ..... Sara GregoryOriginal music composed by Joseph Howard, performed by Zak Ghazi-Torbati, Joseph Howard and Eosaph Caimbeul.Shakespeare consultant, Paul PrescottProduction co-ordinator, Eleri Sydney McAuliffeSound design, Catherine RobinsonA BBC Audio Drama Wales production

Cymbeline

<description>&lt;p&gt;by Kamal Kaan and Mary Cooper
Episode 1 - Naila's Story&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Naila is a bright teenager in Bradford. Her parents want her to go to university to study medicine, and they don't want any distractions. But Naila loves cricket, and gets involved in the nascent school female cricket team. Three of the girls become firm friends and call themselves 'Bat Girls'. The team shows real promise and starts to do very well. But will this get in the way of Naila's parents' ambitions for her?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;NAILA..............................................Yazmin Kayani
KARISHMA................................... Amy Leigh Hickman
ROSHINA .......................................Saba Amini
MARIYA...........................................Natalie Davies
QADIR/ TAHIR...............................Ash Tandon
MRS HEMINGWAY/ MUM........ Purvi Parmar
MR CHATTERJEE...........................Sushil Chudasama&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Production Co-ordinator - Lorna Newman
Studio Manager - Amy Brennan
Script Advisers - Sara De Jong and Zainab Goreja
Sound Design - Sharon Hughes
Director/Producer - Gary Brown&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A BBC Studios Audio Production&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Special thanks to Duckinfield Cricket Club, Shivanie Patel (Bradford Park Avenue Ladies' Cricket Club), Katie Stewart (Yorkshire Cricket Board) and Mariam Ali - (Refugee Action, Bradford)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Show less&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Story about how a young, female South Asian cricket team became Yorkshire champions.

by Kamal Kaan and Mary Cooper
Episode 1 - Naila's StoryNaila is a bright teenager in Bradford. Her parents want her to go to university to study medicine, and they don't want any distractions. But Naila loves cricket, and gets involved in the nascent school female cricket team. Three of the girls become firm friends and call themselves 'Bat Girls'. The team shows real promise and starts to do very well. But will this get in the way of Naila's parents' ambitions for her?NAILA..............................................Yazmin Kayani
KARISHMA................................... Amy Leigh Hickman
ROSHINA .......................................Saba Amini
MARIYA...........................................Natalie Davies
QADIR/ TAHIR...............................Ash Tandon
MRS HEMINGWAY/ MUM........ Purvi Parmar
MR CHATTERJEE...........................Sushil ChudasamaProduction Co-ordinator - Lorna Newman
Studio Manager - Amy Brennan
Script Advisers - Sara De Jong and Zainab Goreja
Sound Design - Sharon Hughes
Director/Producer - Gary BrownA BBC Studios Audio ProductionSpecial thanks to Duckinfield Cricket Club, Shivanie Patel (Bradford Park Avenue Ladies' Cricket Club), Katie Stewart (Yorkshire Cricket Board) and Mariam Ali - (Refugee Action, Bradford)Show less

Bat Girls

<description>&lt;p&gt;Esme’s meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time. But when she discovers a dark family secret, making a good impression becomes the least of her worries… Chloë Myerson’s modern-day folk-horror story about family and fate, inspired by the writing of Hans Christian Andersen.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;CAST
Esme ..... Máiréad Tyers
Danny ..... Josh Bryant-Jones
Susanna ..... Jane Slavin
Tim ..... Nicholas Woodeson
The Storyteller .... David Menkin
Agneta ..... Kitty O’Sullivan&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Written by Chloë Myerson
Directed by Anne Isger
Sound by Ali Craig and Andy Garratt&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A BBC Audio Production&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Esme’s meeting-the-parents on a mini-break from hell, in this modern day folk-horror.

Esme’s meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time. But when she discovers a dark family secret, making a good impression becomes the least of her worries… Chloë Myerson’s modern-day folk-horror story about family and fate, inspired by the writing of Hans Christian Andersen.CAST
Esme ..... Máiréad Tyers
Danny ..... Josh Bryant-Jones
Susanna ..... Jane Slavin
Tim ..... Nicholas Woodeson
The Storyteller .... David Menkin
Agneta ..... Kitty O’SullivanWritten by Chloë Myerson
Directed by Anne Isger
Sound by Ali Craig and Andy GarrattA BBC Audio Production

The Mini-Break

<description>&lt;p&gt;Entertaining drama from award-winning writer Matthew Broughton exploring probably the biggest turning point in recent history: the creation of the World Wide Web, and its impact on one family in the decades that follow.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In August 1991, the first website goes live. At exactly the same time, a baby is born...&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Julie....Claudie Blakley
Vic....Dana Haqjoo
Young Lucy...Astrid le Fleming
Lucy....Katie Redford
Young Ben....Bertie Creswell
Ben....Luke Nunn
Narrator....Peter Marinker
With the voices of Josh Bryant-Jones, Jessica Enemokwu, Laura Power, Maxim Reston.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Technical producers...Keith Graham, Andy Garratt, Peter Ringrose
Production co-ordinator...Jonathan Powell&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Written by Matthew Broughton
Directed by Abigail le Fleming&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Extract from 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, BBC audio, © International Olympic Committee.
Extracts of Sir Tim Berners-Lee from an interview with CNBC, and The Richard Dimbleby Lecture: The World Wide Web - A Mid-Course Correction, BBC&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Drama exploring the impact of the invention of the World Wide Web.

Entertaining drama from award-winning writer Matthew Broughton exploring probably the biggest turning point in recent history: the creation of the World Wide Web, and its impact on one family in the decades that follow.In August 1991, the first website goes live. At exactly the same time, a baby is born...Julie....Claudie Blakley
Vic....Dana Haqjoo
Young Lucy...Astrid le Fleming
Lucy....Katie Redford
Young Ben....Bertie Creswell
Ben....Luke Nunn
Narrator....Peter Marinker
With the voices of Josh Bryant-Jones, Jessica Enemokwu, Laura Power, Maxim Reston.Technical producers...Keith Graham, Andy Garratt, Peter Ringrose
Production co-ordinator...Jonathan PowellWritten by Matthew Broughton
Directed by Abigail le FlemingA BBC Audio Production for BBC Radio 4Extract from 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, BBC audio, © International Olympic Committee.
Extracts of Sir Tim Berners-Lee from an interview with CNBC, and The Richard Dimbleby Lecture: The World Wide Web - A Mid-Course Correction, BBC

This Is For Everyone

<description>&lt;p&gt;It’s 1984. In a mining village in the Welsh Valleys, Alys is doing her O-Levels, falling in love, and just being a teenager.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Then, the Miners’ Strike starts. And everything changes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Forty years later, reeling from her marriage break up, Alys takes her son on a day out in the Valleys: to the zip wire above the site of Tower Colliery. Soon, she finds herself revisiting the year that altered her family’s lives irrevocably.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Siân Owen’s drama is about the children of the Miners’ Strike - and its legacy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By Siân Owen&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Young Alys... Caitlin Griffiths&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Older Alys... Mali Harries&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cai.... Shaheen Jafargholi&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Samuel.... Nicholas McGaughey
Sue... Lisa Zahra&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Jacob.... Jamie Redford&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cai’s Dad and Eddie.... Rhys Ap William&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sarah.... Jemima Nicholas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Paul.... Rory Kelleher&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Production Co-ordinator, Lindsay Rees&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Sound Design, Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Director and Producer, Fay Lomas&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A BBC Audio Drama Wales Production&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Siân Owen's drama about the Miners' Strike, to coincide with the 40th anniversary.

It’s 1984. In a mining village in the Welsh Valleys, Alys is doing her O-Levels, falling in love, and just being a teenager.Then, the Miners’ Strike starts. And everything changes.Forty years later, reeling from her marriage break up, Alys takes her son on a day out in the Valleys: to the zip wire above the site of Tower Colliery. Soon, she finds herself revisiting the year that altered her family’s lives irrevocably.Siân Owen’s drama is about the children of the Miners’ Strike - and its legacy.By Siân OwenYoung Alys... Caitlin GriffithsOlder Alys... Mali HarriesCai.... Shaheen JafargholiSamuel.... Nicholas McGaughey
Sue... Lisa ZahraJacob.... Jamie RedfordCai’s Dad and Eddie.... Rhys Ap WilliamSarah.... Jemima NicholasPaul.... Rory KelleherProduction Co-ordinator, Lindsay ReesSound Design, Catherine Robinson and Nigel LewisDirector and Producer, Fay LomasA BBC Audio Drama Wales Production

Land of my Father

Every Friday we bring you a new drama from BBC Radio 4 or Radio 3. Exercise your imagination with some of the best writers and actors on radio. Storytelling at its very best.

Drama of the Week

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