Martin Jarvis and Rosalind Ayres direct a star cast in this sparkling PG Wodehouse comedy.
Dramatised by Archie Scottney
Poets at Blandings
It's the 1920s and Edward Bennett is Psmith (the P is silent!). He’s as broke as the Ten Commandments and advertises himself to ‘go anywhere, do anything. Crime not objected to!’
Down at idyllic Blandings Castle, affably vague Lord Emsworth (Martin Jarvis) prepares to travel to London to collect a famous poet who’s been invited to Blandings by Emsworth’s fearsome sister Constance (Patricia Hodge).
Emsworth’s son Freddie (George Blagden) sees Psmith’s advert. He needs someone to steal his aunt’s necklace! In town, the Earl mistakes Psmith for the poet. Psmith spots lovely Eve Halliday (Susannah Fielding). He falls in love on sight. Freddie hires Psmith to do the stealing.
Impostors at Blandings
Impoverished Psmith (Edward Bennett), a guest at Blandings Castle, is smitten by library cataloguist Eve Halliday (Susannah Fielding).
She believes him to be renowned poet Ralston McTodd. But Psmith has been secretly hired by Lord Emsworth’s son Freddie to steal his Aunt’s valuable necklace. Freddie plans to sell the jewels so he can finance himself as a bookie.
But further impostors become involved - Miss Peavey and Eddie Cootes. Lord Emsworth (Martin Jarvis) and butler Beach (Lloyd Owen) get drawn in. Who finally will purloin the necklace?
Love and crime, hand-in-hand. A thrilling farce ensues.
Cast:
Psmith ..… Edward Bennett
Eve Halliday ..… Susannah Fielding
Constance ..… Patricia Hodge
Freddie ..… George Blagden
Joe Keeble ..… Nigel Anthony
Lord Emsworth ..… Martin Jarvis
Miss Peavey/Liz ..… Lisa Dillon
Jackson ..… Ifan Meredith
Miss Clarkson/Detective Simmons ..… Lucy Phelps
McTodd/Eddie ..… Kieran Hodgson
Baxter ..… Joe Bannister
Beach ..… Lloyd Owen
Other parts: Matthew Wolf, Darren Richardson, Daisy Hydon
Directed by Rosalind Ayres and Martin Jarvis
A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4
https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArrWZcg2lV80k14nXEM_IEhzCi4e?e=xCKdH3
Replies
Thanks so much!!
Thanks
Thanks, William. I love Wodehouse!!
Many thanks, ww!