Two (final) Pipe Problems

[JakeTucker]

I wasn't expecting any more of these. From the BBC blurb it looks like these will be the final episodes (where have I heard that before). The very final episode (airing tomorrow Tuesday) sounds like a real corker with it's MR James theme and set somewhere similar to Seaburgh, sorry that should be Aldeburgh.

I should be able to upload the second episode around the same time tomorrow. Here's the link to the Skydrive Two Pipe Problems folder where you will also find every Two Pipe Problem to date.

Skydrive_Two-Pipe-Problems

Two Pipe Problems
by Michael Chaplin

BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Drama
Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 November 2013

1/2 - I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends
Following the sad death of Richard Briers earlier this year, in the first of these two final episodes of Two Pipe Problems, Stanley Baxter as Sandy is joined by Geoffrey Palmer as his friend and fellow sleuth William Parnes.

A new chef is in the kitchen at The Old Beeches and he's cooking up a storm and delighting the residents, with Sandy as his willing and enthusiastic sous-chef. But things begin to go badly wrong after a visiting concert party sing a Beatles song which triggers unhappy memories for Albie the Chef (played by the late Felix Dexter).

William and Sandy go in search of Albie and his son, and a successful father and son reunion is celebrated in song.

Young Terrell Forde, who recently starred in Matilda in the West End, joins the company to play and sing the role of Albie's son, accompanied by David Shaw-Parker as his step dad, David Holt as memory man Billy, and Tracey Wiles as the warm hearted Old Beeches care assistant Karen.

Cast:
Sandy Boyle ..... Stanley Baxter
William Parnes ..... Geoffrey Palmer
Albie ..... Felix Dexter
Karen/ Sadie ..... Tracy Wiles
Billy ..... David Holt
Edgar/ Lewis ..... David Shaw-Parker
Jonathan ..... Terrell Forde

2/2 - The House on the Marsh
In this final Two Pipe Problem, William and Sandy travel to a windswept wintry Suffolk in search of William's inheritance, where they are haunted by ghosts from the past and threats from the present, and William makes a life changing decision about his future.

This week marks the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten, and his opera Peter Grimes is woven into this final episode of Two Pipe Problems. The opera is set in Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast from which Britten drew so much inspiration. Writer Michael Chaplin was inspired to create a story that drew on that landscape and the creation of Peter Grimes, but also paid homage to the genius of MR James' ghost story, Oh Whistle And I'll Come You, My Lad.

Stanley Baxter is once again joined by Geoffrey Palmer playing William, and Stephen Critchlow and Linda Broughton playing a mother and son who bear a grudge, in this haunting story - an entertaining and touching farewell to the series.

Cast:
Sandy Boyle ..... Stanley Baxter
William Parnes ..... Geoffrey Palmer
Ellen ..... Linda Broughton
Jeremy (Policeman) ..... Stephen Critchlow

[Jim Duthie]

Thank you Jake

[Magersfontein]

Many thanks, Jake! (Only just catching up with these...)

Roger

[abby]

Thanks, Jake, these make great listening!!

[Gerald Lea]

Thanks! These are a big surprise - it's a little puzzling why they're stopping after going to the trouble of recasting.

[JakeTucker]

Maybe the script for the first episode was completed before the death of Richard Briers whilst the second episode was penned after.

[JakeTucker]

Really enjoyed the second episode.
I meant to mention yesterday that the Radio 4 announcer said before the first episode that it's dedicated to Felix Dexter. He died at the age of 52 in October this year of multiple myeloma. He played Albie in the first episode.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Dexter

[Steve Kostelecky]

Thanks again, Mr. Jake!

[JakeTucker]

I have just uploaded today's episode to the same folder linked to in the first post.

[Anson (Bob) Roberts]

Thank you sir!

[TheMadBlonde]

THANK YOU! These look delightful!