BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

Saturday Drama

Drama

Thrillers, mysteries, love stories and detective fiction.

Thrillers, mysteries, love stories and detective fiction, as well as an occasional special series

Saturday Play: One Chord Wonders

Saturday Drama: One Chord Wonders: Episode 1: Parallel Lines

Parallel Lines

Episode 1

Episode 1: Parallel Lines

One Chord Wonders

BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama, One Chord Wonders, Parallel Lines

Memories are rekindled when a singer in a Blondie tribute band is invited to a reunion.

Frank Cottrell Boyce's series of plays looks at the punk generation. Julie is a singer in an ageing Blondie tribute band. An invitation to a reunion rekindles some memories.

One Chord Wonders: Parallel Lines
1/5
Frank Cottrell Boyce's series of plays about the punk generation 30 years on begins with the story of Julie, the singer in an ageing Blondie tribute band. An invitation to the reunion of the audience at an Adverts gig in 1977 brings some skeletons dancing from the cupboard.

Julie ... Doon Mackichan
Thing ... Sian Reeves
Margaret ... Rosie Cavaliero
Steve Reeves ... Ivan Kaye
Pete ... Paul Viragh
Joe ... Joseph Tremain
Lovely ... Sarah Bedi
Announcer ... John Rowe
Waiter ... Ben Crowe

Director/Producer ... Toby Swift

***********************

ONE CHORD WONDERS is a series of 5 plays by top British screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce. The series looks at the 'punk generation' three decades on, with each play telling a different, but connected, story. Featured actors include Pauline Quirke, Doon Mackichan, Sian Reeves, Richard Ridings, Danny Webb, Manjinder Virk and Fenella Woolgar.

Frank Cottrell Boyce is probably best known for films like '24 Hour Party People', 'A Cock & Bull Story', 'Hilary & Jackie', 'Welcome to Sarajevo' and 'Butterfly Kiss'. He won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2004 for 'Millions', his first novel, which was subsequently filmed by British director Danny Boyle.

The series is based on the fictional premise that in March 1977 punk band the Adverts performed a gig in Camberley to an audience of 27 people. Over 30 years later, someone is trying to bring those 27 people back together again for a reunion.

In 'Parallel Lines' Julie, a singer in an ageing Blondie tribute band, receives her invitation to the reunion. Husband and partner in the band Pete has also been invited - he was, after all, dubbed 'Zorba the Freak' for his legendary exploits that night. As she grapples with whether to go or not, she tries to track down 'Thing' (aka Anne Kirby) and Margaret, two of her contemporaries from those formative days. With so much invested in the past, Julie finds herself facing some uncomfortable truths.

The next 3 plays in the series - 'Blitzkrieg Bop', 'Damned, Damned, Damned' and 'This is the Modern World' - catch up with other, now middle-aged, members of that audience back in 1977.

The final play, 'Television's Over', takes us back 34 years to where it all begin; the day punk heroes the Adverts arrived at the Police Club in Camberley.

Saturday Drama: One Chord Wonders

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Series of plays by Frank Cottrell Boyce looking at the punk generation three decades on

Series of plays by British screenwriter Frank Cottrell Boyce looking at the punk generation three decades on. Each play tells a different, but connected, story. (Previously aired as Friday Play)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Saturday Drama

One Chord Wonders

Episode 1: Parallel Lines

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4