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Saturday Drama: The Bottle Factory Outing

Comedy

The Bottle Factory Outing

30/07/2005

BBC Radio 4 - Saturday Drama, The Bottle Factory Outing

Beryl Bainbridge's story, set in 1970, dramatised for radio by Jane Rogers.

Beryl Bainbridge's black comedy, set in 1970, following a group of women on their annual work trip. Dramatised by Jane Rogers.

Beryl Bainbridge's darkly comic novel The Bottle Factory Outing .

It's 1970. Two Northerners, Freda and Brenda share a bedsit in London and work in the local Bottle Factory, run by a family of Italians. On the day of the annual factory outing, the van Freda's booked fails to turn up...and things rapidly go from bad to worse... A black comedy with the suspense of a thriller . 

Brenda and Freda share a flat in London, and secrets. When Brenda confides her 'goings on' in the cellar of the bottle factory with the married Rossi, Freda decides it has got to stop. She will confront Rossi and save her friend.

The day of the planned factory outing arrives, but begins badly. Brenda and Freda end up in a Ford Cortina driven by Rossi with Vittorio beside him. At the last minute Patrick tries to squeeze in the car but is rejected by Freda.

They drive to Windsor Park for a picnic, and games. As the group drifts apart Freda is left with Vittorio. She's just about to start her seduction of him when Patrick pops up and is angry with her.

In the heat of the day, suspicions and passions flare. . 

Jane Rogers has faithfully adapted this hilarious, dark novel. Her own books include Mr Wroe's Virgins, which she adapted for TV and Island. Other adaptations for radio include Shirley by Charlotte Bronte and Lorna Doone. 


CAST DETAILS 

BRENDA.........Sian Reeves
FREDA............Sharon Percy
ROSSI...........Vincenzo Nicoli
VITTORIO..........Ernesto Tomasini
PATRICK.........James Scales
MARIA/MRS HADDON...Flaminia Cinque

Directed in Manchester by Susan Roberts.

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