The Rosenthals: Eskimo Day

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Pooky Quesnel

Nicholas Gleaves

Ben Miles

Lucy Robinson

David Moorst

Rosie Day

Timothy West

Samuel West

Georgie Glen

Sarah Ridgeway

Maeve Bluebell Wells

Simon Ludders

David Sturzaker

Chetna Pandya

Jack Rosenthal

Amy Rosenthal

Marion Nancarrow

Drama on 4: The Rosenthals: Eskimo Day

Eskimo Day

The Rosenthals

BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, The Rosenthals, Eskimo Day

Jack Rosenthal's poignant comedy drama, set on interview day in Cambridge.

4 Extra Debut. 1996: interview day at Cambridge University and it seems it’s not just the would-be students who are nervous. Stars Ben Miles.

1996 and it's interview day at Cambridge University. As well as nerves, hopefuls Pippa from Cheltenham and Neil from Blackburn must also endure the embarrassment of their parents' company. 

But as the day progresses, it seems it's not the children who are most in need of help...

Real-life father and son, Timothy and Samuel West, guest star as fictional father and son, James and Simon. Simon's a University lecturer trying to juggle interviews and persuade his father to go into a home. But his father is not quite ready to give in yet....

Written by Jack Rosenthal
Adapted for radio by Amy Rosenthal

Shani Whittle    ......    Pooky Quesnel
Bevis Whittle    ......    Nicholas Gleaves
Hugh Lloyd    ......    Ben Miles
Harriet Lloyd    ......    Lucy Robinson
Neil Whittle    ......    David Moorst
Pippa Lloyd    ......    Rosie Day
James Poole    ......    Timothy West
Simon Poole    ......    Samuel West
Mother Polly    ......    Georgie Glen
Mme Olga    ......    Georgie Glen
Miss Bodley    ......    Sarah Ridgeway
Rosemary    ......    Sarah Ridgeway
Isobel Wilding    ......    Maeve Bluebell Wells
Rosemary's Dad    ......    Simon Ludders
Big Issue Vendor    ......    Simon Ludders
Student    ......    David Sturzaker
DJ    ......    David Sturzaker
Care Home Interviewer    ......    Chetna Pandya

Playwright Amy Rosenthal's father, Jack, was a prolific and much-loved dramatist and this is the first of two linked comedy dramas he wrote in the 1990s ("Cold Enough for Snow" follows next Friday). Amy has adapted her father's dramas for radio and written a new drama, "Thin Ice", inspired by what happened when she went to University.

Produced and directed by Marion Nancarrow

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2017.

Drama on 4: The Rosenthals

BBC Radio 4

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

Trilogy of plays, two written by Jack Rosenthal and one by his daughter Amy.

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