The Road and the Miles to Dundee

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BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, The Road and the Miles to Dundee

A queer story of love and loss, with songs, by renowned Scottish crime writer Val McDermid

Renowned crime writer Val McDermid’s queer tale of avoiding love on the rebound and the power of family memory, with songs from Barbara Dickson as you’ve never heard her before.

Renowned Scottish crime writer Val McDermid’s semi-autobiographical queer tale of avoiding love on the rebound and the power of family memory, with songs from Barbara Dickson as you’ve never heard her before. 

Famous writer Stella has always been haunted by the song her dad used to sing at family gatherings, The Road and the Miles to Dundee. Coming out of a bad break up, and in tears from hearing that song again, Stella meets Jen, a new writer, headed for the same literary festival. 

They hit it off at once. Stella becomes tempted to break her own long-standing rules but that damn song just keeps getting in the way. 

With flashbacks to her formative experiences, and family songs and renditions that she cherishes and loathes in equal measure, Stella enables Jen to see the woman behind the famous novelist. Stella however, is expert at shooting herself in the foot, and meeting Jen is no exception. 

The two women have very different visions of what should happen next, but whose vision will prevail?

CAST
Stella … .…………………Louise Oliver
Jen .………………….….  Susannah Laing
Aunt Jean/Betty ……….. Barbara Dickson
Dad… ……………. ……. John Kazek
Andy  …..…….…………  Michael Monroe
Tenor …………………… Cameron Goodall

Written by Val McDermid
Produced and directed by Turan Ali 
A Bona Broadcasting production for BBC Radio 4
  
The Road and the Miles to Dundee is the third of three LGBTQ+ short dramas commissioned by Radio 4 for this Friday half hour slot from queer BAME production company Bona Broadcasting. The other two dramas are written by Rikki Beadle-Blair (Whoopsie, 3rd December 2021) and Philip Meeks, (Twenty Odd, 4th February 2022) - both available to hear on BBC Sounds.

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

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