Drama on 3: Benny & Hitch

Original version

BBC Radio 3 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Third Programme.

BBC Radio 3

Radio 3

Drama on 3

Drama

Series of drama performances, ranging from experimental works to the Classics

Benny & Hitch

BBC Radio 3 - Drama on 3, Benny & Hitch

The extraordinary and explosive relationship between Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock

The explosive relationship between Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Hitchcock brought to life by Andrew McCaldon with the BBC Concert Orchestra, starring Tim McInnerny and Toby Jones.

By Andrew McCaldon
The extraordinary and explosive relationship between director Alfred Hitchcock and the film composer Bernard Herrmann. Recorded live at Alexandra Palace with the BBC Concert Orchestra playing Herrmann's scores from the partnership's iconic films - Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho.

Bernard Herrmann ..... Tim McInnerny
Alfred Hitchcock ..... Toby Jones
Alma Hitchcock ..... Joanna Monro
Lucy Anderson/Tippi ..... Tara Ward
Lew Wasserman/Cary/Paul ..... Jonathan Forbes 
BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Ben Palmer

Produced by Neil Varley and Tracey Neale
Directed By Tracey Neale


By the late 1950s Herrmann and Hitchcock – known to each other as ‘Benny’ and ‘Hitch’ – have formed the most famous composer-director partnership in film history, creating masterpieces of cinema together, including Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho. 

But with tensions growing between the two maverick artists and change afoot in the movie industry, Benny and Hitch’s collaboration and friendship comes to a catastrophic end at a recording session for the film Torn Curtain. But who is really responsible for the break-up? From beyond the grave, Benny and Hitch set out to determine which man has blood on their hands? 

Recorded in front of an audience at Alexandra Palace and starring two stellar actors, Tim McInnerny and Toby Jones, this thrilling and witty drama, will feature  performances of Bernard Herrmann’s music by the brilliant BBC Concert Orchestra. 

Writer:
Andrew McCaldon worked with the BBC as a key creative on Ten Pieces, for which he wrote a series of acclaimed films and BBC Proms concerts. He has also combined music and drama in numerous shows for the BBCCO, BBCSO and the BBC Singers. Other recent writing work includes: Wemba’s Dream, a community music-drama event with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, for which Andrew acted as Creative Director (2021); Abracadopera!, an original TV opera-comedy-drama, created and written by Andrew for English National Opera and broadcast on Sky Arts and Sky Kids (June 2022); and Gnomus, a site-specific play for Puppets With Guts staged at Stonehenge (April 2022).
 
Cast & Performers:
Tim McInnerny’s upcoming work includes Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 and Joshua Oppenheimer’s musical feature The End. He is a regular in One Day for Netflix. His recent television credits include the UK version of Call My Agent, The Trial of Christine Keeler and a guest lead in Sky's Gangs of London.

Toby Jones's recent film work includes The Instigators and The Actor. Television work includes Ruth, Mr Bates vs The Post Office and The Long Shadow. Toby adapted and starred in the Audio Drama - If On A Winter’s Night A Traveller.
 
Joanna Monro has been a member of the BBC Radio Drama Company several times. Her TV credits include Doctors and Doctor Who. She was a presenter on That's Life and her theatre credits include Blood Brothers and Mamma Mia!

Tara Ward has worked in film, television, stage and radio. Recent appearances were in the film Justice League and Sky TV's Riviera. She played Mrs March in Radio 4's Little Women. Tara has written a number of books on personal development.

Jonathan Forbes played the lead role in the film Conspiracy of Silence. TV highlights include Hornblower, Foyle's War and Black Mirror. He played Sharon Hogan's brother in Catastrophe for Channel 4. He also starred in Radio 4's returning series Tracks.

The BBC Concert Orchestra appears on Radio 2's Sunday Night Is Music Night as well as exploring music from classical to contemporary on Radio 3. Soundtracks include Blue Planet and Serengeti for BBC 1 and in February it worked with over 20 artists for Radio 2's Piano Room Month. It appears annually at the BBC Proms and at London's Southbank Centre.

The Conductor, Ben Palmer is Chief Conductor of the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck in Darmstadt and Babylon Orchester Berlin and Artistic Director of Covent Garden Sinfonia. He is one of Europe's most sought-after specialists in conducting live to picture. 

Production Team:
Directed by Tracey Neale
Produced by Neil Varley & Tracey Neale 
Production Co-Ordinators, Ben Hollands, Ayesha Labrom & Hannah O'Reilly

Technical & Outside Broadcast Team:
Chris Rouse, Alison Craig, Gilly Chauhan, Simon Nicklinson and Jon Wilson

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Drama on 3

Benny & Hitch

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 3

About BBC Radio 3