The Performer

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Drama on 4: The Performer - Part 1

The Performer - Part 1

BBC Radio 4 - Drama on 4, The Performer - Part 1

Stephen Fry stars in a two-part monologue written by William Humble.

Matthew reflects on his childhood in surburban Carshalton Beeches in the 1960s, and the day his life changed when his father suddenly disappeared. Starring Stephen Fry.

Stephen Fry stars in a two-part monologue written by William Humble.

Like many adolescents, Matthew lives in a fantasy land. But where other 13 year-old boys hero-worship John Lennon or Mick Jagger, Matthew’s top of the pops is Sir Laurence Olivier. He’s theatre-mad.

So he’s always been intrigued by the story Dad often tells over Sunday lunch about the day he was stuck in London after work because of a train strike, and ended up going to the theatre to see the great Sir Laurence Olivier in Terence Rattigan’s play The Sleeping Prince.

What makes the story even more intriguing is that Dad never goes to the theatre. In fact, as Matthew and his adoring Mum agree, he never goes anywhere much at all, except for up to the City to do his boring job.

As Dad fails to return, Matthew starts to wonder if, unlikely though it sounds, his disappearance might have something to do with the night he saw Laurence Olivier in Terence Rattigan’s play.

And he tries to find out more.

When he finally meets his Dad again, he discovers things that at first shock him, then transform his relationship with his Mum, and not for the better.

It’s a play about family, father-son relationships and theatre itself, especially English theatre from the 1950s on. Olivier, Vivien Leigh and Terence Rattigan feature heavily, and a number of other theatre figures are evoked too, from Max Miller to Noel Coward to Dora Bryan.


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