Relayed from Christ Church, Oxford
Address by the Very Reverend H. J. WHITE ,
D.D., Dean of Christ Church

Frederick Hartley has been broadcasting, on and off, since he was twenty. That was eight years ago, in the early days of broadcasting. He had then not Jong left the Royal Academy of Music, where, a brilliant student, he was the official accompanist-a post offering probably more valuable experience than any other open to a student. Since that time he has done all kinds of work : theatre conducting and broadcasting in Swoden, playing with Jack Hylton's Band at the Kit-Cat Club, film work, and recording for the gramophone companies. At one time ho was official accompanist at the Dundee Station of the B.B.C. Fred Hartley and his Novelty Quintet are now among the regular broadcasters, a fact which is in itself an endorsement of their popularity.

Directed by Guy Daines

The first part of the programme of Christmas greetings that precedes the King's broadcast message to the Empire this afternoon is designed to illustrate the celebration of Christmas in the British Isles. The programme begins with a picture of London at Christmas. A microphone tour of the country follows, showing Christmas as a festival for children, Christmas in the churches, and Christmas in the homes of Devonshire, - South Wales, Lancashire. Northern Ireland, and the Highlands of Scotland. This sequence is followed by n series of flashes showing the country at work and play, on Christmas afternoon, including relays from a Welsh coal mine, from a lighthouse off the Northumbrian coast, and from a Scottish pantomime. At 2.45 Christmas greetings are gathered from all parts of the country, and sent by the westward radio path to the countries of the Empire. Listeners-will hear these greetings sent from London to Dublin, from Dublin to Bermuda, from Bermuda to Ottawa, from Ottawa to Wellington, from Wellington to Sydney, from Sydney to Bombay, from Bombay to Cape Town, and from Cape Town back to London. The greetings and loyal messages that have been exchanged between the peoples of the Empire are submitted to His Majesty the King, who then broadcasts to the Empire from Sandringham shortly before three o'clock.

Conductor, TOM MORGAN
VICTOR HARDING (Bass-Baritone)

Variety

' A Room at the Inn'
A Christmas Masque by ELEANOR FARJEON and HERBERT FARJEON with music by HARRY FARJEON

Old Fashioned Dances

DOROTHY SUMMERS
Comedienne
THE MYSTERY OF THE
CHRISTMAS BELLS
By J. C. CANNELL
A true story of how the famous Houdini baffled the Mayor and Magistrates of a Midland Town one Christmas Day
NONSENSE with HUGH E. WRIGHT
CHRISTMAS DAY WITH FAMOUS
FILM STARS
JENET JOYE
MODERN SYNCOPATION with HUGH MORTON and THE Two JACKS
Compere, Hugh E. Wright
Produced by MARTYN C. WEBSTER
(Midland Regional Programme)
This production is the first of a new series, to be broadcast under this, title in the Midland Region ; and Daventry listeners are to be present at the launching of the series. They will find plenty of entertainment in the mixed programme that it provides. Topping the bill is a playlet appropriately entitled The Mystery of the Christmas Bells. The author has based it on an actual incident which occurred at
Christmas time when Houdini, who had the knack of escaping from anything and everything, hoodwinked the Mayor and Mayoress of a Midland town. The artists who make up the remainder of the programme are all well known to Midland listeners, and several of them have previously broadcast to the wider audience, notably
Hugh E. Wright , who has taken part, as compere, in many Variety programmes, and Janet Joye , who has tonight a five field for her impersonations, as she will set out to show how some of the Hollywood celebrities keep Christmas Day.

(If there is any news, it will be broadcast at 9.0)

By the Right Hon. DAVID LLOYD GEORGE, O.M., M.P.
Last night listeners heard the Bells of Bethlehem, and this Christmas Day they can hear an endless variety of entertainment by turning a knob. Most of them have sight as well as hearing, and they have only to bo reminded that there are thousands in Britain who are both blind and without the means to buy a wireless set, and who are, therefore, deprived of the one thing which can provide almost every uplift and relaxation that life can give them. To no class of persons in the world can broadcasting mean so much. Mr. Lloyd George is to appeal this evening for donations towards a sum which, if subscribed, can give a wireless set to every blind person in Britain who is without one.
(The Report and Accounts of the Wireless for the Blind Fund for 1933 will be found on page 891.)

Here is a very handsome Christmas present for all listeners. For the first time in the history of broadcasting, Gilbert and Sullivan opera is being broadcast from the studio, an event triumphantly symbolic of good will. The cast is drawn from the company with which Mr. D'Oyly Carte delights theatre audiences all over the kingdom, and a G. and S. star of stars, Sir Henry Lytton, is among them on this occasion.
The dialogue of Act II is perhaps the most uproariously witty one that Gilbert ever wrote. The irrepressible Ko-Ko and the ponderous Pooh-Bah keep the ball rolling continuously as the complications of the plot unfold!
Yum- Yum, who is to marry Nanki-Poo, is making her bridal toilet with the assistance of a number of maidens. Yum-Yum sings a dainty and charming song, 'The sun, whose rays are all ablaze with ever living glory'. Then Pitti-Sing tells her that the terms of the marriage are that Nanki-Poo will be beheaded one month after the ceremony.
Ko-Ko appears on the scene and tells the lovers that, according to the Mikado's law, when a married man is beheaded his wife must submit to being buried alive. So it is not to be wondered at that Yum-Yum does not now look forward to her approaching marriage.
Ko-Ko suggests that an excellent way out of all the trouble would be to inform the Mikado that the execution of Nanki-Poo had already taken place and produce an affidavit signed by eminent witnesses. The procession enters with Mikado and Katisha at the head.
The Mikado receives the false certificate of the execution, and is told that the fellow's struggles were terrific. The Mikado now discovers that it was his son who was executed, and in consequence proclaims that Ko-Ko, Pooh-Bah, and Pitti-Sing also be punished by execution.
Meanwhile Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum are married, and Ko-Ko decides that Nanki-Poo must come to life again. Katisha enters and Ko-Ko makes love to her. At first she repulses him, but she is won over with Ko-Ko's charming song, 'Willow, tit willow,' and they get married.
The Mikado returns and Pooh-Bah, Pitti-Sing, Ko-Ko, and his wife plead for mercy. Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum appear and kneel before the Mikado. Everything is happily straightened out, and the opera closes with a grand finale, 'For he's gone and married Yum-Yum'.

THE B.B.C. DANCE ORCHESTRA, directed by HENRY HALL
(Shipping Forecast at n.o)