This production - adapted by John Tams and Sally Ward at the behest of the author - is a moving tale of a boy's extraordinary bond with his horse during World War One. The story of a farm horse sold from Devon into the mire, wire and machine guns of the Great War of 1914-1918 brings together a stellar cast, including Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn and Bob Hoskins, with music and songs from some of the UK's finest folk musicians. This drama was directed by John Tams, who was nominated for an...

Brenda Blethyn, Lesley Manville and Phil Davis star in this special Mike Leigh collection, featuring the iconic hit Abigail’s Party and a banned play from the BBC archivesOne of Britain's most prolific and influential writers, Mike Leigh has directed some of the best British films of the last 50 years, including Life is Sweet, Secrets & Lies and Vera Drake. He has written a plethora of plays for the BBC, among them the bleakly comic drama...

Two outstanding plays from a major figure of British Edwardian theatreHarley Granville Barker was one of the most influential voices in early 20th-century drama – an actor, director and playwright whose work helped shape modern British theatre. His plays are celebrated for their psychological depth, moral complexity and Chekhovian style. He is best known for his masterpiece, The Voysey Inheritance, which is presented here with his forgotten classic, Th...

A hilarious dark comedy about a football-crazy priest, starring BAFTA winner Brenda BlethynThe late Gregory Patterson was a stalwart of the Roman Catholic Parishioners. With his passing, how will Mrs Patterson cope with her headstrong daughter, Barbara? And can young Robert step into his father’s shoes and face up to new responsibilities? The man with the answers would appear to be football-crazy priest Father Benedict who tries to help the grief stricken family as...

40 of Aesop's tales, specially adapted for young children. Read by Richard Briers, Jane Horrocks, Jonathan Pryce, Alison Steadman, Richard E. Grant, Lindsay Duncan and Brenda Blethyn. Stories include: The Hare & the Tortoise/The Frogs & the Ox/The Fox & the Crow/The Monkey as King/The Bundle of Sticks/The Gnat & the Lion/The North Wind & the Sun/The Fox & the Grapes/The Dog, the Cockerel & the Fox/The Miller, His Son & the Donkey/The Wolf & the Heron/The Donkey in the Lion's Skin/The Ant &...

13 plays and dramatisations of the works of the influential playwright, novelist and essayist J. B. Priestley - plus bonus programmesJ. B. Priestley was one of Britain's most significant writers. His output was prodigious: in his lifetime, he penned 26 novels, 39 plays and hundreds of essays. He enjoyed great success on stage, notably with Dangerous Corner, Time and the Conways and An Inspector Calls, which experimented with narrative str...

A collection of Molière's finest comedies, farces and tragicomediesJean-Baptiste Pocquelin, better known by his pen-name Molière, was France's greatest satirical dramatist. Such was his influence on the French language that it is often referred to as 'the language of Molière', and he has been dubbed 'the French Shakespeare'. A leading 17th Century comic actor and director, his genius encompassed all aspects of stage comedy, and his plays continue to appeal to audie...

Three eminently respectable Yorkshire couples are in the midst of their joint silver wedding celebrations when they receive a rude shock - they are not legally married. Confronted with this revelation, the couples face a host of personal dilemmas - not to mention the fear of the public scandal that would ensue if the news were to get out. Hovering closely over the proceedings is the Yorkshire Argus’ alcohol-soaked photographer, keen to record the evening’s events for posterity, an...

The acclaimed BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Anthony Trollope's gently satirical tales of provincial lifeOne of the most respected, successful chroniclers of nineteenth-century life, Anthony Trollope is still widely read and much-loved today. The Barchester Chronicles - witty moral comedies with a wonderful range of characters - are among his most popular tales.The first in the series, The Warden, finds Rev. Harding forced to question the mo...

All 12 episodes of the fun-packed 1980s sketch showEver since that first primordial fireball exploded in the void countless aeons ago, people have been doing comic sketches on the radio. And this is no exception.These two mouth-watering series feature a whole host of tasty takeaway skits and shenanigans, from 'The Man At Parties No-One Wants To Talk To' and 'Britain's Stupidest Postman' to sauna novices, the perfect Proms punter and Batman in his dotage. Ot...

Richard Beckinsale and Robert Lindsay star in this BBC radio sitcom about a single dad left holding the babyBryan Archer's girlfriend has run off with the electrician, leaving him to raise their 18-month-old son, Albert, alone. Fortunately, Bryan's mum Pat is around to help out, but he still needs to get a job and earn enough money to pay the rent. Can he find an employer who'll let him bring Albert along?These seventeen episodes follow Bryan's mishaps and ...

Patricia Hodge stars as Cruella de Vil in this full-cast dramatisation of the much-loved story. Pongo lives happily with his human pets Mr. and Mrs. Dearly in a large house in Regent's Park. When his wife Missis produces a litter of 15 beautiful pups, life seems wonderfully complete. But the mysterious disappearance of the puppies suddenly throws everything into turmoil. Pongo, one of the keenest brains in Dogdom, quickly realises that he and Missis are the only hope for their youngsters' ...