Author:Nigel Baldwin,Annest Wiliam,Dennis Waterman,Ray Smith,Robert David,Full cast,Bethan Jones
Dennis Waterman stars in this taut political thriller set in the wild hinterland of North Wales
Roguish Londoner Milkie leaves a glittering society gala to do a favour for glamorous actress Beth Williams. But no good deed goes unpunished, as Milkie soon discovers when an unexpected trip to the Welsh mountains sees him embroiled in a murderous conspiracy.
Nationalism is running riot in this corner of the country, and the local villages and towns have been rocked by arson and bloodshed. Breweries and newspaper offices have been torched, and now an old lady has been brutally beaten, her house ransacked. Suspicion falls on a group of fanatics called The Soldiers of the Red Dragon - but could someone else be behind the attack on Valmai, and if so, what's their endgame?
Milkie's out of his depth in this harsh landscape. He doesn't speak Welsh, the locals don't trust him and he doesn't know what he's getting into. But his attraction to Beth compels him to seek the truth - and soon it's not just terrorism and violence he's dealing with, but political corruption reaching right to the very top...
Written by Nigel Baldwin (The Tree of Liberty), Burnt stars Dennis Waterman as reluctant hero Milkie. It is narrated by The Teller (Ray Smith), whose breaking of the fourth wall to address Milkie gives the story a unique and surprising slant, and its predominantly Welsh cast adds to the authenticity and atmosphere of this gripping Celtic noir.
Production credits
Written by Nigel Baldwin
Produced and directed by Jane Dauncey
Original music by Laurie Scott Baker
Cast
Milkie - Dennis Waterman
The Teller - Ray Smith
Beth - Bethan Jones
Valmai - Annest Wiliam
Huw - Richard Elfyn
Dewi - Robert David
Rhys - Terry Victor
Sian - Sian Summers
Pauline - Eluned Jones
Gordon/Special Branch man - Michael Povey
Kate/Angela/Miranda - Tara Dominick
Lord Cambria/Phone man/Special Branch man - Terry Dauncey
Rushton - Timothy Bateson
Sharon - Emma Gregory
Sioned - Sue Roderick
Pauline - Eluned Jones
Special Branch man - Chris Durnall
Laura - Ri Richards
Dewi - Robert David
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 15 November-20 December 1990
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
An uplifting journey through the sheer hard work, pitfalls and thrills of navigating a great rock band to the pinnacle of success. I so enjoyed the ride!
Captures the early days of the "English bands" and their story. The ups and downs, relationships, craziness and fun... This really happened!
—— Mike RutherfordA wry and witty account of life in one of the world's biggest and unlikeliest supergroups and the music industry in its heyday... John Illsley is a charming, amusing and observant companion.
—— Mariella FrostrupFrank, funny and tender. If you loved their music, you'll adore this book.
—— Nicholas EvansFans will be mesmerized.
A collection of intimate and thoughtful conversations between the President and the Boss
—— Los Angeles TimesDo you dream of scoring an invitation to Springsteen's Colts Neck compound? Maybe strumming on those guitars, riding horses, riffing on the American experiment in the recording studio? Unless you're an American president, you're going to have to get in line. But in between daydreams, pick up Renegades. It's the closest thing to being a fly on the wall of an incredible friendship
—— EsquireMark that young man, he will make a name for himself in the world
—— Mozart after hearing the young Beethoven playTunbridge has come up with the seemingly impossible: a new way of approaching Beethoven's life and music . . . and in every chapter a superb - and accessible to non-musicians - analysis of the music . . . profoundly original and hugely readable
—— John Suchet, author Beethoven: The Man RevealedRemarkable . . . she captures the essence of his genius and character. I'll always want to keep it in easy reach
—— Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the third ReichIlluminating . . . deftly gathers in the connections . . . In 288 pages, Tunbridge gives us detail enough to create a rounded portrait . . . She makes us marvel at Beethoven all the more
—— Fiona Maddocks , ObserverYou don't have to be a music scholar to enjoy this brilliant, and pleasingly concise book. But, if you don't love Beethoven, both the man and his music, when you start, you should by the time you finish
—— Roger Alton , Daily MailCuts straight to the action . . . Tunbridge balances the traditional narrative of universal, timeless genius, of innovation before its time, with a pragmatic, jobbing musician working hard to make a living
—— Alexandra Coghlan , SpectatorCompact but also rewarding...a lot of information is packed into her musical portraits
—— Richard Fairman , Financial TimesLaura Tunbridge finds something fresh to say about Beethoven by looking at his life through nine pieces... An entertaining way to celebrate the great man's 250th birthday
—— James Marriott , Sunday Times Books of the YearA twinkling elucidation of concert life in Vienna... fluent, concise and engaging
—— Paul Griffith , Times Literary SupplementLaura Tunbridge, in her new biographical study, has found an elegant way to give Beethovenian heroism and struggle its due, while slyly plucking at the reverse of Solomon's martial banner... Each chapter delivers its little shock of correction
—— James Wood , London Review of BooksLaura Tunbridge offers a timely portrait of the composer in an elegant biography . . . refreshingly, [she] focuses on the man rather than the myth. Knowledgeable and humane, this is a deeply sympathetic portrait of a turbulent musical genius
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailTunbridge never stints on musical description, nor compromises her admirable rigour, while her prose is vivid, crystal-clear and never less than fascinating . . . a wonderfully rewarding book
—— Jessica Duchen , Classical Music MagazineSimmering with sexual tension, this hugely enjoyable ensemble narrative turns on a raucous party.
—— Mail on SundayMalibu Rising is finely crafted commercial fiction, escapism in high definition, a quintessential beach read... If Nina Riva's party is the hottest ticket of the summer, then Malibu Rising is a front-row seat at the main event.
—— Irish TimesA gorgeous, sun-soaked novel that delves into the glamour and desperate hope of 1980s Malibu, and the saga of a family that will never be the same again.
—— The SkinnyThe perfect summer novel, a vibrant story filled with sun, surfing, and flawed but lovable characters.
—— Daily BeastAfter a year where most people stayed home, it's a great time to escape to the beach, even if only through Reid's writing.
—— IndependentThis glamourous, compulsive novel is best enjoyed from your sun lounger with a cocktail in hand.
—— Good HousekeepingA deliciously decadent tale of sex, tragedy, celebrity, surfboards and tanned skin in 1980s Malibu.
—— The TimesI absolutely loved her book.... It's an absolute blast to read
—— Alice- Azania JarvisJACKIE COLLINS, BUT BETTER Sacrilege to say "better", I know, but there we are. Set in the 1980s, Taylor Jenkins Reid's Malibu Rising is wonderfully written, intensely evocative and concerns the model/ surfer children of a rock star. Tons of glamour, tons of sharply observed insights about sibling relationships, plus a massive party. Beach read par excellence. See also her brilliant Daisy Jones & the Six, which is heaven (more rock stars).
—— AnonymousWhen we picked up Malibu Rising, the new novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, we could barely put it down
—— That's LifeYou'll never want this book to end, it will suck you in and spit you out!
—— Muddy Stilettos