Author:Tim Firth,Noel Coward,William Chaucer,E.F.Benson,M.R.James,W.W.Jacobs,Julian Rhind-Tutt,Pam Ferris,Miles Jupp,Sian Philips,Eleanor Bron,Trevor Harrison,Timothy Bentinck,Felicity Finch,Full Cast
Classic plays and ghost stories, as performed by the residents of Ambridge and friends - plus bonus drama Dead Girls Tell No Tales
Borsetshire's queen of amateur theatricals, Lynda Snell, never misses the chance to put on a Christmas show. Her productions are always a big hit with Ambridge audiences - and now, Archers fans can enjoy these top-notch performances alongside them (as well as eavesdropping on the shenanigans backstage).
In Blithe Spirit, the Ambridge Am-Dram Society and guest star Julian Rhind-Tutt recreate Noël Coward's ghostly masterpiece, and Lynda finds herself in sympathy with eccentric medium Madame Arcati as she attempts to conjure some festive high spirits. Calendar Girls sees the group taking on Tim Firth's comedy of jam and Jerusalem, along with honorary resident Siân Phillips (who starred in the original West End show). Will the intrepid cast really bare all? And in the 2-parter The Canterbury Tales, the company present barnstorming adaptations of Chaucer's classic stories of courtly love, deadly rivalry and boisterous sex - with a little bit of magic thrown in.
In Ambridge Ghost Stories, it's a cold December night, in the darkened attic of Lower Loxley. Then Jim Llloyd (John Rowe) takes to the stage to recount three spine-chilling supernatural tales from the turn of the last century - 'The Room in the Tower' by E. F. Benson, 'Lost Hearts' by M. R. James and 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. Prepare to be enthralled - and terrified...
Also included are two special seasonal pageants, The Ambridge Mystery Plays- The Nativity and The Passion and a stunning original drama by Joanna Toye. Starring Eleanor Tomlinson and Ysette Churchman and Miles Jupp Dead Girls Tell No Tales explores the real story behind the death of Grace Archer: a watershed moment in the history of broadcasting and one of the defining cultural events of the 1950s.
Production credits
Blithe Spirit
Written by Noël Coward
Adapted and directed by Sean O'Connor
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 December 2014
Calendar Girls
The accompanying pianist was Simon Taranczuk
Written by Tim Firth and based on the motion picture Calendar Girls written by Tim Firth and Juliette Towhidi. Adapted and directed by Sean O'Connor
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 December 2015
The Canterbury Tales, Parts 1 & 2
Tellers of the Tales
The Knight's Tale
The Miller's Tale
The Wife of Bath's Tale
The Sailor's Tale
The Pardoner's Tale
The Friar's Tale
The Franklin's Tale
The Bailiff's Tale
Written by Geoffrey Chaucer
Dramatised by Nick Warburton. Directed by Kim Greengrass. Produced by Alison Hindell
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 December 2018-5 January 2019
The Ambridge Mystery Plays
The Nativity
The Passion
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26th December 2021 & 2nd January 2022
Ambridge Ghost Stories
Abridged by Jeremy Osborne
'The Room in the Tower' written by E F Benson
Produced and directed by Charlotte Davey
'Lost Hearts' written by M. R. James
Produced and directed by Mel Ward
'The Monkey's Paw' written by W. W. Jacobs
Produced and directed by Charlotte Davey
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 2019-1 January 2020
Dead Girls Tell No Tales
Cast: Jon Culshaw, Pam Ferris, Lex Shrapnel, Eleanor Tomlinson, Georgie Fuller, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Sally Bretton, Simon Russell Beale, John Hopkins, Claudie Blakley, David Reed, Miles Jupp, Zeb Soanes, Paddy O'Connell, Ysanne Churchman, David Hounslow, Sam Dale, Chris Pavlo, Jessica Turner and Alex Tregear
Written by Joanna Toye. Directed by Sean O'Connor
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19 September 2015
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Completely slick and compelling, but also has such warmth and psychological insight. The characters were so real I almost found myself checking out their Wikipedia pages afterwards! It's the perfect, literal, beach read, with the emotional depth of the ocean. I was such a fan of Daisy Jones & The Six and this certainly didn't disappoint.
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—— Stylist, Best Fiction of 2021Unapologetically escapist beach read fiction, it's urgent style evocative of Hollywood Wives era Jackie Collins.
—— Sunday TimesThis summer's must-read novel.
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—— Evening StandardWhen the party starts, it's celebrity mayhem but the heart of the book is family, love and loyalty. I adored everything about this punchy and incisive take on fame and its consequences, from the sympathetic characters to the salty surf atmosphere.
—— Daily MailThink Selling Sunset with knobs on as Taylor Jenkins Reid again plunges us into the intoxicating, heat-heavy realm of intrigue of Malibu, this time amidst the world of the filthy rich.
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—— Essential Marbella MagazineMalibu Rising is as much an impressionistic whirl of neon sunsets, acid-wash denim and high-cut bikinis as it is a grand set piece about a glamorous party ... Jenkins Reid has an easy, breezy style that serves melodrama on a daring scale . . . Never has so much sex, tragedy, celebrity and tanned skin been crammed into one thinking person's beach read. It's 365 pages of pure exhilaration.
—— The TimesPerfect for whatever holiday you hopefully get to take this summer.
—— Irish IndependentA riveting, propulsive bookwith characters that stayed with me, not because they are complicated but because they are so vivid ... Full of warmth and tenderness ... Deliciously escapist, conjuring the sun and the sand.
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—— IndependentPerfectly evoking the sun-drenched and debauched backdrop that made Daisy Jones and The Six so immersive ... Addictive and fun, it's an essential addition to your summer reading list.
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—— 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.
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—— 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).
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—— That's LifeYou'll never want this book to end, it will suck you in and spit you out!
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