Author:Sue Limb,Joss Ackland,Denise Coffey,Miriam Margolyes,Clive Merrison,Alun Armstrong,Full Cast
Autumn, 1646. The English Civil War is raging, and there’s trouble ahead for Sir John and Lady Anne Firebasket. There’s a Roundhead platoon camping out in the barn, a perplexed priest hiding behind the panelling and, unbeknown to the Firebaskets, their scullery maid Mercy is actually a disguised aristocrat (and Royalist spy) named Melissa Fortescue-Bottomley.
While Mercy steels herself to carry out a deadly mission, pious steward Tobias Thynne rails against the Devil’s vegetables and Father Francis takes to the rooftops in a borrowed nightgown for a rendition of ‘Ave Maria’. With the whole household suffering from severe domestic derangement, it’s a bad time for General Cromwell to show up – and then news arrives that the fugitive King Charles has also decided to pay a visit...
As confusion reigns, Sir John takes to drink, Lady Anne takes to her bed and the New Model Army take up their muskets. Will Firebasket Hall survive the hostilities?
Scripted by Sue Limb (Gloomsbury, The Wordsmiths at Gorsemere), The Sit Crom features a wealth of comedy acting talent including Joss Ackland as Sir John Firebasket, Miriam Margolyes as Mercy and Alun Armstrong as Captain Arise Higgs.
Produced by Jonathan James-Moore
Music by Colin Sell
Cast
Sir John Firebasket – Joss Ackland
Lady Anne Firebasket – Denise Coffey
Tobias Thynne – Clive Merrison
Mercy, alias Melissa – Miriam Margoyles
Father Francis/Old Thomas – Nickolas Grace
Slow Ned/King Charles – Chris Emmett
Gazebo Fogg – Jack Klaff
Captain Arise Higgs – Alun Armstrong
Posthumous – Nicky Henson
Lettice – Jane Whittenshaw
Counter Tenor – Peter Hayward
General Cromwell – Bert Parnaby
Colonel Thundery – Peter Howell
The New Model Army – The cast
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 6 October-10 November 1990
A hugely imaginative tale that invites important debates, challenging fundamental perceptions of race, culture and history
—— Independent on SundayThis brilliant novel will fulfil [Evaristo's] purpose of making readers view the transatlantic slave trade with fresh eyes
—— The TimesA phenomenal book. It is so ingenious and so novel. Think The Handmaid's Tale meets Noughts and Crosses with a bit of Jonathan Swift and Lewis Carroll thrown in. This should be thought of as a feminist classic.
—— Women's Prize for Fiction PodcastReimagines past and present with refreshing humour and intelligence . . . human and real
—— Guardian[Blonde Roots] is a powerful gesture of fearless thematic ownership by one of the UK's most unusual and challenging writers
—— IndependentAs with a Swiftean satire, Evaristo's novel is powerful not for its fantastical elements but for its ability to bring home the horror of historical events
—— Financial TimesEvaristo remains an undeniably bold and energetic writer, whose world-view is anything but one-dimensional
—— Sunday TimesOne of Britain's most innovative authors . . . Bernardine Evaristo always dares to be different
—— New NationI knew Donal Ryan's latest would be good and I was right - it's a risky act of imagination that works, and the sentences are as beautiful as ever
—— Sarah Moss , The TimesThe lyricism of Ryan's prose, laced with compassion, is astonishing
—— Best Irish Novels of the Year , Irish IndependentWith each new novel Donal Ryan's ink seems to sink deeper into the page. In Strange Flowers he gathers together the fragments of broken lives and makes us something new and beautiful from them
—— Rónán Hession, author of Leonard and Hungry PaulA book so exquisite in its language it pushes me to want to write better ... you will love the quiet world of Paddy & Kit Gladney and all it is their daughter Moll brings to their door. Beautiful
—— Anne Griffin, author of When All Is SaidA beautiful, almost unbearably moving novel. Donal Ryan's compassion shines through every word he writes
—— Louise O’NeillThis is a novel to savour, for its mastery of language, its power of storytelling and its sure hand as it covers the sweep of time. Irish fiction was in a great place already, but Donal Ryan has gone and raised the bar again. All the beauty and sorrow of life can be found in these pages
—— Kathleen MacMahonThe lyricism of the prose can be pitch perfect, placing Ryan among the great writers of rural Ireland such as John McGahern and Mary Lavin
—— Sunday TimesIt is the sweetest, gentlest story of love ... each character so tenderly evoked
—— Saga MagazineRyan's beautifully written story reads like coming home and is a breath of fresh air
—— Best Novels of 2020 , Image MagazineTender and beautifully written ... We read this outstanding book in one sitting and will definitely return to it again
—— IndependentWhat a beautiful book, I loved it
—— Sinéad MorrisseyBeautifully observed Tipperary setting and tenderly created characters telling a story of loss and redemption ... Love permeates Ryan's work
—— Irish TimesA master with the written world and who has an insight into the Irish psyche which is not only stunning, but is hard to touch with a flame
—— Ryan Tubridy, RTE Radio 1The slim novel belies its size by packing in a whole world of exploration of social class, gender, sexuality, race, parenthood, and religion. For all its scope, nothing is shoehorned in. It's all naturally and gently explored
—— Journal.ieOne of the greatest Irish novels of this century so far
—— Sunday IndependentA brilliant and ambitious addition to a body of work from an author who is inevitably, and seemingly effortlessly, writing his way into the pantheon of great Irish novelists
—— Sunday Business PostUtterly captivating
—— Irish ExaminerRyan reaffirms his place amongst Ireland's greatest wordsmiths ... This is a book which more than justifies the hype that accompanies it
—— RTE.ieA novel carried by deep feeling and great empathy
—— Daily MailThe writing is so exquisite, the dialogue so authentic, the sympathy so deep
—— Big IssueRyan's love of people pours from every page
—— Sunday IndependentOne of the standout books for me this year. He's a master of the craft and has written a family story with humanity and warmth, turning sentence after sentence to die for
—— Kit de Waal , New Statesman, Books of the YearInventive
—— TLSA lovingly crafted story that draws you in, gets under the skin and will resonate long after
—— iThis is a captivating, spellbinding evocation of how your nearest and not-so-dearest can wreak emotional havoc.
—— PsychologiesGlitteringly good.
—— Kerry Fowler , Sainsbury’s MagazineThe Green Road has been receiving glowing reviews and it's easy to see why. The story, set over four decades, gives us deep insights into the five main characters, all of whom tell us something about ourselves as Irish people, and all of whom you are sorry to leave as a reader.
—— Edel Coffey , Irish IndependentEnright is the most extraordinary writer – her style is simple and honest, no gimmicks, just straight to the heart.
—— Victoria Hislop , Sainsbury’s MagazineA powerful evocation of leaving and returning home.
—— Ruth Scurr , Financial TimesMasterful.
—— Fiona Wilson , The TimesWatch out for it come Man Booker time.
—— Sunday TimesEnright captures beautifully the tensions of…forced festive gatherings, the sibling rivalry and the maternal melancholy of a woman who does not understand her feelings towards her own children.
—— Good Book GuideRichly and sensuously realised, it’s vivid with the particularity of places and people and bruisingly intelligent.
—— Tessa Hadley , GuardianEnright shows real insight and perception when it comes to family relationships. It’s a well-structured and well-paced narrative.
—— Mandy Jenkinson , NudgeWritten with raw and brutal honesty, this is one to savour.
—— Justine Carbery , Irish IndependentEnright’s writing is sharp and lucid and full of beautiful phrases and descriptions.
—— Reading MattersI love Enright’s style and the spidering out of the siblings’ lives.
—— Claire Skinner , Daily ExpressThere is beauty and darkness, hypocrisy and humility; it wouldn’t be an Irish novel without them.
—— Sarah Churchwell , New StatesmanThe Green Road, about one Irish family, confronts all that is essential: love, death, mothers and our own flawed selves. It is written with a kind of tenderness, beauty and insight that transmogrifies humdrum experience into the epiphanic and back again.
—— Arifa Akbar , IndependentBlisteringly funny and keenly perceptive.
—— Peter Kemp , Sunday TimesDeeply affecting, crackling with wit, and consistently magnificent.
—— Stephanie Cross , Daily MailA globe-trotting, kaleidoscopic portrait of Irish siblings and their difficult mother.
—— Justine Jordan , GuardianA magnificent novel about family and belonging told in stark yet sparkling prose.
—— StylistA fierce, funny, loosely woven family saga.
—— Alex Preston , Observer[A] darkly glinting novel of family life.
—— Ruth Scurr , The SpectatorA bravura example of shifting voices and perspectives, all of which benefit from Enright’s splendid prose and careful restraint.
—— Sarah Churchwell , New StatesmanEnright dissects [her character’s] foibles with warmth, wit and a bracing lack of sentimentality.
—— Simon Kuper , Financial TimesA book you don’t put down until it is finished, dragging you right into the heart of another Irish family as only Anne Enright can.
—— Keelin Shanley , Irish TimesA family saga, beginning with intense and beautifully detailed character studies.
—— Mark O'Halloran , Irish TimesI... enjoyed The Green Road for the dialogue, the clever narrative structure, and the gnarled, contemporary sense of family values.
—— Paul Durcan , Irish TimesI could not put it down. Chapter two is a masterpiece.
—— Edna O'Brien , Irish TimesStylish prose that charts the fortunes and misfortunes of this family over a period of 25 years.
—— Anne O'Neill , Irish TimesIn this brilliant, captivating novel, the poised, impossible and always disappointed matriarch Rosaleen Madigan makes life difficult for her children at a Christmas gathering.
—— Charlotte Heathcote , Sunday ExpressFew Novelists pick apart domestic relationships with the poetry and precision of Anne Enright.
—— Claire Allfree , MetroSharp yet oh so subtle storytelling […] this is an author at the height of her formidable powers.
—— Stephen Meyler , RTE GuideAn exquisitely written portrait of a family, and a country, on the cusp of enormous change.
—— Paul Nolan , Hot PressExquisitely written and hugely enjoyable.
—— NationalA brilliant approach to the sadness of a disconnected family, who are like satellites out of sync.
—— Anthony Cummins , Sunday TelegraphEnright’s virtuosic tale of an Irish family- the Madigans- across continents and decades withholds closure but doesn’t skimp on pleasure
—— five stars , Daily TelegraphA compelling novel, full of astute observations, beautifully written, sometimes stark and other times aching with longing
—— Collette Sheridan , Irish ExaminerThe sweep of the book and Anne Enright's way fo pulling this global migratuon story together with such energy and detail puts her in somewhere beside Toni Morrison
—— Independent, IrelandHeart-wrenching novel… The surgical precision of Enright’s writing makes you feel that she can, in Wordsworth’s words, “see into the life of things”. There is a singing simplicity to it that tugs at your heart…A masterly work.
—— Christina Patterson , Sunday TimesBeautifully observed. Enright is a great writer.
—— William Leith , Evening StandardBold and brilliant.
—— The WeekIncredible… I’m totally captivated.
—— Annie Mac , The Sunday TimesAn evocative story about family ties and belonging.
—— Western Morning NewsA brilliant read.
—— Western Morning NewsA story of fracture and family, selfishness and compassion.
—— SheerLuxe.comSharply funny portrait of an Irish family meeting for a final Christmas.
—— MetroWithin pages I was wrapped in the warmth of Enright’s prose… This is a beautiful book… Enright is unquestionably a fantastic writer who, for me with this novel, conjured up the world of a family with all its highs and lows that felt like they might be having this reunion down the end of your road… Enright does two of my favourite things in fiction. She makes the ordinary, and everything we take for granted, seem extra ordinary. She also gives voices to those who have not been able to share their tales… The writing is stunning.
—— Simon Savidge , Savidge ReadsAn evocative story about family ties and belonging. Anne Enright is deservedly a well-respected writer.
—— Western Morning NewsEnright's novels are fantastically well-crafted, eloquent and funny… Each character is beautifully realized… She finds unexpected adjectives, brilliantly exact description, the spot-on emotion. Her writing is lyrical but always unsentimental. There is pleasure in reading every paragraph, and an enormous wisdom throughout the pages.
—— MumsnetTruly wonderful… The dialogue is particularly brilliant… It completely envelops you in the story and will leave you wanting more.
—— Belfast Telegraph MorningWonderful… The dialogue is particularly brilliant, capturing all the barbed snappiness of dinner with siblings.
—— HeraldI fell headfirst into the beautifully written prose of this novel, so authentic and charming in its telling of one Irish family over more than two decades. Each vibrant character gets a turn in almost short stories of their own that feel almost like entities in their own right. I adored it.
—— Cathy Levy , Red OnlineA resonant, masterly work.
—— Sunday Times[An] exceptional novel.
—— David Nicholls , GuardianThis is a flawless book, it’s utterly flawless… It has just touched so many other readers. This book is heartbreaking… A beautiful examination of unhappy families… The power of Anne’s writing is you all see a reflection of your own family…it’s tender and it’s beautiful and deserves to be widely read.
—— Victoria SadlerEnright is undoubtedly one of our most prominent novelists
—— Elif Shafak , WeekA delicious page-turner
—— New ScientistA gripping novel with a satisfying conclusion
—— Charlotte Heathcote , Daily MirrorThe Testamnets is a cracking sequel to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and a timely warning about the lengths to which a patriarchal culture will go to control female sexuality
—— Alison Flood , Sunday TelegraphA superb and suspenseful expose of misogyny and the moral ambiguity at the heart of a fanatical regime
—— Martin Chilton, Olivia Petter and Ceri Radford , Independent, *Books of the Decade*[A] rare combination of a rollicking thriller with major political nous told one of our greatest living writers. Essential
—— Den of Geek, *Books of the Year*An era-defining masterpiece
—— Waterstones.comThe Testaments… lived up to the hype
—— Anne Carter , Daily Express, *Books of the Year*Superbly written and masterfully constructs the regime of Gilead more than its predecessor was able to
—— Will Evans , ExeposeThe extraordinary Margaret Atwood... she's fabulous'
—— Hillary Clinton , Stylist[A] compelling story
—— Jane Shilling , Daily MailAtwood's sequel shines with all the acuity and brilliance of the original, whilst continuing the story with flair and modern insight
—— Alice Manning , NouseThere is no language I could use to express the emotion and beauty behind Margaret Atwood's words. Her work takes you on a journey of emotion - whether you are ready to fight, be kind, be vulnerable, stay strong or simply be, she takes you there
—— Elisabeth MossThrilling, a meditation on courage which asks us to consider what our own response might be were we forced to choose between meek complicity and rebellion at risk of death
—— Madeleine Davies, Church TimesShe's taken our times and made us wise to them
—— Ali SmithInspiring and deeply disturbing
—— Nicola Sturgeon