Described as “a taut political thriller in six parts.”
Nigel Baldwin - Burnt - Radio 4 Extra
It started yesterday (28.02.2018) and runs daily, repeated several times, and available on iPlayer Radio for up to 30 days.
It won’t be up everyone’s street, but if you are a dinosaur like me who still enjoys radio drama, especially thriller type escapist stuff, then it might be for you. I say “not Welsh”, but there was a sprinkling of authentic-sounding Welsh in the 2 episodes I’ve heard so far.
It comes from 1990, so a bit dated (but then, I still like “Paul Temple”, and some of those are from the 1940s!).
It stars Dennis Waterman, who is clearly not Welsh, but also features Richard Elfyn and “Michael” Povey, and other actors whose names I don’t know, but mostly look like Welsh names.
I’m a big R4Extra fan, and love the dramas - Sherlock Holmes, Paul Temple, Detective (Ray Brookes), Annika Stranded, etc. Listened to episode 1 of Burnt - interesting…! Trying to work out where the fictional places are!
Did you follow the two series of Tracks? One is in West Wales, the second is in Snowdonia. Both on BBC Radio iPlayer for another two months.
I can’t find his exact date of birth, but judging by some newspaper articles I found, it’s probably about 1960, so he was only around 30 then. He’s also in an episode of “A Mind to kill” (which I have in a boxed set), made in the early 1990’s, and he looks incredibly young in that. He’s playing (IIRC) a classical musician, the protegé (and possible toyboy) of a rich society lady, wearing bohemian clothes and long (in an “artistic” not a rock star sense) hair. Looks very different from his recent roles!
Oh well then, that’s “Burnt” finished. Thought it ended rather oddly, but still, good escapist fun. Well, escapist now. Maybe not so much when it was still a “burning” issue (pardon the pun).
And tomorrow - a treat - Vintage Sherlock Holmes with Carleton Hobbs and Norman Shelley! I was brought up on these two as Holmes and Watson, and for me, they are still definitive. I quite like Clive Merrison, but Carleton Hobbs’s Holmes was gentler and more humane.
Yes, I was a bit dissatisfied with Burnt as well. It felt as though it was hurriedly wrapped up.
Excellent Sherlock this morning! I’m writing a murder mystery set in North Wales - with the odd Welsh phrase too (watch this space!). There is a paragraph when a character compares vintage portrayals of Holmes and Watson - he prefers Jeremy Brett.
Ah! I see the second series of The Citadel is on BBC R4 as the 15 minute drama, set in the 1920s in ‘Drineffy’ South Wales. Fear not, @mikeellwood - we can still get our fix of Not Welsh But Set In Wales radio drama!
