DescriptionTimothy West is held in high regard and great affection for his versatility and his reliability. He has played roles as diverse as Edward VII and Thomas Beecham, Falstaff and Uncle Vanya, Stalin and Churchill, and he became a household name in the TV series Brass . He has played in the West End, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, toured the country doing the classics, performed Dickens and Dostoyevsky on television, has had a stint running the Old Vic, and married an actress called Prunella Scales. But, as he tells it, it all seems to happen a bit by accident, a bit by surprise. The modesty is engaging. The humour is irresistible. Now in his 60s, his autobiography reveals him as a natural writer, a brilliant raconteur, and a man deeply concerned about the health of his profession.
DescriptionIt's more than 20 years since single art teacher Marion Hardcastle visited Italy, but memories of that happiest of times still haunt her. So when Tom and Janice invite her on holiday, the lure of a Tuscan Palazzo proves irresistible. However, Marion soon realizes that she might not have a lot in common with her holiday companions, and the fabulously rude owner is more interested in entertaining her celebrity visitors than her other guests. But slowly, under the hot Italian sun, the barriers between the groups start to melt.
DescriptionFather and son Julian and Jamie Glover star as King Henry and his son, Hal, in this powerful production, which also stars Timothy West and Prunella Scales. In the acclaimed BBC Radio Shakespeare series, each play is introduced by Richard Eyre, former director of the Royal National Theatre.
DescriptionPatricia Routledge and Prunella Scales star in Ladies of Letters and Ladies of More Letters, the two popular BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour series. Patricia Routledge is Vera Small and Prunella Scales is her friend (or maybe enemy), Irene Spencer. The two pass their time in regular correspondence and not an event goes by that is left unrecorded by the ladies of letters. Firstly there are the usual family problems to discuss. Vera's daughter is a single mother and always the cause of much frustration, especially when she runs off to Australia where Irene is visiting her daughter. Vera's gay son Howey is more settled, sharing his sheep farm with partner Anthony. Always polite but not always nice, the two ladies' letters are often acerbic, one might even say bitchy, yet their subtle put downs create wonderful letters full of humour and insight into the ups and downs of family life.
