Prospero, Ariel, Reith And Gill
- Radio comedy drama
- BBC Radio 4
- 2010
- 1 episode
Comedy drama starring Tim McInnerny as Sir John Reith, the first Director General of the BBC. Stars Tim McInnerny, Anton Lesser, Jon Glover, David Seddon, Stephen Darcy and more.
Key details
- Genre
- Comedy Drama
- Broadcast
- 2010
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Episodes
- 1
- Stars
- Tim McInnerny, Anton Lesser, Jon Glover, David Seddon, Stephen Darcy, Tina Gray and Alison Pettitt
- Writer
- Gary Brown
- Director
- Peter Leslie Wild
- Producer
- Peter Leslie Wild
This comedy drama is a fictional account of artist Eric Gill's clash with the Corporation over his famous sculpture of Prospero and Ariel.
Gill became quite a celebrity as he carved the statue in situ on scaffolding in front of Broadcasting House. In his trademark smock and beret, he drew the attention of the tabloid papers and became known as the Married Monk. This play imagines conversations between the BBC Director General Sir John Reith and the artist as he passes him on his way into Broadcasting House each morning.
Framed with a period newsreel-style commentary, the comedy playfully deals with the perennial tension between the establishment and the artist. The strange and mysterious Gill contrasts with the authoritarian figure of Reith but, in the end, the sculpture focuses their thoughts about the role of art in the life of mankind.
Additional details
- Production
- Studio
Broadcast details
- First broadcast
- Wednesday 9th June 2010 at 2:15pm on BBC Radio 4
- Episode length
- 45 minutes
- All previous repeats
-
- Friday 25th May 2012 at 2:15pm on Radio 4