BBC Radio Drama Collection - Wally K Daly

Wally K. Daly was a prolific, award-winning dramatist, whose TV writing credits included Casualty, Juliet Bravo and Doctor Who. He also wrote 38 radio plays during his 30-year career, across a range of genres including comedy, horror and science fiction.

Presented here is a collection of twelve of Daly’s BBC Radio plays which demonstrate the breadth of the writer’s range.

2004
Out of a chaotic society generated by crime and violence steps a new Prime Minister with a mission, preaching a high-tech vision of a crime-free nation.
Quinley …. Bill Nighy
Lyle …. Derek Waring
Franklin …. David Collings
Jason …. Michael Cochrane
Petra …. Christine Milwood
Quarme …. Anton Phillips
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by David Hitchinson.
First broadcast on the BBC World Service in March 1995

625Y
Research scientist Kate Brown makes a dramatic discovery in her laboratory about human genes. Scientists try to hang on to the news that they’ve found a way to extend human life. First the politicians, and then the people, find out. Very quickly things turn very nasty. Intriguingly imagines what would happen if a research scientist discovered a gene that could determine a man or a woman’s natural lifespan.
Kate Brown …. Amanda Root
Professor Slingsby …. Geoffrey Whitehead
Joe Barnard …. Jon Strickland
Reporter …. Elizabeth Conboy
Prime Minister …. Chris Tranchell
Minister of Defence …. Ian Masters
Major Peters …. Brett Usher
Danny Flowers …. Stuart Milligan
Lab Technician …. Harry Myers
Minister of Health …. Sandra Clark
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by Gordon House
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1999

A Plague of Goodness
An American evangelist’s message is having a devastating effect in the United States. He asks to come to Britain. Will he be allowed in? What is the reason for his success? What influence do his wife and chief agent have?
Grant D. Rascovitch ….. Lee Patterson
Elly, his wife ….. Carole Boyd
Jerry Lancombe, Jr ….. Peter Marinker
The Minister ….. Donald Hewlett
Cindy ….. Annabelle Lanyon
Simpson ….. Andrew Branch
Brigadier ….. Allan Cuthbertson
President ….. Chris Barrie
Head of the CIA ….. Paul Maxwell
American Cardinal ….. David March
Archbishop ….. Edward de Souza
Air Force Chief ….. Garard Green
Bomber pilot/Mafia thug ….. David Learner
TV producer ….. Ronald Herdman
CIA Operative/Mafia thug ….. Shaun Prendergast
American policeman/Waiter ….. John Church
Glaswegian/TV announcer ….. Jamie Roberts
Mafia Godfather ….. Gordon Reid
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Produced and directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 1986

For I Have Sinned
Bernard Cribbins plays an elderly priest who is haunted by the memory of one particular confession which has such a profound effect on him it makes him question his faith and his deepest held beliefs. As he struggles with his sense of failure and inadequacy he shares his innermost thoughts with the listener. He is confessing to us. This powerful monologue with its mix of dark humour and raw emotion led to the play, performance and production being nominated for a Sony award. With an introduction from Bernard in conversation with the director Martin Jenkins.
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Director Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 1999

Grigorii Efimovich Rasputin - Almost the Truth
By Wally K Daly. Has history been unjust to Rasputin? Was he anything more than a “mad monk”, unbridled lecher, and evil influence on the Russian royal family?
Rasputin ….. Robert Glenister
Tsar Nicholas ….. Michael Cochrane
Tsarina ….. Jane Whittenshaw
Makari ….. Maurice Denham
Hermogenes ….. Denys Hawthorne
Theophanes ….. Norman Bird
The Adjudicator ….. Geoffrey Whitehead
Illiodor ….. Roger May
With Emma Fielding, Julie Hallam, Stephen Critchlow, David Collings, Nicholas Boulton, David Timson, Andrew Branch, Zulema Dene, Becky Hindley and Caroline Strong
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Produced and directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 1996

Love to Hate
A stalker and his victim confront each other in court. During the course of the trial they both have to relive years of fear and rejection.
James ….. Andrew Sachs
Jennifer ….. Cathy Tyson
Council for the Prosecution ….. Becky Hindley
Clerk of Court ….. Becky Hindley
WPC Marsh ….. Natasha Pyne
Council for the Defence ….. Gavin Muir
Magistrate ….. Garard Green
Director Pam Fraser Solomon
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Produced and directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in November 2000

Nightmare World
A world-wide power failure brings chaos and terror to earth, and a curious transformation. Gary Henderson and old man Jenkins head up a mountain road to Hill House every November 13th. But on their ascent this year, the mountain begins to shake like hell on earth. And Gary? He meets himself coming back… As a worldwide power failure brings chaos and terror to Earth, one town in every country undergoes a curious and startling transformation.
Gary Henderson …… James Laurenson

Jenkins …… Nigel Anthony

AP Smith …… Peter Jeffrey

Prime Minister …… Geoffrey Whitehead

Venables …… Joe Dunlop

Kate …… Melinda Walker

Captain …… Christopher Scott

Co Pilot …… Christopher Good

Chief Scientific Officer …… John Warner

Controller …… Dominic Rickhards

Colonel …… Nicholas Courtney

Soldier …… Ian Michie
Lorna …… Cara Kelly

Joker …… Ken Cumberlidge
Billy …… Sue Sheridan

Pamela …… Jo Kendall

Jumbo Child …… Joanna Mackie
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by David Hitchinson
First broadcast on the BBC World Service in March 1989

Time Slip
Paul Williamson arrives home, only to find himself already there. What exactly is going on?
Paul …… Paul Daneman
Frank …… Donald Hewlett
Margaret …… Gwen Watford
Faye …… Norma Ronald
Harold the Barman …… Eric Allan
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Produced and directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 1983.

What’s Stigmata?
‘Stigmata, the marks of the cross, traversing a void of nearly 2,000 years to be occasionally manifested on the bodies of the worthiest of believers - the only problem being that it’s accidentally hit me, the greatest non-believer of all time.’ A well-behaved atheist finds that he has been left with the marks of The Cross……why has God singled him out? And what happens when the ‘greatest non-believer of all time’ develops mystical powers?
George ….. Peter Jeffrey
Marcia ….. Norma Ronald
Doctor ….. Moray Watson
Mr Thompson ….. George A Cooper
Mrs Thompson ….. Anne Jameson
Retreat Organiser/Vicar ….. James Thomason
Masseuse ….. Valerie Murray
Policeman ….. Jeffrey Segal
Priest ….. Sean Barrett
Charles ….. Cllfford Norgate
TV Announcer ….. Piers Burton Page
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in September 1977

Whistling Wally’s Son
In 2010, playwright Wally K Daly revisited his home town of Middlesbrough and went to the area where he had grown up in Grangetown, all of which had virtually disappeared. Most of the local industry had gone together with all the surrounding housing, school and pubs. Daly’s play recalls the street in which he lived, his earliest war time memories, the people he knew, their fears and tragedies, the ’sessions’ in bombed houses and the return of his father from a prisoner of war camp. He remembers in particular his love for his mother and the death of his father, Whistling Wally and how these events from his childhood had a profound effect on his writing career.
Kevin ….. Jamie Dickinson
Whistling Wally ….. David Seddon
Mam ….. Monica Dolan
Kitty ….. Monica Dolan
Kathleen ….. Jodie Day
Mary ….. Jodie Day
John ….. Neil Grainger
Father O’Hagan ….. Tom Bevan
Mrs Meskill ….. Marlene Sidaway
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2011

Without Fire
When Phillip gives up smoking, he gets a little bit tense - in the end it’s not just his friends, relatives and colleagues who urge him to return to the habit, even his doctor agrees with them.
Phillip ….. Paul Daneman
Sarah ….. Nonna Ronald
Barry ….. Richard Durden
Doreen ….. Jane Leonard
Managing Director ….. Bernard Brown
Doctor ….. Graham Blockey
Sandy ….. Tessa Worsley
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 1986

Yesterday’s Dreams
Two former lovers meet on the anniversary of a wedding that never happened in an encounter that is angry, affectionate and terrifying for both.
Frank ….. Gerard McDermott
Ami ….. Tracy Ann Oberman
Wɾitten ḅy Wally K. Daly
Directed by Martin Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in October 2002