The Saturday Play: A Family Affair Radio 4, Saturday 2.30pm
Michael Dobbs, creator of the House of Cards trilogy and a former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, tells the story of the Iron Lady’s last days in power as dissension within the ranks of the Conservative Party in 1990 ended her premiership. Clare Higgins plays Margaret, with Stephen Moore as husband Denis.
The Songs the Beatles Gave Away Radio 2, Saturday 10pm
Well, hardly “gave away” — as well as crafting their own pop hits, Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney (and, to a lesser extent, George Harrison) also wrote a number of tunes for other artists of the era. Then, as now, songwriting is the most lucrative element of pop music — and the Lennon/McCartney double act earned plenty by writing songs for Cilla Black, Jackie Lomax, The Fourmost and others.
Archive on 4: Lord Clark - Seeing Through the Tweed Radio 4, Saturday 8pm
Kenneth Clark’s Civilisation is, to this day, characterised as the archetypal BBC documentary — authoritative but with a distinct sense of authorship. 40 years after it first aired, the Archive Hour looks at the art historian’s background, and how his TV series came to be the culmination of a career that reveals much about 20th century Britain.
Desert Island Discs Radio 4, Sunday 11.15am
Private Passions Radio 3, Sunday 12pm
Cast away on a desert island this week is a relaxed, if still melancholic, Morrissey, while Michael Berkeley’s guest is musical comedian Bill Bailey.
Classic Serial: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Radio 4, Sunday 3pm
Radio 4’s Complete Smiley series reaches arguably the finest novel in the series, and certainly the point at which Simon Russell Beale finally gets to shine, as George Smiley really comes to his own. Forced back from retirement, Smiley is tasked with identifying the mole in his department. While the shadow of the BBC TV adaptation is long, the cast list for this three-part radio version — joining Beale are Anna Chancellor, Alex Jennings, Kenneth Cranham and Maggie Steed — should ensure that it more than holds its own.
Drama on 3: The Changeling Radio 3, Sunday 8pm
A new radio adaptation of Thomas Middleton and William Rowley’s Jacobean drama. Anna Madeley, Zubin Varla and Nicky Henson star.
Sunday Feature: The Good Old Days? Radio 3, Sunday 10pm
The Victorian music hall provides such a rich seam of cultural discussion, it seems. Only a few weeks ago Radio 4 was investigating black-face minstrelsy in music hall. Now, Radio 3 delves deeper, with Billy Bragg examining its place in British folk music.
Our Mutual Friend Radio 4, Monday-Friday 10.45am & 7.45pm
The final week of the Dickens adaptation, which should mean that secrets are revealed, plans come to fruition and chickens come home to roost. All the previous episodes are still available on iPlayer, so there’s still time to catch all of this engrossing story.
The Infinite Monkey Cage Radio 4, Monday 4.30pm
A new, irreverent science show fronted by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince. To emphasise how this series, while taking science seriously, won’t be too dry, the first studio guest is comedian (and former cosmologist) Dara O’Briain.
A Jewel in the Comedy Crown Radio 4, Tuesday 11.30am
Jason Manford presents a documentary about Jimmy Jewel, one of the 20th century’s most enduirng light entertainment stars.
He’s Not the Messiah, He’s a Very Naughty Boy Radio 2, Tuesday 10.30pm
From the title, you just know that this docuemntary is going to be about Monty Python’s Life of Brian. The film’s troubled life, from difficulties with funding to struggling with censorship, has been documented extensively already, so fans will likely know most, if not all, of the anecdotes that presenter Sanjeev Bhaskar digs up.
Afternoon Play: A Dangerous Thing Radio 4, Wednesday 2.15pm
John Sessions writes and stars in this tale of the friendship between Alexander Pope (Session) and Jonathan Swift (Timothy Spall).
Off the Page Radio 4, Thursday 1.30pm
The fate of the newspaper critic is under discussion. As paper budgets are cut and cut again, the arts criticism sections of newspapers suffer — but how important are they really? Obviously, we at The Stage believe they’re important, or we wouldn’t review more UK theatre than any other publication.
Afternoon Play: Headliner Radio 4, Thursday 2.15pm
In the Eastern European country of Khovakhia, an up-and-coming stand-up comedian (Laura Solon) is inspired by a visiting US stand-up to try harder, more political comedy. As elections approach in the repressed state, how much should she speak out?
The Friday Play: How Now TV Radio 4, Friday 9pm
Renowned TV documentary marker Paul Watson, whose 1974 series The Family kick started the reality/fly-on-the-wall genre, turns his hand to criticise the whole TV industry in this repeated drama. Tv presenter Daniela Cross (Victoria Shalet) comes up with an idea so awful that it’s bound to succeed.
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