Denmark Hill

Synopsis: Radio drama by Alan Bennett. In a leafy south London suburb 15-year old schoolgirl Harriet struggles with an essay on Shakespeare’s view on the family as her ailing father Frank lies on his deathbed upstairs. Following Frank’s demise, the story takes a familiar turn, with characters reminiscent of Claudius, Gertrude, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonious and Ophelia all playing their allotted parts.
Series: Saturday Drama
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Radio
Transmission details: 27 Sep 2014 at 19:30 (Channel: BBC Radio 4)
Duration: 60 mins

Director

Tristram Powell

Producer

Marilyn Imrie

Writer

Alan Bennett

Adaptor for Radio

Honor Borwick

Cast

General: Denmark Hill was originally written as an uncommissioned TV/film screenplay in 1981/2. For whatever reasons, Bennett can’t remember, he kept it in a drawer until it went with all his papers to the Bodleian library for archival storage. Honor Borwick urged Tristram Powell, with Bennett’s permission, to search the archives and Powell unearthed the typescript.

SHAKESPEARE