The playwright Ted Willis (or Baron Willis as he later was) is probably best-remembered for his novels and for creating ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ for British TV. This release of ‘The Buckingham Palace Connection and more’ brings together five radio play adaptations of his fictional works. They are brought to life by remarkable casts of British talent from yesteryear. The stories are espionage or crime procedural, and will strongly appeal to anyone with a passion for the genres.
Although Ted Willis had a fascinating life, he embellishes matters by placing himself in the centre of some of these dramas. This metatextual technique lends his stories the ring of authenticity, inviting the listener to imagine that these world events could have happened. With a touch of James Bond-style flair, these stories present listeners with a fresh twist on well-known historical events, or invite us to imagine an alternative history. Each is thought-provoking and well-written.
‘The Buckingham Palace Connection’ is perhaps overall the most satisfying adventure. It deals with the aftermath of the Russian Revolution whilst Tsar Nicholas II remains captured but alive. Willis imagines that British monarch George V gave orders for his best men to stage a rescue of his cousin, the Tsar, and transport him safely to England. In the play, Willis tracks down the man tasked with infiltrating Siberia and rescuing the Romanovs. Now in 1976, the former agent is now living out his retirement peacefully in the English countryside. The events are told in flashbacks as the daring mission unfolds. It features veteran stage actor Maurice Denham as Tremayne, the older spy, looking back on his adventure over fifty years earlier, and has a supporting role for Nicholas Courtney (‘Doctor Who’) as a friendly Russian. Jeremy Clyde plays the younger Tremayne in flashbacks, and Victor Spinetti is a lot of fun as Prime Minister Lloyd George. The downside of the story is that, of course, the listener knows that the mission must fail because the Romanovs were executed, but it ends up being more about the camaraderie between the troops on either side of the conflict. It’s such a great idea and a well-told story that it captures the imagination and keeps you hooked.
The second story, ‘The Left-Handed Sleeper’, is a classic tale of Cold War defection to the other side of the Iron Curtain and has the feel of a John le Carré narrative. It has a leading role for Annette Crosbie (best-known as Richard Wilson’s long-suffering wife in the situation comedy ‘One Foot in the Grave’), who plays Christine Ritchie. Her world is turned upside-down when her husband Mark goes missing. When members of the Secret Intelligence Service show up suggesting that her MP spouse is a traitor to his country, she sets out to uncover the truth for herself. The radio play, from 1982 and based on Willis’ 1975 novel of the same name, also features Christopher Scoular as Mark and RSC veteran Richard Pasco as an MI5 agent. The major selling point is Annette Crosbie’s excellent lead performance, which is as gutsy and sympathetic as you’d expect from her.
‘Death May Surprise Us’, like ‘The Buckingham Palace Connection’, has a high concept. The Prime Minister and his wife are kidnapped in broad daylight, in close proximity to a crowd that is gathered for a village fayre. Leslie Sands and Mary Wimbush star as the unfortunate PM and his spouse. There are also roles for Cyril Shaps, Peter Tuddenham (from the ‘Carry On’ films) and Anthony Daniels (best known for ‘Star Wars’). The play originally aired in 1984 and is based on Ted Willis’ 1974 novel.
‘The Blue Lamp’ is the title I was most familiar with ahead of listening to this collection. The story started life as a novel by Ted Willis that was first published in 1950. The same year, it was turned into a successful British film, and helped to put Sir Dirk Bogarde on the map during his matinee idol phase. It introduced audiences to Jack Warner as PC George Dixon and to the concept of police procedural dramas. Willis’ hugely popular and long-running series ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ was spawned from it, and became a legend of British television, until it was superseded by the likes of ‘The Sweeney’ in the 1970s. In this adaptation, first broadcast Christmas 1962 (a long, cold winter), the part of PC Dixon is played by Deryck Guyler. Ian McShane, known for ‘Lovejoy’ and ‘Deadwood’, plays the Dirk Bogarde juvenile delinquent part. Although it’s strange hearing an actor besides Jack Warner play PC Dixon, the adaptation has a lot to commend it.
The final tale, from 1979, is called ‘And No Birds Sing’. It stars Hugh Burden (‘Funeral in Berlin’) as Philip Brooks, Mary Miller as Ann Brooks, Adrian Egan as Detective Sergeant Syms and Colin Blakely in a supporting part. Whilst Philip Brooks (Hugh Burden) is reading quietly at home and minding his own business, a knock comes at the front door. He answers the call, little realising that in doing so, his life will never be the same again. It proves Burden’s adaptability as an actor. He could easily play sinister or affable parts.
The first two serials are probably the strongest and the most engaging, and they are excellent radio dramatisations. There are great actors and intriguing premises in every one of the stories, though I personally find those dipping into the espionage genre more entertaining than the police procedural ones. If you’d forgotten what an ingenious mind Ted Willis had, and what a gifted writer he was for espionage plots, then this collection is a timely reminder.
Publisher: BBC Audio Publication date: 7th December 2023 Buy ‘The Buckingham Palace Connection and more’
