Afternoon Play
Encyclopedia
The Afternoon Play is a long-running drama programming strand, broadcast every weekday at 2.15pm on BBC Radio 4
. Each play lasts for 45 minutes, and roughly 190 new Afternoon Plays are broadcast each year.
Generally around three quarters of the episodes are self-contained dramas. The rest are short series, usually between 2 to 6 episodes, such as Number 10, McLevy
, Pilgrim, or Bad Faith (the latter starring Lenny Henry
). As well as original drama series, the Afternoon Play has included a number of adaptations of popular works such as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
.
in 1998, whereby the play directly follows the 2.00pm repeat of The Archers
.
Several Afternoon Plays were amongst programmes held in 20 underground radio stations of the BBC's Wartime Broadcasting Service
, to provide public information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a nuclear attack
.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. Each play lasts for 45 minutes, and roughly 190 new Afternoon Plays are broadcast each year.
Generally around three quarters of the episodes are self-contained dramas. The rest are short series, usually between 2 to 6 episodes, such as Number 10, McLevy
James McLevy
James McLevy was a prominent detective in Edinburgh during the mid 19th century, and later an author of popular crime mysteries. The son of a farmer, he was born in Ballymacnab in County Armagh, Ireland...
, Pilgrim, or Bad Faith (the latter starring Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry
Lenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
). As well as original drama series, the Afternoon Play has included a number of adaptations of popular works such as The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of twelve novels by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective...
.
History
In one form or another, the Afternoon Play has been a feature of afternoons on Radio 4 since its launch in 1967, although the strict 45 minute format was not enforced until the reorganisation of Radio 4 by James BoyleJames Boyle (broadcasting)
James Boyle is one of the leading public figures in the British arts world with a long track record in broadcasting in particular. His take-no-prisoners style has earned him numerous plaudits, but also resulted in controversy, most famously at BBC Radio 4....
in 1998, whereby the play directly follows the 2.00pm repeat of The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
.
Several Afternoon Plays were amongst programmes held in 20 underground radio stations of the BBC's Wartime Broadcasting Service
Wartime Broadcasting Service
The Wartime Broadcasting Service was a service of the BBC that was intended to broadcast in the United Kingdom either after a nuclear attack or if conventional bombing destroyed regular BBC facilities in a conventional war ....
, to provide public information and morale-boosting broadcasts for 100 days after a nuclear attack
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
.