BBC Radio 4, September 28, 2018 and on iPlayer

A young girl heads into the forest, despite the tales of the dangers from wolves…

Possibly Angela Carter’s best known story (and the core of the Neil Jordan movie of the same title, which was my first exposure to Carter’s work when my musical tutor worked on the score for the film) The Company of Wolves closes this season of tales with a reworking of the fairytale of Red Riding Hood that emphasises the sexuality at its heart, as well as the aspects of control inherent in its refocusing of the central characters.

Once again, Olivia Hetreed’s dramatization adds its own flavour to Carter’s original, notably in the way in which we learn the legends and folktales relating to the wolf. Erstwhile Dorian Gray Alexander Vlahos makes an engaging hunter, with Lily Lesser’s Red capturing the essence of the girl on the brink of maturity that’s vital for the tale to work.

The entire collection of short dramas has been very well put together, with a strong cast, well-directed by Fiona McAlpine and with sound design by Lucinda Mason Brown that has enabled the stories to live in a twilight between reality and fairytale. A compilation airs on Radio 4 Extra on Saturday 29 for those who’ve missed them and I really hope a CD will follow.

Verdict: An excellent conclusion to an enjoyable series of dramas. 9/10

Paul Simpson