BBC Radio 4, December 22, 2018

The Dean of King’s College Cambridge tells great ghost stories – but is he part of one himself?

A complement to the season of James adaptations, this one hour play by Neil Brand is part ghost story in its own right (there’s more than a few chills along the way) and part examination of what drove James. Not having an encyclopaedic knowledge of James’ own life (the main fact that I was aware of is a core element of the story, however), I’m not sure if the chronology ascribed has a basis in reality – and in an odd way, I’d rather not know. Brand’s script and Mark Gatiss’ performance as James create an intriguing portrait of a man who seems fearful of many of the forces that both drive him and others around him.

If you’ve listened to the five Fifteen Minute Dramas, you can quickly tell as the story progresses which of the tales is being reflected in something of a distorting mirror (although I do still love the idea at the heart of Rats that the young Monty was told a very disturbing tale at precisely the right – or wrong – early age). Brand and director David Barber allow the tension to build and the contradictions at the heart of James to become clear without labouring points, and Gatiss and Fenella Woolgar share a number of pivotal scenes that have as much going on in subtext as on the surface.

If you’ve not read any James, this – and the short dramas – should definitely whet your appetite…

Verdict: A skilfully told look at a master of horror. 9/10

Paul Simpson