BBC Radio 4, October 27, 2018 and on iPlayer

Hauntings in a local wood bring terror to a 18th century neighbourhood.

For those who don’t know the origins of this play, it was written by Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale in 1963, and broadcast on the BBC; a further version was produced for Australian television. Neither of these exist – except (as radio writer Toby Hadoke explains in his behind the scenes interview coming to SFB this week) for certain sound effects that were necessary for the play’s climax. It’s one of the legendary Lost Works – up there for fans with missing Doctor Who or Avengers episodes.

But now we can hear it, in Toby Hadoke’s chilling adaptation, suitably kept for Halloween week. If you know the story, then rest assured that every audio trick in the book has been used to ensure that the play’s ending is created in a way that emphasises the juxtapositions involved; if you don’t, then try not to be spoiled before you hear it.

Hadoke has tweaked the Kneale script in places to suit the new medium in which he’s telling the story (and adding in a few nice touches of his own that reflect choices in the original script), but he’s never altered it so that it doesn’t feel like Nigel Kneale’s work – the brilliant illustration used by Radio 4 shows Kneale’s ghost in the trees (as well as Hadoke) above the key players, and I would hope that the veteran scriptwriter would be very pleased with this new interpretation. Mark Gatiss, Adrian Scarborough and Hattie Morahan make a strong central trio for the arguments, while Colin McFarlane is excellent as the voice of reason (if not Reason). Francis Magee, Ralph Ineson and Susan Wokoma are equally strong with director Charlotte Riches ensuring that as listeners, we never feel as lost as the characters. The final five to seven minutes are a masterpiece in sound presentation – one of the best uses of the medium I’ve heard on national radio for some time.

Verdict: An excellent rendition of a deservedly hailed classic. Unmissable. 10/10

Paul Simpson

 

Check out our preview with Toby Hadoke here, and watch out for an extensive behind the scenes interview coming later this week.