ELLEN DRYDEN RADIO PLAYS

Ellen Dryden is the widow of the late, great Don Taylor, and a full appraisal of her work is impossible without reading Don's page. They collaborated on a very large number of radio dramas and other projects.

Ellen is a well-known radio author and producer in her own right, and listeners will be familiar with her works. "The Lake" is perhaps the best-known, a creepy, brooding thriller.

BBC BROADCASTS: RADIO PLAYS

SATURDAY NIGHT THEATRE
none

AFTERNOON THEATRE
19.5.83 Child In A Dark Wood: Penelope Wilton/George Baker

MIDWEEK THEATRE
27.12.67 R2 An Old-Fashioned Christmas (50 )by Paul Wheeler R2, starring David Garth/Ellen Dryden

OTHERS
20.11.84 Child in a dark wood
11.02.86 A photograph of Lindsay Mowat
27.05.86 Close of Play
09.04.88 The tower of Constance
18.10.93 The Lake
12.07.97 The Westward Journey (SP)
03.01.99 The Rose and the Ring, by W.M.Thackeray, dram (CS) 60m
27.12.99 Ballet Shoes, by Noel Streatfield, dram, 5 x 30m
05.08.00 Losing Rosalind (SP)
25.12.00 The Ghost of Thomas Kempe,by P. Lively, dram, 5 x 30m
05.10.02 Any Other Name (SP)
16.04.03 Committed to Paper
18.09.04 I was born there (SP)
07.06.05 Grief
03.06.12 Publish and be Damned (CS) 2 x 60m.

SP = Saturday Play, CS = Classic Serial

date nk: The Lake

NOTES ON THE PLAYS

A PHOTOGRAPH OF LINDSAY MOWAT....1986
A woman takes a secretarial job an old stately home and is soon plagued by strange occurrences. A rather atmospheric, claustrophobic play; very effective. 60m.

THE LAKE....1993
Mystery story involving the murder of a child, and an odd individual being drawn back to the lake which he knew as a child. Probably mid 80s. With James Aubrey as Ben Wheeler, Karen Archer as Isabelle; also stars Pauline Yates, Frances Jeater, Barry Woolgar, Teresa Gallagher, David Thorpe, Nicholas Boulton, Steve Hodson, Isabelle Hewitt, John Prendergast, Hayley Thomas. Directed by Ned Chaillet.

Charles Collins sent the following additional information: broadcast 18 Oct 93 19:45-21:15 R4, and · 24 Sep 94 14:30-16:00 R4; · Recorded on 28 Aug 93. · Description by Ellen Dryden: Childhood memories and perhaps something a little more sinister continue to draw Ben Wheeler back to a lake. When a child disappears his obsession provokes suspicion.

LOSING ROSALIND....2000
How will Edmund's three wives react when they meet each other? 55m.

ANY OTHER NAME 2002
A teacher disappears under suspicious circumstances. Her family is worried, and so are the police. Then an unusual tape recording arrives. With David Bamber as Philip, Teresa Gallagher as Laura; also stars Carl Prekopp, Helen Longworth, Richard Firth, Laura Doddington. Directed by Marc Beeby.

COMMITTED TO PAPER
Barbara doesn't want to leave London for a life in the middle of nowhere...a thriller, presented as readings from a middle-aged man's diary and a girl's letters. Vincent, the disagreeable husband, was played by Paul Ritter, and his glamorous, idle wife was India Fisher. Ellen Dryden was the director.

I WAS BORN THERE....2004
Judith finds a clumsy little painting of where she used to live as a child...the nightmares begin. She has to rid herself of the terrible memories associated with that house. Director Ellen Dryden. With David Suchet, Elizabeth Bell, Leila Hackett, Susan Jameson, John Bennett.

GRIEF....2005
R4, Jun 2005. "Grief" is a play about two couples and the complex relationships that existed between them. Sarah is killed in a car accident; the remaining members of the quartet are confronted with the emotional fall-out. But for years, friend Nick has been perhaps closer to the dead woman than her husband. With whom can he share his grief?

.......Comment from the drama messageboard....The play is very sensitively acted by the four central characters and the direction is good. Inevitably, it is a depressing play because it does not try to gloss over the human flaws and frailties that bedevil us all.

.........Comment from ND....... - you can't really like this play, but there's no denying its realism. It has some strong comments on relationships, too.

PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED....2012
3 June 2012: Classic Serial - Publish and Be Damn'd: The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson, Episode 1...
Adapted by Ellen Dryden. Harriette Wilson, one of the most infamous women of the early 19th century; an upper-class prostitute. Her lovers included aristocrats, adventurers and even the Duke of Wellington himself. And when they all ceased to support her after her retirement, she had a simple bargain for them - 'pay up, and I'll keep you out of my memoirs'. Her memoirs reveal a sharp-witted, good-hearted, adaptable woman who took on the patriarchy of the time and did something close to beating them at their own game. Cast: Harriette ...... Nancy Carroll, Ponsonby/ Melbourne ...... Charles Edwards, Wellington ...... Barnaby Kay, Argyle ....... Blake Ritson, Julia....... Leila Hackett, Fanny ...... Anna Francolini, Amy/Old Woman ....... Abigail Burdess, Tom Sheridan ....... Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Frederick/ Alvanley ....... Richard Galazka, Mrs Porter ...... Sarah Finigan. Producer: Ellen Dryden. Indie (First Writes).

10 Jun 2013: 15 Minute Drama - The Dogs and the Wolves
By Irene Nemirovsky, translated by Sandra Smith. 5 episodes. Notes for episode 1: Ada Sinner grows up in a poor Jewish community in the Ukraine in the early 20c. When her Aunt Raisia and cousins come to live with her and her father, she feels more alone than ever. But then Ada discovers another cousin, the rich and distant, Harry Sinner, and a life long passion and love for Harry begins. This was Nemirovsky's last published novel. Nemirovsky (narrator) - Anna Francolini; Young Ada Sinner - Sydney Wade; Young Ben Sinner - Ellis Hollins; Israel Sinner - Will Tacey; Aunt Raissa - Olwen May; Young Harry - Ben Hanley; Madame Mimi - Fiona Clarke; Ada - Sarah Smart; Producer & Director - Pauline Harris; Adaptor - Ellen Dryden; Author - Irene Nemirovsky.

IMAGINING SOME FEAR....2014
Ellen Dryden's new play 'Imagining some Fear' (R4, 1415, 31 Jul 14) was about a woman suffering from nightmares. She inherits some money and a country cottage from a great-aunt she never knew. Nevertheless the bad dreams continue, until she begins to uncover her aunt's secrets. Emma was played by Lyndsey Marshal, Jonathan Keeble was father and the producer was Pauline Harris. (.....ND, 'Diversity' review, Sep 2014.)

Cast list from BBC notes:
Emma: Lyndsey Marshall, with Anna Francolini, Jonathan Keeble and Ellen Dryden. Produced by Pauline Harris.

Nigel Deacon / Diversity website.

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