Assured direction, excellent performances and concise, skilfully-researched writing all made this deceptively straightforward story a masterpiece. Funny and touching by turns, a single, seemingly insignificant incident in the life of Philip Larkin brought out the humanity and humour of a poet whose personal life is not commonly associated with either.
Although it has already existed as a novel and a film, this audio production added new dimensions and fresh insights to a familiar story. An unsentimental script hit home time and again without preaching or lapsing into sentimentality; the skill and subtlety of the performances made the judges forget they were listening to actors; the masterly atmospherics and the subtle use of period music were all fused into a brilliant production which argued that radio was, all along, the natural home for this story.
Two actors, one setting, 45 minutes this play had all the ingredients and strengths of the best traditional radio drama and exploited them to the full. One listener posted this on the Radio 4 Message Board and the judges could only agree. This was a perfect two-hander . . . immaculate script, great direction, intelligent and perceptive writing. I have tears in my eyes. it was just so beautiful and harrowing at the same time. I wish that every play could smack you across the face like this one did. Wonderful.
A bold central conceit, fraught with potential difficulties, was skilfully negotiated by both the production team and the performers to create a breathtaking listen. The gradual revelation of the plot was well-paced, the tone expertly judged, and the ultimate, (and we mean ultimate) climax was genuinely terrifying. Special mention should be made of the ear-boggling sound design in this production.
A first-rate adaptation of a much-loved novel, this production impressed the judges with its meticulous attention to detail, the large, high-profile casts ensemble work, and its refusal to allow the original storys strong political message to dominate the powerful human themes (and humour) it also contains.