12oon & 8pm & 4am

PLAYS/DRAMA

THE CLEANSED – Season Two Episode 14 DEN OF THIEVES

In Season One, set in the mid-21st century, fuel was running out, food was scarce, Acts of God – and humans – took down the grid and everything else. Civilisation ground to a halt. And then things got really bad.  But they survived.

And now in Season Two of the epic apocalyptic drama our motley band of heroes is traveling a treacherous river, but nature is only the beginning of the challenges they will face because in the shadows of the City of Corinth, a great evil has unlocked the secret to controlling the minds of millions: fear and violence.

The Production company, Final Rune, is centered on the award laden multi-talented Fred Greenhaigh who not only writes, produces and directs “The Cleanse” but much else besides. Plus he has a talented cast and crew who give it their all so your ears are in for a treat.  Check everything out at Final Rune.com

THE AWARD WINNING ENTRY BY JEFF NEUMAN

Another good play courtesy of Pindrop Theatre which was founded to use theatre and all the performing arts to promote social inclusion – theatre for change.

1pm & 9pm & 5am

IN CONVERSATION with NICHOLSON BAKER

Nicholson Baker’s Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization is a chronological juxtaposition of discrete moments from 1892 to December 31, 1941, based on accounts from contemporary reports of Britain’s terror campaign of repeatedly bombing German cities even before the London blitz. Known for his original approach to a subject, his first novel, The Mezzanine, recounts one afternoon in the life of a man riding an escalator on his way to buy a shoelace and his second, Room Temperature, is about a father feeding a bottle to his six-month-old daughter, while Vox transcribes a long telephone conversation between two people who meet over a phone-sex call-in line.

2pm & 10pm & 6am

POETRY featuring Stephenson, Hardy & more

Poetry is often cited as our greatest use of words. The English language has well over a million and poets down the ages seem, at times, to make use of every single one. But often they use them in simple ways to describe anything and everything from landscapes to all aspects of the human condition. Poems can evoke within us an individual response that takes us by surprise; that opens our eyes and ears to very personal feelings.

Forget the idea of classic poetry being somehow dull and boring and best kept to school textbooks. It still has life, vibrancy and relevance to our lives today. In this hour we’ll be listening to poets such as Robert Louis Stephenson and Thomas Hardy and themes including Birds and Mother’s Day. Vol 12

All of them are from a dedicated poetry publisher – Portable Poetry who believe that poetry should be a part of our everyday lives, uplifting the soul & reaching the parts that other things can’t. Their range of audiobooks and ebooks cover volumes on some of our greatest poets to anthologies of seasons, months, places and a range of themes. Check them out on your usual digital store such as Amazon or iTunes or at https://www.deadtreepublishing.com/  That’s Portable Poetry – poetry that carries you through!

3pm & 11pm & 7am

ALTERNATIVE RADIO with REBECCA SOLNIT

Here at Audiobook Radio we are keen to provide a range of voices – very literally as well as in terms of opinions and views of the world.  This strand created by Alternative Radio does just that.  We will hear from some of the most informed minds and greatest social activists of our time whose take on justice and  power does not chime with those that hold the power and don’t provide justice for all so we rarely get to hear from them in mainstream media.  Different opinions always help inform our own and we are always eager to hear from listeners about this or any other strand.  Contact us on the tab at www.audiobookradio.net Today’s talk is given by Rebecca Solnit an award-winning essayist and environmental historian, and is on Making & Breaking Stories.

4pm & Midnight & 8am

THEATRE ROYAL

The very name summons up something of grandeur and eloquence – and it was. Hosted by Laurence Olivier these big name productions – also including the acting talents of Sir John Gielgud, Orson Welles and Robert Morley – were based on works by the world’s leading authors – Charles Dickens, Henry James, Oscar Wilde, Anton Chekhov and Robert Louis Stevenson are but a few of whose company we shall be keeping.  Today we raise the curtain on a short story based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde introduced and featuring SIR LAURENCE OLIVIER in the title role.

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES featuring BASIL RATHBONE and NIGEL BRUCE in more of these timeless classic adventures. 

5pm & 1am & 9am

THE PODCAST HOUR – THE A.I.T.L. & TODD SHOW

Audiobookradio is excited to introduce a new podcast brought to us by the And I Thought Ladies a prolific collective of American women spearheaded by the multi-talented Wilnona Marie and Jade Dee.  It encompasses Tonya Todd’s 52 Love Podcast and a short drama called the Managers and we’ll be broadcasting it every day at this time for the next few weeks.  So stay tuned for Episode 13 and their take on Love, Life & Literature.

6pm & 2am & 10am

HOLLYWOOD STAGE with A Man’s Castle

Hollywood is indelibly printed in our minds as a go to place for entertainment and has been for decades. We take you back in time as The Hollywood ringmaster himself, CECIL B DE MILLE unveils A Man’s Castle featuring SPENCER TRACY & INGRID BERGMAN

7pm & 3am & 11am

SHORT STORIES – MITCHELL & SILITOE

THE CLOCK THAT WENT BACKWARD BY E.P. MITCHELL READ BY NICKY HENSON

This science fiction story was allegedly the first time a time machine that travelled was featured in any story.  Unsurprisingly the device for such travel is an old Dutch clock that went backward in this imaginative and intriguing story.
ENOCH’S TWO LETTERS BY ALAN SILITOE READ BY SUE ARLOFF

Enoch is a young boy who returns home to find two letters – one from his mother and the other from his father….a good listen from one of the greatest exponents of kitchen sink drama.