The Archers - down from the farm
It's not a play but a chance for the faithful to commune with the spirit of the soil, or something like that...
The 75th anniversary of the remarkable radio show The Archers is currently being celebrated in a long national tour of one night stands mixing cast stories, background chat and other tidbits to enthral the faithful.
Touring from June to November, in our region the show has already been seen in Manchester and is still to appear in Harrogate (Convention Centre, September 27 - produce cast); Liverpool (Royal Philharmonic Hall, September 28 - produce cast), and Newcastle (Tyne Theatre and Opera House, October 6 - flower cast).
The show brings the iconic radio drama out of the studio and on to stages across the UK, hosted by award-winning comedian and Archers devotee Angela Barnes. Each performance features a cast of four actors alongside Vanessa Nuttall, the show's live sound-effects specialist.
Joining the tour are eight of Ambridge’s most popular voices. Appearing in Harrogate and Liverpool will be Charles Collingwood (Brian Aldridge), Ryan Kelly (Jazzer McCreary), Susie Riddell (Tracy Horrobin) and Sunny Ormonde (Lilian Bellamy), known collectively as the tour's “Produce Cast”, while Newcastle will see the “Flower Cast” - Tim Bentinck (David Archer), Annabelle Dowler (Kirsty Miller), Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter) and Ben Norris (Ben Archer).
First broadcast on January 1, 1951, The Archers is the world’s longest-running radio drama, broadcast six times a week to millions of listeners. The programme follows the everyday lives, loves, and dramas of the residents of the fictional village of Ambridge, deep in the heart of the English countryside.
Over the course of more than 20,000 episodes, the show has chronicled significant social and cultural changes in Britain, dealing with complex contemporary issues alongside the traditional rhythms of rural life. Today it remains one of BBC Radio’s most popular programmes and is currently the top on-demand show for listeners of all ages – as well as regularly topping the list of most popular on-demand programmes for listeners under 35 – on BBC Sounds.
Set within a playful reimagining of the Ambridge Flower & Produce Show, The Archers: Live at 75 blends theatricality, nostalgia, comedy and behind-the-scenes insights. The evening will include on-stage interviews, insider stories and gossip, live performances with live sound effects of specially-written scenes created for the tour; archive treasures spanning seven decades from the BBC vaults, as well as audience questions and an interactive pub quiz at Ambridge pub The Bull.
More info and tickets here
