The Cinderella Service & Cinderella D-Day: Two BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

Samantha Bond stars in two captivating stories set around a hostel for Land Girls during World War Two

Based in Devon in the 1940s, these two dramas follow the lives and loves of a group of young women, all from different backgrounds, but all determined to do their bit for King and country in the Land Army. Billeted in a hastily-converted farmhouse, they face cramped conditions and gruelling work - but there's always dances at the village hop and the chance of romance with a GI...

The Cinderella Service It's 1943, and Alice Todd has just separated from her husband. With a ten-year-old son to care for, she accepts the position of Warden at a hostel for Land Girls: but is she up to the job? Looking after ten lively, independent women is hard, and when Alice's competence is questioned, she doubts her ability to cope. Will the loyalty and friendship of her girls persuade her to stick it out?

Cinderella D-Day 1944. Alice is still busy running the Women's Land Army hostel, as well as taking tentative steps in her new career and a fledgling relationship. But the girls in her care are finding that life in wartime does not run smoothly. As the hostilities rumble on, there is happiness and heartbreak in store, and the hostel residents face danger and some stark personal choices...

Created by Julia Stoneham - a regular writer on hit TV show The House of Elliott - these evocative wartime dramas star Samantha Bond as Alice, with a cast including June Barrie, Tilly Vosburgh, Becky Hindley and Deborah McAndrew.

Directed by Tracey Neale Theme tune: 'This Time the Dream's On Me' by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc

The Cinderella Service Alice - Samantha Bond Edward-John - James Cohen Rose - June Barrie Annie - Tilly Vosburgh Mabel - Cathy Murphy Marian - Becky Hindley Winnie - Deborah McAndrew Martha - Rachel Lewis Taffy - Elaine Claxton Georgina - Annabel Mullion Chrissie - Teresa Gallagher Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley Roger Bayliss - Peter Yapp Christopher Bayliss - Andrew Wlncott Ferdie - Bill Wallis Oliver Maynard/Fred - Ian Masters Ron Chapman - David Collings Mrs Bowden - Jilly Bond Nora - Abigail Docherty Andreas - Walter Van Dyke Ruben - David Antrobus Alec/John Boyce - Matthew Morgan James Todd - David Jarvis Mary Brewer - Eva Stuart Other parts played by members of the cast First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5-19 April 1995

Cinderella D-Day Alice - Samantha Bond Rose - June Barrie Georgina - Louise Lombard Christopher - Adrian Lukis Annie - Tilly Vosburgh Marian - Becky Hindley Winnie - Deborah McAndrew Taffy - Elaine Claxton Martha - Rachel Lewis Mabel - Cathy Murphy Edward-John - Sam Collings Roger Bayliss - Ioan Meredith Margery Brewster - Tessa Worsley Ferdie - Bill Wallis Lionel Brewer - Alex Lowe Mary Brewer - Ann Beach Ruben - David Antrobus Marvin - Robert Harper Joan - Elaine Pyke Kiwi - Joanna Monro James - David Jarvis Dave - Dominic Taylor Eleanor - Abigail Docherty Beryl/Mrs Tucker/Fran - Janet Maw Lionel - Alex Lowe Fred - Denys Hawthorne Italian POW - Chris Pavlo Arthur - William Howard Other parts played by members of the cast First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 September-2 October 1996

© 2021 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529141429

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Lydbog: 7. januar 2021