John Mortimer - Rumpole (BBC R4)

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John Mortimer - Rumpole (BBC R4)

Drama: Rumpole

By John Mortimer. Adapted for radio by Richard Stoneman.

Following in the footsteps of several distinguished former Rumpoles - Leo
McKern, Maurice Denham, Timothy West and Benedict Cumberbatch - Julian
Rhind-Tutt, one of Radio 4's most popular actors and much loved star of TV's
Green Wing and The Hour, now dons the wig and white bands of the most erudite,
astute, and seldom defeated of barristers in the annals of the Old Bailey.

Directed by Marilyn Imrie
A Catherine Bailey production for BBC Radio 4.



Rumpole on Trial (Broadcast 28 March 2016)
After waking up with a raging tooth-ache, Rumpole finds himself in no mood
to listen to his boring client Reginald Tring, who's accused of the
manslaughter of his wife. As Reginald drones on with his mind-numbing
evidence, Rumpole suffers throughout the trial, and argues even more angrily
than usual with Mr Justice Gwent-Evans. And, when Rumpole accuses the judge
of deliberately misleading the jury, Gwent-Evans warns him in no uncertain
terms about his future conduct.

Rumpole finds himself on trial, with the end of his career in sight.

But, luckily for Horace, he has Phillida on his side. She goes searching
for the truth, and galvanises not only Rumpole's defending counsel - Soapy
Sam Ballard QC - but also Rumpole's wife.

Cast:
Horace Rumpole: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Hilda Rumpole: Jasmine Hyde
Phillida Erskine-Brown: Cathy Sara
Marigold: Cathy Sara
Claude Erskine-Brown: Nigel Anthony
Mr Justice Gwent-Evans: Nigel Anthony
Reginald Tring: Gus Brown
Sam Ballard: Michael Cochrane
Mr Justice Graves: Stephen Critchlow
Mr Leering: Stephen Critchlow

Rumpole and Hilda (Broadcast 29 March 2016)
Rumpole's long-suffering wife Hilda - She Who Must Be Obeyed - narrates a
fascinating tale of murder and romance that Horace would prefer to remain
untold.

An instructing solicitor, Daniel Newcombe, asks Rumpole to defend a young
man, Michael Skelton, who's accused of bludgeoning his father to death with
a golf club. Hilda finds Daniel to be everything that Horace is not -
well-groomed, charming, sensitive and complimentary.

After being wooed over lunch, she agrees to act as Daniel's 'spy', reporting
back on Rumpole's defence preparations. However, when Hilda realises that
Daniel is hiding the truth from her, and from everyone involved in the
murder case, she's forced to consider whose side she ought to be on.

Hilda narrates the whole story with a refreshing honesty and witty candour
that we thought only her husband could manage, and reveals a passionate and
frustrated side, as Rumpole catches a glimpse of the true nature of his
wife.

Cast:
Horace Rumpole: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Hilda Rumpole: Jasmine Hyde
Daniel Newcombe: Stuart McQuarrie
Claude Erskine-Brown: Nigel Anthony
Mr Justice Graves: Stephen Critchlow
Mrs Beazley: Cathy Sara
 

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