Saturday 18 December
Let's Hear It For The King Of Judea
1/1 10.30-11.00am
Terry Jones asks: "What has the King of Judea ever
done for us?"
Let's face it, King Herod has had a bad press. Ask most people today
what he is known for and they will only mention the Massacre of the
Innocents referred to in the Gospel of St Matthew.
But this is the only reference to the event. Terry thinks there's more
to be said about a ruler who was known as Herod the Great.
Terry, having on one occasion appeared in a stable in Bethlehem cunningly
disguised as the mother of Brian, wants to know more.
He talks to historians such as Peter Richardson, who says he finds
much to admire in Herod's grand architectural projects; to a group who
are excavating Herod's great temple site in Caesarea, Israel; and to
the Herod Appreciation Society who are based in Ilford, Essex.
Presenter/Terry Jones, Producer/Mark Rickards
BBC Radio 4 Publicity
The Nutcracker
1/1 2.30-3.30pm
Hattie Naylor's dramatisation of The Nutcracker is based on the original
E T A Hoffman story, rather than the ballet.
It's a thrilling and nasty tale in the true tradition of Hoffman and
his fabulous gothic tales.
A King and Queen are pursued by a vindictive witch-mouse, called Mauselink,
who casts a spell that turns their beautiful baby daughter, Princess
Pirlipat, into a misshapen infant with a deformed wooden head, large
teeth and a ghastly smile.
Dr Drosselmeier, the court doctor and clockmaker, is sent on a hunt
to find the Crackatook nut - the only thing that can break the spell.
After years of searching Dr Drosselmeier returns with the Nut and presents
his nephew, who has very strong teeth, to break it.
The spell on the Princess is broken but in the process Dr Drosselmeier's
nephew steps on Mauselink and kills her.
As she dies she curses him turning him into The Nutcracker and swearing
the revenge of her son, the Mouse King.
Dr Drosselmeier returns to Nuremberg and presents The Nutcracker as
a Christmas gift to a young girl, Clara, and her family.
But The Nutcracker is pursued by the Mouse King, and Clara is awoken
in the middle of the night by a murderous battle between the two deadly
foes...
Producer/Paul Dodgson
BBC Radio 4 Publicity
Magic Carpets
1/1 3.30-4.00pm
Seaside entertainer Tony Lidington (who has flown
on a magic carpet himself) explores the symbolism and language of carpets.
He finds that in the past, weavers often travelled from one country
to another in response to market demands and produced masterpieces of
patterned, knotted yarn that still arouse wonder today.
Nomadic tribes built makeshift looms and used wandering flocks of
sheep, spun yarn and designed carpets, depicting nature as they saw
it - illustrating their culture and religious beliefs with symbols and
motifs.
As long ago as the 5th century, carpets were better currency than money
- Queen Cleopatra even presented herself to Caesar rolled up inside
one.
Tony visits a rare carpet auction where thousands of pounds are exchanged
on symbols, designs, knots and yarn.
He talks to those who make them by hand using specially made natural
dyes and he visits some of the towns here in the UK that were built
on carpet manufacture.
Oh, and he takes a very special ride on a magic carpet.
Presenter/Tony Lidington, Producer/Angela Hind
BBC Radio 4 Publicity
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