BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour Drama

Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens, adapted by Mike Walker

Dickens' last completed novel, the theme of Our Mutual Friend is "Money, money, money, and what money can make of life". According to the terms of his father's will, John Harmon will inherit a fortune, a fortune built on the collection and recycling of waste - but only if he marries Bella Wilfer, a beautiful but mercenary and wilful girl whom he has yet to meet. But when a body floating in the Thames is identified as that of John Harmon, his inheritance passes instead to the humble Boffins, and the effects spread throughout London society.

Previous dramas

SINGLEPARENTPALS.COM by Sue Teddern

This week's story takes a look at a fictional website specially designed for parents bringing up children single-handed. Housing Officer Tom from Exeter is initially very nervous about using the message board forum of SINGLEPARENTPALS.COM for urgent advice about what to do when his 6 year old daughter Lily needs to use a public toilet. A swift and astringent response comes from Rosie, a careworker miles away in Bolton. This is the start of a combative, supportive, long-lasting and long-distance relationship.

The Dead Hour, by Denise Mina, dramatised by Chris Dolan

Since her first novel, Garnethill, Denise Mina has enjoyed a growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading crime writers. The Dead Hour is her second novel.

As she travels around the city at night in search of a story, Paddy decides to look into a domestic dispute in the wealthy Glasgow suburb of Bearsden - little knowing that this incident will turn into the biggest story of her career.

Degrees of Separation, by Katie Hims

This new series is directly inspired by the real experiences and reflections sent in by listeners on the theme of separation. We begin with Empty Nest, a story in which some listeners may well recognise echoes of their own experience.

TWILIGHT BABY.COM by Jenny Eclair and Julie Balloo

Cass and her husband Ken (Kevin Eldon) are 45 and 52. Their middle years are upon them and it's time to do things 'their way'. The kids have left the nest and after all those years of parenting Cass and Ken are looking forward to being able to be selfish again. Cass has been a teacher and wants a career change, she wants to paint and 'be creative' whilst Ken plans to write 'that novel'. Cass gets pregnant, shock horror, they are back where they started more than twenty years ago, his friends think he's crazy, her friends can't believe they still 'do it', the kids are horrified, disgusted and jealous. Cass begins blogging in an effort to share her experience with others who might have found themselves in the same situation, and ‘Twilight Baby.com’ charts the highs and lows of her pregnancy.

Craven by Amelia Bullmore

DCI Sue Craven starts her new job with a burnt out corpse, and a keen, far too good looking, new partner DS Watende Robinson. But Before the day is out her secret past starts to become a professional problem that isn’t going to go away. Craven has a rich cast of characters including a boss that has too much faith in her (DCI Price), a rival colleague willing her to fail (DI Terry Bird) as well as a piece of her past (Macca) who is about to become a witness and suspect. Craven’s efforts to clean the muddy waters of racial tension and sloppy policing are explored.

The Man in the Wooden Hut

Edward and Elizabeth Feathers’ lives are intertwined with that of his hated rival at the Bar, Terry Veneering. The action spans Hong Kong in the late forties to Dorset in the noughties; relationships constrained by apparent secrets are revealed. Barrister Edward Feathers finds it hard to demonstrate emotions. His wife Elizabeth is a free spirit. Her Japanese Internment camp upbringing, which killed her parents, has left her with a lust for survival. She’s attracted to Edward’s rival Veneering, who has no difficulty showing emotions.

Liam by Mike Bartlett

Liam, a ten year old boy goes missing. Over five days as the nationwide search intensifies we hear from his parents, the police and the press.

Au Pairs by Caroline and David Stafford

A new series of comedy adventures about Alvy from Ireland and Dorika from Hungary. They meet every day at the One O’Clock Club - a drop-in mother and child centre - where they bond over their mutual condemnation of modern parenting and their feelings of injustice. As each gradually becomes entangled in both the awful intricacies of the other’s life, and in the delusions, hypocrisies and moral turpitude of their employers, the lives of the girls - and the people they work for - undergo some startling transformations.

Writing the Century dramatised by Vanessa Rosenthal

The drama series exploring the 20th century through the correspondence of real people.This week's story journeys back to the 1960’s in 'Tom and Stella'. It tells the true love story of Stella Kaufman and Tom Rennard. Stella - a young Jewish woman, a drama student from Manchester is studying in London. And Tom Rennard, living in Manchester is 13 years her senior and a divorcee. The couple face much opposition from Stella’s disapproving parents.

The Quest by Jonathan Holloway

The Quest, by Jonathan Holloway is loosely based on the King Arthur stories of Thomas Mallory and Tennyson. Loosely. Arthur is dying, his son Mordred has dealt him a mortal blow. Merlin’s great project to make a king for the Britons looks doomed.

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