"The Heroine" by Antonia Fraser - BBC Radio Saturday Night Theatre - Historical Drama

Описание: Classic Old Time Radio, Vintage radio shows, the Golden Age of radio, murder, mystery, drama, comedy, sci-fi, westerns.

"The Heroine" is a stirring historical drama written by Antonia Fraser, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Night Theatre on January 24, 1976. Produced by Betty Davies and dramatized from Fraser’s original work, the play recounts a remarkable episode from the English Civil War, spotlighting female courage and moral complexity.

Plot Summary
Set in 1644, during the height of the First English Civil War, the drama centers on Charlotte, Countess of Derby, who defends Lathom House in Lancashire against a prolonged siege by Parliamentary forces. With her husband away fighting for the King, Charlotte commands a garrison of just 300 men, supported by a household of women.

As the siege drags on for three months, the play explores:
The strategic and emotional resilience of Charlotte and her daughters
The motivations of the women around her—ranging from patriotism and pride to love and ambition
The moral ambiguity of war, especially when women take on roles traditionally reserved for men

Fraser’s script challenges romanticized notions of heroism, suggesting that women can be just as ruthless, calculating, and courageous as their male counterparts.

Cast
Maxine Audley as Charlotte, Countess of Derby
Patricia Quinn as Lady Katherine Stanley
Rosalind Shanks as Mary, Countess of Strafford
Jane Wenham as Alice, Lady Girlington
Gladys Spencer as Mistress Judith Parker
Carole Boyd as Susan Jefferies
Supporting roles by Michael Shannon*, *Michael Deacon*, and *Anthony Smee