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Gilbert Without Sullivan: A BBC Radio 4 Drama Collection
Ten comic dramatisations based on the stories and plays of WS Gilbert.
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert is best known for his operatic collaborations with Sir Arthur Sullivan, which captivated 19th-century audiences and continue to delight today. But he also created numerous solo works, among them these 10 pieces, dramatised for radio by Stephen Wyatt and featuring Jonathan Coy as WS Gilbert.
The Finger of Fate - confirmed bachelor Foggerty yearns for peace - but Fate has other plans, in the form of large, lively Dolly Fortescue.
Starring Stephen Moore, Alison Steadman, Martin Hyder and Ian Masters.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25th December 2002.
An Elixir of Love - the inspiration for the Gilbert & Sullivan opera The Sorcerer, this humorous tale finds the Rev Stanley Gay secretly administering a love potion to his parishioners - with unexpected results.
Starring Paul Downing, Cathy Sara, Gillian Goodman, Christopher Scott and John Fleming.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14th May 2003.
The Burglar's Story - housebreaker's son Theodore Belvawney learns the hard way that there is no honour amongst thieves.
Starring Michael Onslow, John Webb, Anny Tobin, Stephen Boswell, Kim Durham and Alexandra Lilley.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21st May 2003.
Wide Awake - rich, unworldly Harold Symperson learns that he must stay alert when looking for his soulmate.
Starring Richard Derrington, Chris Emmett, Julia Hills, Joanna Wake, Jamie Chapman and Tom George.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 28th May 2003.
Mr Foster's Good Fairy - confectioner Cyril Foster fears his chequered past will be exposed, until he's offered an unlikely escape.
Starring Ian Brooker, Sara Coward, Lennox Greaves and David Bannerman.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4th June 2003.
The Wedding March - Woodpecker Tapping's wedding day goes from bad to worse in this farcical drama.
Starring Jason Chan, Paul Clarkson, Amy Shindler, John Rowe, Alex Tregear, Sion Probert and Charlotte West-Oram.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15th December 2004.
A Sensation Novel - author Ebenezer Fudge is most perturbed when his characters come to life and criticise his melodramatic plots.
Starring John Rowe, Nicholas Boulton, Hugh Dickson, Julia Hills, Jason Chan and Wendy Baxter.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22nd December 2004.
A Colossal Idea - holidaying with his wife in Margate, grocer Mr Yellowboy claims to be writing an encyclopaedia - but his real activities are less innocent.
Starring Tim Hudson, Sarah Hadland, Tina Gray, Bella Merlin and James Howard.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29th December 2004.
Tom Cobb or Fortune's Toy - in need of money to marry his fiancee, Matilda O'Fipp, Tom Cobb decides to 'die'.
Starring Bertie Carvel, Sarah Corbet, Stephen Hogan, James Howard, Bella Merlin and Jason Chan.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5th January 2005.
The Realm of Joy - a West End play proves so scandalous that Victorian society can't stay away. Starring Alexander Delamere, Jeffrey Harmer, Tim Hudson, Jilly Bond, Stephen Hogan, Bella Merlin and Charlotte West-Oram.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12th January 2005.
Written by WS Gilbert
Dramatised by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Sally Avens, Sue Wilson and Jenny Stephen.
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert is best known for his operatic collaborations with Sir Arthur Sullivan, which captivated 19th-century audiences and continue to delight today. But he also created numerous solo works, among them these 10 pieces, dramatised for radio by Stephen Wyatt and featuring Jonathan Coy as WS Gilbert.
The Finger of Fate - confirmed bachelor Foggerty yearns for peace - but Fate has other plans, in the form of large, lively Dolly Fortescue.
Starring Stephen Moore, Alison Steadman, Martin Hyder and Ian Masters.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 25th December 2002.
An Elixir of Love - the inspiration for the Gilbert & Sullivan opera The Sorcerer, this humorous tale finds the Rev Stanley Gay secretly administering a love potion to his parishioners - with unexpected results.
Starring Paul Downing, Cathy Sara, Gillian Goodman, Christopher Scott and John Fleming.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14th May 2003.
The Burglar's Story - housebreaker's son Theodore Belvawney learns the hard way that there is no honour amongst thieves.
Starring Michael Onslow, John Webb, Anny Tobin, Stephen Boswell, Kim Durham and Alexandra Lilley.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21st May 2003.
Wide Awake - rich, unworldly Harold Symperson learns that he must stay alert when looking for his soulmate.
Starring Richard Derrington, Chris Emmett, Julia Hills, Joanna Wake, Jamie Chapman and Tom George.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 28th May 2003.
Mr Foster's Good Fairy - confectioner Cyril Foster fears his chequered past will be exposed, until he's offered an unlikely escape.
Starring Ian Brooker, Sara Coward, Lennox Greaves and David Bannerman.
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 4th June 2003.
The Wedding March - Woodpecker Tapping's wedding day goes from bad to worse in this farcical drama.
Starring Jason Chan, Paul Clarkson, Amy Shindler, John Rowe, Alex Tregear, Sion Probert and Charlotte West-Oram.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15th December 2004.
A Sensation Novel - author Ebenezer Fudge is most perturbed when his characters come to life and criticise his melodramatic plots.
Starring John Rowe, Nicholas Boulton, Hugh Dickson, Julia Hills, Jason Chan and Wendy Baxter.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 22nd December 2004.
A Colossal Idea - holidaying with his wife in Margate, grocer Mr Yellowboy claims to be writing an encyclopaedia - but his real activities are less innocent.
Starring Tim Hudson, Sarah Hadland, Tina Gray, Bella Merlin and James Howard.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29th December 2004.
Tom Cobb or Fortune's Toy - in need of money to marry his fiancee, Matilda O'Fipp, Tom Cobb decides to 'die'.
Starring Bertie Carvel, Sarah Corbet, Stephen Hogan, James Howard, Bella Merlin and Jason Chan.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 5th January 2005.
The Realm of Joy - a West End play proves so scandalous that Victorian society can't stay away. Starring Alexander Delamere, Jeffrey Harmer, Tim Hudson, Jilly Bond, Stephen Hogan, Bella Merlin and Charlotte West-Oram.
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12th January 2005.
Written by WS Gilbert
Dramatised by Stephen Wyatt
Directed by Sally Avens, Sue Wilson and Jenny Stephen.
Audible Audio
Published June 24, 2021
About the author
Stephen Wyatt
56 books6 followersStephen Wyatt was educated at Latymer Upper School and then Clare College, Cambridge. After a brief spell as Lecturer in Drama at Glasgow University, he began his career as a freelance playwright in 1975 as writer/researcher with the Belgrade Theatre Coventry in Education team.
His subsequent young people's theatre work includes The Magic Cabbage (Unicorn 1978), Monster (York Theatre Royal 1979) and The Witch of Wapping (Half Moon 1980).
In 1982 and 1983 he was Resident Writer with the Bubble Theatre for whom he wrote Glitterballs and The Rogue's Progress.
Other theatre work includes After Shave (Apollo Theatre 1978), R.I.P Maria Callas (Edinburgh Festival / Hen and Chickens 1992), A working woman (from Zola's L'Assommoir) (West Yorkshire Playhouse 1992) and The Standard Bearer (Man in the Moon 2001). He also collaborated with Jeff Clarke on The Burglar's Opera for Opera della Luna (2004) "stolen from an idea by W. S. Gilbert with music nicked from Sir Arthur Sullivan".
His first work for television was Claws, filmed by the BBC in 1987, starring Simon Jones and Brenda Blethyn. Wyatt then went on to write two scripts for the science fiction series Doctor Who — these were Paradise Towers and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. Both of those serials featured Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor. His other television credits include scripts for The House of Eliott and Casualty.
He has worked for BBC Radio since 1985 as both an adapter and an original playwright.
His subsequent young people's theatre work includes The Magic Cabbage (Unicorn 1978), Monster (York Theatre Royal 1979) and The Witch of Wapping (Half Moon 1980).
In 1982 and 1983 he was Resident Writer with the Bubble Theatre for whom he wrote Glitterballs and The Rogue's Progress.
Other theatre work includes After Shave (Apollo Theatre 1978), R.I.P Maria Callas (Edinburgh Festival / Hen and Chickens 1992), A working woman (from Zola's L'Assommoir) (West Yorkshire Playhouse 1992) and The Standard Bearer (Man in the Moon 2001). He also collaborated with Jeff Clarke on The Burglar's Opera for Opera della Luna (2004) "stolen from an idea by W. S. Gilbert with music nicked from Sir Arthur Sullivan".
His first work for television was Claws, filmed by the BBC in 1987, starring Simon Jones and Brenda Blethyn. Wyatt then went on to write two scripts for the science fiction series Doctor Who — these were Paradise Towers and The Greatest Show in the Galaxy. Both of those serials featured Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor. His other television credits include scripts for The House of Eliott and Casualty.
He has worked for BBC Radio since 1985 as both an adapter and an original playwright.
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