The Kinks' Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a new box set out soon, and now the BBC has announced a new radio drama based on the concept LP.
The program airs Nov. 2 and, I assume, will be available afterward for streaming via Radio 4.
Details:
Arthur has been adapted by The Kinks frontman and modern music icon Ray Davies himself, alongside Olivier-nominated playwright, dramaturg and musician Paul Sirett.
The story - of both the drama and the original album - sees a close-knit, working-class family torn apart when Ray's brother-in-law, Arthur, decides to move his family half way around the world to Australia.
Ray Davies says: “The album Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire) is inspired by real life events. Arthur’s generation returned from war to find Britain’s future in the midst of cultural and social change and political uncertainty, much like today. A play set yesterday about all our tomorrows.”
Arthur features songs written at a pivotal time in British culture that have been re-versioned especially for Radio 4, fifty years later. The cast includes Lee Ross as Arthur and Rosie Cavaliero as Rose.
Radio 4 Commissioning Editor for Drama and Fiction, Alison Hindell, says: “It's not often that a radio drama makes you want to dance as you listen but this reinvention of Ray Davies and The Kinks' seminal album really does. It's a heartfelt true story of a particular moment in recent history that has resonances today about the ways in which we connect as humans at times of great social change - through story, music, home and family.”
The Songs:
Guitar by Bill Shanley
- Victoria… performed by The Kinks
- The Future… performed by Arthur and the Emigrants
- The Village Green… performed by Rosie Cavaliero
- Arthur - version 1… performed by Arthur and the Emigrants
- Arthur - version 2… performed by The Kinks
- Some Mother’s Son… performed by The Kinks
- The Future... performed by Mark Newnham
- Yes Sir, No Sir - version 1… performed by The Kinks
- Yes Sir, No Sir - version 2… performed by Lee Ross
- Drivin’… performed by The Kinks, Lee Ross and Rosie Cavaliero
- Mr Churchill Says… performed by The Kinks
- Brainwashed… performed by Ben Norris, Mark Newnham, Stephen Lloyd and Arthur Hughes
- Waterloo Sunset… performed by Mark Newnham
- Australia… performed by Lee Ross and The Kinks
- Pictures In The Sand… performed by Lee Ross
- Young And Innocent Days… performed by Rosie Cavaliero
- Nothing To Say… performed by Ben Norris
- Postcard From London… performed by Rosie Cavaliero and Ray Davies
- You Really Got Me… performed by the Kinks
- Shangri-La... performed by The Kinks
All Songs Written By Ray Davies
Cast and crew:
Sound Engineers: David Thomas and Matt Jaggar
- Arthur… Lee Ross
- Rose… Rosie Cavaliero
- Ray… Stephen Lloyd
- Bobby… Arthur Hughes
- Dave… Mark Newnham
- Terry… Ben Norris
- Julie/Sally… Emerald O’Hanrahan
- Mr Henderson… David Holt
- Mum… Karen Spicer
- Dad/Jones… Wayne Norman
Production Coordinator: Sarah Tombling
Musical Director: Harvey Brough
Director: Karen Rose
Producers: Karen Rose and Ray Davies
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