A Tsar in London

Drama of the Week

BBC

Drama, Fiction

3.9 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 1 March 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Written by Mike Walker, from an idea by Michael Crick.

A tragicomic take on the months Tsar Peter the Great spent in London learning about ship-building and naval tactics, destroying the house and garden of diarist John Evelyn; roistering with the ambitious young actress Letitia Cross; and preparing himself for an onslaught upon Evelyn’s treasured holly hedge, Russia’s backward society and the peace of Northern Europe.

Peter . . . . . Greg Kolpakchi Letitia . . . . . Siena Kelly John . . . . . Michael Bertenshaw Ben . . . . . John Lightbody Foreign Secretary . . . . . Josh Bryant-Jones Lucy . . . . . Kitty O’Sullivan

Sound design: Andy Garratt & Peter Ringrose Director: Sasha Yevtushenko

This drama was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you could have a conversation with your younger self, what would you tell them?
0:06.0	Anonymity is our most valuable gift.
0:09.0	I'm Kristi Young, and in Young again, I'll be asking my guests what honest advice they would give their past self.
0:16.0	Believe it when they say that loving yourself is the answer.
0:20.0	Among those joining me will be Jamie Oliver, Jeda Pinkett Smith and Mel B.
0:24.1	I knew that I had a voice and I knew that I wanted to say certain things and represent certain things.
0:30.0	Young again, with me, Kirstie Young. Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:35.0	BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:40.0	Welcome to Drama of the Week. This is the story of something that never happened that never was.
1:01.2	This is the story of something that was made and made well by a workman's hands.
1:07.0	And this, my sweetheart, is the same old story of Tom O Bedlam and his mad maudlin.
1:17.0	This day 20th of January 1698, was I, John Evelyn, Gent, summoned to the Lord Chancellor's
1:28.4	office on a matter of great import.
1:30.9	Mr Evelyn, pleased to follow me.
1:37.0	Mr Evelyn, a great pleasure.
1:42.0	Thank you for coming at such short notice.
1:44.0	I am always happy to serve their majesty.
1:46.0	In a matter of great import, yes.
1:48.0	Please do sit.
1:49.0	Ah, you can.
1:50.0	The Tsar of all Russia, Peter Romanov, has come to our city to learn the art of shipbuilding.
1:58.0	And it is considered the first order of policy that we facilitate his wishes.
	...

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