The Castle (radio series)

The Castle is a 2007 Radio 4 comedy set in the Middle Ages and referencing modern life. It is written by Kim Fuller. It was first broadcast from 7 September 2007, at 11.30am.

Episodes

#Sir William De Warenne moves into the castle next door, and discovers the lovely Anne. Anne discovers the lovely Sam. Charlotte discovers that she is supposed to stay out of the way.
#An unexpected lion and the world's first satellite dish spell trouble for Anne and Sam Tree's ongoing romance.
#Sir William decides to woo Lady Anne with a swearing cook and a chocolate fountain.
#Sir William decides to open a theme castle and Sam Tree decides to save Unicorn Forest.
#The village pub acquires two new mysterious barmaids as Anne and Charlotte plot to ensnare Sam Tree. Sir William De Warenne gets in touch with his feminine side whilst Duncan gets in touch with his masculine one.
#Sir John tires of acting as the local magistrate, and hands the job to Sir William, who, having realized that Sam stands between him and Anne, uses his position to condemn Sam to death. Unfortunately the scaffold is built using Thomas's latest invention - the flat pack.

Popular culture references

*Episode 3 - "broad carriage" in lieu of broadband, Gordon de Ramsay and a witch in lieu of Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson, "What Ho!" and "Oi! Varlet" in magazine in place of Hello magazine, "Make the Pox History!" in lieu of Make Poverty History, and the minstrel "Master James Blunt late of the king's army".
*Episode 4 - Theméd park inventor Sir Walt-er de 'Isney, the architect Sir Richard de Rogers, and his Gherkin tower, and the building of a super casino.
*All episodes - musical interludes between scenes consist of well-known rock tunes such as "Paranoid" and "Relax", played in the style of madrigals and other archaic musical forms, using instruments sounding like the recorder and the lute.

Cast

*Sir John Woodstock - James Fleet
*Lady Anne Woodstock, John's teenage daughter - Susan Earl
*Lady Charlotte, Anne's best friend - Ingrid Oliver
*Master Henry Woodstock, John's 13 year old son - Steven Kynman
*John's household servant Thomas, forever inventing medieval versions of modern innovations (central heating, radio, satellite dishes, microwave, parachute) - ?
*Sir William De Warenne, knight errant and scourge of the Levant, voted top knight by Esquire magazine - Neil Dudgeon
*Cardinal Duncan, Sir William's bisexual sidekick - Jonathan Kydd
*Sam Tree, Anne's peasant heart-throb - Toby Ross-Bryant
*Billy Bagshot, local standup comedian - ?

External links

*http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/thecastle/