Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

Episode 4

Episode 4 of 5

Welles is at the centre of a political storm over the planned staging of pro-labour opera The Cradle Will Rock, with its clear left-wing union sympathies. Will the show go on?

Orson Welles, the defining wunderkind of modern entertainment, gets his due in a new biography of his early years - including his first forays in theatre and radio before his groundbreaking move to Hollywood.

Episode 4:
Until Orson, no one wanted to produce Marc Bernstein's pro-labour opera The Cradle Will Rock, with its clear left-wing union sympathies. Enthralled with Bernstein, Orson with his partner John Houseman, commit to a Broadway run. But as the hot subject of unionisation rages across the nation, the Federal Theatre Project is made to take drastic action.

Written by Patrick McGilligan
Read by Jack Klaff
Abridged and produced by Karen Rose

A Sweet Talk production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

15 minutes

Last on

Fri 8 Jan 2016 00:30

Credits

Role Contributor
Reader Jack Klaff
Author Patrick McGilligan
Abridger Karen Rose
Producer Karen Rose

Broadcasts

  • Thu 7 Jan 2016 09:45
  • Fri 8 Jan 2016 00:30

Listen to more Audio Books

Listen to more Audio Books

Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

Sample our books and authors Clip Collection

Interviews, previews and reviews

Subscribe to the Short stories podcast

Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.

Finding Your Story

Finding Your Story

Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?

大象传媒 Arts: Books

Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.