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Bah! Humbug!

Dominic West and Ruth Bradley with readings exploring the challenging aspects of Christmas: useless presents, tedious board games, relentless relatives, and awful office parties.

Dominic West (The Crown) and Ruth Bradley (Slow Horses) let out their inner Grinch's to explore the challenging aspects of Christmas: useless presents, tedious board games, relentless relatives, and excruciating office parties to name just a few. We'll hear from Bridget Jones, Dr Seuss, Reginald, Philip Larkin, George Bernard Shaw, and the most infamous Christmas grump of all, Ebenezer Scrooge: but will the Christmas Spirit win out in the end? Featuring music by Sufjan Stevens, Kate Rusby, James Horner, Richard Addinsell, and a host of festive favourites.

Readings:
The Devils Dictionary - Ambrose Bierce
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr Seuss
Letter to Judy Egerton - Philip Larkin
A Christmas Poem - Wendy Cope
Little Women 鈥 Louisa May Alcott
Music in London - George Bernard Shaw
Bridget Jones Diary - Helen Fielding
Reginald on Christmas Presents - Saki
Christmas in Bournemouth - Jonathan Raban
Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind from As You Like It - Shakespeare
The 1981 Night Before Christmas - Frank Jacobs
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Dr Seuss
A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Producer: Ruth Thomson

1 hour, 14 minutes

On radio

Christmas Day 2024 17:00

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, read by Dominic West

  • Ambrose Bierce: The Devil's Dictionary, read by Dominic West

  • 00:02

    Irving Berlin

    White Christmas

    Performer: Bing Crosby.
  • 00:00

    Irving Berlin

    White Christmas

    Performer: Bing Crosby.
    • MCA.
    • DMCTV-3.
  • Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol., read by Dominic West

  • Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol., read by Dominic West

  • 00:07

    Paul Williams

    Scrooge (Muppet Christmas Carol)

    Ensemble: Original Cast.
  • 00:04

    The Muppets

    Scrooge

    • ARISTA/BMG.
    • 7432112194-2.
  • Dr Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Dr Seuss: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, read by Ruth Bradley

  • 00:09

    James Horner

    The Heist (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra.
  • 00:08

    James Horner

    The Heist

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner. Conductor: James Horner.
    • INTERSCOPE.
    • 490-765 2.
  • 00:12

    Hugh Martin

    Have yourself a merry little Christmas

    Singer: Bryn Terfel. Orchestra: Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Conductor: Tecwyn Evans.
  • 00:10

    Bryn Terfel, Ella Taylor, Liam Jones & Shuna Scott Sendall

    Have Yourself A Very Merry Little Christmas

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Concert Orchestra. Conductor: Martin Yates.
  • Philip Larkin: Letter to Judy Eggerton, read by Dominic West

  • Philip Larkin: Letter to Judy Eggerton, read by Dominic West

  • 00:16

    Felix Mendelssohn

    Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

    Music Arranger: Sir David Willcocks. Choir: Bach Choir. Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: John Rutter.
  • 00:14

    Felix Mendelssohn

    Hark! The herald angels sing, arr. D.Willcocks for chorus/es and accomp

    Conductor: John Rutter. Performer: The Bach Choir. Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • DECCA.
    • 2782129.
  • Wendy Cope: A Christmas Poem, read by Ruth Bradley)

  • Wendy Cope: A Christmas Poem, read by Ruth Bradley)

  • 00:20

    Billy Hayes

    Blue Christmas

    Performer: Elvis Presley.
  • 00:18

    Elvis Presley

    BLUE CHRISTMAS

    Music Arranger: N/A.
    • RCA.
    • PD-90689(5)-3.
  • 00:22

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Troika (Lieutenant Kije)

    Orchestra: St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov.
  • 00:20

    Sergey Prokofiev

    Lieutenant Kije - suite Op.60 for orchestra, with baritone ad lib.

    Conductor: Yuri Temirkanov. Performer: St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.
    • RCA.
    • RD-60984.
  • 00:26

    Traditional Czech

    Prisla jsem k vam na koledu

    Performer: Eva Peckova. Orchestra: Musica Bohemica.
  • 00:24

    罢谤盲诲

    Prisla jsem k vam na koledu

    Conductor: Jaroslav Kr膷ek. Performer: Eva Peckova. Performer: Musica Bohemia.
    • Supraphon.
    • 1118182711.
  • 00:28

    Patrick Doyle

    It's only a diary (Bridget Jones Diary)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: Patrick Doyle.
  • 00:26

    Unknown

    It's Only A Diary

    Music Arranger: Unknown. Music Arranger: Unknown. Performer: Patrick Doyle.
    • Mercury.
    • 548-7962.
  • Helen Fielding: Bridget Jones Diary, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Helen Fielding: Bridget Jones Diary, read by Ruth Bradley

  • 00:32

    Eric Carmen

    All by myself

    Performer: Jamie O鈥橬eal.
  • 00:32

    Eric Carmen

    All By Myself

    Performer: Jamie O鈥橬eal.
    • Universal.
    • BCD-4538.
  • 00:36

    Arcangelo Corelli

    Concerto grosso in G minor, Op.6 no.8 (Christmas Night)

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.
  • 00:35

    Arcangelo Corelli

    Concerto grosso in G minor Op.6 No.8 (Christmas night)

    Orchestra: Kammerorchester Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. Conductor: Hartmut Haenchen.
    • SONY.
    • S2K-53266.
  • George Bernard Shaw: Music in London, read by Dominic West

  • George Bernard Shaw: Music in London, read by Dominic West

  • 00:42

    Ernst Ansch眉tz

    O Tannenbaum

    Ensemble: Vince Guaraldi Trio.
  • 00:42

    VINCE GUARALDI

    O TANNENBAUM

    Music Arranger: N/A.
    • FANTASY.
    • 8431-2.
  • 00:48

    Sufjan Stevens

    That was the worst Christmas ever

    Performer: Sufjan Stevens.
  • 00:47

    Sufjan Stevens

    That was the Worst Christmas Ever!

    • ROUGH TRADE.
    • rTRAD-CDX450.
  • Saki: Reginald on Christmas Presents, read by Dominic West

  • Saki: Reginald on Christmas Presents, read by Dominic West

  • 00:52

    Nigel Hess

    Christmas Overture

    Orchestra: Hall茅. Conductor: Stephen Bell.
  • 00:55

    Nigel Hess

    A Christmas Overture

    Conductor: Stephen Bell. Performer: Hall茅.
    • Halle.
    • CD HLL 7545.
  • Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights, read by Ruth Bradley

  • 01:02

    Kate Rusby

    Yorkshire Merry Christmas

    Performer: Kate Rusby.
  • 01:00

    Kate Rusby

    Yorkshire Merry Christmas

    Performer: Kate Rusby.
    • Pure Records.
    • PRCD40.
  • Ted Kooser: Christmas Mail, read by Dominic West

  • Ted Kooser: Christmas Mail, read by Dominic West

  • 01:06

    Franz Xaver Gruber

    Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht

    Performer: Maria Stader. Ensemble: Instrumentalvereinigung.
  • 01:05

    Franz Xaver Gruber

    Stille Nacht (Silent night)

    Performer: Maria Stader. Performer: Instrumentalvereinigung.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 4777970.
  • Shakespeare: Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Shakespeare: Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind, read by Ruth Bradley

  • 01:10

    James Horner

    Change of Heart (How the Grinch stole Christmas)

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.
  • 01:10

    James Horner

    Change of the Heart

    Orchestra: Studio Orchestra. Conductor: James Horner.
    • INTERSCOPE.
    • 490-765 2.
  • 01:14

    Richard Addinsell

    Scrooge

    Orchestra: 大象传媒 Philharmonic. Conductor: Rumon Gamba.
  • 01:15

    Richard Addinsell

    Suite from "Scrooge"

    Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Music Arranger: Steven Bernstein. Performer: 大象传媒 Philharmonic.
    • CHANDOS.
    • CHAN-10046.
  • Jonathan Raban: Christmas in Bournemouth, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Jonathan Raban: Christmas in Bournemouth, read by Ruth Bradley

  • Frank Jacobs: The 1981 Night Before Christmas, read by Dominic West

  • Frank Jacobs: The 1981 Night Before Christmas, read by Dominic West

  • 00:04

    The Muppets

    Scrooge

    • ARISTA/BMG.
    • 7432112194-2.
  • 01:15

    Richard Addinsell

    Suite from "Scrooge"

    Conductor: Rumon Gamba. Music Arranger: Steven Bernstein. Performer: 大象传媒 Philharmonic.
    • CHANDOS.
    • CHAN-10046.

Broadcasts

  • Sun 22 Dec 2019 17:30
  • Christmas Day 2024 17:00

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