THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS – JOHN WYNDHAM (BBC RADIOPLAY)

Cuckoos lay eggs in other birds’ nests….

The rather sleepy village of Midwich finds itself becoming even sleepier when one night in September all those in it – and nearby, within a precise circular boundary – fall suddenly into a state of unconciousness that lasts for over 24 hours. In that time, aerial reconnaissance and photographs reveal not only that the affected area is a hemisphere, but also that, at the centre of it, a strange shape can be seen.

But as suddenly as the village was affected, everything returns – apparently – to normal. It’s some weeks before the realisation grows that all the women in the village of child-bearing age are mysteriously impregnated. Nine months pass and the pregnancies run to their natural term, producing 61 “Children” – all with blonde hair, pale skin and golden eyes. As they start to grow at enormous speed, it becomes clear that they all have telepathic abilities.

The clutch that have been fathered by Aliens promise to make the human race look as dated as the dinosaur…. and who is to stop them?

The classic 1957 sci-fi novel.
Adaptation by William Ingram
Three 30-minute episodes
BBC World Service, first broadcast betwen 9 and 23 December 1982
Directed by Gordon House
Music by Roger Limb of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

Episode 1

The mystery deepens when all the residents of the rural village of Midwich suddenly fall into a state of unconsciousness…

Colonel Bernard Westcott …… Charles Kay
Richard Gayford …… William Gaunt
Gordon Zellaby …… Manning Wilson
Angela Zellaby …… Pauline Yates
Janet Gayford …… Rosalind Adams
Ferrelyn Zellaby …… Jenny Quayle
Alan Hughes …… Gordon Dulieu
Doctor Willers …… Hugh Dickson
Vicar Leebody …… William Ingram
Colonel Latcher …… Garard Green
Captain Beamish …… Martin Bansley
Group Captain Harding …… Peter Tuddenham
Chief Constable …… Ronald Baddiley
Pilot …… Alex Jennings
PC …… David Peart
Base Controller …… Edward Cast

Episode 2

There are moral and security issues when all the women of child-bearing age in the village of Midwich simultaneously become pregnant by an alien force.

Bernard Westcott …. Charles Kay
Gordon Zellaby …. Manning Wilson
Angela Zellaby …. Pauline Yates
Richard Gayford …. William Gaunt
Janet Gayford/Secretary …. Rosalind Adams
Ferrelyn Zellaby …. Jenny Quayle
Alan Hughes …. Gordon Dulieu
Vicar Leebody …. William Ingram
Doctor Willers …. Hugh Dickson

Episode 3

The mysterious powers of the alien children start to become destructive…

Bernard Westcott …. Charles Kay
Gordon Zellaby …. Manning Wilson
Angela Zellaby …. Pauline Yates
Richard Gayford …. William Gaun
Chief Constable …. Ronald Baddiley
Coroner …. Nigel Graham
Doctor Torrance …. Peter Tuddenham
Mrs Williams …. Katherine Parr
Girl …. Rosalind Adams
Boy …. Jill Lidstone
Man …. Simon Hewitt

Running Time: 01:23:50
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