"Heavy Weather" by P. G. Wodehouse - BBC Radio adaptation

Classic Old Time Radio, Vintage radio shows, the Golden Age of radio, murder, mystery, drama, comedy, sci-fi, westerns.

BBC Radio's adaptation of P.G. Wodehouse's "Heavy Weather" plunges listeners back into the delightfully absurd world of Blandings Castle, continuing the comedic chaos from the previous novel, "Summer Lightning."

At the heart of the story remains Lord Emsworth, the amiable and pig-obsessed Earl, whose greatest joy is his prize sow, The Empress of Blandings. His serene existence is once again under threat, not least from his formidable sisters, Lady Constance Keeble and Lady Julia Fish, who are determined to prevent their nephew, Ronnie Fish, from marrying the chorus girl Sue Brown.

The central plot revolves around the much-coveted, and potentially scandalous, memoirs of the Hon. Galahad "Gally" Threepwood. Gally, Lord Emsworth's charmingly roguish brother, has penned a tell-all account of his youthful indiscretions and those of numerous prominent figures in British society. The publication of these memoirs is a source of immense anxiety for many, including:

Lord Tilbury, a conniving publisher desperate to get his hands on the manuscript for its commercial potential.
Lady Constance and Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe (Lord Emsworth's rival in pig-breeding and a prospective Member of Parliament), who desperately want to suppress the memoirs to avoid social and political ruin.
Monty Bodkin, who arrives at Blandings as Lord Emsworth's new secretary, partly because he needs to hold down a job for a year to win the hand of his own beloved, and sees Gally's memoirs as a potential key to his success. He's also tied up in a complicated past with Sue Brown, fueling Ronnie Fish's jealousy.

As various parties scheme, kidnap, and attempt to steal the manuscript, miscommunications abound, romantic entanglements become increasingly tangled, and the typically unruffled Beach the butler finds himself drawn into the maelstrom. Lord Emsworth, meanwhile, is largely oblivious to the human drama, focusing primarily on the well-being and competitive chances of his beloved Empress, often suspecting Sir Gregory of nefarious plots against her.

The radio adaptation, like the novel, is a masterclass in farcical plotting, witty dialogue, and endearing, eccentric characters. It's a testament to Wodehouse's genius that even amidst the "heavy weather" of these various crises, the listener is left with a feeling of warmth and amusement as order, inevitably, is restored to Blandings, often in the most unexpected and hilarious ways.