BBC RADIO DRAMA: MURDER AT EISTEDDFOD by Brian Evans

Murder at the Eisteddfod by Brian Evans was broadcast as part of the Saturday Night Theatre series on BBC Radio 4 at 8.30pm on 4 Aug 1973. Please note the recording made at the time is not up to modern standards.

Story:
Seated amongst an audience of over 8,000 people in the Pavilion of the National Eisteddfod of Wales are two visitors on holiday from London - Chief Superintendent John Wright and his wife, Mary. They have been listening attentively for the last 15 minutes or so to the adjudication of this year's crown poem.

The couple are to be witnesses of an unprecedented crowning ceremony as the winning Bard selected for that year is Rhodri Rogers, a Welsh-American poet who came over to live in Wales five years earlier and had to learn Welsh. While on the platform waiting to receive his award, Rhodri collapses and dies. It is first thought to be an apparent heart attack but when he was examined by the doctor, he was found to have been shot. As the police go over the sequence of events, it seems that Rhodri had been shot in the front when he had his back to the audience which meant someone who had already been on the platform had done it. The only people on stage were other poets.

This is not an ordinary murder. It happened on a very solemn occasion in front of 8,000 people, and two yards away from 20 reporters and photographers - it was even broadcast live on television. At the moment, the local Chief Constable is pretty short of senior men in his Force so he asks his good friend, John Wright, for help. Even though he was on leave, the visiting Detective Chief Superintendent agrees to head up the investigation.

Cast:
Angharad Rogers, Wife of the Murdered Bard, Rhodri: Petra Davies
Detective Chief Superintendent John Wright: Douglas Blackwell
Mary Wright John's Wife: Margaret John:
The Chief Constable: Dillwynn Owen:
Detective Sergeant Williams: Huw Thomas
Gerwyn Arfon: Michael Povey
John ap Rhys: Ray Handy
Meirion Matthews, the Eisteddfod Secretary: Gareth Lewis:
Glenys Laine, an Actress: Victoria Plucknett

Other parts played by members of the cast.

Produced by Lorraine Davies.