Haywire review – early history of The Archers inspires behind-the-mic farce

Barn theatre, CirencesterFeaturing extraordinary voice acting, this play about the birth of the BBC’s farming drama will equally satisfy superfans and everyday folkEven regular listeners to Radio 4’s The Archers can balk at the laborious annual plotline of Lynda Snell’s amateur dramatic production in Ambridge. So the BBC’s licensing of a spin-off stage play to mark January’s 75th anniversary of the farming drama raised fears of a Snelly cavalcade of arch jokes for superfans.In fact, Haywire – written by Tim Stimpson, author of almost 500 Archers scripts – is, across the length of eight radio episodes, a smart drama with a strong sense of broadcasting and social history. Continue reading...

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