Audrey and the Paperboy

Another thing that surprised me in the radio version of TV episode 3 (for Radio Episode 1) was how original series creator and writer Peter Spence rewrote the motivation for Audrey's visit to the manor. In his TV version, she is incensed that Richard didn't bother to attend church on his first Sunday living at the estate. She regards this as his duty, as he is the new lord of the manor. She even instructed the rector to preach a sermon on all the duties required of the master of the estate. Yet he didn't show up, so all the effort she went to was wasted. 

This man might be able to run a supermarket chain, but how can he ever hope to run his estate properly if he flaunts his responsibilities in such a fashion?

So instead of returning home, she walks to the manor after the service to instruct him in his duties to the community. On the doorstep, she picks up his morning paper. When Richard arrives at the door, he's so sleepy he takes the paper without thinking, without even recognizing her, and shuts the door in her face! 

In the rewritten radio version, she intercepts the paperboy before church, before she even knows whether he will attend the service or not. So we realize she planned on visiting him all along, with the intention of molding him into her vision of the ideal lord of the manor. (Whether he liked it or not!) Or, barring that, send him fleeing back to London by overwhelming him with all the demands country life will place on his time. Thus she becomes more proactive as a character. This is a nice touch, as in the TV series she's usually reacting to how Richard does or does not perform his community and lordly duties. 

There's lots of other little extra bits, and rewritten dialogue, that adds a new dimension to the episode. Unburdened by staging visuals, writer Peter Spence succeeds in not just elevating minor characters like Old Ned, but also in expanding the roles of the series' regulars for "The Rhythms of the Earth." I look forward to listening to the remaining episodes, and savoring the differences between the original TV shows and their radio adaptations. 

Dragon Dave

P.S. To listen to "The Rhythms of the Earth," follow the link below.

To The Manor Born Radio Episode


P.P.S. I've added a new feature, Stand-Alone Pages, to my blog. You'll find it below My Blog List on the right, between About Me and the Blog Archive. Hopefully, this section will function as a resource for newcomers to this blog who are unfamiliar with aspects of the classic TV series. To view the first entry, click the link A Few Words of Introduction in the Stand-Alone Pages section. Then you can return to the main blog by clicking the Home link.