Audrey's Grand Design

In the first episode of the classic British sitcom, "To The Manor Born," Audrey fforbes-Hamilton and her friend Marjory Frobisher wait outside the parish church of St. Thomas until all of the other mourners have departed. 

Then Audrey tells her butler Brabinger to take her dog Bertie home in the car. She and Marjory will walk back to the manor.

Audrey pauses when she reaches these flower pots, and asks Marjory if anyone is looking. After Marjory assures her that they are alone, she removes her black hat, lifts her arms, and shouts "Hooray!" Marjory is shocked by what she can only imagine is her friend's strange outpouring of grief. 

Audrey refuses to pretend that she's not relieved that her husband Martin died of pneumonia. Marjory says she knows that Audrey and Martin didn't always "get on." Audrey responds, "Well, we do now." Audrey has big plans to improve the manor, and she looks forward to having a free hand to get the house and grounds into their ideal state.

Then the two friends walk off toward the manor, to attend the funeral reception.

On the day we attended St. Francis Church, no snow covered the ground.

Nor were we shocked by any black-garbed women throwing their hats in the air.

The flower pots were bursting with color.

And all the plants and trees were thriving.

I wonder if that's all a result of Audrey's grand design for the manor?

Dragon Dave

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.

A Spotlight on Old Ned

Dedicated reader Joppy commented on the previous post to say that radio plays based on the "To The Manor Born" TV series are currently available on BBC Radio 4 Ex in Britain. I was delighted to find that I could access them in the United States via my laptop. 

Those steeped in Audrey and Richard's TV adventures will find the stories they know and love slightly rewritten for their radio presentations. For example, the first radio episode, "The Rhythms of the Earth," is an adaptation of the third TV episode, so it helps to know the set-up for the series--that Audrey loses the mansion to Richard--before diving into the radio program. But one enjoyable aspect of that first radio episode is a beefed-up role for Ned. He appears briefly in episode 1 of the original TV series, but it's not really until episode 3, "The Rhythms of the Earth," that he comes into his own as a character.

Old Ned (2nd from left) acts as pallbearer
 for Audrey's deceased husband
in Episode 1 of the TV series.

Ned, or Old Ned as he introduces himself to Richard, is a lifelong worker on Audrey's family estate. He's a jack of all trades, able to turn his hand to any work that needs doing. This includes mending the local clocks. This includes the clock that sits atop the church tower. In Episode 3 of the TV series, Audrey sees him outside the church after the Sunday morning service. She asks him if he can take a look at her grandfather clock, then walks back home. 

Original TV series writer Peter Spence changes things slightly for radio. In his new, upscale vision, Ned drives a tractor to and from church. Thus, Audrey sensibly adds the proviso that Ned first drop off the load of manure in the tractor he's driving. But Ned doesn't appear to hear the request, as he's just started up the tractor's engine. Peter Spence develops this idea through the radio episode, with characters mentioning at one point that there's a certain smell associated with Audrey's clock, which Ned has taken away to fix. 

In the TV series, Ned is an incidental character for the most part. Here he is, in TV episode two. He doesn't get any lines, but he hands her a small bunch of wildflowers as she leaves the manor.

Audrey thanks him for the flowers, and wishes him all the best with his cucumbers.

Later in the radio version of "The Rhythms of the Earth," as Richard wanders his estate, his conversation with Old Ned is longer than its TV counterpart. The overall effect is that, at least for this first episode of the radio series, his role is much larger. This elevates him from a minor character, to part of the regular ensemble. As Old Ned was one of my favorite characters in the TV series, I enjoyed his greater presence in the radio episode.

I look forward to listening to more of the radio series, and seeing (or should I say hearing) how Peter Spence adapted his original stories for a new medium. Oh, and Thank You, Joppy, for letting me know the radio programs were available. What a wonderful way, as Audrey might say, to demonstrate your sense of noblesse oblige.

Dragon Dave

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

To The Manor Born Radio Episode

Richard Devere's Dream House

In the first episode of "To The Manor Born," a Rolls Royce stops before an English church.

The driver gets out, and asks the priest for directions to The Old Lodge, a gentleman's estate he is planning on buying for his mother and himself. 

After giving him directions, the vicar politely asks him to leave, as a funeral service is underway.

When the man pulls up outside The Old Lodge, he tells the real estate agent that this isn't what he is looking for. He introduces himself. His name is Richard Devere. He's the owner of the multinational supermarket chain Cavendish Foods. He wants to escape the hustle and bustle of London, and run his business from a country home. The Old Lodge is hardly large enough to house himself and his mother, in addition to to serving as a regional corporate office.

Still, as long as he's driven this far, he agrees to tour The Old Lodge anyway.

Then he opens the french windows leading onto the back porch. There, in the distance, he sees what he desires: a real gentleman's country house. It would be perfect for his needs! "That's the one I want you to show me," he announces, and hurries off across the back porch and onto the snow-covered ground, not waiting to see if the real estate agent will follow him.

This little country church still stands. It's called The Parish Church of Saint Thomas. It's located on the grounds of Cricket St. Thomas, an old gentleman's country house. On the day we visited, no funeral service was underway. Nor did a vicar come out to greet us. But it was hardly necessary, as the house we wanted to see, the kind of house Richard Devere needed for himself, his mother, and his business, was easy to find.

As with Richard Devere, one glimpse, even from far away, is enough to make you fall in love with this stately old manor house.

Dragon Dave