Five original dramas about life, love and death in a cathedral close in Holy Week

Cathedrals are at the heart of our cities. Beautiful, imposing and steeped in history, they were once potent symbols of temporal power and technological wonder. But what do they mean to us today? These five linked dramas explore how our great cathedrals – borderlands between God and people – embody the complexities and contradictions of faith in 21st century Britain.

Penned by award-winning dramatist Nick Warburton and set in a fictional cathedral in the week leading up to Easter, the plays tell the ‘small stories’ of the people who live, work and visit there. Each is centred around different characters, with themes echoing the Gospel accounts of the last days of Christ.

Coming to Jerusalem introduces us to Ellen, a volunteer in the shop seeking respite from problems at home; and in Betrayal, we meet Callum, who has two loves: singing and his fiancée, Sonia. Last Supper finds Vice-Dean Clive and verger Graham breaking bread with two very different guests, while Trial focusses on Samir, who has come to the Cathedral to remember the dead – but is not made welcome. In The Road to Emmaus, it’s Good Friday – a big day for Robert, the Cathedral’s Director of Music. As he prepares for the afternoon service and the evening’s performance by the Voluntary Choir, he finds himself beset by confusion...

Starring David Bradley, Adjoa Andoh, Don Gilet, James Fleet, Sarah Gordy and Claire Rushbrook, these poignant plays feature original music specially composed for the series by Sasha Johnson Manning, with lyrics by the poet Michael Symmons Roberts.

Production credits

Written by Nick Warburton

Produced and directed by Jonquil Panting

Original music by Sasha Johnson Manning, with lyrics by Michael Symmons Roberts

Performed by:

Manchester Chamber Choir, directed by Christopher Stokes, with Jeffrey Makinson (organ), Rob Shorter (tenor), Rebecca Whettam (cello), Jahan Hunter (trumpet) and Holly Marland (recorder)

BBC Singers with Eleanor Gregory (soprano), Margaret Cameron (alto), Chris Bowen (tenor), Stephen Charlesworth (bass) and Andrew Earis (piano)

Andrew Kirk (organ), and the choir of Saint Mary Redcliffe, Bristol

Cast

The Old Man – David Bradley

Ellen – Adjoa Andoh

Graham – Kim Wall

Paul – Jim Norton

Clive – Don Gilet

Caroline – Alex Tregear

Robert – James Fleet

Priest/Jo – Tracy Wiles

Callum – Harry Livingstone

Sonia – Rina Mahoney

Hannah – Emerald O'Hanrahan

James Greenstock – Gerard McDermott

Samir – Shane Zaza

Alice – Sarah Gordy

Rebecca – Claire Rushbrook

Lynne – Tina Gray

Priests – Adjoa Andoh & Peter Hamilton-Dyer

With James Lailey

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2-6 April 2012