Charles Paris: A Doubtful Death

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

By: Simon Brett, Jeremy Front

Narrated by: Simon Brett, Suzanne Burden, Full Cast, Jonathan Glover

Bill Nighy returns as the loveably louche actor-cum-amateur detective Charles Paris.

Charles Paris is in Oxford, appearing in a re-imagining of Hamlet by a high-concept drama company. No fan of immersive theatre, he’s unimpressed with the director’s vision and less than thrilled to be rehearsing alongside puppeteers and mime artists.

But he soon finds himself back on familiar territory when the actress playing Ophelia goes missing, only to turn up dead. Did she take her own life, or was there foul play? As he amasses a list of suspects who might have wished her harm, Charles takes on the mantle of detective once more to decide if this is to be or not to be a murder case....

Scripted for radio by Jeremy Front from a story by Simon Brett, A Doubtful Death stars Bill Nighy (Emma, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) as Charles Paris, with Suzanne Burden as Frances and Jon Glover as Maurice.

Also included is an exclusive 18-minute afterword in which Jeremy Front discusses his experience of adapting an unproduced screenplay, reveals what it’s like to work with recurring characters and actors and explains the mechanics of recording for radio.

Simon Brett OBE has written 19 Charles Paris novels as well as many other detective novels. Jeremy Front is a dramatist and comedic writer; he has won awards for his adaptation of Sword of Honour and co-writes and stars in the series Incredible Women with his sister, Rebecca.

Credits:

Written by Jeremy Front.

From a story by Simon Brett.

Produced and directed by Sally Avens.

Production Coordinator: Cynthia Fagan.

Studio Managers: Anne Bunting, Keith Graham and Jenni Burnett.

Interview produced by Ania Duggan and Roshni Radia.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 22 May-12 June 2020.

©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Every one of these performances is a gem.

This new Charles Paris Mystery drama is a marvel. I have been waiting for months for this one, and it didn't disappoint. Brilliant acting, exquisite production values, and a storyline set in one of my favorite cities in England. Radio Drama at it's best.
There is a wonderful surprise for fans of the show at the end...

Another Good One

Good storyline and as usual Bill Nighy and Suzanne Burden bring it. Lay back and enjoy.

Another great Charles Paris drama

These BBC productions are top notch! If you like a little humor in your mystery or if you're a fan of Bill Nighy, these are not to be missed. Fantastic production, witty repartee, humorous dialogue and a 60s rock soundtrack, how can it miss? Bill Nighy is one of my favorite actors and he does the part brilliantly. There's also a bonus interview with series writer Jeremy Front.

Enjoyable but still misses the mark

I am a fan of the Paris books, Simon Brett, Bill Nighy and Radio 4 plays so the radio dramas should be a slam dunk. Sadly, they're just too silly. I never understood why they made Charles Paris such a buffoon to the point where he's unlikeable. Also the tweaking of entertainment industry's nose was fun at the beginning but as the series continued, it's become silly. These two elements dominate the story so much now they're squeezing out the mystery element of the story. The mystery in this story didn't start until the second half, which is a shame because the second half of the story made up for a pretty annoying first half.