Six masterly BBC radio monologues from renowned playwright Peter Tinniswood - plus his classic comic play The Governor's Consort.

Peter Tinniswood was best known for his popular TV series The Home Front and I Didn't Know You Cared and award-winning novel A Touch of Daniel. But he was also a prolific writer for radio, where he created a host of wonderful characters - often funny, sometimes poignant and always totally believable.

This compilation brings together six of his finest monologues, as well as his comic play The Governor's Consort. With one exception (I Always Take Long Walks), all these dramas were specially written for the actors who star in them, giving them a special resonance and adding an extra dimension to our enjoyment.

The Packer - Michael Williams stars as Gladwyn Jebb, a man who sees his job as a vocation, his craft as an art - and his lies as truths....

The Governor's Consort - Lady Edith is sailing with her husband to a South Atlantic island of which he's about to become governor - but the voyage has an invigorating and somewhat earthy effect on her.... Starring Mary Wimbush, with John Moffatt, Bernard Hepton and Stephen Thorne.

On the Whole It's Been Jolly Good - Written to mark the actor's diamond jubilee in broadcasting, this witty, moving monologue stars Maurice Denham as ex-MP Sir Plympton Makepeace, reflecting on 60 glorious years in The House.

Verona: A Conspiracy of Parrots - Stephanie Cole stars as the 'slightly elderly' lady whose exotic birds bring her triumphant fulfilment. But can she keep her feathered friends out of the hands of the auctioneer?

I Always Take Long Walks - Cricket widow Enid shares her private thoughts on kitchen units, life with her husband and the men she's loved and lost. Starring Dame Judi Dench as Enid.

The Last Obit - Billie Whitelaw stars as Millicent Doris Clayton, an obituarist living in her own very particular world, in this brilliant black comedy which won the 1998 Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award.

The Duvet Lady - Wrapped from head to foot in a flowery duvet, Edna recalls her younger days. Will she ever emerge for her evening engagement? Billie Whitelaw stars in this superb one-woman drama.

Production credits

Written by Peter Tinniswood

The Packer

Starring Michael Williams as Gladwyn Jebb

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 7th April 2000

The Governor's Consort

Lady Edith - Mary Wimbush

Sir Wilfred - John Moffatt

Doctor Spofforth - Bernard Hepton

Captain MacWhirter - Stephen Thorne

Delgado - Keith Drinkel

Chief Engineer - Matthew Morgan

First Officer - James Telfer

Tarleton - Jonathan Adams

Band - Michael Haslam, Judith Herbert and Kevin Street

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17th May 1993

On the Whole It's Been Jolly Good

Starring Maurice Denham as Sir Plympton Makepeace

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27th April 1998

Verona: A Conspiracy of Parrots

Starring Stephanie Cole as Verona

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29th April 1998

I Always Take Long Walks

Starring Dame Judi Dench as Enid

Directed by John Tydeman

First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 4th July 1991

The Duvet Lady

Starring Billie Whitelaw as Edna

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 14th March 2001

The Last Obit

Starring Billie Whitelaw as Millicent

Directed by Enyd Williams

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28th April 1998