A BBC Radio 4 comedy

HR: The Complete Series 1-5

Jonathan Pryce and Nicholas le Provost star in this comedy drama series, which charts the misfortunes of a middle-aged HR officer and his trouble-making colleague.

Jonathan Pryce and Nicholas le Provost deliver first-class performances in this comedy drama series, which charts the misfortunes of a middle-aged HR officer and his trouble-making colleague. 
 
Lazy HR officer Sam (Nicholas le Provost) and his equally useless workmate Peter (Jonathan Pryce) realise they are in trouble: Peter for lateness and abusive phone calls to clients, and Sam for his over-relaxed attitude to errant staff members like Peter. Soon their worst fears are realised when they learn that one of the abusive phone calls made by Peter has been intercepted. 
 
Series 1 sees the duo inflict disastrous injuries on their boss on an away-day, profoundly insult his successor on a train, and rehearse for humiliating interviews for their own jobs. From Series 2 onwards Peter, on a tiny pension, has moved into Sam’s suburban home, where the odd couple continues to play out the curious behaviours developed over a lifetime in work. Together they must face money worries (from pensions under threat to the perils of being rich), and navigate their increasingly complicated love lives. 
 
Written by Nigel Williams 
Produced by Peter Kavanagh

Jonathan Meyerson

Nigel Williams

Rex Obano

Joy Wilkinson

Tamsin Oglesby

Anna Maxwell-Martin

Raad Rawi

Nicholas Le Provost

Nadine Marshall

Alun Armstrong

Faye Marsay

Jemma Redgrave

Full Cast

7 BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramas

A collection of factual dramas exploring the history of oil - and the price we pay for it 
 
Ever since it was first drilled over 150 years ago, oil has been both a blessing and a curse. It has enabled economic growth; provided an efficient energy source; fuelled our entire infrastructure - and caused wars, pollution and global warming. These seven dramas, set between 1951 and 2045, and taking us from postwar Iran to futuristic Lancashire, examine the role oil has played in shaping our world: recounting incredible stories of wealth, power, politics and corruption. 
 
Stand Firm, You Cads! By Jonathan Myerson tells the colourful tale of how Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh took back the nation's oil from the British, and the chaos and conflict that followed. In Looking for Billy by Nigel Williams, a private detective investigates protests against an Alaskan pipeline - and finds out what oil did to the indigenous Inupiat people. The Weapon, by Jonathan Myerson, is a tense, thrilling dramatisation of the 1973 OPEC siege, while Baby Oil, also written by Myerson, is based on real events in the propaganda campaign at the outbreak of the First Gulf War. 
 
In Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria by Rex Obano, a local businesswoman is caught up in the violent consequences of the Ogoni people's campaign against the oil industry. No Two Days by Joy Wilkinson is a mesmerising maze of stories about risk, passion and deep-sea oil, centred around an ambitious journalist's attempts to investigate the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. And in Tamsin Ogleby's future oil comedy Blood from Stone, a father-and-son energy company struggles with the new economics of the oil market. Is Ralph right about getting out for good? Is his dad Charlie more addict than businessman? And will we ever be able to give up oil? 
 
Anna Maxwell Martin, Raad Rawi, Jemma Redgrave, Paul Ritter, Nicholas Le Prevost , James McArdle, Nadine Marshall, Faye Marsay, Obi Abili, David Ajala, Jude Akuwudike, and Alun Armstrong are among the casts in these enthralling dramas. Also included are two short clips in which Nicolas Kent discusses the difference between directing for radio and stage, and explains his inspiration for The Price of Oil. 
 
Production credits 
Devised by Nicolas Kent, with Jack Bradley and Jonathan Myerson 
Produced by Jonquil Panting 
 
Listening Order 
 
Stand Firm, You Cads! 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Nicolas Kent. Pianist: Laurie O'Brien 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 September 2015 
 
Looking for Billy 
Written by Nigel Williams. Directed by Nicolas Kent. Inupiat translations provided by Chelsey Zibell 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 September 2015 
 
The Weapon 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 29 September 2015 
 
Baby Oil 
Written by Jonathan Myerson. Directed by Nicolas Kent 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September 2015 
 
Someone's Making a Killing in Nigeria 
Written by Rex Obano. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 1 October 2015 
 
No Two Days 
Written by Joy Wilkinson. Directed by Nicolas Kent 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2 October 2015 
 
Blood from Stone 
Written by Tamsin Oglesby. Directed by Jonquil Panting 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 October 2015 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Price of Oil

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