Parallel Lines

An invitation to the reunion of the audience at an Adverts gig in 1977 brings some skeletons dancing from the cupboard.

Frank Cottrell Boyce's series of five plays about the punk generation 30 years on begins with the story of Julie, the singer in an ageing Blondie tribute band.

Julie receives her invitation to the reunion. Husband and partner in the band Pete has also been invited - he was, after all, dubbed 'Zorba the Freak' for his legendary exploits that night.

As she grapples with whether to go or not, she tries to track down two of her contemporaries from those formative days.

With so much invested in the past, Julie finds herself facing some uncomfortable truths.

The next three plays in the series catch up with other, now middle-aged, members of that audience back in 1977.

The final play, 'Television's Over', takes us back 34 years to where it all begin; the day punk heroes the Adverts arrived at the Police Club in Camberley.

Julie .... Doon Mackichan
Thing .... Sian Reeves
Margaret .... Rosie Cavaliero
Steve Reeves .... Ivan Kaye
Pete .... Paul Viragh
Joe .... Joseph Tremain
Lovely .... Sarah Bedi
Announcer .... John Rowe
Waiter .... Ben Crowe

Director: Toby Swift

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in July 2008.

**** Writer Frank Cottrell Boyce is probably best known for films like '24 Hour Party People', 'A Cock & Bull Story', 'Hilary & Jackie', 'Welcome to Sarajevo' and 'Butterfly Kiss'. He won the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2004 for 'Millions', his first novel, which was subsequently filmed by British director Danny Boyle.