Afternoon Play - The Great Swim

Adapted by Anita Sullivan from the book by Gavin Mortimer. In the roaring twenties the world was changing at an electric pace. In science, commerce and art, everything seemed possible and the challenges were there to be confronted. By 1926, only five men had ever conquered the English Channel, and the race to become the first woman to swim the Channel captivated two continents. Many doubted that a woman could do it. Gertrude Ederle, a brilliant young swimmer, was the 19-year-old daughter of a German migrant to the United States. Her father Henry Ederle ran a successful butcher's business in New York. Ederle's cross-channel swim was sponsored by the New York Daily News. The News sent a crime reporter, Julia Harpman, to accompany the swimmer and cover the story and this drama is told through Julia's eyes. Cast Julia Harpman ..... Madeleine Potter Trudy Ederle ..... Emily Bruni Lillian Cannon ..... Samantha Dakin Bill Burgess/Rutherford ..... Philip Jackson Arthur Sorensen ..... Nathan Nolan Joe Costa/Frank Pegler/Williams ..... Sam Dale Henry "Pop" Ederle/Abbot ..... Nathan Osgood Producer: Karen Rose A Sweet Talk production for BBC Radio 4.