Drama on 3 - The Great Game

A sequence of four plays tracing the history of the war in Afghanistan from the 1840s to the present day, introduced by Robin Lustig. Produced by Jeremy Mortimer 'Bugles at the Gates of Jalalabad' by Stephen Jeffreys In January 1842 a contingent of British soldiers, 16000 strong, retreated from Kabul. Only a few stragglers were left alive in the British Army's worst defeat in history. The General's wife, Lady Sale, documents the battles in the Hindu Kush; whilst four buglers sound the advance at the gates of Jalalabad as a signal to any survivors. Lady Sale ..... Jemma Redgrave McCann ..... Daniel Betts Dickensen ..... Tom McKay Hendrick ..... Rick Warden Winterflood ..... Karl Davies Afzal ..... Nabil Elouahabi Directed by Indhu Rubasingham. 'Miniskirts of Kabul' by David Greig The Taliban are closing in on Kabul: shells and rockets are exploding around the capital. A woman is interviewing President Najibullah, who has sought refuge in the UN compound. He talks about fashion, communism, torture and whisky, but time is running out. Writer ..... Jemma Redgrave Najibullah ..... Daniel Rabin Directed by Indhu Rubasingham. 'Honey' by Ben Ockrent While civil war rages, a lone CIA agent realises the dangers of American disengagement. He's found an 'in' to persuade Commander Massoud, the Lion of Panjshir, to help them get back into the game. But with the Taliban closing in on Kabul, will it be enough? Masood Khalili ..... Vincent Ebrahim Robin Raphel ..... Jemma Redgrave Gary Schroen ..... Michael Cochrane Ahmad Shah Massoud ..... Daniel Rabin Reporter ..... Danny Rahim Directed by Sasha Yevtushenko 'Canopy of Stars' by Simon Stephens In a bunker guarding the Kajaki Dam, two soldiers talk of chips and gravy, football, women and whether the British should start to negotiate with the Taliban insurgents. A searing insight into soldiers at war, and what happens when they go home. Sergeant Jay Watkins ..... Tom McKay Private Richard Kendall ..... Karl Davies Lloyd ..... Lloyd Thomas Murray ..... Danny Rahim Cutty/Voice on Radio ..... Rick Warden Cheryl/Medic ..... Cloudia Swann Directed by Jessica Dromgoole. 'What a day, what a theatre, what a company. This is theatre to be proud of.' Sir Tom Stoppard 'Its scope is unparallelled. It's a fine achievement.' The Times