Drama on 3 - The Royal Game

The Viennese writer Stefan Zweig, most famous for Beware of Pity, wrote the original Schachnovelle or Chess Novel in 1942. The translator is Anthea Bell. It is the story of Dr. Berg (Paul Rhys) a well to do German banker who is interrogated by the Gestapo who want to find out where influential members of the Clergy and aristocrats have hidden their money. They hold him in a deserted hotel in solitary confinement in order to break him down. But he steals a book of chess puzzles from a guard and this keeps his mind active. Unfortunately after learning to play games in his head Dr. Berg goes mad. Dr. Berg ..... Paul Rhys The Interrogator ..... Rupert Young The Writer ..... Kevin Trainor Katz ..... Allan Corduner McConnor ..... Hamish Clark Centovic/Bennett ..... Sandy Grierson Servant /Nurse ..... Madeleine Brolly This original adaptation for radio is by Yolanda Pupo-Thompson who also wrote The Hybernaculuum which was a day in the life of the naturalist the Rev Gilbert White. The play was recorded on location in a deserted mansion in Belgrave Square by the sound designer Joe Acheson. Music is from Carl Orff's Schulwerk Director Matt Thompson.