By Irony and dark humor may not be as appreciated here, in the States, as it is in the United Kingdom, but if you enjoy British entertainment, there’s lots to keep you engrossed. BBC has a long history of producing radio and television mysteries, dark comedies, thrillers, horror, and sci-fi. I’ve enjoyed several television publications: Red Dwarf, Fawlty Towers, Snuff Box, and other series. But I hadn’t been exposed to BBC radio until now.
Ian Durneen (https://www.behance.net/IanDurneen), an artist and illustrator who lives in the U.K., was kind enough to point out to me a long running BBC horror series, Fear on Four, which is available for listening on You Tube; it’s classic horror drama, originally broadcast in radio format.
The show first aired as the series Appointment with Fear in 1943, and it was later revived in 1988 (as Fear on Four). Each show, The Man in Black (Edward de Souza) teases the listener, creating a foreboding for events soon to take place in stories like “The Monkey’s Paw” and Stanley Ellin’s “The Specialty of the House.” Various actors and accompanying sound effects will do their best to chill the listener.
As a young reader, W.W. Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw” was one of my favorite horror shorts. This story has gone on to be adapted in various formats, again and again.
So, if your looking for something to do on these dark, cold winter nights, gather a friend, huddle around the pale lcd glow of your pc monitor or tablet, and listen to a few episodes of Fear on Four; The Man in Black appreciates an audience.
