Drama penned by Wick writer to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4

A NEW drama series by Wick writer, Colin MacDonald, is being broadcast on BBC Radio 4 next month.

Lamentation, which starts in January and runs for 10 episodes, is the sixth Tudor crime series he has written about the 16th century lawyer detective Shardlake. Based on the best-selling novels by C J Sansom, the adaptations have proved hugely successful not just with a UK audience but worldwide too.

A CD of Lamentation will be on sale in March.

Justin Salinger plays the hunchback Matthew Shardlake and Bryan Dick is his sidekick Jack Barak. Gavin Mitchell (Boaby the barman in Still Game) has a major role as Sir William Paget, Master Secretary to King Henry V111.

Lamentation focuses on Shardlake’s hunt through the stinking streets of London for a potentially heretical book written by his old mentor Queen Catherine Parr. With King Henry V111 on his death bed, his Protestant and Catholic councillors are engaged in a power struggle for who will control the government. Shardlake is plunged deep into the heart of the crisis.

Lamentation was recorded at the BBC studios at Pacific Quay in Glasgow in November.

MacDonald, who comes from Wick but lives in Edinburgh, said: "I have loved creating Shardlake as movies for the ear. More and more people are listening to audio drama and that is exciting. Shardlake is atmospheric – creating the filthy dark streets of 1540s London and the dank dark dungeons of The Tower of London, was a challenge and a joy.

"The recording was completed in different and difficult circumstances. We had a cast of sixteen, but in certain scenes only two actors were allowed in the studio at one time, so conversations had to be recorded in sections with equipment being cleaned in between takes."

MacDonald has been busy throughout lock down. Weir of Hermiston was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 to great acclaim earlier in the year. He is currently working on two feature films, Calum’s Road for Amazon Studios, and The Pretender for the actor Jack Lowden’s production company. He is also working with the Wick-born composer James Ross on a potential show about Wick called Black Stairs.

In addition, he has been leading screen writing masterclasses on Zoom and hopes to be hosting a day at Lyth Arts centre in 2021.

"We had a day planned earlier this year at Lyth with all the places taken but that had to be

cancelled [due to the coronavirus]. So the aim is to do it in 2021, which will be great," added MacDonald.

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