Some plays disappear from public memory not because they lack merit, but simply because they were broadcast once and quietly slipped into history. The Brass Farthing, first heard on BBC Radio’s celebrated Sunday Play strand in 1966, is one such hidden treasure.
Written by the acclaimed novelist and playwright Rupert Croft-Cooke and adapted for radio by the legendary Giles Cooper, this thoughtful drama invites listeners into a world where ordinary lives conceal extraordinary truths. Like many of Croft-Cooke’s works, it explores character, conscience, and the unexpected significance of seemingly insignificant things.
While little documentation survives about the play itself, that mystery has become part of its charm. Listening today is much like opening a forgotten volume in an old library—you discover the story exactly as audiences did nearly sixty years ago.
If you enjoy classic British drama, literary storytelling, and beautifully crafted radio productions from the BBC’s golden years, The Brass Farthing is well worth ninety minutes of your time.
Settle into a comfortable chair, dim the lights, and let your imagination do the rest.
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Chesterton Radio is entirely listener supported. Your generosity helps us preserve and share classic radio dramas, mysteries, comedies, adventures, and historical broadcasts while creating original productions like Under the Hood, Morning Prayer, The Open Door, and programs exploring literature, faith, history, craftsmanship, music, and the enduring ideas that continue to shape our world.
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Welcome to the Chesterton Radio World
Chesterton Radio is more than a podcast.
It’s a gathering place for people who believe great stories, thoughtful conversation, beautiful music, and timeless ideas still matter. Whether you found us through a detective mystery, an old comedy, an episode of Under the Hood, or simply wandered in by chance, we’re delighted you’re here.
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Until next time, wherever you are in the world, the lamp is still burning, the kettle is on, and the door is open. We’ll save you a seat here at the Little Station on Commercial Street. Good night.
