Hordes Of The Things
- Radio sitcom
- BBC Radio 4
- 1980
- 4 episodes (1 series)
A radio series parodying J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, written by John Lloyd and Andrew Marshall. Stars Frank Middlemass, Paul Eddington, Simon Callow, Maggie Steed, Jonathan Lynn and more.
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 1 - The First Chronicle
Further details
The land of Albion in Middle-Sea, run by King Yulfric the Wise III, is under threat from The Evil One. Crown Prince Veganin is worried that the country will be invaded and that the current trade system of 10,000 virgins for one walnut is not fair.
Radox the Green meets wood-poacher Agar son of Athar, and his minatour called Stephen. Radox tests him to see if he is strong enough to lead Albion to victory. He also discovers that Agar has a sacred sword, proof that he is the hero that will save the kingdom.
Veganin continues to look for warriors, but fails to find anyone in the local pubs. Agar enters the same pub and begins to learn his destiny.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Tuesday 25th November 1980
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
| Frank Middlemass | Radox the Green |
| Paul Eddington | King Yulfric the Wise III |
| Simon Callow | Crown Prince Veganin |
| Maggie Steed | Queen Elfreda |
| Christian Rodska | Agar son of Athar |
| Patrick Magee | Narrator |
| Miriam Margolyes | Ensemble Actor |
| Hugh Thomas | Ensemble Actor |
| David Ross | Ensemble Actor |
| Gordon Gostelow | Ensemble Actor |
| Eve Carths | Ensemble Actor |
| Andrew Marshall (as A. P. R. Marshall) | Writer |
| John Lloyd (as J. H. W. Lloyd) | Writer |
| Geoffrey Perkins | Producer |
Press
That marvellous cast performs with the hectic embarrassment of those who can hardly believe the script that they've been given, their normal professional timing disappearing in their obvious doubt as to whether the lines are meant to be funny. And well might they wonder.
Val Arnold-Forster, The Guardian, 29th November 1980