David Tennant and Classic FM presenter Tim Lihoreau, who wrote the radio play.
Classic FM has produced a star-studded whodunnit radio drama to raise money for its charity, Global’s Make Some Noise. The programme is called Upstairs Downland Abbey, and will star David Tennant, David and John Suchet, Aled Jones, Myleene Klass, Charlotte Green and several Classic FM presenters including… cough… David Mellor.
As you might have guessed, it’s a pastiche mixing together elements of Poirot and Downton Abbey. Of course, there is a classical music angle too. The first of the two-part story The Case of Beethoven’s Bust goes out on Monday 5 October and the second will be available from Thursday 8 October. You can order the drama online for £5.
The money will go to help disabled and disadvantaged children, and you can view the trailer below:
Here’s a quick blurb about the storyline:
“Lord and Lady Armstrong Green have invited friends to witness the unveiling of their new bust of Mozart. It will sit alongside his lordship’s favourite bust, the one of Beethoven. Dashing heir Aled, the Earl of Bangor-didn’t-we-have-a-lovely-time and his sister Lady Myleene Upper Klass are there. Uncle Alex James, the third baronet, is also in attendance. Esteemed soprano Catarina Botti is booked to sing at the unveiling. But the evening doesn’t go to plan. This looks like a case for John Puree, brother of the more moustachioed Hercules. Or is it?
All is not what it seems at Upstairs Downland Abbey…”
You can order Upstairs Downland Abbey on Global’s charity site here, which includes details of the full cast, some audio excerpts and more.
Both David Tennant and David Suchet have served the crime fiction genre well in the past, in Broadchurch and Poirot respectively.