1. A Fresh Start

Spirited and fiercely intelligent, Ann Veronica is a 21st Century woman in an Edwardian Hobble skirt.

She runs away from her stiflingly conventional home and her domineering father to make a fresh start in London.

A lively and surprising story; not least because it's created by HG Wells.

The storytelling is witty and ironic and Ann Veronica caused a scandal in its time.

This was due to the feminist sensibilities of the heroine and also because of the affair Wells was having with Amber Reeves, the woman who inspired the novel's eponymous character.

This is a relatively unknown and unexpected novel by Wells. The Spectator described Ann Veronica as a "poisonous book..."

Although unlikely to offend modern listeners, this novel addresses many feminist versus femininity issues that are still relevant today.

The novel deals with the early stages of what is arguably the most important social development of the 20th century, the education and financial and sexual liberation of women. And the fact is that, nearly 100 years later, the problem of women who want to marry, have children and pursue a liberating career, is still not easy to solve.

Wells makes a good case for freer sexual relationships, but Amber Reeves - and later Rebecca West - were the ones whose lives were changed - by bearing and bringing up a child by him.

Starring Amy Hoggart, Geoffrey Whitehead and Bill Nighy.

Dramatised in two parts by Ellen Dryden.

Ann Veronica …... Amy Hoggart
Mr Stanley ..…. Geoffrey Whitehead
HG Wells …... Bill Nighy
Manning ..…. Toby Hadoke
Aunt Molly ..…. Ruth Alexander-Rubin
Constance …... Emily Pithon
Miss Miniver ..…. Victoria Brazier
Ramage …... Jonathan Keeble
Teddy ..…. Ashley Margolis

Director: Pauline Harris

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2017.