Making an End to Things

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Alfred Polly is an ordinary middle-aged man who is tired of his wife’s nagging and his dreary job as a gentleman’s outfitter in a small town. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, he decides that the only way to escape his frustrating existence is to burn his shop to the ground and kill himself. Unexpected events, however, conspire at the last moment to lead the bewildered Mr Polly to a bright new future – after he saves a life, fakes his death and escapes to a world of heroism, hope and ultimate happiness. A comic take on mid-life crisis, The History of Mr Polly (published in 1910) is generally considered H G Wells' funniest novel. But it’s not without serious purpose. Beneath the surface is an implicit criticism of a society that forces people to suppress their imaginations and lead lives of drab conformity. In the final episode, Mr Polly attempts to put his reckless plan of arson and self-destruction into practice. Episode 2: Making an End to Things Narrator ..... Stephen Mangan Alfred Polly ..... Paul Ready Miriam ..... Clare Corbett Annie ..... Emma Kilbey Rumbold ..... Richard Attlee Captain Boomer ..... Trevor Littledale Gambell ..... Julian Parkin Rusper ..... Nigel Anthony Mrs Rumbold ..... Jean Trend Flo ..... Karen Ascoe Uncle Jim ..... Ben Crowe Miss Polly ..... Betsy Horsfall Horace ..... James Joyce Gwendoline ..... Ela Chapman Written by HG Wells Dramatised by Stephen Sheridan Producer / Director: David Blount A Pier production for BBC Radio 4