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Victor Canning's Mr Finchley cover art

Victor Canning's Mr Finchley

By: Victor Canning
Narrated by: full cast, Richard Griffiths
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Summary

Two BBC Radio 4 adaptations of Victor Canning’s comic novels about the exploits of a shy solicitor’s clerk, starring Richard Griffiths

Edgar Finchley is middle-aged, unassuming and not in the habit of taking holidays – but in these two delightful dramatisations, he unexpectedly discovers the delights of travel as he crosses the Channel to the Continent and explores the English countryside.
Mr Finchley Goes to Paris finds our hero on his way to France to track down a rather irresponsible client. But before he sets off, he has an important question to put to a certain widow of his acquaintance… On arrival in Paris, he has a contretemps with a haddock, gains a guide, makes a move, visits a fair and gets caught up in a kidnapping – but is it a case of mistaken identity?

In Mr Finchley Takes the Road, he falls in love with a canary-coloured caravan and a rather stubborn horse, and heads off for a series of adventures touring 1930s Kent. Along the way, he meets an unlikely teller of salty tales, is captured by two gamekeepers and accused of poaching, visits an old haunt and goes on a crusade. But someone is following hot on his trail…

Dramatised by father-and-son team Eric Merriman (Beyond Our Ken) and Andy Merriman, these whimsical stories are narrated by James Villiers and star Richard Griffiths as Mr Finchley.

Written by Victor Canning

Adapted by Andy and Eric Merriman

Produced by Gareth Edwards

Starring Richard Griffiths as Edgar Finchley

Narrated by James Villiers

Mr Finchley Goes to Paris
Mrs Crantell – Anna Cropper
Mr Sprake – James Grout
Lawrence Hume – Piers Gibbon
Mrs Patten – Jill Graham
David White – James Taylor
Mavis – Teresa Gallagher
Frenchman – Barry Gordon
Marie Peters – Serena Evans
Robert Gillespie – James Cohen
Madame Mignard – Jacqueline Tong
Waiter – Keith Anderson
Mr Hammerton – Nicky Henson
Michel – Jeffrey Holland
Jerome Giraud – Simon Roberts
Gaston/Jacques – David Howarth
Baptiste Mignard – Albert Welling
Mr Barker – John Bird
Esmond Lockwood – Edward de Souza
Perkins – Richard Ridings
Lanky Harris – Alex Arkell

Mr Finchley Takes the Road
Mrs Finchley – Dinah Sheridan
Mr Rivers– Ron Pember
Turk – Peter Vaughan
Mr Sprake – James Grout
Mr Harricot– Alan Thompson
Colonel Greatorex – Ronald Fraser
Marshall – Joe Melia
Garge – Chris Emmett
Ernie – Jon Glover
Young woman – Susie Brann
Mr Blain – John Bird
Captain – Clive Swift
Mrs Maberley – Auriol Swift
Duffy – Richard Ridings
Mr Greevey – Albert Welling
Robert Finchley – Robert Gill
Mr Harbottle – Piers Gibbon
Miss Slater– Kate Binchy
Sir Simon Penickle – Alan Thompson
Mechanic – David Howarth
Jenks – Ian Bartholomew
Joe Turnbull – Bill Wallis
James Grimes – Geoffrey McGivern
Clarence Armitage – Sebastian Brennan
Mrs Armitage – Jacqueline Tong

©2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2020 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

What listeners say about Victor Canning's Mr Finchley

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About when life was simple

An easy listening story about a time gone bye and life was at a slower pace and people Spoke to each other face to face

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5 people found this helpful

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Lighthearted entertainment

I enjoyed this a lot It was old fashioned story telling at its best. Thoroughly entertaining.

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4 people found this helpful

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A pleasant listen

This is a very easy listen an enjoyable uncomplicated story nothing to deep to tax the brain with, the narrator and indeed the full cast production were very good indeed. I found it thoroughly entertaining.

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3 people found this helpful

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Loved it from start to finish

This is easily the best audible I have listened to in a long time, a throw back to a gentle stroll through the Kent countryside, but with an edge.
Wish there were more like this that the BBC would bring out, but I won’t hold my breath.
Mr Finchley is from a time gone by, a time that I wish was back in vogue, buy it and you will not be disappointed, I promise.

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3 people found this helpful

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Harkens back to a gentler time

Well acted and beautifully dramatised, the Mr Finchley books a really brought to life in an entertaining and exciting way.

The books both written and set in the 1930s paint a picture of a life lived at a more sedate pace, where adventure was around every corner and a man could gently trot through the world bumping into friendly and not so friendly souls, safe I'm the knowledge that everything would be ok.

If you want to escape the world for a few hours you won't find a better way than this to do so.

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2 people found this helpful

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Very entertaining - excellent story and cast

Extremely enjoyable - polished writing, production and performances. Have listened to this three times now and look forward to listening to it again.

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1 person found this helpful

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An absolute delight!

Transports you back to a golden age, accessible only in fiction. What a joy!

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A good listen

Loved this. Took me back to a lovely gentle England. Felt the freedom of the open road before traffic jams and supermarkets. Pure escapism.

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He’s so completely English.

I love Victor Canning’s Mr Finchley trilogy in the books.
This dramatisation with Richard Griffiths is an absolute delight. Insights into a world gone by, an England long gone, good old fashioned adventures where nothing, but everything happens in the everyday. A gem!

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Gentle charming comedy

It’s a relaxing listen, ideal for these troubled times! Narration is perfect, and the characters appealing.

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