The Courtship of Mr Lyon Radio Drama

1. ‘The Bloody Chamber & Other Stories’
By Lauren Parkes.

2. Scene one – Ext – Mr Lyon’s house
0m00s
• Music – Playing gently in the background.
• Narrator – Beauty’s father, a kind, elderly man, had
earlier learnt that his fortunes had been lost. He now
found himself and his car stuck, in the snow, outside of a
tidy and well kept Palladian house. Turning out his
pockets, he doesn’t even have petrol money to return home
to his daughter; Beauty. He decides to call for help.
• Music – fading out.
• Sound – Atmospheric noise – E.G. wind blowing.
• Sound – Man walking through snow.
0m30s
• Beauty’s father: (Overwhelmed) Such a beautiful place…
• Sound – footstep’s slow down and stop
• Beauty’s father: White roses… just like Beauty wan-
• Sound – Roaring.
• Beauty’s father – Huh? (confused) w- what was that?
• Music – Gently playing in background again.
• Sound – Footsteps in the snow are heard again.
• Dialogue/inner thought – Beauty’s father – The door’s just
as impressive as the rest of the garden.
• Sound – As he approaches the door the music fades out
again.
• Sound – Foot steps in snow – no longer heard.
• Beauty’s father: Well… that’s unique… A lion head as a door
knocker.. (curious)
1m00s
• Sound – One knock at the door

3. • Sound – the door slowly opens – creaking
• Beauty’s father – what the?... this is utterly bizarre…
• Sound – Clearing of throat & footsteps, walking in.
• Beauty’s father – Hello..? (louder) Hello?... (echo’d)
• Sound – The door shuts – Creaking and a slam.
Scene two – INT. My Lyon’s house.
1m30s
• Music – Mysterious/magical music.
• Narrator – Surrounded by an extremely eccentric
household, filled with candle lit chandeliers and other
riches, Beauty’s father soon realises how beautiful, but
also how bizarre this place is.
• Sound – Crystals of Chandelier tinkle.
• Sound – Creak of a door.
• Beauty’s father – Huh… The cloakroom!
• Sound – Beauty’s father rushing over to the cloakroom and
removing his coat.
• Beauty’s father – No clothes in here? What on earth is
this place..?
2m00s
• Sound – Barking of a dog.
• Sound – Beauty’s father laughs.
• Beauty’s father – Of course, what did I expect of this
place; a dog as a host to greet me.
• Sound – The dog walking, then barking.
• Beauty’s father – You want me to follow?
• Sound – The dog barks.
• Beauty’s father – Of course, I have to follow the d-
• Sound – Barking.

4. • Beauty’s father – yes, okay, I’m following.
• Sound – Foot steps – loud at first – becoming quieter.
2m30s
• Music – Fades in.
Scene three – INT. Mr. Lyon’s house – The Study.
2m35s
• Narrator – Following the diamond collared spaniel,
Beauty’s father was lead into the leather panelled
study, filled with warmth from the fire, a table stand
next to it, where there lies a silver tray with a
whiskey decanter and a silver dish.
• Music – Fades out.
• Sound – Crackling of a log fire.
• Beauty’s father – Guessing this is the study, huh,
boy?
• Sound – Barking.
• Beauty’s father - What are we doing in here?
3m00s
• Sound – Dog barks and jumps up and down.
• Beauty’s father – What’s this?... ‘drink me’ it says
• Music – Fades in, remains quiet.
• Sound – bottle opening
• Sound – Beauty’s father drinking the liquid.
• Beauty’s father – It’s merely just whiskey.

5. • Sound – Dog barks again.
• Beauty’s father – The lid of the dish says ‘eat me’?
• Sound – Dish lid being removed and placed to the side.
• Beauty’s father – Roast beef! Excellent!
• Sound – Beauty’s father eating.
• Sound – Dog walks away.
3m30s
• Beauty’s father – That was absolutely delicious, I
must thank my most hospitable host, take me to hi—
Wait? Hello? Where did you go?
• Sound – Beauty’s father pacing around the room.
• Beauty’s father – he’ll be back… I’m sure of it!
• Music – Becomes louds.
Scene four – INT. Mr Lyon’s house – The Study
3m53s
• Narrator – Having nothing better to do, Beauty’s father
makes two calls; one too a garage, the other being an
attempted call to Beauty. The car would be fixed within the
hour. All expenses being paid by his host; he was informed
by the Mechanic.
• Music - fading out.
• Sound – Dial tone of phone.
• Sound – Call cut off.
• Sound – sighing.
• Sound – Beauty’s father drinking.
• Beauty’s father – Once more, I’ll try once more, Beauty
will be worrying.
• Sound – Dialling of numbers.
4m30s
• Sound – Dial tone of phone.

6. • Sound – Call cut off.
• Beauty’s father – (sighs) The storms cleared but the lines
are still down.
• Sound – Dog walks in.
• Beauty’s father – ah! You’ve returned with my coat,
guessing this is my sign to leave?
• Sound – Dog barks.
• Sound – Beauty’s father and the dog walking
5m00s
• Sound – The door creaks open.
• Beauty’s father – I guess this is it; time to say good bye!
• Sound – dog barks.
• Sound – door creaks and slams behind him.
5m18s