The Tenth Man - W. Somerset Maugham - BBC Saturday Night Theatre

George Winter is a self-made businessman and M.P., who lets nothing stand in the way of his ambition, believing that nine out of ten men are rogues or fools. Whenever Winter meets a rival who can't be bought, he destroys them through methods both legal and underhand. His wife Catherine is intent on divorce, but with the scandal potentially damaging to his election campaign, Winter blackmails her into staying with him. Then, Winter meets his 'tenth man': Jim Ford a victim who refuses to be silenced by threat or bribery, who has the power to expose one of Winter's shady gold mine deals, and bring his house of cards crashing down.
William Somerset Maugham was an English playwright, novelist, and short story writer. He was among the most popular writers of his era and reputedly the highest-paid author during the 1930s.
Both Maugham's parents died before he was 10, and the orphaned boy was raised by a paternal uncle who was emotionally cold. He did not want to become a lawyer like other men in his family, so he trained and qualified as a physician. His first novel Liza of Lambeth (1897) sold out so rapidly that Maugham gave up medicine to write full-time.
During the First World War, he served with the Red Cross and in the ambulance corps before being recruited in 1916 into the British Secret Intelligence Service. He worked for the service in Switzerland and Russia before the October Revolution of 1917 in the Russian Empire. During and after the war, he travelled in India, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. He drew from those experiences in his later short stories and novels. (Wikipedia)
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[@pamelamyers9613]

W. Somerset Maugham is a most excellent story writer.

[@henryworthington8261]

Extremely well acted, like being at the theatre in person, held you every step of the way.

[@christrinder1255]

One of Maugham’s absolute most cleverly written stories! Brilliant, many thanks 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@anaderol5408]

Maugham was able to write on so many topics and his characters were always believable. The acting was superb.

[@samsum3738]

An excellent play . Very well produced and acted . Thank you .

[@richardallen3810]

Fantastic drama. Maugham was so gifted with story telling abilities. I loved this radio adaptation as I do all from this channel.

[@michaelfraser5723]

but the accents

[@Helen-xy9qj]

Thank you so much to Chesterton Radio for your constant refilling of the supply line of these entertaining plays. I love the diction and cut-glass accents which maybe only the Queen speaks with now. Then there are the customs of another age when sherry was the tipple of choice, women wore nylons and smoking was deemed a health habit. For all who love English tradition, these plays are a treat.

[@louisbrugnoni1291]

Could’ve agree with you more!

[@roderickfernandez8554]

Not nylons but silk hose were worn at that time in the teens I believe it's around 1911

[@alanfox3177]

True

[@marthagrinnan6155]

Always enjoy the works of W S Maugham. Great play! You never disappointed.

[@athenaathena1307]

Great performance. Thanks for sharing.

[@Lakeslover1]

Really excellent play.

[@victorireland8913]

Superb in every way.

[@mathonamoore123]

This is a brilliant drama & my second time hearing this! It is Thursday, the 3rd of November 2022@4.19 am, in Ireland now. 🧡🇮🇪💚

[@BoadiceanRevenge]

Such a brilliant play and quite way before it's time! 🙏⚖️🙏

[@vlera8447]

Thank you very much. I haven't been disturbed by any ads and even if I had, I wouldn't complain as this wonderful content is free to all.

[@auntyJanette]

Thank you for finding this excellent play. The characters are so vibrant and believable, although not particularly likeable. You have enriched my world with these productions. Thank you.

[@riverbilly64]

26 January 2023 - Listened from the Bluegrass state, USA. Good episode!

[@colinglass1342]

Great drama Very well thought out storey twist and turns.

[@tottiemae2258]

This is powerful and worth your while!

[@denestarjanyi8892]

Thank you for this entertaining play.

[@maxinejacobson4006]

Excellent.

[@sailorsquatandhisseaman]

Thanks for your hard work in making this channel available for all the fans!This one had it all. Acting, directing, sound and of course the great written work. I also couldn’t find myself hating George that much. An endearing antagonist, I guess. BRAVO!

[@wiilwaalarawelo5795]

What a great play!

[@silvanaflorescu827]

I enjoy every play thank you for these pleasents moments

[@aussieagle]

Fantastic, really worth a listen.

[@emilyhuckson2909]

This was truly brilliant.

[@brennykins8823]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@TheNemocharlie]

An outstanding play in everyway. The main character is horribly real. Truth be told, I've worked with someone like that. Oddly enough, the eventual outcome was almost identical to that in the play.

[@heatherrichmond6251]

Very good drama .thank u

[@roderickfemm8799]

@Iker Weston Spam

[@roderickfemm8799]

@Gerald Leonard More spam

[@marymary5494]

What a treat, thank you. 👌💕

[@colinwarner7762]

A great production, I really enjoyed this, so much, thank you. Colin the UK.

[@JudeNance]

Amazing story

[@Seasidecc95437]

Fantastic

[@alanfox3177]

Brilliant

[@olhat4079]

So touching and so exposing of righteousness men who cheated but pretending to be saviour

[@katiedotson704]

The sad part is that men and women of this ilk do exist and sit in seats of power the world over.

[@jonathanveale119]

splendid

[@cousinsister69]

Powerful.

[@ianeldred841]

brilliant

[@colinglass7929]

Excellent first rate audio drama Beautifully acted impressive interesting storey line . Don't no much about the author apart from a few films showed on tv short stories as such .Never heard of these actors before.

[@davidhull1481]

Don’t no how to spell either.

[@janegriffiths7733]

we have all fell victim to the predicta text from time to time, even surely you

[@katiedotson704]

As an American, I was not aware of the writers or the actors in the BBC plays I have had the pleasure to listen to. But, I am grateful for the introduction to them and appreciate the talent and skill they exhibit. American radio never had this much class.

[@philiphema2678]

Wow! "Knock some sense into her"! Really? A father encouraging his son-in-law? Thank heavens the world and society, for many people, have changed for the better. I read WSM when I was youngter and thoroughly enjoyed his writing. Now, as a senior citizen, my vision of this world of yesteryear is one of shock. But grateful to hv access to this dead world.

[@katiedotson704]

Is that any worse than parents trading their daughter for position and money? Both parents are guilty.

[@dianapeek6936]

​@@katiedotson704 Absolutely. Is it really a much better world. Financially possibly, but mans inhumanity to man continues to deteriorate.

[@katiedotson704]

@@dianapeek6936 I don't see that man's inhumanity to his own species has deteriorated. In many ways it has gotten better, but not better enough. We haven't made the strides we should have. I am beginning to wonder if we are capable of getting better.

[@paulagriffiths2337]

Interesting character development.

[@lonsworth]

The actor who plays Frank, the father, sounds like Herbert Marshall..

[@TedaR]

WSM! nuff said lol 😁 Tyaa Chesterton R

[@dzadza7775]

As a child I read every Somerset Maugham story I could. Now still enjoy his style. Im just a little baffled by the ending..are we left with a penniless widow or a vastly enriched one? Could someone please reassure me? Was it essential that George survived until the following morning to deal with the newly revealed situation regarding the mine, or did it not matter and the widow inherits? I cannot reveal which ending I would prefer. Did I miss a key phrase somewhere?

[@mysteriesoflife64]

I don’t know why I couldn’t hate George and felt sorry for him

[@tizwoz]

That's because you're obviously a fellow animal lover, & therefore compassionate by nature!

[@katiedotson704]

@@tizwoz I, too, am an animal lover. I've had nothing but rescues for close to 30 years. Not one of those animals would have treated me the way that George treated every person he met. Leaving others broke and destitute was just business. Lies, fraud, bribery, extortion, and blackmail were just tools of the trade. There was not one person that he expressed any real concern for. But when it looked as if he would have to pay the consequences for his actions, he took a very cowardly way out, leaving others to clean up the mess.

[@pamelamyers9613]

Somebody is a very sore criminal.

[@roelienpostma2367]

This is 1910........

[@kimberlykasimoff1447]

Funny how the husband threatened his wife because if his illegal dealings that he was willing to drag her and her friend through the courts, but pleading when he was totally in a corner. Maybe I didn't explain myself well. I like quick justice. It always saves the tax payer their money.

[@jeremypearson6852]

Too bad the executives of companies like Enron and the like didn’t listen to this. The love of money is the root of all evil.

[@mikelheron20]

Actually religion is the root of all evil.

[@roderickfernandez8554]

If Jesus did exist he was a simple preacher a good man and would be horrified at the things that have been done in his name the death the killing of the wars the Crusades the Inquisition and still it goes on

[@lonsworth]

"The root of all evil is THE LACK OF MONEY"--Rev Ike

[@Silly.Old.Sisyphus]

the love of evil is the root of all money

[@sailorsquatandhisseaman]

Eeny meeny miney moe…. 😂

[@martinadarcy781]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@tommonk7651]

Given the occurrences of the last 5 years here in the US, I would have to say WSM was prescient.... George Winter sounds an awful lot like a certain double-dealing, lying American politician/businessman who will do anything to get his way.

[@hermajesty52]

I know George was a bounder.....but.....dang! :-(

[@australiainfelix7307]

The ending was dramatic but unrealistic. George Winter was a true alpha, and he wouldn't have given up at that point. It's a pity so few writers understand alpha males.

[@samsum3738]

Sometimes these so called alpha males find it all too easy to do this . They are then truly masters of their own fate .

[@dianapeek6936]

I could never quite understand where the family house was situated. Surely not along the side of a railway line?

[@teamdotti]

Didn't Somerset Maugham believe he'd sold his soul o the devil?

[@zoyablake9538]

George Winter is the epitome of Mr. Nasty: arrogant, bullying and a source of pain to his wife Catherine who wants to divorce him. But George has political ambitions that might get hampered by a divorce so he blackmails Cathrine into staying. He seems unstoppable until he meets Jim Ford. Could this be the man to bring George down?

[@minzygreen1167]

Zoya Blake thank you for great synopsis! Its a great help when im trying to decide whether id be interested in a play or not.

[@zoyablake9538]

@@minzygreen1167 You're welcome! I don't do as many as I used it, but I'm glad this one helped.

[@judikingsman6132]

I do like trains. 😊

[@howardmoscovitz9353]

I’m

[@rosebud3971]

😉

[@admiralcraddock464]

Sodding adverts evry few minute made this unbearable.

[@ChestertonRadio]

Sorry about that. We've fixed the settings here. Some of these older shows were not setup correctly. We're fixing them as we find them.

[@dianapeek6936]

Sorry about that. I have very few Ads and are in Greek, whereas Turkish is the natural language here!!!!!

[@user-de5ez5pe8t]

Katharine (pain in the arse)Winter.