Mona Best and The Beatles – BBC play
This BBC play was broadcast on Radio 4 Saturday and is available for a month, also internationally.
From the announcement:
Before The Beatles were icons, they were just a bunch of teenagers playing in the basement of Mona’s large house in Liverpool. But without Mona and the work she did on their behalf, there might never have been a musical phenomenon called The Beatles.
This drama is based on the untold story of Mona Best and her unique role in the band’s early years, and of her scandalous relationship with their teenage roadie Neil Aspinall.
Pete Best and Neil Aspinall were best friends. Mona was 38 when she gave birth to 19-year-old Neil’s child. Three weeks after the baby was born, Pete was sacked by the band, leaving Neil to make an impossible choice.
Mona Best ….. Jodie McNee
Neil Aspinall ….. Sam Denia
Pete Best ….. Alex Farrell
Rory Best ….. Lott Lee
Jennifer ….. Chloe English
Brian Epstein ….. James Mace
Johnny ….. Shaun Mason
Grimes ….. Raymond Waring
Beryl ….. Clare Corbett
News and Television Announcers ….. Tom Turner
Paul ….. James Bibby
Other parts played by members of the cast.
Pete’s drumming performed by Antonio Feola.
Jazz guitar performed by Adonis Garcia Garcia with additional guitar by Peter Twomey and Carl Prekopp.
Live band performances by Dr Orange, produced by Jon Withnall and recorded at Jon Withnall Studios in Ormskirk.
Written by Norman Hull and Stewart Richards.
Sound Recordist: Alisdair McGregor
Sound Design: Lucinda Mason Brown and David Chilton
Production Runner: Natasha Biggs
Production Manager: Eleanor Mein
Director and Script Associate: Carl Prekopp
Producers: Lucinda Mason Brown and Stewart Richards
Executive Producer: Polly Thomas
An Essential production for BBC Radio 4
NB! Strong scouse accents used!
I don’t know that I’ve seen a photo of Mona Best before. When was this taken, is a date available?
Just listened to this play and I enjoyed it very much. To me the accents sounded a bit OTT so I had to listen hard to some bits of it, especially when the dialogue was quietly or quickly spoken – but then again I am getting on a bit!
I thought it was really well produced and acted. The story of Mona and Neil isn’t one I’ve read much about but the way it was presented in the play all seemed very plausible so I’m going to assume it was reasonably historically accurate.
After listening to it I had a read of Pete’s entry in Wikipedia (as you do) and learned that he retired in April. This was news to me and I’m amazed I didn’t hear about this at the time. I never got to see Pete Best in the flesh and sadly I never will.