Young Scot Donald Cameron, invalided from the Western Front in 1918, finds himself writing a book about the eccentricities of the English. Stars Tony Curran and Ian Hislop.

Martin Jarvis directs a galaxy of stars in a Classic Serial one-off episode. The cast is led by outstanding Scots actor Tony Curran as Donald.

In this classic 1930s comic novel, a young Scot, Donald Cameron, invalided from the Western Front in 1918, finds himself commissioned to write a book about the eccentricities of the English - through 'a foreigner's eyes'. An enthusiastic innocent abroad, Donald encounters an array of richly comic characters. He attends an absurd country house weekend, enjoys drinks with Fleet Street hacks, attempts some book-reviewing, visits The League of Nations as an MP's private secretary and, memorably, plays village cricket - the most famous fictional cricket match in literature.

The novel is dramatised by Archie Scottney ('Something Fresh', 'Summer Lightning', 'Goldfinger', 'The Mysterious Mr Quin') and who once took 5 wickets for 36 runs.

Martin Jarvis says: 'A joy to direct. The preposterous game of cricket at its heart leaps happily onto the air waves. With Ian Hislop to skipper our all-stars, I felt we had hit some kind of pitch-perfection. The absurdity and blessedness of England and the English remains reassuringly, recognisable.'

Cast:

Donald Cameron .....Tony Curran

Evan Davies ..... Ioan Gruffudd

Mr Hodge ..... Ian Hislop

Tommy Huggins ..... Alfred Molina

Rupert Harcourt .. ... Rufus Sewell

Mr Bloomer ..... Michael York

Sir Henry ..... Ian Ogilvy

Gwennie ..... Jill Gascoine

Pendragon ..... Lloyd Owen

Esmeralda .....Sophie Winkleman

Carolyn Seymour, Julian Holloway, Oliver Dillon, JD Cullum,Kenneth Danziger,

Darren Richardson, Simon Templeman, Alan Shearman, Matthew Wolf, Daisy Hydon.

Sound design: Mark Holden

Producer: Rosalind Ayres

Director: Martin Jarvis

A Jarvis & Ayres production for BBC Radio 4.