Main content

Barbeque 67: The Original Summer of Love

Robert Glenister and Anamaria Marinca in a drama about migrant workers, Jimi Hendrix and the true story of the Lincolnshire Rock Festival that launched the Summer of Love.

Robert Glenister and Anamaria Marinca in a drama about migrant workers Jimi Hendrix and the true story of the rock festival that launched the Summer of Love. With verbatim accounts from those who took part, including Geno Washington, Zoot Money and Pink Floyd鈥檚 Nick Mason.

In a Lincolnshire landscape now home to labourers from Eastern Europe, Doug鈥檚 greatest memory is of Spalding鈥檚 Barbeque 67. Widowed, retired and depressed, this former tulip farmer (Robert Glenister) is helped to his feet by the young Romanian Tereza (Anamaria Marinca). An intimate friendship blossoms. Tereza grafts at picking vegetables and grading potatoes, but she once fronted her own band, Purple Haze, and Doug finds himself retelling the story of the night when Hendrix came to Spalding and played in the first ever rock festival.

For, amazing as it sounds, this happened exactly 55 years ago. On 29th May 1967 thousands descended on a giant agricultural shed, the Tulip Bulb Auction Hall. Alongside Hendrix, one of the greatest line-ups in rock history included Eric Clapton, Geno Washington, Pink Floyd, The Move, Zoot Money and local band Sound Force Five.

While Doug measures the person he has become against the person that Hendrix invited him to be, events in the town lead to an escalation of hostility to its Romanian workers. A series of confrontations will leave both Doug and Tereza to make decisions about where their futures lie.

Cast:
Doug - Robert Glenister
Tereza - Anamaria Marinca
John - Gerard McDermott
Young Doug - Tom Glenister
Young John - Joe Parker
Jimi Hendrix - Shaq B. Grant
Stefan - Timotei Cobeanu
Mr Carlton - Roger Alborough

Additional, real-life contributors:
Jane Cooper
Lynton Guest
Doug Kendall
Christopher Longstaff
Rob Mardle
Vic Martin
Nick Mason
Zoot Money
Rob Offer
Mick Peacey
Alastair Stewart
Colin Ward
Geno Washington

Written by Andy Barrett
Sound Design: David Thomas
Director: Andy Jordan
Producer: Jonathan Banatvala
Executive Producer: Melanie Nock

An International Arts Partnership production for 主播大秀 Radio 4

Available now

44 minutes

Last on

Thu 22 Aug 2024 14:15

Broadcasts

  • Mon 30 May 2022 14:15
  • Thu 22 Aug 2024 14:15

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

The Shakespeare Sessions

The Shakespeare Sessions

Immerse yourself in Shakespeare鈥檚 world