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form y separately published work icon For Fear of Little Men single work   radio play   fantasy   horror  
Issue Details: First known date: 1938... 1938 For Fear of Little Men
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

According to early reports:

'It is a psychological study of a woman who trifles with strange and horrible powers in a wild, sinister country place where, according to local gossip, evil powers carried on a survival of Pan worship, the most pagan of all religions. It is a drama of a 'creepy' variety, which will leave listeners speculating among themselves.'

(Source: 'Radio Plays for June', Sunday Mail, 29 May 1938, p.15.)

Later newspaper reports offered more information on the plot:

At the lower end of the Liskard farm land was a Deep Quarry, a wild and sinister place. Here, local gossip said, evil powers carried on a survival of Pan worship, that most pagan of all religions. The "little men" had already claimed one victim when city-bred Kay Ravenal came to stay with dour John Liskard and his gentle wife Eve Liskard warned her she was trifling with strange and horrible powers — but it was left to Ray Milton to discover what those powers actually were — and then it was too late to avert the tragedy.

(Source: 'Turn on the Wireless', Daily Examiner, 1 July 1938, p.11.)

Notes

  • The title is taken from the opening lines of William Allingham's nineteenth-century poem 'The Fairies':

    Up the airy mountain

    Down the rushy glen,

    We dare n't go a-hunting,

    For fear of little men

Production Details

  • First broadcast (nationally) on Friday 1 July 1938, from 9pm.

    Producer: Dion Wheeler.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Last amended 22 Jul 2015 16:20:34
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