Frontman Ray Davies has teamed up with Olivier-nominated playwright Paul Sirett for the project that will mark the 50th anniversary of 'Arthur' and feature Lee Ross and Rosie Cavaliero.
- Oct 5, 2019
AceShowbiz - Ray Davies has adapted The Kinks' classic 1969 album "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)" into a BBC radio drama.
The album was inspired by Ray and his brother and bandmate Dave Davies's older sister Rose's decision to emigrate to Australia in 1964 with her husband Arthur.
To mark Arthur's 50th anniversary, Ray and Olivier-nominated playwright Paul Sirett have transformed the story told by the record's songs into a drama.
The "Lola" hitmaker says in a press release: "The album 'Arthur (Or The Decline And Fall Of The British Empire)' is inspired by real life events. Arthur's generation returned from war to find Britain's future in the midst of cultural and social change and political uncertainty, much like today. A play set yesterday about all our tomorrows".
The cast of the drama, which will air on BBC Radio 4, includes Lee Ross as Arthur and Rosie Cavaliero as Rose.
Ray recently told WENN that he and The Kinks have almost finished work on their latest album, their first in more than 25 years.
"We're sorting through songs at the moment, picking the right ones, it's one of the crucial things," he said. "We've got an interesting collection but it's trying to get it all to fit".
