Artists

The complete Series 1 & 2 of the BBC radio sitcom about an artists' colony in Cornwall

Set in the Cornish cultural mecca of St Ives, Artists centres around a close-knit community of artists whose talent is matched only by their dysfunctionality. When they're not bitching about each other's work, they're bickering with one another—but as genius goes hand-in-hand with an artistic temperament, they never take their squabbles too seriously.

Sharing a studio with landscape painter Tamsin are sculptor Dolores, who pushes the boundaries of papier maché; her bank manager partner, Nisha; and laissez-faire installationist Josef, Tamsin's lodger and sort-of boyfriend. Along with pub landlord Marcus, who provides inspiration in alcoholic form, and Tamsin's avuncular agent Gerard, they spend their time searching for their muse, suffering for their art—and making a thorough exhibition of themselves.

In these 10 episodes, Tamsin competes with Josef to create a self-portrait, Marcus goes away for a weekend to save his marriage, Nisha proposes to Dolores—hypothetically, and Gerard takes a cross-Channel booze cruise that almost ends in tragedy...

Written by award-winning radio producer Gareth Edwards, whose credits include That Mitchell and Webb Look and Bleak Expectations, this slow-burning, character-driven comedy features a stellar cast including Vicki Pepperdine, Pauline McLynn, Mina Anwar, Ben Miller, Dave Lamb and Graham Crowden, with guest appearances from Miranda Hart and Bertie Carvel.

Production credits

Written by Gareth Edwards

Script editor: Paul Mayhew-Archer

Produced by Katie Tyrrell

Cast

Tamsin—Vicki Pepperdlne

Dolores—Pauline McLynn

Gerard—Graham Crowden

Nisha—Mina Anwar

Josef—Ben Miller

Marcus—Dave Lamb

Jake—Dean Johnston

Lindy—Maria Liberos

Couple in art gallery—Stephen Critchlow & Caroline Johnson

Ewan—Giles New

Pippa—Miranda Hart

Best Man/Clive—Bertie Carvel

Cressida—Raquel Cassidy

Charlotte—Phyllida Hewat

Sam—Julia Morris

Lesley/Weinberg—John Rowe

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 26 March-30 April 2003 (Series 1), 21 April-12 May 2004 (Series 2)