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How Elena Blew Hot and Cold

Widowed Elena likes to sleep around. But when she snubs one man for another, she picks the wrong victim. Stars Lydia Leonard.

Terry Jones introduces another tasty Renaissance tale.

The 100 stories which make up Giovanni Boccaccio鈥檚 humane and comic masterpiece come from all over the world. This Renaissance work is considered a landmark in the history of literature.

The stories are vividly reset by Boccaccio among the flourishing merchant classes in the cities of fourteenth-century Italy. But their witty, satirical, bawdy voice sounds utterly modern, and their subjects - love, fate, sex, religion, morality - are universal.

鈥淭ricks which men play on women.鈥

Widowed Elena sleeps around, though she likes to keep up appearances. But when she snubs one man for the amusement of another, she picks the wrong victim.

Elena ..... Lydia Leonard
Rinieri ..... Cyril Nri
Violante ..... Elaine Claxton
Pyrrhus ..... Paul Heath

Adapted by Robin Brooks

Music arranged and performed by Robert Hollingworth and Paula Chateauneuf

Lyric translations by Silvia Reseghetti

Script Consultant: Guyda Armstrong

Produced and directed by Jonquil Panting

First broadcast on 麻豆社 Radio 3 in December 2014.

15 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Writer Giovanni Boccaccio
Adaptor Robin Brooks
Performer Robert Hollingworth
Performer Paula Chateauneuf
Elena Lydia Leonard
Rinieri Cyril Nri
Violante Elaine Claxton
Pyrrhus Paul Heath
Producer Jonquil Panting
Director Jonquil Panting

Broadcasts

  • Wed 3 Dec 2014 22:45
  • Wed 14 Jan 2026 06:45
  • Wed 14 Jan 2026 11:45
  • Wed 14 Jan 2026 17:45
  • Thu 15 Jan 2026 01:45