Richard Bean Of Rats And Men

Of Rats and Men is a thought-provoking play written by Richard Bean, originally aired on BBC Radio 4 FM. The story follows a psychologist who concludes his work with rats and embarks on a groundbreaking experiment that mirrors the social dynamics of the Holocaust.

This gripping narrative explores the tension between personal responsibility and expediency, challenging listeners to reflect on moral choices in dire circumstances.

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

Chapters

Of Rats and Men	1:14:26

Reviews

Of Rats and Men

(4 stars)

trevurr

This is an excellent play. The craggy American accents are audibly stressful but authentic. We see how the experimenters are unwittingly playing out another dispassionate experiment in human behaviour. As the prof says early on in the play, all he research so far has only informed us how RATS (or other animals) behave under laboratory conditions but nothing about humans. There are some traits in common, but you can't know this until you've conducted the same experiments on humans. The last line of the play is a bit weak, though.

Thought Provoking

(5 stars)

Debsw

This is a highly original drama which explores a subject I had never come across before, and as a lover of war time radio plays makes me appreciate the dramas with a new understanding. It is quite difficult to listen to at times but utterly absorbing like the novel you just can't put down which is due, in my opinion, to the 5* cast and I would urge anyone listen to it.