ARCH RIVALS
Radio 4, 11am
This is one seriously sweet story. No, sorry, it is one rather desperate mini- tragedy in which seriously sweet people appear. For what seems like thousands of years, but is probably merely hundreds, Freed’s ballet shop in London has been making the pointe shoe. By hand. With love and care. And bits of cardboard, glue, wood and satin. It is not a durable item — one pair may last no more than a single act of a ballet. Unlike the Gaynor Minden, a brash competitor from across the Pond, with its moulded plastics and scientifically proven superior performance values. Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis of the dance world is Felicity Finch.
THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY: THE HAROLD ARLEN STORY
Radio 2, 7pm
You wouldn’t think it would take four episodes to tell Arlen’s story, particularly since the answer to the question “Who was Harold Arlen?” could be wrapped up in minutes by simply listing the songs he composed: Over the Rainbow, Stormy Weather, That Old Black Magic . . . Claire Martin, though, has interesting things to tell about the man as well as his music.