Bournville

In the English village of Bournville, a family commemorates VE Day in 1945. Listeners meet 11-year-old Mary, who grows up in Bournville, a model village designed to provide a progressive and healthy environment for workers at the nearby Cadbury chocolate factory. The story follows Mary and her family over the following 75 years, from the immediate postwar period through the COVID pandemic. Interwoven within is the evolving relationship between Mary and Geoffrey, who first crossed paths on VE Day. Seven pivotal moments in history anchor the story and highlight the political, social, and economic transformations in postwar England. The characters are relatable and well developed; listeners come to know Mary’s parents, grandparents, friends, and future family members. With measured pacing and a resonant voice, primary narrator Peter Caulfield traces the characters’ development over generations as they grapple with secrets and national myths that leave them and their country feeling adrift and divided. Caulfield’s performance is supplemented by that of Cara Horgan, who beautifully conveys the joy and sadness of the characters’ everyday experiences.