Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Double Bill 19xx-xx-xx Game for One Player
Air Date: January 2, 2026
Featured Play: "Game for One Player" by Patrick Simpson

Episode Overview

This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio features a radio drama titled "Game for One Player," shining a light on the psychological tension and mysterious fear experienced by a young boy, Terry, and his family. Set in a post-war British household, the story delicately examines the line between imagination and reality through the lens of a child's repeated claims about a mysterious presence in the garden, and the reactions of his concerned parents.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Family Dynamics and Domestic Routine (00:00–02:09)

• The episode opens with typical, cozy domestic exchanges: a mother (C) busies herself with chores, the father (A) returns from work, and their son Terry (B) plays in the garden.
• Quote – (00:53):
  A (Father): “Oh, it’s the best moment of the day, I reckon. Just sitting down in the old armchair when you’re at home.”
• Terry repeatedly calls for his mother, mentioning “he’s in the garden again,” but his pleas are ignored as childish imagination.

2. The "Game" and Growing Concern (02:09–03:39)

• Terry’s mother expresses to his father that the "game" is becoming an obsession, hinting at underlying anxiety:
• Quote – (02:12):
  C (Mother): “But this is becoming an obsession. It’ll have to stop.”
• The parents are unsure whether Terry’s fixation is harmless or worrisome.
• The father attempts to rationalize, suggesting it’s just the result of a child's imagination.

3. Gentle Confrontation and Terry’s Perspective (03:39–08:04)

• Father and son have a heart-to-heart conversation:
• The father inquires about Terry’s play, trying to distinguish between imagination and reality.
• Quote – (05:40):
  A (Father): “It’s amazing what you can do with imagination, isn’t it?”
• Terry describes seeing something “big, tremendously big, and black” at the bottom of the garden—he insists it’s real, not imagined.
• Quote – (07:06):
  B (Terry): “Big and black. And then got a mouth... It’s horrible.”
• The father remains skeptical, attempting to dispel his son’s fears by suggesting the apparition is a product of imagination.

4. Parental Ultimatum & Dismissal (08:04–09:00)

• The father declares an end to the matter, threatening mild punishment if Terry mentions the subject again:
• Quote – (08:05):
  A (Father): “Now, Terry, I’ve given you a fair warning… Now it’s got to stop.”
• Terry agrees and asks to return to the garden.

5. Rising Tension and Terry’s Disappearance (09:06–12:25)

• Terry is allowed back outside briefly, but concern grows as he doesn't return when called.
• Weather turns—rain begins, adding to the mood.
• The parents search the garden, growing increasingly anxious.
• Quote – (10:09):
  C (Mother): “I can’t see him, Jack.”
• At the bottom of the garden, they find unexplained large marks in the soil:
• Quote – (11:32):
  A (Father): “Those marks…well, for a moment, if you look at them, it’s as if…” C (Mother): “It’s as if what, Jack?” A (Father): “As if something has been standing there. Something big.”
• Despite their search and calls, Terry does not answer.

6. Unsettling Ending (12:11–12:49)

• The parents, still unable to find Terry, become increasingly desperate, calling out his name repeatedly as the episode closes, leaving his fate ambiguous and the supernatural element unresolved.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Imagination vs. Reality:
  “It isn’t pretending. That’s real.”
  — Terry (06:03)
• Parental Dismissal:
  "It’s gone quite, quite far enough. It’s a stupid game, and it’s beginning to upset your mother.”
  — Father (07:59)
• Eerie Discovery:
  "Those marks…for a moment...it’s as if something has been standing there. Something big.”
  — Father (11:32)
• Open-Ended Fear:
  [Parents repeatedly calling “Terry” to no reply]
  — (12:14–12:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] Episode opens, domestic setup, “Game for One Player” by Patrick Simpson
• [02:09] Mother expresses concern over Terry's obsession with 'the thing'
• [05:40] Father discusses imagination directly with Terry
• [07:04] Terry describes seeing something “big and black” in the garden
• [08:04] Father lays down the law—the “game” must stop
• [10:09] Parents search, realize Terry is missing
• [11:32] Father notes strange, large marks at garden’s end
• [12:11–12:49] Climax: frantic search, unresolved conclusion

Tone & Language

• The play maintains a polite, understated domestic tone, typical of mid-20th-century radio dramas.
• Characters speak in gentle, measured, and reassuring voices, even as tension mounts.
• The sense of unease builds through subtle hints, hesitant dialogue, and what is left unsaid more than outright scares.
• The ending is ambiguous, leaving listeners in suspense.

Conclusion

"Game for One Player" is a psychological suspense piece, using the intimate setting of a family living room and the mysterious expanse of a garden to blur the lines between a child's imagination and a potentially supernatural reality. The episode exemplifies the era's skill in building atmosphere through conversation, sound, and suggestion—delivering a chilling and open-ended finish that lingers long after the broadcast ends.

Production Note:
The play was written by Patrick Simpson and produced by Brian Miller.