Full Transcription of short radio interview by Roy Noble ‘The Real Merlin & Arthur’
Full Transcription of short radio interview by Roy Noble ‘The Real Merlin & Arthur’
A short delightful behind-the-scenes interview of Bradley and Colin during the making of their road trip documentary ‘The Real Merlin & Arthur’. First broadcast November 2009.
Notes
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All text is spoken to camera.
RN - radio presenter Roy Noble
BJ - actor Bradley James
CM - actor Colin Morgan.
-START-
(scene in radio studio)
RN: Now then let’s have history on the curriculum here I love history and it’s a question that refuses to go away this one: where did King Arthur live and where was he buried and can we claim him here in Wales? Of course we can. Well, two people who are very interested in this conundrum are actors Bradley James and Colin Morgan who play Prince Arthur and Merlin in the hit BBC drama ‘Merlin’. Now Bradley and Colin are currently travelling together around Wales to find out more about the truth behind the Arthurian legend for a programme on BBC2 in November and I’m pleased to say we’ve managed to catch up with them during a break in filming. Now then, Colin and Bradley you’re thrice welcome Sires how are you? [ed: ‘thrice’ is olde meaning ‘three times’]
(Scene in car park)
BJ: Very well Roy how are you?
CM: very good.
RN: Very well thank-you thanks for asking/
BJ: Good Good
RN: Where exactly are you today now?
BJ: erm a very good question I think the answer I can safely say is Caerleon and we are by the Roman ruins which we’ve just taken a look at/
RN: oh…the Roman Fortress?/
BJ: Yes, it’s been one of the many stops that we’ve had as we’ve been travelling through Wales basically the last few days.
RN: Yeh well there’s a rumour of course that Caerleon may have been Camelot.
BJ: Yes! Yes we’ve heard the tale about erm the possibility of it being the home of the round table at one stage/
RN: That’s exactly right, King Arthur’s round table in the Roman amphitheatre and Dinas Mawddwy where Arthur may have died
CM: Yes we were there yesterday erm and we experienced a bit of ley lying which was very interesting encountering the so-called spirit world erm locating Arthur’s place of death and where he fell so/
BJ: Let me just tell you Roy last night in the pitch black, erm, guided by an eccentric man called Laurence, myself and Colin were holding small metal rods trying to find spirits that were underground
RN: Did the rods move?
BJ: They moved/
CM: Yes/
BJ: /they moved, we found a spirit where Laurence thought we would, and er
CM: Yeh we found the ley line that lead directly to erm where Arthur eventually died so er/
RN: Dinas Mawddwy oh there you are you can’t sort of fight the power of the ley lines you know
CM: we didn’t! so
RN: Some sensitive souls have the power that y’know comes up through the land and into their legs and then eventually to their mind so they say anyway but he was a bit of a boy Arthur obviously because he was a fellow who moved around a bit so he had addresses everywhere/
BJ: Yes well a lot of people seem to be erm y’know laying claim to y’know having him buried in their back garden or y’know having him there’s somebody’s got y’know someone everywhere seems to have some link to King Arthur which I think perhaps denotes the kind of popularity of him.
RN: Yes. What about Merlin then?
CM: Its been interesting to explore these places that we know so well but in terms of the Merlin link and finding the real Merlin I think that’s a bit of a way off yet/
RN: So I suppose this has intrigued you now seeking out Arthur and seeking out Merlin and having a greater understanding of these characters.
CM: Well its been great ‘cause we’ve spent erm these three days and erm hiking all over Wales and stopping off at these great places that are so linked to the Arthurian legend and linked in history and to be able to see those and literally y’know have our breaths taken away at some points at the scenery and also to be able to learn more about what we’re recreating on TV it’s been great.
RN: Listen we’ve got something called Juke-box Journeys here so Bradley and Colin if you’d like to chose a record each we’d put one behind the other and play both for you.
BJ: Well, there’s a bit of a song that’s become a bit of a cult theme - ‘You’re the Voice’ by John Farnham
RN: Can you give us a little note to that
BJ: he’s - I’m watching him bottling it just as we’re erm/
CM: Bradley’s been known to burst into song with that one on set so I mean he’s more practiced that me/
BJ: I really nearly had him on the spot there I’m sorry about that Roy
RN: Hey listen we’ll put the disc on. Bradley James and Colin Morgan well continued success in your journey when you eventually get there from Merlin and King Arthur I hope in both cases they’re going to be Welsh let me tell you. Many thanks to you both.
BJ: Thank you Roy really appreciate it.
CM: Thank you.
(Scene: various clips of the road-trip TV programme The Real Merlin and Arthur)
CM: Today is the first day we’re about to embark on our journey to find the real Arthur and Merlin.
BJ: So this would be where Arthur was supposedly brought up.
BJ: You can see for miles it’s beautiful…and we are going… weeeeeee
CM: …and then onto Camlan
CM: I would quite like to believe that there was an inspiration erm for the character of Merlin in the form of a real man
BJ: It’s been a trip well worthwhile.
-FIN-